Explore every episode of the podcast Tell & Sell Your Story: How to Grow Your Audience, Impact & Income

What do you do when something in your business starts gaining momentum?

Sometimes one opportunity creates a ripple effect you never could have predicted. Another may seem huge in the moment and produce a much smaller result. Both can become valuable pieces of the business and body of work you're building.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares two opportunities from early in her entrepreneurial career that looked significant from the outside but ultimately played very different roles in what happened next.

You'll hear why Lisa believes momentum has a window, how she learned to recognize when it was time to run with it, and why the immediate result isn't always the best measure of an opportunity's value.

If something is beginning to move in your business, this episode will leave you with two questions:

Where do I already have momentum? And what am I going to do with it?

What do you do when the next thing you want to build is something you've never done before?

Years ago, Lisa Bradshaw walked into a meeting hoping to land a radio show and found herself being considered for a completely different opportunity, a position that didn't even exist yet. What followed was an unexpected lesson in mentorship, accountability, and the value of having someone in your corner who can help you learn as you go.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa shares how that experience shaped the way she approaches entrepreneurship today, why she has continued investing in mentors and coaches throughout her career, and what she now looks for when deciding who gets her time, energy, and trust.

Whether you're thinking about writing a book, stepping onto stages, telling more of your story, or pursuing an opportunity you've never pursued before, this episode helps you think about who can help you shorten the learning curve, so you can become better at the thing you want to do next.

Because you can be incredibly accomplished and still be brand new at what comes next.

What if some of the hardest work in your life is also some of the most meaningful?

As Lisa Bradshaw turns 55, she's looking differently at the work it took to build the life she has today and at the things that have asked the most of her along the way.

From motherhood and more than two decades of entrepreneurship to major life changes, loss, love, and an unexpected new chapter, this birthday has Lisa thinking about what we might miss when we become too focused on getting to the reward.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa shares what she's learning about hard work, meaningful work, and why getting older has changed the way she thinks about both.

If you're in the middle of building, raising, caring for, creating, changing, or starting something that matters deeply to you, this episode invites you to look at the work in front of you a little differently.

Because sometimes some of the best things in life ask the most of us.

When something in your business isn't working the way you expected, how do you know what actually needs to change?

It's easy to take one disappointing result and start questioning everything. The offer. The message. The audience. The idea itself. Before long, you're rebuilding something that may not have been broken in the first place.

Years ago, a decision was made about Lisa Bradshaw's weekly radio show that could have felt like a sign that something wasn't working. Instead, she looked at the information she'd been given and realized the solution was much simpler than that.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa shares why being solution-based means separating what actually happened from how it made you feel, and why experience should teach us to look for the smallest adjustment before we tear the whole thing down.

You'll consider what's working, what actually isn't, and whether the thing you've been questioning needs to change at all. Because sometimes you don't need a new idea, a new offer, or a new direction. You just need to figure out the simple fix first.

Have you ever spent years (or any amount of wasted time) worrying about something that eventually happened, only to discover you were completely wrong about what it would mean?

While visiting her hometown, Lisa Bradshaw walks past her childhood home and remembers the huge field the spanned the back yards of the entire neighborhood. Her dad always said the property would eventually sell, and when it did, their family would probably move. As a kid, Lisa held tight to her dad's words and spent years worrying what would happen when that day finally came.

Eventually, it did.

In this episode, Lisa connects what happened next to the changes we face in our businesses and in our lives. An offer runs its course. An opportunity falls through. Your numbers change. You feel pulled toward something new. And before you know what comes next, you've already written the story about what that change is going to mean.

So how much of what you're anticipating is something you actually know, and how much is a story you're writing with information you don't have yet?

Sometimes we know exactly what's about to change. We just have no idea what that change is going to bring. This episode will help you separate what you know from what you've predicted, and leave a little more room for what you haven't imagined yet.

What does it mean to have 95 years of stories?

This week, Lisa Bradshaw heads back to the street where she grew up to celebrate the 95th birthday of a dear friend she has known since she was just 3 years old. It has her thinking about the stories we carry about the people in our lives, the stories they carry about us, and how those stories multiply across a lifetime.

Who remembers the person you were at 10? At 20? Who holds a story about you that you've completely forgotten? And whose story are you carrying with you?

This episode is an invitation to think about the people who have witnessed different chapters of your life, the stories that may still be waiting to be told, and the value of asking the questions while there's still time.

Because after 95 years, there are bound to be some pretty great stories in the room.

Have you ever let someone else's opinion shape what you believed was possible for your life?

This week, Lisa shares the story of a friend whose high school teacher predicted she would "be a loser her entire life." Decades later, that same student built an extraordinary career in nursing, became a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, and is now working toward her doctorate.

In this episode, you'll discover why other people's predictions don't belong in your story, how confidence grows by taking the next step, and why the life you build is often the best response to doubt.

If you've ever questioned your ability to write the book, start the business, change careers, or pursue a dream that feels out of reach, this conversation is for you.

Because nobody gets to decide what you're capable of—except you.

What does singing karaoke have to do with becoming a better speaker?

More than you might think.

In this episode, Lisa Bradshaw shares an unexpected lesson from a night at karaoke and explains why holding (any) microphone on stage and committing to the moment can help you become a more confident storyteller.

If you've ever wondered whether you know your story well enough, worried about forgetting what to say, or hesitated before stepping onto a stage, this episode offers a simple exercise that builds confidence one microphone at a time.

You learn:

• why familiar stories are the best place to start
• how repetition creates confidence
• and why audiences are rooting for you more than you realize.

It might just inspire your next speaking opportunity... or your next karaoke night.

One year ago, Lisa Bradshaw launched a podcast with four recorded episodes, a coach's guidance, and one simple commitment: show up every week.

Fifty-six (56) episodes later, she's celebrating the first anniversary of Tell and Sell Your Story by reflecting on what consistency has taught her. Not just about podcasting, but about business, storytelling, and continuing to be someone who keeps promises to herself (and to you, her audience).

In this honest and heartfelt episode, Lisa shares why she chose not to follow every piece of expert advice, how one conversation with a friend kept her from skipping an episode during one of the busiest (and most pivotal) seasons of her life, and why she intentionally spent more time creating than measuring.

Along the way, she reveals how a podcast she barely marketed still brought in new clients, meaningful listener messages, and thousands of downloads. All because she focused on building the habit before building the audience.

If you're working toward a goal that feels slow, unseen, or uncertain, this episode is a reminder that consistency has a way of impacting both your business and the person you're audience counts on, week after week.

In this episode, discover:

• Why the best system is often the one you'll actually stick with
• How consistency builds confidence long before it builds an audience
• Why creating with intention matters more than metrics
• How showing up for yourself creates trust with the people you hope to serve

So, if you have been listening all along or this is your first episode and you love it, now is the perfect time to subscribe and share. It's the perfect way to celebrate the one year anniversary of Lisa Bradshaw's podcast, Tell and Sell Your Story.

What if the opportunity you're hoping for today is actually being built through the relationships you started nurturing decades ago?

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares the remarkable story behind a Zoom meeting more than 30 years in the making. What began with babysitting a five-week-old baby evolved into a lifelong friendship built on trust, showing up, and walking through life's big and small moments together. Today, that same relationship has come full circle as her longtime friend reaches out for help writing her book.

Through this personal story, Lisa explores why trust compounds just like money and why the small deposits we make through consistency, integrity, and genuine relationships often become the foundation for our greatest opportunities years later.

If you've ever wondered how to become the person people think of first when they need your type of expertise, this episode is a powerful reminder that your reputation is being built every single day.

In this episode, you discover:

• Why trust compounds over time just like financial investments
• How everyday interactions shape your personal and professional reputation
• The question every entrepreneur should ask about their business relationships
• Why the opportunities that matter most often grow from years of consistency, not one great marketing campaign

Because long before people hear your story, they're experiencing it. And every interaction is another page in the story you're already telling.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares an unexpected realization she had while attending a country music festival she'd been looking forward to for months. What began as a fun weekend with friends turned into a reflection on something many entrepreneurs experience but rarely stop to examine.

Lisa explores how paying attention to those quiet moments of clarity can help us make more intentional decisions about where we invest our time, energy, and creativity, and why those subtle realizations often become the beginning of our next chapter.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a simple story from the road that started with a small purchase and turned into an unexpected reminder about kindness, connection, and the little moments that become part of the stories we carry with us.

While traveling in her van and embracing this new chapter of life, Lisa reflects on why some everyday experiences stay with us. This lighter, heartfelt episode is a reminder that stories are happening around us all the time when we slow down enough to notice them.

What if one of the smartest business decisions you make costs less than a lunch out with friends?

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a recent conversation with a friend after several of her social media posts unexpectedly went viral. The conversation sparked a bigger lesson about protecting your story, your intellectual property, and the opportunities that may be waiting long before you know where your journey will lead.

Drawing from her own experience (unexpectedly) building a personal brand, Lisa explores why owning our domain name, protecting our work, and thinking ahead aren't about having all the answers now but do help us leave the door open for future possibilities.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why buying your domain name is one of the simplest investments you can make
• How personal brands often develop before we recognize them
• Why protecting your intellectual property matters at every stage of your journey
• The connection between storytelling, opportunity, and long-term credibility
• How one small decision today can support opportunities years from now

Whether you're building a business, growing a creative career, writing a book, launching a podcast, or simply following your passion, this episode is a reminder that you don't have to know exactly where you're headed to prepare for what's possible.

Sometimes protecting your future brand begins with one simple step today.

What happens when you've prepared every word… and then decide to go off script?

In this week's episode, Lisa reflects on her son's wedding weekend, the heartfelt toasts, the stories shared by family and lifelong friends, and the surprising lesson that emerged from it all: preparation creates freedom.

After spending weeks writing and refining her wedding toast, Lisa found herself adding to parts of the scripted toast she'd planned to give. The experience reminded her of one of the most important storytelling principles she teaches inside her group mastermind, The Story Collective: when you truly know your story, you don't have to cling to the script.

In this episode, Lisa shares:

• How preparation creates confidence rather than restriction
• The power of the Umbrella Story framework and knowing the "prongs" of your story
• Why great storytellers don't need every detail. They know which details matter most
• How storytelling can show up everywhere, not just when planned
• What it means to live your story before you ever tell it

Whether you're preparing for a keynote, a podcast interview, a media appearance, a sales conversation, or simply sharing your story with people you love, this episode reminds you that the goal isn't memorization. The goal is knowing your story so well that you can trust yourself tell it off script when the moment and opportunity arrives.

What happens when a storyteller finds herself standing inside one of the most meaningful stories of her own life?

As Lisa prepares to give a toast at her son's wedding, she reflects on the chapters that led to this moment, the promise she made years ago, and the people whose love, encouragement, and presence helped shape the story she's living today.

