Flip Your Script

Dee Hays loves shattering stereotypes. She is the President and CEO of Excellence Engineering, and now an innovator in the fashion industry. When a back surgery nearly forced her to give up her 500+ pairs of high heels, Dee invented HeelzFirst, a first-of-its-kind product that hugs your foot to your high heel shoe for comfort and support. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Dee...

He dropped out of high school with a 0.9 GPA and worked 10 minimum wage jobs to support his wife and kids, including one of the worst jobs imaginable just to make $1 more an hour. So how did Todd Rose turn his life around to become an honors student, Harvard professor, author and think tank founder? In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Todd shares his journey and why he is now co...

Luke Carlson started his career as a trainer for professional athletes and is now using his knowledge to help everyday people live better lives. Luke is the Founder and CEO of Discover Strength, a boutique fitness studio that focuses on evidence-based exercises. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Luke shares his mindset as a business owner, how he was able to keep every team me...

From server to CEO, Julia Stewart's resume spans each end of the restaurant industry. If you've eaten at Taco Bell, Applebee's or IHOP, you've likely experienced her work. Julia is now adding entrepreneur to her career achievements. She recently launched Alurx, a wellness hub with information, advice and products all in one place. In this episode of Flip Your Script, Julia talks about her unique c...

When ELLE.com columnist R. Eric Thomas released his first book, everyone from Lin Manuel Miranda to Jenna Bush Hager raved about it. His memoir, Here for It, or How to Save Your Soul in America, brings humor to difficult topics as he shares his experience from struggling as a gay Christian to finding his soulmate in church (spoiler alert: he married the pastor). Flip Your Script host Kristi Piehl...

The road to Harvard Law School was not an easy one for Rehan Staton. For years, Rehan and his family struggled. He provided for his family and paid for college by hauling trash and cleaning dumpsters. While many would say it was hard work that got him into Harvard Law, Rehan says it was luck, his attitude and the people he met along the way - like a stranger at Starbucks and even Tyler Perry! In t...

Kristy Sidlar was fit and active when she passed out while teaching an aerobics class. Doctors dismissed her concerns for years until she was rushed to the hospital after noticing an abnormal heartbeat while on a bike ride. Kristy was diagnosed with a rare heart condition and eventually had a heart transplant. In this episode of Flip Your Script, Kristy talks openly and emotionally about her diffi...

Kara Robinson Chamberlain was 15 years old when she was abducted in broad daylight and sexually assaulted for 18 hours. After escaping to save her life, she helped police find her abductor only to learn he was a serial killer, murdering at least three women prior to abducting Kara. Nearly two decades later, Kara sat down with Flip Your Script host Kristi Piehl to explain why she's using social med...

Shawntan Howell is a tall, confident and powerful Black woman whose mission is fueled by her own experiences and her daughter's experiences with body image, bullying and racism. Shawntan founded the nonprofit Girls Are Powerful to help girls and young women embrace their individuality and empower one another. She talks with Flip Your Script host Kristi Piehl about the joy that comes from believing...

Marisa Schulz has an impressive resume that revolves around helping people. She's a writer, urban planner, co-founder of the creative agency All Together in Chicago and has taught courses at DePaul University. But it wasn't until recently that Marisa started sharing her own story and private struggles. She had three miscarriages after having her first two children. In this episode of Flip Your Scr...

Stephanie Reece became one of the most successful tennis players at Indiana University and was a five time All-American athlete. Professionally, she competed at the French Open, US Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon. Stephanie had no idea how her physical, mental and emotional strength would be tested when her ex-husband killed her two children before committing suicide. In this episode of Flip Y...

Pastor Stephanie Williams O'Brien, or Pastor Steph, knew as a young girl she was destined to lead. She grew up as the daughter of a Billy Graham pastor but didn't see women in leadership roles within her faith. Hearing her calling loud and clear, she decided to forge her path as a female religious leader and eventually opened her own church. The tattoo-loving, stereotype-breaking social justice ad...

The pandemic had a devastating impact on nearly 10 million working moms in the U.S. Chandra Sanders is a single mom, and like many, was laid off. Rather than scrambling to find a job, she decided to wait and let the perfect job come to her! After connecting with The Mom Project, Chandra became the Director of RISE, a program that helps moms access professional training courses. Chandra and Flip Yo...

Beloved Peloton instructor and former Buddhist monk Sam Yo shares his journey from embracing his culture to motivating fitness enthusiasts around the world. Listen in as Sam talks about his experience in the monastery, the power of silence and the importance of showing up with positivity in this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl.

After graduating from college, Jennifer Dumke thought she had her eating disorder under control. The disease reared its ugly head after giving birth to her first child. In a frank conversation about a difficult topic, Dumke shares her road to recovery and remission on Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl.

Known as the "Diva of Disaster," Maryann Bruce has earned her nickname. From a tsunami to a plane crash to avalanches and earthquakes,  Bruce has experienced everyone's worst nightmares and has lived to tell the tales. She tells Flip Your Script host Kristi Piehl what event prompted her to change the trajectory of her life. 

Dr. Maja Zelihic has a long list of professional achievements, including being named a Fulbright Specialist, becoming a published author and serving as Department Chair at the Forbes School of Business and Technology. While her resume is impressive, it doesn't list her most incredible accomplishments: escaping war-torn former Yugoslavia and living for years in a refugee camp before coming to Ameri...

Flip Your Script is dedicated to sharing inspiring stories of how people have responded to the unexpected and rewritten their own unique stories. For the 50th episode, we are flipping the script on host Kristi Piehl! She won't be asking the questions in this episode. Instead, she's in the hot seat answering them.

Gang raped by two young men at the age of 13, Madeleine Black's life felt broken beyond repair. Filled with fear and shame, she sought refuge in drugs and alcohol and also battled an eating disorder and suicidal ideations. Black shares how she found inspiration to turn her life around and forgive her rapists on Flip Your Script with host Kristi Piehl. 

By the age of 36, Syn Martinez was a self-made man, climbing his way up from working in the mailroom to traveling the country as a successful sales consultant. The grind took a major toll on his body. He soon tipped the scales at 315 pounds and was faced with serious health issues. Rather than give up, Martinez found lasting fitness and family at the gym. He shares how he took his love for athleti...

Do you hate going to work or dread doing certain tasks? Julia Waller wants to help people discover the key to a happy, successful life by unlocking their unique abilities. On the anniversary of Flip Your Script, she explains the process that sparked host Kristi Piehl to start her own podcast.

On paper and on social media, Nancy O'Brien's life looked pretty close to perfect. But on the inside, she was absolutely miserable, beyond burned out and suicidal. Together with one of her closest friends, she founded The Happiness Practice™, a wellness program that aims to reduce stress and increase happiness. She shares her journey to self love and self worth with Flip Your Script host Kristi Pi...

How do you get and stay rich in the United States? That's the question Bill Danko answers in his book, "The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy." But Danko 's road to becoming a New York Times bestselling author wasn't paved with diamonds and caviar. He shares how he turned his passion for consumer behavior into finding out what makes a millionaire with Flip Your Scr...

Dead or in jail. That's how Darrion Cockrell thought he would end up after joining a gang at the age of 10. In and out of foster care, his life turned around after his football coach and his wife adopted him. Now, Cockrell is known as "Mr. DC" by his students and as Missouri's Teacher of the Year. He shares how he was able to break free from his past with Flip Your Script host Kristi Piehl.