Life Story Episodes

How Colleen Clifford Rebuilt Life After Tragedy | 1,600 Colleen Clifford spent over 30 years in the commercial fishing industry, living and working at sea for months at a time aboard vessels in the Bering Sea. Life in that environment demanded resilience, endurance, and the ability to face uncertainty head on. Her personal life brought challenges just as intense. After surviving multiple near death experiences and the loss of her husband to alcohol related suicide, Colleen reached a turning point that led her to rebuild her life from within. Today, she writes, speaks, and coaches, helping others reconnect with their inner direction and sense of self. Her work is grounded in lived experience, guiding people through recovery, reflection, and the process of finding their own North Star. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Colleen brings a steady, honest voice to conversations around resilience, healing, and choosing a different path forward. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Enjoying the…

Katie and Chris Bowick on Addiction Recovery and Marriage Healing | 1,597 Katie and Chris Bowick believe healing begins when people stop hiding their struggles and start telling the truth. Co-authors of Coloring Outside the Lines: A Love Story in the Gray of Addiction, Recovery & Redemption, Katie and Chris share a deeply personal journey through addiction, codependency, broken trust, and the long road toward rebuilding a marriage. Their story stands apart because it is told from both perspectives, offering an honest look at the pain, hope, and transformation experienced by each partner. Chris opens up about the hidden reality of addiction behind professional success and outward achievement, while Katie gives voice to the often unseen experience of loving someone through addiction, navigating fear, uncertainty, resilience, and faith. Together, they reveal that recovery is not just about sobriety. It is about restoring relationships, rediscovering identity, and learning to tru…

Julia Hurley on Single Mom Success and Overcoming Adversity | 1,590 Julia Hurley believes your circumstances may shape your beginning, but they never have to define your future. A nationally recognized real estate broker, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and former elected official, Julia has built a career defined by resilience, leadership, and reinvention. Becoming a single mother at just 15 years old, she learned early that success is not determined by where you start, but by the choices you make along the way. Through determination and relentless perseverance, Julia earned a college degree, built award winning businesses, achieved national recognition in real estate, and became a trusted voice in entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth. Along the way, she has continued to launch new ventures, mentor others, and inspire people to pursue bigger possibilities for their lives. More than her accomplishments, it is Julia's journey that resonates. She has turned adver…

Skye Bellarmine on Overcoming Adversity and Finding Strength | 1,581 Skye Bellarmine knows that the greatest breakthroughs are often born from life's greatest setbacks. A professional speaker, #1 international bestselling author, and inspirational thought leader, Skye helps people overcome adversity, develop unwavering resilience, and take meaningful action toward the life they want to create. Her message is built on lived experience, not theory. After surviving a catastrophic wrong way collision that doctors believed would take her life, and later being told she would never walk again, Skye endured 12 surgeries and six years of recovery. Rather than allowing tragedy to define her, she transformed it into the foundation of a powerful framework for perseverance, purpose, and personal growth. Today, through her Twelve Step Pyramid of Perseverance, 90/10 Rule, and signature message, Embrace Your Uniqueness: Just S.T.A.R.T., Skye equips audiences with practical tools to overco…

George Stoimenov on Trauma Recovery and Identity Transformation | 1,578 George Stoimenov believes the hardest journey a person will ever take is not across countries. It is the one within themselves. Born in Bulgaria during the collapse of Communism, George grew up in a world shaped by uncertainty, trauma, and profound social change. For years, he searched for identity and belonging in all the wrong places, until one life changing decision led him to leave everything behind and begin again in the United Kingdom. That outward move became the catalyst for a far deeper transformation. Through years of confronting his own pain, rebuilding his identity, and rediscovering purpose, George came to understand that true freedom is not found by escaping the past, but by facing it. Today, as an author and frontline criminal justice professional, George works with men on probation, many carrying histories of violence, addiction, trauma, and loss. Having also supported homeless youth …

