We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lisa Bradshaw a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lisa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

The story behind my mission is really the story of my life.

At 24, I survived cancer. At 32, I became a widowed, single mom to our 5-year-old son. I went from being a stay-at-home mom who could fail at any venture because my husband paid the mortgage, to being fully responsible for everything—our life, our home, our future.

In that season, I had to figure out how to feed my kid, feed my soul, and be home by 3 o’clock every day when he got home from school.

So I built a business that supported the life I wanted us to live. One that honored my role as a mother, made room for a meaningful career, and allowed me to grow something that felt aligned with both responsibility and purpose.

I didn’t set out to be visible. I set out to make it all work. But over time, that work led to national media, brand partnerships, two books, and my own television show. It also led to women asking how they could share their stories, too.

That’s why I do what I do now. I help purpose-driven women align their story and expertise with the visibility they’re ready for—whether that’s speaking on stage, being featured in the media, or sharing their message in other ways that grow their business and deepen their impact.

I know what it means to start over. I know what it takes to build something meaningful while in the middle of real life. And that’s the mission that continues to guide everything I create.

Because our stories aren’t just part of the journey—they are the journey. And when we’re willing to share them, we create impact that lasts.

Lisa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been in business for more than two decades, but I didn’t start with a plan to become a coach or visibility strategist. My first venture was a product-based business. I designed and sewed alphabet pillows from my dining room table when my son started preschool.

I pitched my “E’ pillow to the set decorator of the FRIENDS show, knowing that kind of visibility could generate media attention when I didn’t have an advertising budget. When the pillow was placed on the wall of Joey and Rachel’s apartment during the show’s final two seasons, I followed up with targeted calls and email pitches to the media. The added hook of the pillow story led to a wave of press and a windfall of sales—without spending a single dollar on advertising.

Today, I’m a story and pitch coach. I work with female entrepreneurs, many of whom have lived through something meaningful and are now creating offers and programs based on that experience. I help them clarify their message, uncover the most compelling parts of their story, and position themselves for visibility opportunities that align with their values. That includes preparing for podcast interviews, media features, speaking on stages, and brand partnerships.

My entry offer is a custom Pitch Playbook, a $97 personalized visibility audit that shows you what to pitch, how to refine your positioning, and what next steps to take. For those ready to go deeper, I offer 1:1 coaching to help solidify branding and messaging, and craft and execute a full pitch and visibility strategy.

What sets my work apart is the lived experience behind it. I’ve been on both sides of the mic—as the one pitching, and the one receiving pitches as a host, producer, and editor. I’ve built a business that reflects my real life and helps other women create visibility that aligns with their own.

I’m most proud of the life I’ve created and the son I’ve raised. And now, in this season, I help women grow their audience, increase their impact, and instead of only creating content for social media, they become the content that’s pitched to media for deeper visibility and greater impact.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the most defining pivots in my career came a few years after my husband passed away and at the start of the recession in 2007. I had been running a successful product-based business, but the recession hit about the time I was invited to appear on Oprah Radio, then everything shifted.

During my interviews on two separate shows, one of the producers saw a storyteller quality in me and asked why I didn’t have my own show. That moment planted a seed that changed the trajectory of my work.

I had already written my first book and had pitched my way into the media, so hosting my own radio show after being a guest on radio to promote my book and alphabet pillow business, felt like a logical next move. It wasn’t an overnight decision, and it took me a year to get up the nerve to pitch my show idea to a local talk radio station, but standing in the control room of Oprah Radio was the turning point.

Deciding this risk-filled redirect in my career happened long before everyday people launched personal brands. At that time, personal brand success was reserved for super models and other famous people. But I wanted to build something more personal, more story-driven, and more aligned with what I’d lived through and learned.

Everything I have built since then has largely stemmed from that decision. The radio show led to my simultaneous community service director position at the radio network, then my work partnering non-profit missions with local business support led to raising seed money to launch my own non-profit, which led to my television show, and a 23-state storytelling tour and other sponsored ventures.

Following the gut feeling and pull toward something more personal and purpose-driven continues to guide the work I do today.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy I’ve ever used—for both product sales and client growth—is the same one I’ve relied on since the beginning: pitching and sharing my story.

It’s how I grew my pillow business when I had no advertising budget. I pitched the FRIENDS show with a clear angle and followed up with the media to share the story. That single act of visibility led to major press and a wave of sales, not because I was chasing attention, but because I believed in the purpose behind the product and led with that message.

That same strategy still works today. Only now, I use it to grow my coaching business and to help my clients share their story and expertise on platforms outside of social media that they’ve sometimes never considered. Does social media work for business growth? Yes, but I’ve built a body of work by consistently sharing my story through podcast interviews, media features, stages, and platforms that already have warm, built-in audiences. I don’t rely on paid ads or content hacks. I pitch myself where it makes sense, and this is exactly how I teach my clients how to grow their impact and their income.

Pitching works because it’s built on clarity, connection, and confidence. It’s not about shouting into the void. It’s about knowing your message, standing behind it, and getting it in front of people who are already listening.

Every time I share my story in the right space, I see an increase in visibility, trust, and aligned inquiries. That’s been true from day one—and it continues to be the most consistent and effective strategy I know.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lisabradshaw.co
• Instagram: @lisabradshaw.co
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabradshawco