Ep. 174 A Journey of Intentional Storytelling with Grandma Joy and Brad Ryan
Grandma Joy and her grandson, Brad Ryan, turned a single road trip into a journey to see all 63 U.S. National Parks. Now with a global following, they show how authentic social media storytelling can spark healing, forgiveness and connection. In this episode of Flip Your Script, they discuss Brad’s upcoming book, their adventures and using social media with intention. This episode is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to rewrite your story.
Ep. 173 Using Social Media for Good with Matt and Sloan Bowen
In this episode of Flip Your Script, Kristi Piehl welcomes back Matt and Sloan Bowen five years after their first appearance on the podcast. They share how their family and social media platforms have grown and how social media has become a way to help others. Matt and Sloan talk about vulnerability, life with a disability, the realities of IVF and staying intentional online. They also discuss balancing family, content creation and brand partnerships while staying true to their purpose and values.
Ep. 172 A New Chapter for Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl and Jo Saxton
The Flip Your Script podcast is back, sharing stories about the positive power of social media and reframing how we think about the stories we tell and the influence we have. Every post, every comment, every story we share becomes part of our digital legacy. In this relaunch episode, host and author Kristi Piehl shares highlights from her live book launch event with speaker, podcaster and leadership expert Jo Saxton. If there’s one takeaway Kristi hopes you get from each episode of Flip Your Script, it’s this: Your story matters.
Ep. 171 Alec Santelman: From Sports Injury Setback to New Perspective
The Flip Your Script podcast launched in 2020, and our first episode featured host Kristi Piehl’s journey from Emmy Award-winning TV reporter to entrepreneur. Since then, over 150 guests have shared stories of struggle and resilience. As we close this chapter of the podcast, Kristi shares another personal story as she sits down with her son Alec to discuss how a knee injury taught him the power of perseverance, faith and perspective, reminding us that setbacks can lead to new beginnings.
Ep. 170 Janice Kaplan: From Gratitude to Happiness
Janice Kaplan is a gratitude expert and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Gratitude Diaries. Her new book, What Your Body Knows About Happiness, explores the mind-body connections to happiness and shares insights on how small environmental changes and physical actions, like sitting up straight or holding a warm cup, can influence mood and perceptions. In this episode, Kristi Piehl and Janice discuss the power of gratitude, the mind-body connection to happiness and small changes that can transform your mindset.
Ep. 169 Patrick J. Kennedy: From U.S. Representative to Mental Health Advocate
Sharing his own struggles with mental health and addiction, Patrick J. Kennedy has spent his career fighting to end discrimination against people with mental health conditions. He founded the Kennedy Forum and spent 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He often compares today’s mental health efforts to the goals set by his uncle, President John F. Kennedy. In this episode of Flip Your Script, Patrick discusses the power of personal stories in breaking stigma and advocating for policy change.
Ep. 168 Dr. Amy Attas: From Traditional Veterinarian to Celebrity Clientele
Dr. Amy Attas is a veterinarian and the founder of City Pets Vets in Manhattan. Over the years, she has cared for over 10,000 pets, including those of everyday people and celebrities like Billy Joel, Cher and Joan Rivers. In her new memoir, Pets and the City, Dr. Amy reflects on the challenges and rewards of her unique career, sharing memorable stories from her work. In this episode of Flip Your Script, Dr. Amy discusses her journey of revolutionizing the veterinary industry with house-call vet services.
Ep. 167 Chynna Clayton: From White House Intern to Michelle Obama’s Bodywoman
Chynna Clayton was raised by her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother while her father was in prison. After graduating from college, she interned at the White House where she began working closely with First Lady Michelle Obama. Over nearly a decade as Mrs. Obama’s bodywoman, Chynna learned the importance of valuing assistant roles. In this episode of Flip Your Script, Chynna shares how Michelle Obama encouraged her to start her own company and how she advocates for these often-overlooked positions.
Ep. 166 Matt “Nur-D” Allen: From Hip Hop Artist to Activist
Matt Allen, known as “Nur-D,” is a key figure in the Minnesota hip hop scene. He has performed at Paisley Park and U.S. Bank Stadium, shared the stage with artists like Jaden Smith and Tyler the Creator and toured with Brother Ali. The murder of George Floyd was a pivotal moment for Nur-D, deepening his commitment to social justice. In this episode of Flip Your Script, Nur-D emphasizes the importance of authenticity in his work and the responsibility artists have to use their platforms to create change.
Ep. 165 Sophie Grace Holmes: From Cystic Fibrosis to Defying the Odds
Sophie Grace Holmes was born with cystic fibrosis and was told she wouldn’t reach her teenage years. Despite the challenges, she has made it her mission to show what’s possible with a healthy lifestyle. Now a fitness coach and athlete, she has accomplished feats like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, paddleboarding 80 miles from the Bahamas to Florida, and running 36 marathons in 36 days. In this episode of Flip Your Script, Sophie shares her inspiring journey and the importance of setting ambitious goals.
