Timeless Virtues
Indonesia Tatler discusses family, business, and balancing it all with Shannon Hartono. Kevin Sjahrial writes
Smother mother of two and the Vice President of Time International—a company with more than 60 leading lifestyle and luxury brands under its umbrella. Working with such a large number of brands from around the world means regular travel, long-haul flights, and constant meetings— sometimes with parties in different time zones. Her day starts earlier than most of ours, and ends later. One cannot help but wonder how she does it all. Indonesia Tatler recently had the privilege of interviewing Shannon during which she tells us all about balancing work and family, its challenges, and how to stay happy through it all.
Long before she became the Vice President of Time International, Shannon was already quite the world traveller. She grew up in Sacramento, California, before moving to Indonesia at the age of 10. At 16, she moved to Melbourne, Australia, to further her studies, before returning to Indonesia a few years later. She started working for American Express, during which she met Irwan Mussry, President and CEO of Time International. A few months later, she had the opportunity to work there. Some 18 years on, she is still there and loving every minute of it.
“It felt serendipitous,” says Shannon. “I have not looked back since, and the journey has been nothing short of amazing. I have had many different experiences in different areas of the company so I have always been challenged with new things.”
A typical work day for Shannon begins early as she gets up to see her children off to school. She then heads to the office where the meetings start immediately. Shannon counts an average of four meetings a day, excluding any store visits with principals. She shares with us the most important part of surviving such hectic days: lunch.
“I must make sure I never miss lunch because my brain doesn’t work without food. Food ranks very high on my list of priorities!” says Shannon.
With what little time she has to herself, Shannon admits to spending most of it watching romantic comedies, reading, or writing. “I am actually a rom-com junkie and spend my quiet times watching,” says Shannon. “I also love books, and when I am inspired I try to write more too. I write fiction, but my readers are mainly my close friends.”
Shannon tries to end the day at a decent time so as to be able to spend time with her children in the evening. While she admits that it can be very difficult balancing family and work, Shannon feels very blessed to have her extremely supportive family. Her children are very understanding and will help her when she is in a bind. Her husband, parents, and in-laws are all ready to help whenever she has to travel.
Through all its difficulties and challenges, Shannon feels that it is all worth it when her children show their appreciation for all her hard work. It could be something as simple as complementing the design of a new store, or saying nice things about her latest campaigns, photo shoots, or events. While they may just
be mere words, Shannon knows that through those words, her children are paying attention to how hard she is working. “If they learn that hard work pays off, they’ll do the same when it’s time for them to work,” explains Shannon.
Shannon shares one piece of advice for working mothers from her own experience: “There is no such thing as true work-life balance. Just come to terms with what you have and accept the closest thing possible that is comfortable for you and your family.”
Not unlike how a family is at its best when everyone pitches in, Shannon attributes a large part of Time International’s success to its people—the leadership of Irwan Mussry being the foremost reason. Shannon tells us that it is his clear vision of the company’s future that allows the rest of the team to create the best strategies to get them there. Shannon then heaps praises on the team for their drive and passion, giving their all in whatever they are doing. Shannon strongly believes that mindset—at the risk of sounding clichéd—is the most important thing to being happy in the workplace.
“If you focus on the positives, focus on whatyou are learning, focus on the excitement, and take on challenges as an opportunity to grow, you’ll have less time to dwell on the negatives,” says Shannon. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Time International gets to work with top brands from around the world. With the company’s outstanding track record, it is no wonder all those brands are providing plenty of support, greatly contributing to the company’s growth. Shannon explains that Indonesia is an emerging market with a very diverse client profile with strong purchasing power. And as Time International continues to provide the best service possible while ensuring the best merchandise for the market, the future looks brighter than ever.
As she discusses what little she can about what to expect from Time International in the near future, Shannon could not help but be excited: “We hope to continue to serve our customers beyond their expectations. We have a few more stores opening this year and are also working on some plans for next year. We have a number of events planned too, and a big anniversary coming up. A lot of excitement, and I can’t wait!”
“There is no such thing as true worklife balance. Just come to terms with what you have and accept the closest thing possible that is comfortable for you and your family.”