Monthly Archives: October 2025

Lorna Brunelle -328

October 29, 2025Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

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Facing an illness is very much like being a buoy: we have to rise up, we have to learn to float, and carry ourselves in the storm. While we’re staying afloat in the storm, we are also a beacon for others. -Lorna J. Brunelle

There are lots of stories about the ties that bind mothers and daughters. When Lorna Brunelle’s mother, Wanda, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, she turned heartbreak into hope by telling the story of her mother’s courage, character, wisdom and lifelong influence in the book: The Buoy Projects: A Story of Breast Cancer, Bucket Lists, Life Lessons, Facebook and Love. A two-time cancer survivor herself, Lorna is a renowned performer, teacher, and three-time author whose work is rooted in recognizing gifts and talents, creativity, and self-determination. A graduate of The Boston Conservatory, she is the owner of The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts, The Alley Theatre, and The Patio in Middleborough, Massachusetts. www.burtwoodschool.com. Through her writing, philanthropy, and mentorship, Lorna has changed the lives of thousands of performing arts students who have passed through her doors over the last 30 years. The Buoy Projects is a love letter to her mother, and a testament to the power of the mother/daughter connection. For 26 minutes of engaging conversation and brilliant storytelling, just hit that download button. #womeninspiringwomen#lornabrunelle #TheBuoyProjects #breastcancerawareness #TheStoryBehindHerSuccess #CandyOTerry #Legacy#Resilience

Hank Phillippi Ryan -327

October 23, 2025Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

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That little girl in the hayloft always wanted to be a writer. I’m the poster child for following your dreams in midlife because I didn’t write my first book until I was 55. -Hank Phillippi Ryan

Imagine a 43-year career as an investigative reporter with 37 EMMYs and 14 Edward R. Murrow awards. Now imagine a brilliant midlife move, where all that experience manifests itself into writing mystery novels that are nail-biting thrillers. Welcome to the incredible story of Hank Phillippi Ryan. This queen of invention sat down in my living room with a cup of tea and the willingness to share a story filled with life lessons in bravery, curiosity, imagination, and just plain smarts. The author of 16 books, her latest is called All This Could Be Yours. The story follows Tessa Calloway, a debut author on a book tour, with a stalker who threatens everything she holds dear. Raised in rural Indiana, Hank (real name: Harriet Ann) admits she was a nerdy kid who wanted nothing more than to read her Nancy Drew books up in the hayloft. A Shakespeare major at Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, her career has taken her from politics to writing for Rolling Stone Magazine to radio and television, where her news director at WHDH in Boston tapped her as the station’s investigative reporter. “I’m not the funny one, says Hank. I hate to be lied to, and I love discovering the truth. Every one of those 37 EMMY awards represents a secret somebody didn’t want me to tell.” In this interview, she shares wisdom from her mother, and plenty of her own, including: “Worry is glue under your feet” and “success to me is one good idea a day.” For 27 minutes on the joy of reinvention, just hit that download button. #reinvention #mystery #author #television #investigativereporter

Jenna McCarthy -326

October 16, 2025Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

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When the scariest thing happens and you get through it, you realize that you’re stronger than you ever thought you could be. -Jenna McCarthy

Making that appointment to schedule her first mammogram was on Jenna McCarthy’s mind for a while. At 41, she just wanted to get it over with and “check that box.” What she didn’t expect was what happened next. In this up-close and personal interview, Jenna shares her diagnosis with DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ, an early-stage breast cancer. The mother of 4-year-old twin boys and a 9-year-old daughter, Jenna was more concerned about their state of mind than her own. Surrounded by a large and supportive extended family, she had a double mastectomy and implants just 3 months ago and is now cancer-free. In this interview, Jenna gives thanks to the Ellie Fund elliefund.org, a local non-profit devoted to supporting breast cancer patients by funding care and providing hope. Determined to spread the word about early detection, Jenna says, “Schedule your mammogram today. What if I had waited another year? If there were some way to know that a person hearing my story went out and got her mammogram, I would heal so much.” #breastcancerawareness #mammogram #thestorybehindhersuccess wife, mother & breast cancer survivor elliefund.org

Dayla Arabella Santurri -325

October 9, 2025Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

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There’s a difference between doing what you’re good at and doing what you love. -Dayla Arabella Santurri

In this week’s episode of The Story Behind Her Success, I welcome longtime friend Dayla Arabella Santurri into my living room for a masterclass in reinvention, fearlessness, and the power of “yes”. From running the iconic Scullers Jazz Club to producing live events worldwide, she’s built a career around creating unforgettable experiences, and connection is her superpower. Her latest venture is Bella Adventures, bellaadventures.com, a luxury travel brand where she’s been able to merge her lifelong love of travel with her decades-long success as an events architect to create once-in-a-lifetime journeys for her clients. In this episode, we talk about: the courage it takes to reinvent yourself, why travel can be a force for good in the world, and the absolute joy of doing what you love. Dayla is living proof that reinvention is the ultimate adventure. #thestorybehindhersuccess #candyoterry #travel #WomenInBusiness #Reinvention #BellaAdventures#FemaleFounders Bella Adventures bellaadventures.com @bellaadventures

Judith L. Pearson -324

October 2, 2025Episodesthestorybehindhersuccess

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Radical is the Latin term for “root”. Years ago, the radical mastectomy was developed, with the belief that if the surgeon dug deeper into a woman’s chest, they could get to the root of the cancer. -Judy Pearson

Not so long ago, cancer was the “C” word and no one talked about breast cancer, especially women who emerged from their brutal treatments disfigured and disabled. In her new book, Radical Sisters, best-selling author and breast cancer survivor Judy Pearson shines a bright light on three breast cancer heroes: Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, and Evelyn Lauder. These bold, unstoppable women used their celebrity to raise their voices, open doors, and change history for breast cancer patients everywhere. A 14-year survivor of the disease, Judy Pearson grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan, where she started writing poems and stories in a three-ring binder, perched on the limb of an old maple tree. In this interview, she opens up about her own survivorship. Says Judy: “I have a new lease on life. The sky is bluer, the grass is greener, and I’m using my survivorship to give back to the greater good. There’s healing in helping others. “ Download this episode for your chance to give a high-five to three women who were among the first warriors in the fight against breast cancer. #breastcancer #breastcancerawareness

The Story Behind Her Success with Candy O'Terry

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