Dr Erica Elliott on Looking Beyond Symptoms to Heal | 1,575 Dr. Erica Elliott has spent a lifetime searching for answers where others have run out of questions. Known by many as "The Medical Detective," Dr. Erica Elliott has spent more than 40 years helping patients with complex, difficult to diagnose conditions that often leave them without answers. Her work blends medical expertise with deep curiosity, looking beyond symptoms to uncover the underlying causes of illness. Long before becoming a physician, Erica's journey took her from teaching on the Navajo Reservation to serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in South America, climbing some of the highest peaks in the Andes, and leading wilderness expeditions as an Outward Bound instructor. Each chapter shaped her understanding that healing is about far more than treating disease. It is about understanding the whole person. Today, her practice combines decades of clinical experience with a holistic perspective that has earned…

Donald Williams on Success Beyond Your Circumstances | 1,571 Donald Williams is living proof that your beginnings do not define your destination. Raised in a South Carolina mill town by generations of cotton mill workers, Donald grew up in a family where hard work, faith, and resilience were abundant, even when opportunity was not. Determined to change the trajectory of future generations, he became the first in his family to graduate from a major university, later earning three degrees from Clemson University, including a Doctor of Education. Over the course of his career, Donald has taught more than 5,000 students and spent 14 years with the Department of Defense Education Activity, helping schools across the United States and Asia strengthen leadership, improve educational outcomes, and make better decisions through research and data. As co-author of Born of Nothing: From White Trash and Lintheads to Purpose Across Generations, Donald shares a deeply personal story of f…

Lonna Gibson on Turning Vision Into Lasting Impact | 1,555 Lonna Gibson knows what it means to carry a mission forward when everything is on the line. At just 26 years old, she became the first employee of Challenge Air, a groundbreaking nonprofit founded by a Vietnam veteran determined to show children with disabilities that their limitations did not define them. When the organization's founder passed away only months later, Lonna was faced with a decision that would shape the rest of her career: step away or step up. She stepped up. Over the following years, she transformed Challenge Air from a small regional effort into a nationally recognized organization operating in 38 states, building partnerships with major brands including Southwest Airlines, Boeing, Xerox, and Pillsbury. Along the way, she learned firsthand how to lead through uncertainty, scale a vision, build sustainable systems, and honor a mission larger than herself. Today, as the founder of Seven & Assoc…

Nancy Deyo on Finding Strength Through Pain | 1,535 Nancy Deyo spent years leading companies, solving complex problems, and operating at the highest levels of business. Then one injury changed everything. After a spinal injury on Mount Kilimanjaro, the former Silicon Valley CEO found herself facing a battle no amount of intelligence, determination, or professional success could solve. Chronic pain dismantled the life she had built, forcing her to confront not only physical suffering, but the loss of identity that comes when the person you've always been can no longer function the same way. For fifteen years, Nancy navigated chronic illness, opioid dependence, failed treatments, and the uncertainty that so many pain sufferers know all too well. She searched everywhere for answers, from leading medical experts to unconventional healing modalities, only to discover that the greatest transformation would come not from finding a cure, but from redefining what it meant to live. …

Sean Archer on Rising from Trauma to Purpose | 1,500 Sean Archer is living proof that a painful past does not define a person’s future. Rising from trauma and survival into leadership and purpose, he transformed his life from the factory floor to the writer’s desk with grit, discipline, and relentless determination. An author, MBA graduate, and industrial Maintenance Manager, Sean tells the stories most people are too afraid to face. Through his upcoming memoir, The Invisible Leash, he reveals the unseen battles behind rebuilding a life and becoming the kind of man who refuses to stay broken. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎧 Love our show? Show some love! 👉 Check out today’s guest: www.seanarcherlives.com 🎬 Need stunning videos, clean audio, or scroll-stopping designs? Check out our media services at https://www.kmmedia.pro/ — Top-tier quality without the agency price tag. Perfect for creators, coaches, and brands ready to level up. 👍 Like this video 💬 Drop a comment & share …

