A Mid-Career Reset Built on Curiosity and Connection

Shannon Raybold never expected a casual conversation to lead to a new role created just for her.

After a year immersed in the Master of Science in Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, Raybold (MS Entrepreneurship, 2024) had learned to stay open to possibilities. So when a casual introduction from a professor led to a conversation—and then, a job offer—at VECA Electric & Technologies, she followed her instincts.

“It was a completely different path than I expected,” she says. “But I trusted the connection, and I could tell right away this was a place where I could learn and grow.”

A deliberate career pivot

Raybold brought two decades of experience in nonprofit communications and paralegal work to the one-year, full-time Master’s in Entrepreneurship program. She was ready for a new direction and wanted to build the business knowledge she hadn’t been exposed to on the job.

“I wanted to lean into something I wasn’t already strong in,” she says. “I also wanted to join a program that felt grounded in community, and one that would challenge me to grow.”

That intention shaped how she approached the experience. As a mid-career professional, Raybold knew how to ask for help, build relationships, and focus her energy where it mattered most. At Foster, that meant forming close connections with faculty and classmates and saying yes to hands-on opportunities.

Learning entrepreneurship through experience

Early in the Foster School of Business entrepreneurship program, Raybold set out to solve a sustainability challenge through a business offering reusable dishes and silverware. “I was passionate about the idea, but it was really three businesses in one: acquisition, delivery, and sanitization. It wasn’t feasible for a first-time startup,” she says.

With input from classmates and instructors, she pivoted to join a simpler, more focused idea: sustainable product labeling. She teamed up with another student and took the project into local pitch competitions, including the Dempsey Startup Competition and the Environmental Innovation Challenge.

“The encouragement to keep testing and refining ideas was a big part of the learning experience,” she says.

Building connections that matter

During her year in the entrepreneurship program, Raybold worked for instructor Betsy Sperry as a graduate grader for her undergraduate marketing classes. She also worked as a research assistant to Associate Professor Emily Cox Pahnke, a role that started with one quarter and extended through the full academic year. The work pushed her into new territory: personal genomics, academic publishing, and using AI to speed up research. It also helped her build confidence working with emerging technologies.

Outside the classroom, she connected with Seattle’s startup scene. She volunteered at events, participated in Madrona Venture Lab’s LEAP program, and helped peers make professional introductions.

“I tried to take full advantage of everything the entrepreneurship program and Seattle offered,” she says. “And because I was approaching it so intentionally, that helped me build connections and get the most out of every opportunity.”

One of those connections proved especially important. Cox Pahnke introduced Raybold to the Owner of VECA, Washington’s largest commercial electric company. (Coincidentally, VECA had also done the electrical work for Foster’s newest building, Founders Hall.) Raybold had expected a simple networking conversation. Instead, the leadership team was so impressed with her background and Cox Pahnke’s recommendation that they decided to create a role specifically for her—one that didn’t exist before she walked through the door.

Applying startup skills from the inside

Today, Raybold works as a business analyst on VECA’s information systems team. She helps identify opportunities to streamline internal processes and explore how AI tools can support teams across the company.

“It was important to me that any work I did with AI wasn’t about cutting jobs,” she says. “This company is focused on scaling, not downsizing. That’s something I needed to know going in.”

While the setting is different than a startup, the skills carry over.

“So many of the skills apply whether you’re launching something new or improving systems inside an organization,” she says. “Understanding how to define value, get people on board, and set metrics are all things we practiced throughout the program.”

A global student cohort, and a lasting community

Raybold also appreciates the diversity of the Master’s in Entrepreneurship cohort.  Conversations about business and entrepreneurship reflected a wide range of lived cultural and business experiences.

“Hearing how people approach business in different countries really enriched the conversations,” she says. She appreciates gaining a more well-rounded perspective on how people around the world pitch, build relationships, and raise money. 

Now settled into her new role, Raybold is looking ahead. She hopes to keep applying what she learned at Foster, both at VECA and through volunteer work with immigrant and unhoused communities in Seattle.

Advice for others

Raybold has a few words of advice for anyone considering a career shift or considering applying for the entrepreneurship program.

“Don’t be afraid to connect with people,” she says. “Talk to your professors. Talk to your classmates. Volunteer. You don’t need to have it all figured out when you start—just be open, and keep showing up.”

Learn more about the Master of Science in Entrepreneurship program here.