Why I founded Cairos
Shannan Hanson, Certified Menopause Coach & Corporate Trainer (Women of a Certain Stage)
Sometimes the work you are meant to do finds you through the experiences you never expected.
For more than 25 years, I helped organizations build stronger customer relationships, improve adoption, and retain the customers they had worked hard to earn.
Then retention became personal.
My Story
During perimenopause, anxiety, exhaustion, night sweats, and brain fog began affecting my confidence at work. I sought medical help but was told I was depressed and prescribed an antidepressant. It took nearly two years to receive the care I needed.
During that time, I began working differently. Presentations took far longer to prepare because I worried I would forget what I wanted to say. I stopped contributing as freely in executive meetings. After years of leading teams and helping organizations grow, I found myself questioning abilities I had always trusted.
As the only woman on the executive leadership team, I tried to explain what I was experiencing. The lack of understanding made it clear how unprepared many workplaces are to recognize and respond to menopause. That experience, and the realization that I was not alone, ultimately led me to step away from corporate leadership and focus on building the support I believed organizations and employees needed.
The Connection
Throughout my career in Customer Success, I learned that retention is rarely determined by one moment. It is shaped by the entire experience: whether people feel understood, whether obstacles are identified early, whether the right resources are available, and whether leaders act before someone decides to leave.
Those same principles apply inside an organization.
Employees are more likely to stay and succeed when leaders understand their experience, managers are equipped to respond, resources are accessible, and progress is measured. That is the connection between my Customer Success background and the work Cairos does today.
Why Now?
Workforces are aging, experienced talent is increasingly difficult and expensive to replace, and menopause is finally becoming part of the workplace conversation.
Organizations have an opportunity to move beyond awareness and put practical support in place that strengthens retention, improves manager confidence, and creates a better experience for employees.
Why Cairos?
Cairos was built on a simple belief:
Organizations shouldn't lose experienced employees because they were unprepared for a stage of life every workforce will eventually face.
Every engagement leaves organizations with practical actions they can implement immediately. Organizations that continue through the full CAIROS Framework™ gain a complete roadmap for long-term, sustainable change.
“I spent my career helping organizations retain customers. Today, I help them retain the experienced employees they have already invested in.”