Meet Shannon Villanueva, RDMS | Diagnostic medical sonographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Villanueva, RDMS and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I will never forget walking out the doors of the OB/Gyn office one day in 2021. I occasionally work for Obstetricians and perinatologists in the area if needed. After a long day of scanning around 14 pregnant patients, I caught myself smiling as I got into my car to drive to the hospital where I work full time. On this particular day, I was able to show husbands and wives their baby’s heart beat for the very first time, or show cute profile pictures of their baby or tell them their baby has lots of hair or long eyelashes! I could go on and on! Seeing the joy on the parents to be faces brings me so much unexplainable joy! My heart feels like it could explode! I had a couple patients that day that came in to have their very first early ultrasound. Unfortunately, for those patients, the news was grim. I had to explain that there was no heart motion seen. As difficult as this is to explain to excited parents to be, I was able to comfort them, answer questions to the best of my ability, offer them pictures and give advice; as I, myself have experienced the loss of babies. As I left that day smiling, I thought to myself, I could do this all day for free! Then the lightbulb went on! Should I just start my own little side business? The thought of owning my own business scared the shit outta me. I’m not gonna lie. Haha! Well, my researching began! I started out looking up other private ultrasound places in and around the Orange County area. Much to my surprise, most of the people running these businesses and the techs performing the ultrasounds were not registered, licensed sonographers! They did not go to qualified schools, they did not have any experience working with Drs, clinics or at hospitals. To me, this is a disservice in the community. Our pregnant moms-to-be deserve better! And so it began………

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a registered diagnostic medical sonographer (RDMS), otherwise known as an ultrasound technologist. I started looking into this career after the loss of my twin pregnancy in 2001. I started taking classes in 2005 at the local college in order to get my associates in science degree. This degree was a prerequisite to getting on the waitlist for the DMS program at Orange Coast college (one of the few accredited ultrasound schools in So Cal). I worked part time at a nearby hair salon/boutique as a receptionist and I was also a full time mom to my daughters who were 7 and 8 yrs old at the time. I was accepted into the DMS program in 2008. It is a full time, 2 year program. School never came easy for me. And here I was, In my 30’s going back to college. I was so nervous! I wanted to quit after my first day in physics! It was so hard and confusing to me! But physics taught me a whole new way of learning and studying. I ended up liking to study and loving to learn. Who knew?
I was assigned to intern at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach starting in 2009. Talk about a huge learning curve! I had no background in the medical field whatsoever. I was suddenly working alongside physicians, radiologists, nurses, therapists, ob/gyns, surgeons, etc, etc. All while learning how to hold and manipulate these foreign objects of many shapes and sizes, called ultrasound probes! It’s not what most people think. Most people assume an ultrasound tech looks at babies all day and just moves a probe around. That is not it at all! We have to be able to “tell a story” per se and be able to convince radiologists of our findings,know how to create a good image no matter the body part! We have to scan testicles, abdomens, thyroids, baby brains, arm and leg veins, pelvics and more! And it does not stop there. We have to be able to write up our impression of the exam, give measurements and explain everything we see or don’t see. It takes several years before a radiologist will fully trust our work. We get questioned a lot, have to rescan a lot. It can be VERY nerve wracking the first few years. 2 years in to my career, I was hired to work part time for a perinatologist (high risk OB). I had very little experience, but the Dr was willing to train me. This is where I learned SO much and my scanning skills really improved. I quickly realized how much I loved the interaction with these patients and their families. I made a special bond with a lot of them and have been able to watch their baby’s grow up. 🙂 I scanned lots of twins and triplets and I have been able to help my co-workers at the hospital with their OB exams. One of the biggest compliments I received as an ultrasound tech is when the head radiologist in our department said, “If I were pregnant, I would want you to scan me.” That was a huge compliment!! I have continued to have other radiologists ask me questions and ask my opinion when it comes to OB ultrasounds. It is extremely flattering!
I have been told that I am different than most ultrasound techs in that I engage with the patient, their significant other and I will include their kids if there are any. I will explain everything I am doing and answer as many questions as allowed. I try my best to make it an enjoyable, unforgettable moment and bonding with the baby. My goal in having my own little private ultrasound studio is to keep it very simple. No other techs other than myself scanning, no waiting rooms and no crossing paths with any other clients.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Definitely the beach! I would want to spend one of the days at one of my favorite beaches, Salt creek beach in Dana Point. They have a really delicious snack bar with a long concrete bar that faces the ocean. We would order food and drinks and sit and watch the waves and people watch. Then we would go down to the sand and lay out and get a tan! On another day, we would go to Laguna Beach and walk around, go to the roof top bar on PCH, maybe do a little shopping and eat gelato! I would love to take my friend to one of the hiking trails in Laguna Beach during the day and then take her to the axe throwing place, Stumpy’s in Huntington Beach. Thrift shopping around town would be fun! And then having some friends and family over to play games while my husband, who is a chef, cooks for us! We will sit around the fire pit and share stories and laugh!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh Boy! I might start to tear up as I think of all the support, love and cheering on I have received from my family and friends! I will start with my loving husband. He is so supportive and passionate about what I do. He is one of my biggest encouragers and cheerleaders! One of my dearest friends, Amy. She continually tells me how proud she is of me for going back to school when my kids were young and telling everyone she knows how proud she is at how far I have come in my career. She has always been a huge blessing in my life. Thank you, Amy! My brothers, my sister, sister-in-laws, brother-in-law, mom and dad, my daughters and step daughters and my nieces! Thank you for always asking how I’m doing, promoting my business, sending me clients, helping decorate my office and just being so, so supportive! I love you all! My supervisors at the hospital I have worked at for almost 14 years have been so supportive and understanding! Thank you for always having my back! My web designer, Lyndsay (Bound by marketing) thank you for your patience with me and for building me the BEST website ever!!!!! And for helping me navigate all the ins and outs of starting up a business!
And lastly, the first business workbook I ever purchased has been hands down the best little roadmap to get me started! I have since purchased the book for others starting a business. The workbook is called, Mind your business, by Ilana Griffo. She is the founder and CEO of Unique Markets. I highly recommend this book!

Website: https://www.bloomingbabiesultrasound.com

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Image Credits
Alaina Nunez