Steve McKee on Overcoming Cancer and Finding Strength | 1,489 Steve McKee’s life changed at 12 with a diagnosis of a cancerous brain tumor. What followed was not one battle, but multiple. Surgeries, chemotherapy, and repeated returns of new tumors that tested him physically, mentally, and emotionally over the years. Each time, he rebuilt. Finished school. Worked. Tried to reclaim a sense of normal. But after facing cancer again and again, what once felt like confusion turned into anger, and eventually into something deeper, exhaustion. Still, he kept going. After undergoing intensive radiation treatment, Steve reached a turning point. Not just in his health, but in how he chose to live. He made a conscious decision to take ownership of his life in a new way, focusing on belief in himself, disciplined habits, and a lifestyle centered on what he felt would support his healing and clarity. From that shift came a broader realization. His message is rooted in personal responsi…

1,452 | Brimstone Shares His Journey in Entertainment and Media Brimstone is a multi-talented entertainer and entrepreneur whose career spans more than four decades across a wide range of industries. His work includes professional wrestling, radio and podcast hosting, acting, voice acting, writing, music, philanthropy, food criticism, and appearances in horror, comic books, animation, children’s media, and video games. Often described as a modern Renaissance figure, Brimstone has built a reputation as a seasoned entertainer and dynamic personality who continues to evolve and expand his impact across entertainment and media. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎧 Love our show? Show some love! 👉 Check out today’s guest: www.therealbrimstone.com 🎬 Need stunning videos, clean audio, or scroll-stopping designs? Check out our media services at https://www.kmmedia.pro/ — Top-tier quality without the agency price tag. Perfect for creators, coaches, and brands ready to level up. 👍 Like t…

1,450 | From F16 Pilot to CEO Anthony Bourke’s Story Anthony “AB” Bourke is a highly experienced F-16 fighter pilot who has flown tactical missions in countries all over the world. He has accumulated more than 3,000 hours of flight time in numerous high-performance aircraft and was one of the first pilots to fly his F-16 over New York City in the homeland defense efforts on September 11th. Following his impressive military career, “AB” took the tools and techniques that made him one of our nation’s premier fighter pilots and applied those to the competitive world of business. He ascended early in his career to become the top-producing mortgage banker in the Western US for a prominent lending institution. His success in the mortgage industry led to a new opportunity at a California-based start-up company where his team of 40 professionals dramatically grew revenue from $500,000 to $65M in three years. Following these two endeavors, “AB” partnered with two other fighter pilots …

1,437 | Adam Peters on Helping Veterans Find Purpose After Service The Strategic Veteran is a mission driven platform founded by Adam Peters, dedicated to empowering veteran entrepreneurs as they transition into civilian life. After 13 years of service, Adam experienced firsthand the challenges many veterans face, from navigating uncertainty to encountering misleading opportunities and empty promises. Built from that experience, The Strategic Veteran exists to provide real guidance, trusted resources, and a supportive community for veterans from all backgrounds. Its goal is to make the transition into business and civilian life as smooth and grounded as possible. At its core, the mission goes far beyond entrepreneurship. It is about purpose, direction, and helping reduce veteran suicide by giving veterans a path forward, a sense of identity, and a community that truly understands them. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎧 Love our show? Show some love! 👉 Check out today’s guest: t…

1,429 | Lisa Conway on Surviving 100 Shock Therapy Treatments Lisa A. Conway, MSW, is a mental health advocate, author, and former medical social worker dedicated to ethical care, patient advocacy, and lived experience recovery. After years in the medical field, she now focuses on raising awareness around transparency, informed consent, and patient centered approaches in mental health treatment, especially in relation to shock therapy. As an ECT survivor who underwent more than one hundred treatments, Lisa speaks openly about the long term impact of psychiatric interventions and the importance of honoring patient voices. Her memoir, Shocked, offers a powerful and personal look into mental illness, the healthcare system, and the journey from trauma to advocacy. Through her writing and speaking, Lisa works to reduce stigma while encouraging honest, necessary conversations about mental health, recovery, and compassionate care. She enjoys running with her service dog Teddy, writi…

