I live and breathe storytelling. This is because in all my years as a journalist and now as your chief LIGHTbeamer inside the Community, I have not seen anything quite as powerful as storytelling when it comes to connecting people, growing businesses, and inspiring an audience.

But as much as storytelling has become a real strategy these days, not everyone knows what to do with it. And a huge part of this is not knowing and understanding that storytelling is a journey – one that involves different stages.

So join me today as I share with you:

• The three levels of storytelling and why it’s important to know them
• An assessment exercise to help you determine where you are on your storytelling journey
• My own experiences as I went through each level, plus some tips on what you can do as you work your way through the different stages

Storytelling is like a muscle; it gains strength when it is exercised. So go ahead and strengthen your storytelling skills by practicing every...

People share their stories in different ways. Some do it on the big stage, others do it through podcasts (like this one!), and still others do it through books. And then there are those who do it through the lens of a camera and also help others share their stories through photography. 

Lisa Haukom is a story-based self-portrait photographer who brings your unseen moments to life through lifestyle and portrait photography. Based in the Pacific Northwest, she provides virtual and photography services to her interior, lifestyle, and brand clients using their iPhone cameras.

Lisa shared so many wonderful insights, so I invite you to listen in as we talk about:

• How she discovered photography as an element of storytelling
• Putting herself through 30 days of self-portraits that made her dive into the psychology behind what is photogenic
• Her 8-week photography challenges where she has seen women learn self-acceptance, self-kindness, and compassion
• The changes she saw in herself after...

One of the things I get excited about when I join speaking events is meeting new people. And our guest today on the podcast is one of those women I recently shared the stage with and got to know at a women’s conference. Her story and what she does moved me – so much so that I had to get her on the show to talk about her mission.

Susie Vybiral is a L’Oreal Paris Woman of Worth 2022 National Honoree, recognized for her selfless dedication to giving abused children a fresh start. She also aims to break the cycle of abuse, and how she does it is nothing short of amazing.

Susie is such an inspiration, and I invite you to listen in on our conversation as we discuss:

• How Susie’s non-profit organization, Room Redux, is changing and improving the lives of abused children – one room transformation at a time
• Why she started Room Redux, and the first family she worked with in 2017
• Being a visionary, staying focused, and collaborating with others to fulfill her...

One of the biggest joys of my job is seeing women cross the finish line to their big, hairy, scary goals… and using their story as a centrifugal force to help them along the way!

Becky Burroughs first became an author when she wrote a chapter in our collaborative book last year called Elevate Your Voice.

This week, her first solo endeavor as a published author comes to fruition with her book, Come Back Home to You.

I’m so excited to have Becky again on the podcast, and I invite you to join us today as we talk about:

• How writing a chapter for the collaborative book Elevate Your Voice moved her to write her own book
• What inspired what she wrote about in the book, and why resiliency is at the core of Come Back Home to You
• The different transition points we encounter in our lives that either break us down or help us see who we really are and where our strengths lie
• What makes sharing her story — and the stories of other women — completely worth the time it...

Entrepreneurs like you and me are constantly looking for ways to grow our business. We look at different strategies we can implement to attract our ideal clients and bring in more revenue. But something that’s often overlooked is speaking your way to gain new customers for your business.

Speaking has a domino effect that can positively impact your business. It is something that has really allowed me to grow LIGHTbeamers. And while I constantly talk about it as a business-building strategy, many are still skeptical and even nervous about using public speaking to scale their businesses.

I invite you to listen in today as I share with you:

• The different ways speaking can grow your business
• How to get started on your speaking journey
• My program for anyone who wants to use speaking as a way to gain visibility, expand their influence, and bring in new revenue
• How YOUR story can become the core piece of your speaking strategy

It goes without saying that speaking is one of the best...

On World Storytelling Day, I went live on Facebook to talk about – what else? Storytelling, of course! I’ve mentioned time and again how sharing our stories has been an essential part of communicating with one another and, more importantly, connecting with each other. It has always been an important part of community and humanity, and even more so today.

But if you’re new to storytelling, you might have hesitations and questions you want answered before you begin your journey. And because I got great Qs when I went live, I’m sharing them with you today, hoping you get the encouragement you need to take that first step towards becoming a storyteller.

Here are some of the questions I answer and the things I talk about:

• What’s the first thing you need to remember about storytelling?
• What key questions do I need to ask my audience so I can help them and also improve my storytelling skills?
• What do I do if the story I share is received negatively?
• How do I...

It’s not easy being an entrepreneur. Everything depends on you, and you have to think carefully and weigh each decision you make for your business. And what can also be tricky and difficult is not always having someone to talk to about your plans and ideas. In fact, it can be really challenging.

Enter Masterminds. I’ve joined a few in the last couple of years. And as I have just gotten back from attending a Mastermind event, let me tell you: being part of a Mastermind is one of the best things I’ve done for myself and for my business.

So join me today on the show as I share with you:

• The five huge benefits of joining masterminds
• How I’m using what I gain from masterminds in my own business
• Why mastermind groups should be something you consider if you want to take your business to the next level 

I believe in the power of community. And that’s how I look at and approach being part of a mastermind: belonging to a community of individuals committed...

There are almost one million women who become widows each year in the US. And the grief of losing a spouse can overwhelm anyone to the point of not knowing how to pick up the pieces and start over again.

When today’s guest, Natalie Reid-Knutson, went on a Colorado expedition with her husband and their three sons, little did she know that it would be their last. The tragedy that hit their family two days after they returned home brought a different kind of grief to Natalie, and how she found a way to live life again to the fullest is nothing short of extraordinary and inspiring.

Listen in as Natalie shares with us:

• Who she was before she started Broken Halos Haven
• How her parody video of Johnny Cash became the start of her career as a blogger
• The events leading up to August 14th and why she felt that God was in the middle of everything that happened
• How a trip to New York with her sons became the inspiration for Broken Halos Haven, a place for new widows and their kids to...

Every day, limiting beliefs and self-defeating thoughts run through our heads. Feelings of inadequacy, fear of failure, self-doubt, and self-sabotage … these beliefs often come from past experiences, cultural conditioning, or messages we get from others.

After closing down her dance company, Relinde Moors took a completely different path, hoping to find freedom, independence, and abundance. But before she found success, she had to break down invisible blocks that were stopping her from achieving her goals. Today, she’s helping others shift their beliefs.

Join me and Relinde as we talk about:

• Her backstory and how a trip to Bali changed how she looked at life and the meaning of freedom
• How she figured out the kind of limiting beliefs that were in her subconscious and blocking her from reaching her vision
• What we can do to take away the fears that are telling us to play small in different areas of our lives
• My own daily practice of revisiting my goals and rewiring my...

Not everyone is a fan of speaking in front of a crowd, even a small one. In fact, glossophobia – the fear of public speaking – is so common that it affects roughly 75% of the population.

However, speaking has become an essential skill and tool in the business world, and even I have been using it to grow my own business. As leaders and entrepreneurs, communication is key, and we have to get better at it.

But how does one become an effective and impactful speaker? How can speaking help scale your career?

Join me in today’s episode as I talk about:

• Why you should add speaking to increase visibility for you and grow your business
• The main reasons why people shy away from public speaking
• The steps you need to take to get started on your speaking journey
• How and where you can find places to speak, share your story, and generate leads for your business
• My development programs for anyone who wants to crush the stage and monetize their talks

I always say: your story...