In this special 50th episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa explores the power of storytelling beyond stages, books, and microphones. She shares why the stories we live matter just as much as the stories we tell, how love echoes across generations, and why gratitude may be one of the most powerful storytelling tools we have.

In this episode:

• Why major life milestones often bring our stories into sharper focus
• The promise Lisa made after losing her husband and how storytelling helped her keep it
• How love, encouragement, and example create echoes that become a legacy
• The privilege of witnessing and celebrating someone else's story
• A simple gratitude practice to help you appreciate the story you're living right now

As you listen, take a moment to reflect on the people who helped write your story, the chapters you've survived, and the beautiful life that's still unfolding.

Because your story matters. And every chapter counts.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares one of the most important lessons she's learned after securing sponsorships, partnerships, and collaborative opportunities throughout her career: the opportunities we want often begin with a simple ask.

Using a recent travel partnership renewal as a real-time example, Lisa shares how a sponsorship opportunity came together after three polite emails, four years after the original relationship was established. The experience became a powerful reminder that persistence, professionalism, and relationship-building often matter more than having the biggest audience or platform.

She also reflects on sponsorships that helped fund her nationwide DON'T WAIT Project tours, including partnerships that grew from a single local sponsor into larger opportunities because everyone involved benefited from the relationship.

In this episode, Lisa explores:

• why the first step to getting a YES is simply asking
• the difference between being persistent and being pushy
• how storytelling creates value for sponsors and partners
• why mutually beneficial relationships matter more than free products or funding
• how follow-up emails can lead to opportunities that might otherwise disappear
• and how sponsorship principles apply to speaking, media, business, books, podcasts, and beyond

Whether you're looking for sponsorships, speaking engagements, media opportunities, collaborations, or simply trying to open more doors in your business, this episode offers a practical reminder that many opportunities are waiting on the other side of a conversation.

Sometimes the biggest difference between a no and a yes is the willingness to send one more email because until you get a NO, your pitch is a pending YES.

To learn more about The Story Collective, Lisa's group program, send her a DM or an email. It's the first step toward bringing your next venture (and dream pitch) to fruition.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a first: after 48 consecutive on-time episodes, her weekly podcast didn't arrive on time.

But the story isn't really about being late.

It's about recognizing when something is finished but not quite ready, trusting your instincts as a creator, and understanding the difference between meeting a deadline and delivering something meaningful.

Lisa share about her decision to scrap a fully recorded episode and start over when it no longer felt aligned with the season she was living. Along the way, she reflects on how life has changed in recent months—from selling her home and moving into a van to traveling, golfing, coaching clients, leading The Story Collective, and continuing to create content as it happens.

This episode explores:

• why consistency still matters when life gets busy
• how priorities evolve as our lives expand
• the difference between deadlines and timing
• why creators sometimes need to trust their instincts
• and how conflict often reveals the solutions we didn't know we needed

If you've ever felt behind, overwhelmed, or frustrated by a timeline that didn't go according to plan, this episode is a reminder that progress matters more than perfection—and that sometimes it's better to get it right than to just get it done.

This week on Tell & Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw breaks down one of the most important communication frameworks she teaches inside The Story Collective: Before, During, and After.

Most people prepare content. Great communicators prepare transformation.

In this episode, Lisa explains why powerful communication has less to do with sounding polished and more to do with understanding the psychological journey of the audience listening.

You learn:
• Why Before, During, and After is about audience psychology, not talk structure
• How speakers, leaders, podcasters, and entrepreneurs can create emotional and behavioral movement
• Why the best conversations change something inside people while they're listening
• How understanding your audience's "before" changes the way you communicate
• The difference between sharing information and creating transformation

Lisa also shares practical examples from interviews, leadership communication, and her Story Collective framework to show how one honest conversation can shift the energy in a room and move people toward clarity, action, and connection.

If you speak, lead, coach, sell, create content, or simply want to become a more impactful communicator, this episode changes the way you think about storytelling.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares what happened when the van she had dreamed about for years turned out to be a HIUGE disappointment the moment she arrived to pick it up.

After selling her home in just 15 days and preparing to begin a completely new chapter of life on the road, Lisa found herself standing in the middle of one of the biggest purchases of her life feeling deflated, exhausted, and suddenly unsure of everything she had worked toward.

But instead of giving up on the dream itself, she regrouped.

Through the story of the van—and the parallel story of how she persistently pursued the late actor and cancer survivor Robert Urich to write the foreword for her first book—Lisa explores the difference between a closed door and a redirected path.

She also shares the unexpected ripple effect decisions sometimes create, including a life-changing friendship with Sound of Music actress Heather Menzies Urich, who later wrote the foreword for Lisa's second book and became one of the most important people in her life after the death of her husband.

This episode is about:

• regrouping after disappointment
• staying committed to the deeper vision
• understanding that setbacks are often redirection
• and continuing forward when the original plan falls apart

If you're in a season where something hasn't worked out the way you hoped, this conversation is a reminder that meaningful stories are rarely linear and sometimes the better version of the story is waiting just beyond the disappointment.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares the real story behind how sponsorships and collaborative opportunities are built over time and why most meaningful partnerships start much smaller than people think.

Recorded just before leaving on an 11-hour drive to pick up the van she's dreamed about for years, Lisa reflects on how quickly life can change when momentum meets preparation. After selling her house in one day and stepping into a brand-new season of travel, storytelling, and golf, she unpacks the vision behind her newest project: combining her television show, van life journey, and love of golf to spotlight meaningful human stories at golf courses across the country.

