“Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.”

- Robert Holden

We know the quote above to be true, but how often do we remind ourselves that we are amazing human beings, that we are worthy, and that self-love is our super power? Probably not often enough, which is why hearing my Mastermind coach George Bryant talk about the relationship between how we see ourselves and being successful in life just floored me.

In today’s episode of The Inside Story, I share with you:

• The 5-minute exercise George discussed in his podcast (which you should also subscribe to, by the way, because it’s awesome) that will probably make you uncomfortable at first, but will eventually give you the boost that you need
• How we are the ones holding ourselves back and getting in the way of our own growth
• Why I knew I had to take immediate action, and my decision to share it live with the LIGHTBeamers community
• The ripple effect of my Facebook Live...

Welcome to the first episode of The Inside Story! Thank you so much for tuning in. I’m April Pertuis, and for most of my adult life, I’ve been captivated by the power of stories to connect people. My intention for this podcast is to simply bring insightful, inspiring stories that shine a light back on YOU, and spark something that prompts you to examine your own story and see how valuable it really is—especially when you decide to share it.

I’ll take you behind the curtain to reveal the success stories of entrepreneurs, thought leaders, change makers and others who’ve walked through fire and come out the other side. How did they get there? What were the hurdles? What are their biggest “aha” moments? Plus, we’ll look at the power of story (because your own journey has power to propel you forward in life too), and I’ll be sharing my own stories along the way.

In today’s episode, I talk about how this podcast came to be, as...

No matter which stories I share each week on this podcast, my hope is that they prompt you to delve more deeply into your own inside stories as a result of listening here. Why? Because my fundamental belief is that we each have an important story to tell—and yours is no different.

Today, I share how my personal philosophy around storytelling developed and why I’ve come to believe that our stories are so important (enough to build an entire podcast around!). So come along for the ride as I venture back to where it all began—my early career as a broadcaster—and how things evolved from there.

In today’s episode, I cover:  

• How, as a young journalist, I became disillusioned with the kinds of stories most networks aired and how my viewpoint shifted when I discovered the work of Steve Hartman at CBS
• What Steve Hartman taught me: How Hartman became my “silent mentor” and showed me the power of stories through his show, Everybody Has a...

Today, my very special guest and dear friend, Sandra Sky (Scaiano if we’re being official) joins me on the show. When I realized it was my own short-term vision that had kept me from starting this podcast, I knew I had to invite Sandra on to talk about “the long game”—she even has her own podcast with the same name! So of course I invited her to talk more about what “the long game” really means, and spark some ideas for you around where you might need a longer-game vision as well.

Sandra and I uncover so many great nuggets in this conversation. Here’s some of what we discuss:  

• What tripped me up when I started the podcast, and how keeping the long game in mind helped me to finally move forward.
• What is the long game philosophy? Sandra shares her perspective from her own journey and vision.
• What it takes to really solidify your brand and direction in business (and how that relates to the long game).
• Key foundational pieces you need to...

Today’s episode was born from two recent events: first, when I heard a quote from Michelle Obama that really gave me pause; and then, the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

In today’s podcast, I share some musings on the concept of feminism, how it has evolved in my life, and what I think needs to change for us to live in a world where we can bridge the gap between men and women so that everyone has a powerful voice that is heard.

I discuss:  

• The quote from Michelle Obama that got me thinking about the role of women in our culture
• How Ruth Bader Ginsburg paved the way for women in the justice system and in our society
• Why I would have said, “No Way!” if you’d asked whether I was a feminist even 10 years ago, yet today might even call myself “a raging feminist” (and be proud of it)
• The ways our society influences us to believe that “feminism” is a negative concept
• How my work with the women in the LIGHTBeamers community...

I’m excited to share this conversation with Ros Smith today. I’ve wanted to feature Ros on the podcast for a long time! She’s had an enviable career in design and philanthropy. Her life was interrupted by a surprising cancer diagnosis in 2019, at just 58 years old. Her journey has continued to amaze me, and I know that you will also glean a lot from what she went through and the message she now shares from the other side of this experience.  

In this episode, you’ll learn:   

• The details of Ros’s story, beginning with her first cancer diagnosis and through to where she is today.
• Why fear was never a factor in her recovery and death wasn’t part of the equation in her mind.
• How going through an MRI procedure flicked a switch in Ros’s mind, moving her from fear to courage (even when others might have given up).
• The importance of journaling through her recovery and how it led to her book,
• Ros’s essential distinction...

Today’s guest is Lacey Marie, with amazing inside stories of her own. If there is one word I’d use to describe Lacey, it would be “survivor.” Despite many experiences on many different levels, she continues to march forward with strength and love. She’s also someone who takes the challenges and shares them openly with others in a way that makes my heart sing. Listen in to see how she harnesses the power of her story.

Here’s what Lacey and I cover in this episode:   

• Does Lacey see herself as a survivor? You’ll love her answer, which can help you to move through your own challenges.
• Why I reached out to Lacey and what I think people can learn from her story (which leaves a lot of people breathless when they hear it).
• Viewing the events in hindsight, Lacey explains how several of the major blows in her life were actually related to each other and later affected her own challenges over time.
• How navigating multiple blows over the...

It has been a while since my last solo episode so this one right here is pretty special!

In all honesty, it took me some time to get around to recording this, which is ironic because as you will find out, the reason I’ve been holding off is actually what our topic today covers and addresses.

So listen in as I share with you:

• How I have been staying in my comfort zone and what that looks like to me, especially in producing this podcast
• The story behind my first encounter with the concept of “pushing the edge” and the man who introduced it to me
• The image I immediately thought of when I heard about the concept, and why I feel like it’s an apt analogy for pushing the edge
• How staying in the smallest circle stops us from going after and getting what we truly desire for ourselves
• Where I’m struggling to push myself over the edge in different areas like my health and my mindset
• The reason why I don’t really believe in the concept of failure...

When life gives you a series of unfortunate events, throwing in the towel seems like the easiest thing to do. But for Brittany Clayborne, admitting defeat wasn’t an option. She chose to push through everything that was put in her path and as a result, is now living out her soul’s purpose. She’s using her voice to tell her incredible story, and create awareness and intention in those who hear her words.

Today’s episode resonates with me so much because it reminds me of my own conviction and message to other women: to stop waiting for the perfect moment, and to ask for the big story and receive it with arms wide open.

So join me and Brittany as we have a deep — and at times funny — conversation about:

• Her journey from being diagnosed with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy or PPCM and getting a pacemaker
• Going through heart failure seven times before getting a mechanical device to help her weakening heart
• Spending 9 months at the hospital away from her...

Denice Chenault is one of the most powerful women in network marketing. But she will also be the first one to tell you that she never thought of herself as a sales person, let alone imagined she could build a meaningful career people tend to associate with selling.

On today’s episode of The Inside Story Podcast, we go beyond the basics of network marketing and look at the heart of it through the eyes of Denice. From thinking of it initially as just a source of income, to understanding the real foundation a great career in this industry actually stands on, Denice takes us on her journey that goes back more than 22 years.

Our conversation is an enlightening one, so join us as we talk about:

• Denice’s back story and why she really got into network marketing all those years ago
• Appreciating how this industry provides equal opportunity for everybody — regardless of background — to become abundant
• How network marketing has taken her from being the shy girl from...