LISA'S STORY

And, I'm so glad you're here.

We all have our own story⏤the tiny and big details of our lives that bring us to who we've become and where we've ended up.

I'm often amazed by how one thing leads to the next, even if we can't see it at the time.

I received my first typewriter as a Christmas gift from my parents when I was eight years old. I'd recently watched the movie Rocky. Inspired by the story and Sylvester Stallone's determination as its storyteller, I set a goal early on of becoming a writer and worked diligently at honing my craft.

It was also the age when I met Wesley. He was wearing burnt orange corduroy paints and a striped shirt, and he was lying on top of a pile of boys playing football in my front yard. Something told me he would become important to my life from the first moment I saw him.

I couldn't have known that we would marry 14 years later, that Wesley would see me through cancer at 24, or that we would have our healthy baby boy two years after cancer despite the risk of infertility from the treatments that helped save my life. Having our son was the greatest joy of our lives. The same body that had created something as horrible as cancer, had healed and now created a human life. This discovery helped heal me, and even more than the reason I survived, our son is the reason I was born.

The week before our son's fourth birthday, on an ordinary Saturday morning, Wesley cleaned out an old cabinet in our garage and complained of shortness of breath. It was the beginning of a complicated year-long illness that required multiple hospital stays, then exactly one year to the day of him cleaning out our garage, he received a double-lung transplant.

When Wesley died six weeks after his transplant, at the age of 35, I didn't know who I was without him.

But, I did know one thing for sure: there had to be a really big reason for Wesley leaving the planet, and it was my job as our son's mother to help bring to fruition whatever greatness could come to our lives, not in spite of losing Wesley, but because of losing him.

It's why I founded The DON'T WAIT Project® in 2011. It's become a storytelling vehicle for people throughout the country who are living DON'T WAIT lives, no matter the obstacles. I'm honored to help share their stories of gratitude and perseverance.

It's true that much of what I've experienced has been painful and tragic, but I've also experienced joy and fulfillment.

I've raised a wonderful son who recently graduated college and is thriving. I've got some cool stories about a pillow company I started from my dining room table that led to a sweet deal on the hit TV show Friends (I sewed that 'E" on the wall in Joey and Rachel's apartment), and the song I co-wrote with Nashville talent David Santos titled This Beautiful Life.

I've also written two books, so far, that have helped the people who've dedicate their time, attention, and empathy to reading my family's story.

I haven't built a career based on hardship, I've built a life based on the lessons these hardships have taught me.

I believe that hardships are opportunities for crossroads, not impasses, and I have always been willing to lend my story if it helps someone else better live their own.

Lisa Bradshaw is a 27-year cancer survivor, 22-year entrepreneur, mom, widow, TV host, 2x author, and TEDx speaker.

After publishing her first book, Lisa's pitched her alphabet pillows to the set decorator of the FRIENDS show, landing her 'E' pillow on Joey and Rachel's apartment wall during the hit show's final two seasons.

She has been a guest on national television and radio, and her story has been featured in multiple print media outlets and online, including Oprah.com, The Rachael Ray Show, Oprah Radio, InStyle, Parents, Positive Impact Magazine, The Good Life, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms , and more.

Lisa founded The DON'T WAIT Project® in 2011, a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to raising community awareness about how positive life choices can impact the health and welfare of individuals, organizations and communities.

She has traveled 3 national tours across 23 states sponsored by Toyota, interviewing people about their DON'T WAIT stories for her television show,

Life with Lisa. Her brand partnerships include other national entities, including Donate Life America, and local businesses and organizations for several storytelling exhibits and campaigns.

Lisa Bradshaw is a 27-year cancer survivor, a mom, widow, TV host, 2x author, and TEDx speaker.

After publishing her first book, Lisa's pitched her alphabet pillows to the set decorator of the FRIENDS show, landing her 'E' pillow on Joey and Rachel's apartment wall during the hit show's final two seasons.

She has been a guest on national television and radio, and her story has been featured in multiple print media outlets and online, including Oprah.com, The Rachael Ray Show, Oprah Radio, InStyle, Parents, Positive Impact Magazine, The Good Life, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms, and more.

"I WENT FROM BEING A STAY-AT-HOME WHO COULD FAIL AT ANY VENTURE BECAUSE MY HUSBAND PAID THE MORTGAGE TO A WIDOWED, SINGLE MOM WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING.

I HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FEED MY KID AND FEED MY SOUL AND BE HOME BY 3 0' CLOCK EVERY DAY WHEN HE GOT HOME FROM SCHOOL."

Lisa founded The DON'T WAIT Project® in 2011, a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to raising community awareness about how positive life choices can impact the health and welfare of individuals, organizations and communities.

She has traveled 3 national tours across 23 states sponsored by Toyota, interviewing people about their DON'T WAIT stories for her television show, Life with Lisa. Her brand partnerships include other national entities, including Donate Life America, and local businesses and organizations for several storytelling exhibits and campaigns.

"I WENT FROM BEING A STAY-AT-HOME WHO COULD FAIL AT ANY VENTURE BECAUSE MY HUSBAND PAID THE MORTGAGE TO A WIDOWED, SINGLE MOM WHO WAS NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING.

I HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FEED MY KID AND FEED MY SOUL AND BE HOME BY 3 0' CLOCK EVERY DAY WHEN HE GOT HOME FROM SCHOOL."

Each new venture demanded a unique identity, inspiring Lisa to master the art of crafting and sharing her story. This self-taught expertise, combined with her natural gift for storytelling, now drives her passion for helping female entrepreneurs elevate their visibility and position themselves for greater impact.

Lisa works with clients to transform their stories into powerful tools that create meaningful connections—whether they’re pitching speaking gigs, landing media features, securing partnerships, or attracting aligned clients. With decades of experience building a thriving business that prioritized flexibility and family, she helps entrepreneurs create brands that expand their reach and open doors to their next big opportunities.

Lisa's own journey of resilience and entrepreneurship has included sharing her story as a keynote speaker and on a TEDx stage, and writing and producing the song, This Beautiful Life, with Nashville performer David Santos. She continues to inspire others with her message by expanding opportunities for growth even when (or especially when) it feels easier to quit.

Now, as an empty nester, Lisa continues to embrace the flexibility of entrepreneurship, working from anywhere while staying deeply connected to her family.

WORK WITH LISA