Along the way, Lisa shares how her very first sponsorship 18 years ago was simply a local print company covering the cost of event flyers and how that small beginning shaped the way she approaches sponsorships and storytelling today.

This episode explores:

• how storytelling creates sponsorship opportunities
• why the best partnerships benefit everyone involved
• how to think creatively about funding dreams and projects
• and why momentum often begins with one small collaborative YES

If you've ever wondered how to turn your story, platform, podcast, event, or creative idea into something that attracts support and opportunity, this episode offers a grounded and inspiring look at how those opportunities are built in real life—one story at a time.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a deeply personal moment recorded within an hour of signing the closing papers on the home where she raised her son after the loss of her husband.

Reflecting on the bold decision she made years ago to move across the country during one of the most uncertain seasons of her life, Lisa connects that experience to the present moment: choosing once again to step into the unknown, this time by selling her home and preparing for a new chapter on the road.

Through her story, Lisa explores how life-changing decisions are rarely logical, perfectly timed, or fully understood in the moment but are often guided by a deep internal knowing. She unpacks how the choices we make—both big and small—shape not only our lives, but the stories we carry and eventually share.

This episode is a powerful reminder that your story isn't something you create later. Instead, it's something you're living right now through the decisions you're willing to make.

If you're standing at the edge of a decision, feeling the pull toward something new, this conversation will encourage you to trust it, explore it, and move forward in a way that feels true to you.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most powerful exercises inside her Story Collective program: the "stage cut"—a five-minute version of a talk that becomes the foundation for a full keynote.

Drawing from her signature Umbrella Story framework, Lisa explains how breaking a talk down into one core story, a strong opening, and a clear closing allows speakers to move from overwhelm to confidence. Instead of trying to fill 45 minutes on stage, this approach helps you focus on connection, clarity, and transformation—one story at a time.

Lisa walks you through how mastering a five-minute talk creates the ability to build longer talks with ease by adding additional story "prongs," sequencing them intentionally, and guiding an audience through a meaningful journey.

If you've been thinking about speaking but feel stuck on where to start or overwhelmed by the idea of building a full keynote, this episode offers a practical, proven approach to help you begin your speaker journey with confidence that grows with each prong of your story.

Lisa's opening her next round of The Story Collective in just a few weeks. Reach out to her on Instragram or through email for more information and to save your spot.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw answers a powerful question from inside her Story Collective mastermind: should a keynote speaker clearly tell the audience the takeaway OR allow them to interpret it on their own?

Drawing from her signature storytelling approach, Lisa breaks down how audiences experience a talk through the lens of before, during, and after and why no two people leave with the exact same takeaway. She explains how over-directing an audience can flatten a message, while thoughtful storytelling creates space for personal connection, interpretation, and meaningful action.

Using real examples from her own keynotes, Lisa shares how she uses stories, moments, and "nuggets" of strategy to inspire change without relying on rigid instruction, allowing each audience member to apply her message in a way that fits their own life or business.

If you're building a keynote, refining your message, or stepping into speaking, this episode offers a clear and practical perspective on how to create a talk that connects deeply, inspires action, and leaves a lasting impact on your audience.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a deeply personal reflection on what it means to take care of the people in our story—and why those relationships matter more than we often realize.

As she prepares to list her home for sale and step into a new chapter of van life, Lisa takes listeners behind the scenes of the physical and emotional process of letting go while sorting through years of memories, making difficult decisions, and navigating moments of overwhelm. Through it all, one theme becomes clear: none of us should do chapters like these alone.

From friends who showed up to help pack, organize, and carry the load, to meaningful exchanges of support and unexpected moments of connection, this experience reinforces a powerful truth—our stories are shaped not only by what we go through, but by who shows up for us along the way.

This episode invites you to reflect on your own relationships, the people who support you, and how the way you show up for others becomes part of the story you're building. If you're navigating change, growth, or a new chapter in your life or business, this conversation offers a grounded reminder that storytelling isn't just about what happens—it's about who's there with you when it does.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw explores a question that every writer, speaker, and storyteller eventually faces: what does it actually cost to tell your story and what does it cost not to tell your story?

Inspired by a recent conversation with a young aspiring writer navigating early investments in his work, Lisa unpacks the realities of spending money, making the not-so-good decisions, and learning through experience. She shares her own perspective on how to evaluate when you're ready for support, how to choose the right kind of help, and what to do when an investment doesn't lead where you expected.

But beyond the financial side, this episode goes deeper into the quieter cost—the time, missed opportunities, and internal friction that come from holding your story back.

If you're in the process of writing, speaking, or building something from your story and questioning your next move, this episode offers a grounded, honest look at what it means to stay in the work, keep choosing forward, and trust the process, even when it's unclear.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw breaks down the natural connection between speaking, writing, and client work—and why they are not separate paths, but part of the same body of work.

Drawing from her mastermind, the Story Collective, Lisa explains how a talk serves as a powerful entry point, offering connection and transformation in a short amount of time, while a book expands that experience into something actionable and repeatable. From there, deeper client work becomes the next step for those who want more personalized guidance.

Lisa also shares a personal story about discovering The Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book by Susan Page, and how that experience shaped her understanding of what happens when someone moves from learning to implementation—and ultimately, to seeking support.

If you've ever wondered how to connect your talk, your book, and your offers in a way that feels natural and aligned, this episode offers a clear and practical perspective on how your story becomes something people can step into at every level.

To learn more about Lisa's story and how to work together, please visit her website: 
www.lisabradshaw.co

What if you don't need the ending of your story to begin sharing it?

