The Stories You Lead From—But Haven’t Told

held in-person or live-virtual

Unleash the Power of Your Story

  • Share your vision with a clarity that people remember and want to follow
  • Ground your leadership in the authentic experiences that made you who you are
  • Craft personal stories that inspire others and build the kind of connections that matter
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This workshop helps you uncover the origin stories behind your values, making it easier to connect with others and share your vision

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What you’ll walk away with:

  • Clarity on the core values that guide your best decisions
  • A personal story that feels authentically yours
  • The confidence to show up as yourself, not some leadership persona
  • Deeper, more genuine connections with your team and community
  • An appreciation for the wisdom your experiences have already given you

Join me in discovering the power of your story

your guide

April Bell

As a child, I spent my days listening to stories from whichever elder neighbor would have me. More recently, I’ve crafted my story-mining process into book form with My Life in Paragraphs: Find and Tell Your Stories. As my storytelling focus leans toward the spoken word, people daunted by writing love my approach. I lead engaging story-mining and wisdom-keeping workshops for professionals and elders alike.

I am the founder of Tree of Life Legacies, a storytelling and wisdom-keeping project based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I started working as a personal historian in 2008, and since 2015, I’ve been helping individuals and organizations as a Values-Based Storytelling Guide. I’m also the co-creator of StoryCatcher® for iPhone, a simple and fun tool for creating and sharing video stories.

What’s your story?

Cover of April Bell's book My Life In Paragraphs: Find and Tell Your Stories
Cover image for April Bell's companion Notebook for My Life In Paragraphs
StoryCatcher for iPhone imagery and link to its informational website

“April gives you permission to play with your story in a safe environment. She invites you into an experience that feels like you can take that little bit of risk, without being judged. She has this magical way of prompting that guides you deeper and deeper and deeper into your story until you’re face-to-face with the values you hold most dear. The real gift in her process is you think you’re telling a story, and then suddenly you’re standing on the frontier of your own values set. That’s when you realize, ‘this story matters to me because these things matter to me!’” —Dan Senter, spiritual leader

“I’d spent a number of times trying to [tell my story for] my book trailer and it wasn’t working. Then April showed up. I couldn’t believe how she was able to get everything out of me the way she did. It went from impossible to beautiful! That’s the miracle in the way I see April, she makes you feel good about yourself, like you have something important to say, and you feel like you’re on top of the world. That is truly priceless.” Christina Rasmussen, best selling author of Second Firsts

“​​April holds a strong, safe, empowering container for the hard work of separating storytelling grain from chaff. Her combination of clear, concise, actionable feedback while keeping my feet ever-so-gently to the fire has allowed me to sort and process decades of experience into a coherent narrative. Whenever I get stuck in the story-crafting weeds, April is able to tap into her phenomenal toolbox for just the right implement, from story-wrangling to guiding my structure of an impactful tale.” —Dr. Ann Blake, Environmental Scientist and Changemaker

April Bell

April Bell - Co-Founder of Your Story Unleashed

As a child, I spent my days listening to stories from whichever elder neighbor would have me. More recently, I’ve crafted my story-mining process into book form with My Life in Paragraphs: Find and Tell Your Stories. As my storytelling focus leans toward the spoken word, people daunted by writing love my approach. I lead engaging story-mining and wisdom-keeping workshops for professionals and elders alike.

I am the founder of Tree of Life Legacies, a storytelling and wisdom-keeping project based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I started working as a personal historian in 2008, and since 2015, I’ve been helping individuals and organizations as a Values-Based Storytelling Guide. I’m also the co-creator of StoryCatcher® for iPhone, a simple and fun tool for creating and sharing video stories.

What’s your story?

Cover of April Bell's book My Life In Paragraphs: Find and Tell Your Stories
Cover image for April Bell's companion Notebook for My Life In Paragraphs
StoryCatcher for iPhone imagery and link to its informational website

“April gives you permission to play with your story in a safe environment. She invites you into an experience that feels like you can take that little bit of risk, without being judged. She has this magical way of prompting that guides you deeper and deeper and deeper into your story until you’re face-to-face with the values you hold most dear. The real gift in her process is you think you’re telling a story, and then suddenly you’re standing on the frontier of your own values set. That’s when you realize, ‘this story matters to me because these things matter to me!’” —Dan Senter, spiritual leader

“I’d spent a number of times trying to [tell my story for] my book trailer and it wasn’t working. Then April showed up. I couldn’t believe how she was able to get everything out of me the way she did. It went from impossible to beautiful! That’s the miracle in the way I see April, she makes you feel good about yourself, like you have something important to say, and you feel like you’re on top of the world. That is truly priceless.” Christina Rasmussen, best selling author of Second Firsts

“​​April holds a strong, safe, empowering container for the hard work of separating storytelling grain from chaff. Her combination of clear, concise, actionable feedback while keeping my feet ever-so-gently to the fire has allowed me to sort and process decades of experience into a coherent narrative. Whenever I get stuck in the story-crafting weeds, April is able to tap into her phenomenal toolbox for just the right implement, from story-wrangling to guiding my structure of an impactful tale.” —Dr. Ann Blake, Environmental Scientist and Changemaker

What we’ll work on together:

  • Your “why” and how it becomes the foundation of stories people remember
  • A simple process for finding the origin stories that shaped your values
  • Crafting stories that feel authentic to you while supporting your leadership vision
  • Reflecting on what matters most and how that translates into genuine leadership
  • Personal guidance to help your unique voice come through clearly
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Your Personal Stories Have More Power Than You Know

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Watch the video to learn more about the workshop’s process and impact.

Lead with Humanity and Vision

Here’s what I’ve discovered working with leaders over the years: the most compelling ones aren’t afraid to share their authentic stories. This workshop isn’t about perfection—it’s about meaningful, human-centered communication that actually resonates with people.

When you participate, you will:

  • Uncover the strength that’s already in your personal stories
  • Gain confidence to communicate more authentically
  • Learn how sharing your experiences builds genuine trust with your team
  • Discover ways to connect your personal values with your organization’s purpose

For organizations, this creates:

  • A refreshing approach to leadership development that feels real
  • Space for teams to connect on a deeper, more human level
  • More authentic communication throughout your culture
  • Leaders who understand that true leadership is a collaborative journey

This isn’t about fitting into a leadership mold—it’s about fully embracing the leader you’ve always been. When you share your authentic stories, you give your team permission to bring their whole selves to work, too, and that’s where the real magic happens!

Join me for this illuminating workshop

Ready to transform your leadership through the power of story? Whether held as a stand alone experience or weaved into a larger retreat, we’ll unlock the narrative that will define your legacy. Your story matters—let’s make it unforgettable.

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Testimonials

What participants are saying…

“April’s process gives you permission to play with your story in a safe environment. It invites you into an experience that makes you feel like you can take that little bit of risk, without feeling like you’re going to be judged. It has a magical way of prompting that guides you deeper and deeper and deeper into your story until you’re face to face with the values you hold most dear.” —Dan Senter

Steve Alparone

  • ★★★★★

Hearing story examples of what’s been important to other people helped me go further in my own thinking about what I want to tell.”

Dan Senter

  • ★★★★★

The real gift in this process is you think you’re simply telling a story, and then suddenly you’re standing on the frontier of your own values set. That’s when you realize, “This story matters to me because these things matter to me!”

Carolyn Goto

  • ★★★★★

The questions prompted me to see what I learned, what my values were and how I grew.