1,426 | Kevin and Brichelle on Finding Meaning in Everyday Life Kevin and Brichelle bring heart, perspective, and authenticity to conversations about what it truly means to live a meaningful life. Through their work on Positive Talk Radio, they explore how purpose is not found in big, distant milestones, but in the small, everyday moments that shape who we become. Together, they remind listeners that meaning is created through connection, gratitude, and showing up with intention. Whether through honest dialogue, uplifting stories, or shared life experiences, Kevin and Brichelle inspire others to slow down, reflect, and recognize the beauty already present in their lives. Their message is simple yet powerful: a meaningful life is not something you chase, it is something you choose to create, one moment at a time. #PositiveTalkRadio #KevinMcDonald #Brichelle #MeaningfulLife #PurposeDriven #MindsetShift #PersonalGrowth #LiveWithIntention #Gratitude #SelfAwareness #LifeLessons…

1,404 | Celeste Glover on Turning Tragedy Into Advocacy Celeste Glover is a hands on remodeler and landlord whose business motto is simple: Improving community. She has built her career transforming highly distressed properties into safe, livable homes, strengthening neighborhoods one project at a time. On July 19, 2023, Celeste survived a complete spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the waist down. While there is currently no cure for spinal cord injury, she has committed herself to pursuing innovative treatments that are showing promising results in restoring function and improving quality of life. These emerging therapies are helping address paralysis, spasms, nerve pain, incontinence, and autonomic dysreflexia, with clinical trials underway in the United States and additional treatment options available internationally. Celeste is raising funds to participate in treatment at Verita Neuro in Guadalajara. While she understands that a full recovery may not be pos…

1,393 | Ed Hajim Shares How Adversity Built a Wall Street Leader Ed Hajim is a Wall Street executive, philanthropist, and author whose life reflects resilience, discipline, and reinvention. Kidnapped by his father at age three and raised in foster homes and orphanages, Ed overcame extraordinary hardship to build a five decade career in finance. He held senior leadership roles at Lehman Brothers, Furman Selz, and ING, and now serves as Chairman of HighVista Strategies. Beyond business, Ed is deeply committed to expanding access to education and opportunity through the Hajim Family Foundation. His memoir, On the Road Less Traveled, and his inspirational fable, The Island of the Four Ps, offer readers a practical framework for discovering purpose, values, and direction. His philosophy is simple and powerful: adversity does not define you. Your response does. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎧 Love our show? Show some love! 👉 Check out today’s guest: https://www.edhajim.com/ 🎬 Need s…

1,375 | Tania Anderson Reveals What Travel Taught Her About Humanity Tania Anderson is a former Pan American World Airways flight attendant, international traveler, and author of On Butterflies’ Wings, a memoir that captures her extraordinary life across seven countries and seventy-nine destinations. After earning dual degrees in Political Science and International Studies from American University in Washington, DC, Tania began her aviation career with Pan Am, which launched her into a lifetime of global exploration. She later flew VIP charters, press corps, military personnel, refugees, and medical teams, earning the U.S. Air Force Civilian Desert Shield and Desert Storm Medal for Outstanding Achievement during the First Gulf War. A passionate advocate for human rights, Tania also spent years lobbying on Capitol Hill for those without a voice. In 2000, she joined the Screen Actors Guild and appeared in films by Steven Spielberg, the Coen Brothers, and Oliver Stone, as well a…