In this episode, consider how identity shapes the way you show up, lead, sell, and tell your story. Through reflections on life transitions, evolving roles, and overlapping seasons of identity, Lisa Bradshaw explores how personal storytelling becomes clearer when you lead with who you are right now.

Even high-achieving women sometimes wait for the "right" moment to speak, publish, pitch, or step forward. We believe clarity comes after everything is resolved. This episode offers a different lens: clarity grows from understanding the identities you already hold and choosing which one leads in this season of your life and your business.

Walk away with:

• A deeper understanding of how identity influences confidence and visibility
• Permission to speak from your current chapter, not a finished book
• Insight into how overlapping roles strengthen rather than weaken your authority
• A practical mindset shift for selling, storytelling, and stepping into leadership

Building a business, writing a book, pitching a talk, or finding your voice while life is still unfolding?

The story you are living right now is already enough to share.

Two weeks after announcing she's selling her house, buying a van, and preparing to travel for a year, Lisa Bradshaw finds herself in the middle of the part no one talks about—the overwhelm that comes with actually making a big life change happen.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa shares a real-time look at consistency during stressful seasons and why showing up matters even more when life feels messy, emotional, or uncertain. Speaking directly to coaches, speakers, creators, and entrepreneurs who build their work around personal story, she explains how storytellers don't just share lessons after everything makes sense. Instead, they pay attention while life is unfolding.

This conversation explores the connection between consistency, self-trust, and storytelling, and why staying engaged with your work during overwhelming moments can shape the stories you tell later on stage, in business, and with your clients.

If you've ever wondered how to stay consistent when life feels like too much, dive into this episode.

For more real time advice on how to tell and story your story, hit the subscribe button.

What happens when you pitch a major television production company and the opportunity doesn't turn into the show you'd hoped?

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares the behind-the-scenes story of an early meeting with a major TV production company after launching her nonprofit, The DON'T WAIT Project. The conversation led to a challenge: go find an extraordinary story and bring it back.

Lisa did exactly that.

But the outcome wasn't what she expected.

This episode explores what it looks like to follow through, show up for an opportunity, and then figure out what to do when the door you were aiming for doesn't open. If you've ever pitched an idea, chased a dream, or wondered whether your effort was worth it, this story might change the way you think about success.

Please subscribe to follow episodes every Tuesday.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a deeply personal decision: she's selling her house and buying a van to travel for a year.

What sounds like a lifestyle shift is actually a strategic expansion.

Lisa opens up about the emotional weight of letting go of a home filled with memories, the conversation with her son that changed everything, and the hopeful reluctance we often experience when stepping into a new season.

More importantly, she explains how this next chapter will integrate sponsorships, public speaking, and storytelling from the road and why this isn't a sabbatical from her business, but an evolution of it.

If you've ever felt a chapter quietly closing.
If you've been circling a decision for months.
If you're wondering what it would look like to build your outside-of-the-box dream in real time.

This episode challenges you to ask: What has served its purpose? And what would it look like to just do the thing you've. been wanting to do?

To follow along in this journey, be sure to subscribe to the podcast for updates throughout Lisa's van life adventures.

Are you building a signature talk and wondering what to charge for your keynote?

Before you look at industry averages or compare yourself to other speakers, you need to understand one critical distinction: value is not money.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw breaks down the difference between value and pricing for keynote speakers and entrepreneurs who want to step onto bigger stages with authority. If you've ever asked yourself:

• "What should I charge for my keynote?"

• "Am I ready to pitch national conferences?"

• "How do I know what my talk is worth?"

This conversation shifts how you think about speaker fees forever.

Inside this episode, Lisa shares:

• The difference between delivering a presentation and delivering measurable value

• How emotional shifts, behavioral changes, and operational impact define keynote value

• Why you cannot price what you cannot articulate

• How to think about your signature talk as a long-term asset, not a one-time event

Whether you're an emerging speaker, an established entrepreneur, or building your first signature talk, this episode helps you clarify the real value of your voice before you ever attach a number to it.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a powerful conversation that sparked a deeper look at identity, transition, and storytelling in business. What happens when a 30-year corporate career ends and the title that defined you disappears? Where does your leverage come from then?

Through the story of a former vice president stepping into a business he's building with his son, Lisa explores why storytelling becomes essential when you move from internal credibility to public visibility. She breaks down why visual businesses often feel easier to market, why high achievers struggle to talk about themselves, and how your experience becomes your greatest asset when you're willing to tell it.

If you're navigating a career shift, building a side hustle, stepping into entrepreneurship, or redefining your identity beyond a job title, this episode helps you see how your story creates connection, builds trust, and makes marketing feel natural.

Because people buy from people and when your story is clear, your marketing gets easier.

Follow Tell and Sell Your Story for more storytelling insight and strategy to help grow your audience and your income.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares an honest conversation about what happens when life gets heavy and business can't be the main focus in the way it usually is.

After a difficult few weeks caring for her mom through a serious health scare and navigating personal grief and responsibility, Lisa reflects on what it actually takes to sustain a business over decades. Not by pushing harder, but by knowing what deserves priority in hard seasons.

This episode explores how long-term entrepreneurs stay rooted when momentum isn't the priority, why maintenance can matter more than expansion, and how remembering who and what you value most helps you make steady decisions without burning out.

If you're in a season where life is asking more of you emotionally, physically, or relationally, this episode offers reassurance, perspective, and permission to lead your business at the speed of your life and without losing what you've built.

