Tell & Sell Your Story: How to Grow Your Audience, Impact & Income

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.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-68be34bb-cdc4-8329-b4c7-9732139231ad-28" data-turn-id-container= "request-68be34bb-cdc4-8329-b4c7-9732139231ad-28" data-testid= "conversation-turn-744" data-turn="assistant"> 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.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-68be34bb-cdc4-8329-b4c7-9732139231ad-0" data-turn-id-container= "request-68be34bb-cdc4-8329-b4c7-9732139231ad-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-607" data-turn="assistant"> 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.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-68be34bb-cdc4-8329-b4c7-9732139231ad-0" data-turn-id-container= "request-68be34bb-cdc4-8329-b4c7-9732139231ad-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-601" data-turn="assistant"> 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.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-6a149c3f-ceb4-83e8-a7a0-d60c21d277a8-10" data-turn-id-container= "request-6a149c3f-ceb4-83e8-a7a0-d60c21d277a8-10" data-testid= "conversation-turn-6" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> 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.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-68be34bb-cdc4-8329-b4c7-9732139231ad-0" data-turn-id-container= "request-68be34bb-cdc4-8329-b4c7-9732139231ad-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-581" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> 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.