By the age of 33, Shenel Rimando had already accomplished everything she once set out to do.
For some, that milestone might signal a moment to slow down. For Rimando, it marked the start of a new chapter –one defined not by checklists, but by purpose, impact, and legacy.
“Everything I dreamed of when I was younger, I’ve already done,” she says. “Everything now is just the cherry on top.”
A Life Built Without a Safety Net
Born in Quezon City, Philippines, to parents from Baguio and Pampanga, Rimando immigrated to the United States at just eight months old. She grew up in Chicago, far from extended family, learning early what independence looked like.
“I never really had a safety net,” she reflects. “A lot of my courage came from having to figure things out on my own.”
After earning degrees in finance and marketing from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Rimando entered the workforce with a clear vision: build a stable career, grow into leadership, and give back to the community that shaped her.
What she didn’t plan on was how quickly she would reach those goals.
Succeeding Where Few Filipinas Are Seen
In 2015, Rimando was recruited into the construction industry, an overwhelmingly male-dominated field where women made up only a fraction of the workforce.
“I didn’t even know what a blueprint was,” she admits. “But I was willing to learn.”
That willingness paid off. Over the next decade, Rimando rose from an entry-level inside sales role to training sales teams nationwide and overseeing projects across the United States. Today, she works for a commercial sign company managing dozens of large-scale projects simultaneously, while still holding her day job alongside multiple leadership roles.
By her early 30s, she had already achieved what many consider lifetime career goals.
“I’m challenging myself to see how further I can go and then encouraging other people, specifically women, to go out and take positions and leadership roles because oftentimes we’re not in those spaces,” she says.
Leadership Achieved Earlier Than Expected
Rimando once believed leadership, especially nonprofit leadership would come much later in life.
“My mindset was when I was younger, I’m going to be on a non-profit in my 50s, I’ll probably be a president of a non-profit in my 60s. But I accomplished that at the age of 30 and then became president at the age of 31 or 32,” she says.
She became the first Filipina president of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) San Antonio Chapter in her early 30s—during one of the most challenging periods in the organization’s history as it emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic.
During her presidency, membership grew from 20 to 80 members, finances shifted from uncertainty to surplus, and the chapter won both regional and national awards for marketing excellence and diversity, equity, and inclusion, two years in a row.
That success led to another milestone: her induction into the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce (PACC), where she later became the Region Chair for Greater San Antonio, a role she holds through 2027.
By 33, Rimando had already surpassed the leadership timeline she once imagined.
Service, Loss, and Perspective
A defining factor in Rimando’s urgency to live fully came from loss. In 2019, her sister passed away from pancreatic cancer at just 47 years old.
“That changed how I saw time,” she says. “I started asking myself: if I only had ten years left, how would I live?”
That question fueled her long-standing involvement with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, where she serves as Affiliate Chair, helping connect patients and families to research, resources, and support. Since then, survival rates have slowly increased from 9 percent to 13 percent, the progress she considers deeply personal.
It also reframed success.
“For me, success isn’t money,” Rimando explains. “It’s how many people I can help using what I’ve learned from my struggles.”
Goals Met—and New Ones Created
By 33, Rimando had:
- Built a decade-long career in construction
- Led national and regional organizations
- Launched a wellness business after graduating with honors from massage therapy school
- Become a public speaker, emcee, and community advocate
- Achieved the personal and professional goals she once thought would take a lifetime
Rather than stopping, she expanded.
She founded Radiantly Rimando, emcees major cultural events, works as a voice actress, and is developing a fashion line, with future plans for a beauty line and books.
“I don’t rush anymore,” she says. “I take things one day at a time—but I still dream big.”
Living Beyond the Finish Line
Rimando credits her ability to sustain momentum to reflection and discipline: prayer journaling, meditation, delegation, and a deep respect for time.
“I reread journals from years ago and realize I’m living in prayers I once wrote,” she says.
She also believes versatility is essential in today’s world—especially as AI reshapes industries. While she uses technology to automate and organize, she emphasizes that human leadership, adaptability, and mentorship remain irreplaceable.
By the time she reached 33, Shenel Rimando had already checked every box she once set for herself. What comes next is no longer about achievement—but about impact.
“I’m not done,” she says with a smile. “I’m just getting started.”