In this episode, Lisa Bradshaw shares a powerful realization that came out of her recent Story Collective group call about why so many entrepreneurs feel stuck in "quick content" mode and what changes when we begin treating our story as a body of work instead of a series of posts.

Using creator Blake of Today (@blakeoftoday) as a real-world example, Lisa explores how meaningful storytelling shows up across platforms, formats, and seasons, and why our posts, talks, workshops, and books are all different expressions of the same core story—our UMBRELLA STORY.

If you've ever felt pressure to constantly come up with new ideas, reinvent yourself, or keep up with trends, this episode reminds us that we already have a lifetime of material and a deeper story worth building from.

This episode also helps us reconnect to why people started listening to our expertise in the first place, focusing on how our story can live beyond social media and within the bigger body of work we're building.

Have questions about joining The Story Collective?
Reach out via instragram: @lisabradshaw.co

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares the story of a radio interview she did in 2001 that turned into a relationship that has lasted more than two decades and eventually led to an invitation to appear on Oprah Radio during one of the hardest seasons of her life.

Through this personal journey, Lisa talks about why pitching is about building real relationships with hosts, producers, and editors who trust you with their audience. She explores what it looks like to honor those opportunities, stay connected over time, and show up in a way that makes people want to bring you back again and again.

If you've ever pitched yourself (or want to), this episode will shift how you think about visibility, connection, and the quiet power of staying in touch.

For more about pitching your story to media and increasing sales through visibility on podcasts, radio, TV, and in magazines, hit the subscribe button and listen to new episodes every Tuesday.

Rehearsal is part of the creative process that helps you uncover the talk you're actually meant to give.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a mindset shift she consistently coaches her speakers through: if you only rehearse the script you wrote at your desk, you'll only ever deliver the talk you wrote at your desk. But your strongest stories, lines, transitions, and emotional turns often show up when "practicing" in real life—in the car, in the shower, while walking, cooking, or folding laundry.

Learn how to use "creative rehearsal" to find the layers, swaps, and upgrades that make a keynote feel more honest, more human, and more magnetic, so when you step on stage, you don't sound memorized. Instead, you sound like YOU.

If you're building a keynote or signature talk right now, this episode changes how you develop and deliver the talk only you can give.

Starting something new always brings a mix of emotions—excitement, nerves, and the quiet questions we don't always say out loud:

Am I ready?
Am I overprepared?
Underprepared?
Who am I to do this?

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares what it really feels like to step into a new chapter and why those feelings don't disappear just because we have years of experience behind us.

Lisa takes you into a defining moment from her own journey: how she was brought onto a mission-driven project as a branding and marketing strategist, then made a bold decision to ask for something bigger. That single yes turned into a 13-year partnership that has now impacted more than 18,000 students nationwide, including collaborations with schools across the country and nonprofits like Matthew McConaughey's Just Keep Livin.

The Story Collective launches this month as Lisa's first mastermind group program. Find out what she's learned from this launch and how she overcomes the doubts that surface even with decades of experience. 

If you're overthinking starting something new—a program, a book, a talk, a pitch, a new offer—this episode reminds you that you don't have to have it all figured out to begin. You just have to start.

Follow & subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode.

This episode opens the year with reflection in place of resolution. Lisa Bradshaw shares a piece of writing that deeply resonated with her and sparked meaningful conversations with family, friends, and colleagues, then she weaves it into her own perspective on aging, independence, health, money, learning, peace, and personal responsibility.

It's a reminder that strength, dignity, and intention don't come from waiting or wishing, but from choosing how we live the years we're given. This episode invites you to pause, reflect, and begin 2026 with clarity about what matters most and to share it with someone who might need these words too. Forward this podcast, share the message.

I sat in my favorite chair, looked back at my life, and whispered to myself, "So… this is the beginning of the final stretch."

And slowly, the truths I had avoided all my life began to surface.

Kids? They're busy writing their own story.

Health? Slips away faster than sand through open fingers.

The government? Just headlines, promises, and numbers that never change your daily reality.

Aging doesn't hurt your body first—it hurts your illusions. So I sat down with myself and carved out a handful of bitter but necessary truths.

Kids don't save you from loneliness.

Children grow, life pulls them in every direction, and you become a memory they visit when time allows. You smile… and yet something inside you remains strangely hollow.
Kids bring joy—but they are not a shield against loneliness.

Health is not forever.

One day, the outings you once jumped into with enthusiasm feel like a marathon.
You realize health was never a background character—it was the main pillar holding your life steady.

Retirement and money.

Retirement is not a reward — it's a reality check. Depending on the system is like standing on thin ice. Bills grow, needs grow, prices grow… but support doesn't.

So I rebuilt my life on new rules — honest, sharp, practical rules for living with dignity.

Rule 1: Money is more reliable than anything else.

Love your kids, cherish them. But don't make them your retirement plan.

Save for yourself.
Even small savings create big freedom.
Financial independence is dignity.

Rule 2: Your health is your real job

Nothing else matters if your body refuses to cooperate.

Move. Walk. Stretch.
Guard your sleep like treasure.
Eat cleaner. Reduce the poison disguised as sugar and salt.

Illness doesn't discriminate, but it respects those who take responsibility for themselves.

Rule 3: Create your own joy

Waiting for others to make you happy is the fastest way to heartbreak.

So you learn to enjoy the small things—a peaceful breakfast, a good book, music that warms the soul. When you know how to make yourself happy, loneliness loses its power.

Rule 4: Aging is not an excuse to become helpless

Some people turn aging into a performance of complaints. And slowly, even those who love them start stepping away.