Ep. 164 Holly Hardman: From Pharma Frustration to Film Director and Advocate
Holly Hardman started her career as a researcher for Rolling Stone, PBS and Twentieth Century Fox before moving into writing, directing and producing short films. After a personal experience with the dangers of prescribed benzodiazepines, Holly began her latest project, As Prescribed, a documentary that shares the problems linked to these drugs. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Holly shares her advocacy for patients and the importance of understanding the risks of some prescriptions.
Ep. 163 Cullen Jones: From Nearly Drowning to Olympic Swimmer
Cullen Jones was rescued from a near-drowning incident when he was just five years old. This experience sparked his passion for swimming, leading him to become an Olympic gold medalist and the first African American to hold a world record in the sport. Cullen is now dedicated to promoting water safety and drowning prevention. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Cullen shares his journey from nearly drowning to becoming a renowned swimmer and advocate for inclusivity in water sports.
Ep. 162 Yasmine Arrington Brooks: From Incarcerated Parents to Empowering Scholars
Yasmine Arrington Brooks grew up with her parents behind bars. When she started applying for college, she noticed a lack of scholarships for students in her situation. She founded the nonprofit ScholarCHIPS, which offers scholarships, mentorship and a peer support network for students with incarcerated parents. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Yasmine discusses how ScholarCHIPS started and the inspiring stories from some of the scholars who are changing their life trajectory.
Ep. 161 Steve Hoffman: From Preparing Taxes in the Midwest to Writing in the South of France
Steve Hoffman is a tax preparer who loves writing and the French language. Looking to reignite those passions, he moved his family from Minnesota to the French countryside. Steve started journaling about his experiences connecting to the food, the wine and the people. He found a new version of himself and is rewriting his middle-aged story. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Steve talks about his recent memoir and how his perspectives changed after his move to France.
Ep. 160 Maggie Nichols: From Athlete A to NCAA Gymnastics Champion
Maggie Nichols trained as an elite-level gymnast with hopes of competing in the 2016 Olympics. Her dreams were crushed when she didn’t make the team, but she went on to become an 8-time NCAA national gymnastics champion. She’s now an advocate for young athletes after bravely speaking out about years of sexual abuse by her team physician. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Maggie talks about her memoir, Unstoppable!, the sexual abuse scandal and her relentless pursuit of justice.
Ep. 159 Devan Kline: From Pro-Athlete to Burn Boot Camp Founder
Devan Kline started Burn Boot Camp in a parking lot with his last few hundred dollars after his baseball dreams with The San Francisco Giants were shattered. He grew up in abuse and chaos but used baseball as his escape to freedom and changed the direction of his life. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Devan shares how he overcame mental challenges through physical exercise and inspires others to adopt resourcefulness and a proactive mindset.
Ep. 158 Isaac Saul: From Political Reporter to Tangle News
Isaac Saul grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, one of America’s most politically divided counties. After spending years as a political reporter, Isaac wanted to fix how people consume news. Isaac is the founder of Tangle, an independent, non-partisan politics newsletter that offers both sides of the biggest news stories. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Isaac shares how the newsletter has evolved, advice for conversations about politics and his thoughts on the upcoming election.
Ep. 157 Beth Rodden: From Climber to Survivor
Beth Rodden began climbing at a young age and quickly gained recognition for her accomplishments. However, Beth’s journey took a dramatic turn when she and three others were kidnapped by militant rebels and held captive for six days while on a climbing trip in Kyrgyzstan. This experience changed Beth’s perspective on life and climbing. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Beth shares her experience with perfectionism, seeking therapy and confronting trauma as an elite athlete.
Ep. 156 Grandma Joy & Brad Ryan: From Family Distance to Shared Travels
Grandma Joy and her grandson Brad Ryan have visited all 63 National Parks in the U.S. and are now on a new challenge to visit all seven continents. Their journey isn’t just about traveling; it’s also about forgiveness and overcoming difficult family dynamics. They’re inseparable nowadays but the grandma-grandson duo were estranged for about a decade. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Grandma Joy and Brad share their remarkable journey of travel, aging, forgiveness and personal growth.
Ep. 155 Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour: From Police Officer to America's First Black Female Combat Pilot
Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour had a childhood dream of being a police officer on horseback, a dream that evolved into becoming America's first Black female combat pilot. She served two tours in Iraq, piloting an attack helicopter and now travels the country as a speaker and consultant. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, FlyGirl shares her journey of persistence, resilience and hunger for success and how she faced rejection multiple times before achieving her goals.