1,374 | Meghan Higney Reveals What It Takes to Build a Business That Lasts Meghan Higney is the founder of Message, a business builder, and mother of two who believes the hardest parts of entrepreneurship are not strategic but personal. She has led a consumer brand through uncertainty, pressure, and growth while learning that resilience and integrity matter more than bravado. In 2024, Meghan moved her family to central Mexico, redefining how she leads, measures success, and sustains balance in life and business. With a background in finance, investment, and leadership, she brings both emotional depth and practical insight to conversations about money, responsibility, and building with purpose. Her work centers on thoughtful leadership, honest communication, and creating businesses that last. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎧 Love our show? Show some love! 👉 Check out today’s guest: https://www.wearmessage.com 🎬 Need stunning videos, clean audio, or scroll-stopping designs? Ch…

1,363 | Lindsay Friedman Shares a Smarter Way to Prepare for Caregiving Lindsay Friedman began her career as a nursing assistant, working across long-term care settings. That professional path became deeply personal when she became her grandmother’s primary caregiver, an experience that transformed her understanding of what families truly face. After a serious accident, Lindsay spent several years as a care recipient, gaining firsthand insight into both sides of the caregiving journey. Later, as a cross-generational caregiver supporting her parents and caring for her chronically ill daughter, she learned to approach every challenge with empathy, resilience, and perspective. An experienced entrepreneur and the author of Plan Today, Protect Tomorrow, Lindsay founded CareBloom, a caregiving support tool, and LTCareNav, an AI-powered long-term care planning platform that provides families with free care plans, concierge support, and connections to trusted care resources. Throu…

1,345 | Stuart Perrin Shares Lessons From 40 Years of Meditation Stuart Perrin is an American spiritual master of Rudra Meditation who has been teaching around the world for more than forty years. His journey began in his early twenties, traveling through Europe and North Africa in search of a spiritual teacher. In 1967, he met Swami Rudrananda (Rudi)—a moment that transformed his life. Under Rudi’s guidance, Stuart learned a powerful meditation practice that develops the chakra system and makes the esoteric deeply practical for modern life. Today, he teaches Rudra Meditation in the U.S. and internationally via Zoom, guiding students toward greater awareness, balance, and inner peace. Stuart is also the author of numerous books on meditation and spiritual practice, including A Lotus Flower in Muddy Waters, Navigating the River of Time, Moving On: Finding Happiness in a Changed World, and Leah: A Story of Meditation and Healing. Through his teaching and writing, Stuart cont…

1,328 | Merry Korn on Scaling, Exiting, and Building Businesses That Matter Merry Korn is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, author, and advisor best known as the visionary founder of Pearl Interactive Network, Inc., one of the world’s most successful for-profit social enterprises. For over two decades, Merry led Pearl Interactive Network with a people-first philosophy—creating over 1,300 jobs across 30 states for disabled veterans, military spouses, people with disabilities, and individuals in underserved communities. Her leadership proved that when employees feel valued, they deliver excellence, innovation, and lasting impact. After scaling and successfully exiting Pearl Interactive Network, Merry now empowers others through speaking, advisory services, and thought leadership—helping business owners grow with purpose and professionals break free from career stagnation. Her achievements have been recognized by Ernst & Young, NPR, and The United States Business Leadership Net…

1,323 | Jimmy Madison on Jazz, GRAMMYs, and a Life Well Played Jimmy Madison is an American jazz drummer whose extraordinary career spans more than six decades. A child prodigy from Cincinnati, he began performing professionally at just 12 years old—long before he could legally enter the clubs where he played. Throughout his career, Jimmy has performed and recorded with some of the greatest names in jazz, funk, and popular music, including Quincy Jones, Lionel Hampton, James Brown, Chet Baker, Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, Stan Getz, and The Duke Ellington Orchestra. His work has also graced stages with renowned ensembles such as The Boston Symphony, The Royal Philharmonic, and The Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 2019, Jimmy earned a GRAMMY Award for his collaboration with Joyce DiDonato. Proudly calling himself a “sideman,” he continues to be celebrated for his precision, creativity, and deep musical soul. Beyond music, Jimmy is an avid adventurer, having spent years mountainee…