Strength is attractive.
Resilience is magnetic.
People respect the ones who stay capable, not the ones who surrender.

Rule 5: Let go of the past

The good old days were beautiful—yes.
But they're gone, and there is no return ticket.

Clinging to the past steals the present.
Life today may look different, but it still holds moments worth living.

Rule 6: Protect your peace like it's your property

Not every argument needs your voice.
Not every insult needs your response.
Not every relative deserves access to your emotions.

Peace is expensive.
Protect it from drama, negativity, and draining people—even if they're your close people.

Rule 7: Keep learning something—anything

The day you stop learning is the day you start aging.
A new recipe, a new word, a new app, a new hobby—your brain needs movement just like your body does.

Learning keeps you young.
Stagnation makes you old.


Strength and freedom still belong to you.
Aging is an exam no one can take for you.

You can adapt, rebuild, and rise stronger… or sit back, complain, and wait for someone to rescue you.

And if no one comes to rescue you,
Stand up for yourself.

Because  you still can.

And that single truth is enough to transform the rest of your life.

Author Unknown

How do you get sponsors to say yes, especially when you're not pitching with a flashy campaign or a 20-slide deck?

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw breaks down the simple but powerful tool she's used for years to secure sponsorships, funding, and community support: a well-designed one-sheet.

Drawing from her experience in radio and the successful launch of her nonprofit, Lisa explains how a one-sheet helps you clarify your vision, communicate your idea clearly, and make it easy for decision-makers to understand exactly what you're offering and why it matters.

This episode covers:

• Why a one-sheet still matters in a digital world

• How to clearly communicate your vision on one page

• What potential sponsors actually need to see to say YES

• How to outline deliverables and sponsorship tiers

• Why heart, purpose, and community impact are important

If you've been sitting on an idea—an event, a project, or a collaboration—and you're not sure how to start the sponsorship conversation, this episode helps you turn your idea into something supporters can easily support.

Lisa also shares a behind-the-scenes invitation for listeners who want help creating a one-sheet that leads to real sponsorship conversations.

This episode is for purpose-driven entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders who want to grow their business, fund meaningful ideas, and serve their community—one clear page at a time.

Send Lisa a message about your sponsor-needed idea and receive early bird pricing in her StoryBot™ Shop for the Pitch Perfect One-Sheet.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisabradshaw.co/
Email: lisa @ lisabradshaw.co

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw invites you to slow down and reflect before rushing into resolutions, goals, or next-step planning. Instead of treating year-end as a finish line or Q1 as a launch pad, this conversation creates space to evaluate what this past year actually asked of you and what you're ready to carry forward.

Lisa shares the founding story behind her nonproift, The DON'T WAIT Project® and explores the difference between urgency and intention, bucket lists and purpose-driven living. This episode is a reminder that clarity doesn't come from paying attention instead of pushing harder.

If you're closing the year feeling thoughtful, soft, or simply ready for a more intentional next chapter, this episode offers permission to take that pause now, so you come out stronger and more focused in 2026 

Many entrepreneurs and experts freeze when they think about speaking on a stage. Not because they don't know what they're talking about, but because they're trying to teach everything in 45 minutes.

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw breaks down the real role of a keynote and why it's not meant to replace your programs, courses, or frameworks. Drawing from her years of experience giving patient advocacy keynotes—and the standing ovations and post-talk conversations that followed—Lisa explains how powerful talks open doors, spark connection, and invite people into your world.

Hear how one client's breakthrough reframed her approach to speaking, why storytelling creates clarity in ways teaching alone cannot, and how choosing the right topic helps your message land with the people who need it most.

If you've ever wondered how to turn your expertise into a compelling keynote without overwhelming your audience, this episode will help you rethink what your talk is really for and how to use it as the first step into deeper conversations.

Start here to craft your Signature Talk
FREE Speaker Topic Tool™

Ready to bring your story to the stage but not sure how? Book a call with Lisa to find out how she can help.

Book your 30-minute call here

There's a side of visibility we don't talk about enough: collaboration. The kind that comes from being in the room (virtual or otherwise) with people who understand what you're building, who root for your wins, and who help you think bigger than you can on your own.

Take a behind the scenes look at why Lisa Bradshaw created her new group program, The Story Collective—a high-touch, small-group experience made for women who are ready for the next level of their story and visibility. It was sparked not by a strategy session, but by a high-performing coach who said:

"If you build it, I'll join."

Inside this episode, you learn:

• Why visibility rooted in story is more sustainable (and more effective) than visibility rooted in spending

• Why even the most independent entrepreneurs still need connection

• How a single conversation led to the creation of a transformative new group experience

• What becomes possible when you grow your story inside a community instead of going it alone

If you've been craving deeper support, connection, and clarity as you step into your next level of visibility, this episode will feel like a permission slip. It's your invitation.

Book a call with Lisa using the link below to learn more about The Story Collective before spots fill up for the January kickoff.

Book your 30-minute call here

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw shares a simple practice that can shift your week, your work, and your perspective: expressing gratitude with intention. You'll hear the three specific people she believes are worth thanking right now—and why reaching out to them matters more than you might think.

If you're an entrepreneur, creator, or storyteller who's been moving fast, feeling stretched thin, or craving a moment of connection, this episode gives you a grounded place to land and a meaningful action to take before the week gets away from you.

A short episode with a big impact—one you'll want to share with someone you appreciate.The Three People to Thank This Week and WHY

In this episode of Tell and Sell Your Story, Lisa Bradshaw teaches entrepreneurs how to overcome the biggest obstacle to crafting a powerful signature talk: a blank page.

