Flip Your Script

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...

Quintina Sonnie's difficult childhood included abandonment, sexual assault, abusive relationships and domestic sexual exploitation. She is a lived experience expert now living in Ghana, Africa, using her trauma and experiences to teach women how to heal so they can experience joy and love. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Quintina shares her personal story and the importance...

Faatemah Ampey is an award-winning hair stylist, salon owner and Bravo TV reality star who has found a new purpose. Following the murder of George Floyd, the streets near her salon were vandalized. With pain and destruction happening in Minneapolis, it became her mission to bring beauty back to the community. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Faatemah talks about the impact Ge...

Martha Rossini is the founder of one of the most iconic brands at the Minnesota State Fair: Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar. With three booths at the State Fair, her team bakes 3 million cookies each day. But baking cookies isn't Martha's only passion; she worked as an elementary school art teacher for years. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Martha shares how Sweet Martha's went fr...

Juliana Brandt is an author and kindergarten teacher with a passion for storytelling. After graduating from college, Juliana traveled the country before starting her teaching career in North Carolina. A car accident left her with a lot of time to start writing some stories. She dreamt about becoming an author for a decade and wrote 14 books before her debut book was published. In this episode of F...

Jasna Burza grew up in the middle of the Bosnian war. When she was nine years old, her family was split up; she went to a refugee camp and her father was sent to a concentration camp. Jasna and her family eventually left their country and came to Minnesota. In this episode of Flip Your Script with host Kristi Piehl, Jasna talks about growing up during a war, her experiences with loss and miscarria...

Stephen Stearman was laid off and fired from several jobs early in his career. Feeling like he didn't fit into the corporate world, Stephen found his place as an entrepreneur in the cannabis industry. He is now the CEO and Co-Founder of Elevate Holistics, a cannabis technology company focused on creating a better medical marijuana experience. In this episode of Flip Your Script, Stephen tells host...

Some artists use paint or clay to create, but award-winning artist Nathan Sawaya uses LEGO® bricks. Nathan began his career as a corporate lawyer on Wall Street. However, his desire to do something more creative led to a new career - one that includes clients like Lady Gaga and Tony Hawk. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Nathan shares how he gained the courage to take a leap,...

Jack Jablonski was checked from behind in a high school hockey game and went head first into the boards, fracturing two vertebrae and severing his spinal cord which left him paralyzed from the chest down. Ever since, Jack has set out to prove doctors wrong and started a foundation to fund research in paralysis recovery. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Jack talks about the li...

Randi Neal has overcome some of the most difficult challenges in life. Sexual abuse lead to drug addiction, physically abusive relationships, homelessness, alcoholism, rehab, suicide attempts and criminal charges. After years of working through her trauma, Randi was able to turn her life around. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Randi talks about her past and how sharing her s...

Kev Crane is a plumber in England who loves to sing while he works. He was crooning the right tune at the right time, landing a record deal after a client overheard him singing on the job. Now, Kev has signed a deal with a Hollywood filmmaker and sold the rights to his story to The Hunger Games writers Stacy Sherman and Billy Ray. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Kev shares w...

Running 100 marathons in 100 days. Kate Jayden shares how she accomplished this feat to raise money and awareness for refugees. Kate is facing surgery on a fractured femur and can't continue to run like she used to. However, running was never the main purpose of her challenge. Running gave her the opportunity to use her platform to impact others and raise money for charity. In the 100th episode of...

Growing up with two moms didn't seem out of the ordinary to Sidney Barnette. But in elementary school, she started noticing her family was different from the other kids. They told her she couldn't have two moms and that she had to have a dad. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Sidney shares her experiences growing up and what she hopes people will take away from her story. In h...

Jay Ernest loved the voice of Johnny Cash and baled hay to save money for his first guitar. While wanting to continue his idol's legacy, he formed the Church of Cash, a Johnny Cash tribute band. Jay brings Johnny Cash to life in the Folsom Prison Experience, an interactive musical and re-creation of one of the most important days in Johnny Cash's career. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kr...

Andy Buerger's sister was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. Her courage and strength motivated Andy to turn his pain into a passion. He started a non-profit, Jodi's Climb for Hope, to raise money for cancer research by climbing mountains. When Andy's wife was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Climb for Hope expanded their efforts to include MS research. In this episode of Flip Your Script wit...

Phil Terrill totaled his car in a drunk driving accident in 2014. Instead of letting that moment define him, he listened to the wake-up call and turned his mistake into motivation. Phil is passionate about sneakers and began his entrepreneurial journey by founding SoleSafe, an asset management company for sneakerheads. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Phil explains it's never...

Katie Chonacas (aka Saint Kyriaki) is a Greek-American actor with over two decades of experience in Hollywood, including working with A-list actors like Morgan Freeman and Robert DeNiro. Katie is also a filmmaker, voice over actor, author, podcast host and the first NFT artist to release a love poem and a podcast on the blockchain. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Katie share...

When Roger Williams quit his job, he changed his title to Head Crosser Offer. After surviving two heart attacks, he's now taking what he calls an adult gap year to travel and cross items off his bucket list. Roger is the host of The Crossing It Off podcast where he interviews guests about their bucket lists and encourages others to live with intention. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kris...