Flip Your Script

Their friendship began during elementary school recess. Now, Maggie Brown and Grace Moore are the founders of the wildly successful brand Recess Pickleball. They launched the company in 2021 and grew it from a pandemic passion project to a renowned pickleball gear company with fun and trendy paddles and accessories. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Maggie and Grace share how...

Few people want to talk about their failures, but Christina Wallace has built a career talking about hers. The failure of her first company made headlines and became a case study used in business schools around the world. As a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, Christina now shares the value of learning from our failures. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Christina ta...

After being diagnosed with PTSD, Christy Warren retired as a fire captain from the Berkeley Fire Department in California. The diagnosis didn't stop her from achieving new goals: She became a triathlete and completed the Escape from Alcatraz swim five times. Christy is the author of Flash Point: A Firefighter's Journey Through PTSD and hosts The Firefighter Deconstructed podcast. In this episode o...

Jimmy Choi was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's disease at 27 years old. After years of denial, an accident pushed Jimmy in a new direction and he no longer let his diagnosis hold him back. Jimmy is now a Guinness World Record holder, endurance athlete, ultra marathoner, American Ninja Warrior, motivational speaker and Parkinson's advocate. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Pie...

With hundreds of millions of TikTok views, the Savannah Bananas are not your average baseball team. Through skits, dances and unique rules, the Georgia-based team takes the field with one mission: make baseball fun and put fans first. Head Coach Tyler Gillum dreamed of becoming a baseball coach in high school, and now he's helping the team flip the script on the sport. In this episode of Flip Your...

Nadia Liu Spellman left her career in investment banking to pursue her passion for good food. With the support and guidance of her parents, Nadia launched the popular restaurant Dumpling Daughter. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Nadia talks about her entrepreneurial journey and her family legacy. Nadia's mom also joined this episode to share how she encouraged her daughter t...

Jenny Smith was 16 years old when a spinal cord injury left her paralyzed from the chest down. Despite being faced with a new life she could've never imagined, Jenny leaned on her support system and never gave up. She now educates the public and advocates for people with spinal cord injuries and distributes wheelchairs internationally. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Jenny t...

Debra Vines struggled to find resources and support when her son Jason was diagnosed with autism. After years of feeling helpless, Debra started The Answer Inc., a nonprofit that supports families impacted by autism. Debra has been acknowledged numerous times for her work, including being named one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Debra shares the em...

Christine Handy began modeling at age 11, working for brands like Guess, J. Crew, Pepsi and Target. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to flip her script when she underwent chemotherapy and eventually lost her breasts. Christine shifted from surviving to thriving and started modeling again for New York Fashion Week and Victoria's Secret. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Pi...

Josh Meredith was a queer youth growing up in West Virginia and struggled with his mental health. The hardships he faced helped him discover a passion for mental health advocacy. Josh is now the Chief of Staff for the Born This Way Foundation, co-founded by Lady Gaga and her mom. The foundation promotes kindness and conversations about mental health. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi...

Kechi Okwuchi was only 16 when she and one other person survived a plane crash that killed 107 people. Throughout her recovery, Kechi was supported by her family, friends, faith and music. Kechi later became a finalist on America's Got Talent and received Simon Cowell's golden buzzer. She has continued to release her own music and wrote a memoir titled 'More Than My Scars'. In this episode of Flip...

Amanda Burrill has been a rescue swimmer in the Navy, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, a copy editor for the New York Post and a sponsored triathlete and marathon runner. Through it all, she was living with an undiagnosed brain injury. It took a second brain injury for her to realize what was causing her health issues. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Amanda shares her experien...

J.R. Martinez was serving in Iraq when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb and exploded, leaving him with severe injuries and burns on more than one-third of his body. Now, after three dozen surgeries, J.R. travels the world to share his story and teaches people to adapt and overcome. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, J.R. shares his experiences as a burn survivor, Army veteran, ac...

Like any good Disney story, Katie Evans has had to overcome obstacles to find her happy ending. While struggling with postpartum depression, Katie moved her family to Disney World. She also wrote a book, The Magic of Hope, where she shares her personal struggles and triumphs and inspires others to always follow their dreams. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Katie talks about...

As 2022 comes to a close, we are reflecting on the past year and looking forward to a new chapter in all our stories. Over the past year, 44 people shared their inspirational Flip Your Script stories about finding the strength and motivation to turn the page. In this special Flip Your Script bonus episode, host Kristi Piehl unveils never-before-heard insights from some of our most popular guests o...

Rob Kenney's dad left when he was just 14. Without a father figure in his life, Rob had to navigate some of life's challenges on his own. He started a Youtube channel called Dad, How Do I? by creating videos on how to tie a tie and unclog a sink. He now has more than 4 million subscribers who are drawn to his practical advice, how-tos and dad chats. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi...

Eddie Swartzentruber was just 17 years old when he ran away from the Amish community in rural Minnesota where he was raised. He grew up very sheltered, not knowing about simple things like electricity or cell phones. Eddie is now married, owns his own business and uses social media to share about his former life and answer questions about the Amish. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi...

You might know Sharon McMahon by her Instagram handle, @sharonsaysso. With more than one million followers on social media, Sharon shares her expertise as a high school government teacher to battle political misinformation. She uses social media and her podcast to answer questions and share nonpartisan facts about the government and democracy. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl,...

After making the difficult decision to leave her international banking career, Amalia Moreno-Damgaard harnessed her passion for culture and cuisine to launch her own business. Today, Amalia is an award-winning author, speaker and chef entrepreneur. Her mission is to help people understand Latin American culture through culinary experiences and storytelling. In this episode of Flip Your Script with...

Renee Seevers sold her 3,300 square foot, five bedroom, four bathroom house and moved into an 87 square foot home on wheels. Renee is the CEO and Founder of TinyFest, a tiny home and nomadic living festival that started in Iowa before expanding across the country. TinyFest is the celebration of sustainability, human connection, adventure and freedom. In this episode of Flip Your Script with host K...

After an abusive relationship and difficult divorce, Chaz Sandifer hit a low point. She set out on a journey of healing, wanting to become the best version of herself. Chaz is passionate about health and wellness and is building a community around those passions as the founder of theNEWmpls. In this episode of Flip Your Script with host Kristi Piehl, Chaz shares how her life experiences, the pande...

Bob Dahm grew up on a farm and watched his dad, grandfather and many others die of cancer; he knew that toxic agricultural chemicals had to be the culprit. As a grounds manager at a children's hospital, Bob watched as chemicals were applied to the playground where immunocompromised children played. He knew there had to be a safer way. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Bob shar...

Desmond Blair is an artist who is missing one tool nearly every other artist has: hands. Despite the challenges, he is creating art and inspiring others. As a child, his mom and grandma encouraged Desmond to find his own way of doing things. He taught himself how to write with a pencil and how to use crayons with his wrists. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Desmond talks abou...

A hundred years ago, we moved from working six days a week to five, and now Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart are preaching the positive effects of shifting to a four-day workweek. They are the founders of the nonprofit organization, 4 Day Week Global. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Andrew and Charlotte talk about how the pandemic shifted work-life balance and how the fo...

John Kriesel lost two of his best friends and both legs when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle on military patrol in Iraq. His life flashed before his eyes as he lay on the sand, thinking he wouldn't survive. Determined to make the most of his second chance at life, John is now an author and motivational speaker who shares his story with positivity and humor. In this episode of Flip Your S...