She walks listeners through why inspiration alone isn't enough, why most speakers never start the talk they want to give, and how a simple starting point can unlock the story that becomes the heart of your keynote.

Lisa also introduces her free Speaker Topic Tool™, an interactive experience designed to help speakers quickly identify three talk topics that help eliminate overwhelm and provide a clear next step toward crafting a signature talk.

This episode is for anyone who knows they have a story to tell but doesn't know where to begin.

Start here to craft your Signature Talk
FREE Speaker Topic Tool™

This milestone episode marks 20 weeks of storytelling, teaching, and showing up⏤a number only 10 percent of podcasters ever reach. And with that milestone comes a meaningful pivot: a name change that brings this show into full alignment with what we're building as the host and the listeners.

In this episode, Lisa shares the behind-the-scenes decision to shift from Pitch Playbook to Tell & Sell Your Story, why pivots matter in business, and how small shifts often create the biggest breakthroughs.

She also takes you back to the moment everything changed in her own business⏤from running a product-based pillow company (and landing her 'E' pillow on FRIENDS) to being flown to Chicago for two Oprah Radio interviews that made her realize her real work wasn't selling a product, but sharing a story.

You'll learn about:
• How to recognize when something in your business is out of alignment
• Why copying never works and how your story becomes your differentiator
• What to consider when you're debating your own pivot
• How small adjustments can change the entire trajectory of your work

If you've ever wondered whether to shift, refine, simplify, or start fresh, this episode inspires you to do the thing, big or small.

Follow the show for more episodes that help you grow your audience, your impact, and your income by learning how to tell and sell the story only you are meant to share.

Episode reference: 'E' pillow on the FRIENDS show
E02 Link

Know you have a story you want to share but aren't sure of your topic?
Try my FREE Pitch Perfect Topic Tool™
Answer 5 questions, get 3 topic ideas!

Ready to step onto the stage but need help crafting and pitching your signature talk?
Join the waitlist for my Signature Talk Series.
Learn more here

What keeps you motivated when your goals feel far away?

In this episode, Lisa Bradshaw shares the full-circle story of interviewing If You Give a Mouse a Cookie author Laura Numeroff on her TV show and how one conversation can rekindle (and even help maintain) our creativity. Hear how proximity to the people who inspire us can reignite purpose, spark new ideas, and remind us why we started in the first place.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, creator, or storyteller at heart, this episode helps you find fresh motivation by getting closer to what moves you most.

LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE this episode and return next week for more inspiration to help keep you going in your own business.

Episode referenced:
E002:  How Zero Ad Budget Led to May 'FRIENDS' Show Pitch, Thousands In Sales, Numerous Media Features, and Launching My Personal Brand

Can one conversation change everything?

When storyteller and TV host Lisa Bradshaw sat down for what was supposed to be a 5-minute interview with Matthew McConaughey on her radio show, it became a 25-minute example in the power of making a connection in conversation and a reminder that every great story starts with curiosity.

In this episode, Lisa breaks down how to connect and sell through authentic conversation, using her Umbrella Story™ framework. It's the same storytelling approach that helps entrepreneurs, speakers, and creators show up with confidence on camera, on stage, and in real life.

Whether you're pitching your story, sharing it on your favorite podcast, or meeting someone new at a dinner party, this episode shows you how conversation becomes your most powerful marketing tool.

Not sure where to begin with your story?
Book your 30-minute call here

Want my deep dive audit of your story for when, where, and how to pitch it?
Pitch Playbook Link

On a long drive during her second nationwide storytelling tour, Lisa Bradshaw turned off the audio version of Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert for one reason: she wasn't in a learning season, she was in a creative one. This episode dives into the difference between learning and being ready to learn, how to protect your creative seasons, and what it really means to build your business based on rhythm instead of relentless hustle.

In a learning season? Let's dive in:
Book your 30-minute call here

Not sure where you story begins and where and how to share it?
Pitch Playbook Link

Sometimes the smallest seeds we plant grow into the least expected chapters of our lives.

In this deeply personal episode, Lisa Bradshaw shares the story of how a single line she wrote on a napkin in 1992 after losing her grandpa would find its way into a Nashville studio nearly three decades later. What started as grief became gratitude, then collaboration with some of the biggest talents in country music, and finally, a promise kept to her late husband.

It's a story about timing, trust, and what happens when we keep planting seeds even when we can't see what's growing underneath.

Listen to the full song, This Beautiful Life, at the end of the episode or watch the video linked below.

And if you love the song, please share it, along with this episode.

This Beautiful Life (The Song)

In this episode, Lisa Bradshaw shares the embarrassing story of the day then Editor-at-Large for O, The Oprah Magazine Gayle King called her with Lisa's book in her hands and how Lisa completely fumbled a moment that could have changed everything.

Find out why a perfectly crafted pitch isn't enough if you're not prepared for what happens next. Learn how to get your umbrella story, assets, and confidence ready so that when opportunity shows up — in a phone call, a coffee shop, or a surprise conversation — you're prepared to meet it.

Learn more about your "umbrella story" here:
005: How to Ditch SEO Word Salad & Craft a 30-Second Elevator Pitch That Connects

You want to chat with Lisa about your next steps:
Book your 30-minute call here

You want to move right to your next steps:
Grab your custom Pitch Playbook

You want to join the Founder's Storytelling Retreat Mini Training and Information Call
Wednesday, October 22 @ 10am PDT:
Sign up here!