Let’s Talk About Love Stories from Everywhere

For most of his life, Andy Petranek was the person others looked to for strength. A former Marine Corps lieutenant who served during Operation Desert Storm, Andy went on to become a professional adventure racer, competing in some of the world's most grueling multi-day endurance events. He later founded one of the earliest CrossFit gyms in the world, helped shape the modern fitness movement, author...

For most of his life, Andy Petranek was the person others looked to for strength. A former Marine Corps lieutenant who served during Operation Desert Storm, Andy went on to become a professional adventure racer, competing in some of the world's most grueling multi-day endurance events. He later founded one of the earliest CrossFit gyms in the world, helped shape the modern fitness movement, author...

What happens when a painful personal struggle becomes a lifelong mission to help others? In this inspiring episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with entrepreneur and Emani Skincare founder Michelle Doan to explore a journey that spans continents, cultures, and decades of perseverance. Michelle shares her extraordinary story of escaping Vietnam by boat at age nine, spendin...

What happens when a painful personal struggle becomes a lifelong mission to help others? In this inspiring episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with entrepreneur and Emani Skincare founder Michelle Doan to explore a journey that spans continents, cultures, and decades of perseverance. Michelle shares her extraordinary story of escaping Vietnam by boat at age nine, spendin...

For more than six decades, Dr. Anthony Goodman has lived at the intersection of life, death, hope, and healing. A surgeon, educator, author, and now advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness, he joins Jill L. Ferguson along with his wife, Maribeth Goodman, for a deeply personal conversation about medicine, purpose, resilience, and what it means to care for others. Drawing from his new memoir, Great Saves...

What if the secret to great storytelling isn’t charisma, cleverness, or even creativity, but kindness? In this engaging conversation, award-winning creative director, TEDx speaker, and Storyfire founder Neal Foard shares lessons from more than three decades in advertising, where he helped shape campaigns for global brands while mastering the art of persuasion. From pitching ideas poolside to execu...

In this episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill talks with musician, software engineer, and Joy Punk LLC co-founder Robert Moore about creativity, technology, and the deliberate pursuit of joy. Robert shares the story behind KeyJ Music Theory, an app born from his own need to bridge the language gap between DJs using Camelot keys and musicians using traditional Western notation. The conversation...

In this episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill talks with musician, software engineer, and Joy Punk LLC co-founder Robert Moore about creativity, technology, and the deliberate pursuit of joy. Robert shares the story behind KeyJ Music Theory, an app born from his own need to bridge the language gap between DJs using Camelot keys and musicians using traditional Western notation. The conversation...

In Episode 56 of Stories From Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with writer, editor, and social impact visionary Amy Friedman for a conversation that is as heart-opening as it is urgent. From Amy’s deeply personal journey—falling in love with and marrying a man in prison—to founding POPS [now PATHfinder (Paving a Trail of Hope) Club, thepathfinderclub.org], a national organization supporting...

In Episode 56 of Stories From Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with writer, editor, and social impact visionary Amy Friedman for a conversation that is as heart-opening as it is urgent. From Amy’s deeply personal journey—falling in love with and marrying a man in prison—to founding POPS [now PATHfinder (Paving a Trail of Hope) Club, thepathfinderclub.org], a national organization supporting...

What happens when, after decades of marriage, motherhood, and putting everyone else first, a woman finally asks herself: What about my joy? In this deeply honest and inspiring episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson reconnects with longtime friend, former workshop student, software engineer, screenwriter, and bestselling indie author Margie Benedict for a powerful conversation about c...

What happens when, after decades of marriage, motherhood, and putting everyone else first, a woman finally asks herself: What about my joy? In this deeply honest and inspiring episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson reconnects with longtime friend, former workshop student, software engineer, screenwriter, and bestselling indie author Margie Benedict for a powerful conversation about c...

What happens when a single mother says yes to a bold opportunity, moves her daughters across the world, helps scale a company from 20 employees to more than 1,200, and refuses to sacrifice ethics for profit? In this inspiring episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with Fiona Kesby, Australian-born entrepreneur, global business leader, and co-founder of GoTeam in the Philipp...

What happens when a single mother says yes to a bold opportunity, moves her daughters across the world, helps scale a company from 20 employees to more than 1,200, and refuses to sacrifice ethics for profit? In this inspiring episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with Fiona Kesby, Australian-born entrepreneur, global business leader, and co-founder of GoTeam in the Philipp...

What happens when a lifelong explorer, aspiring novelist, donkey artist, and creative late bloomer sits down to talk about travel, reinvention, and the courage to keep becoming? In this heartfelt and often hilarious episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson chats with writer, artist, and adventurer Sarah Givens about building a life fueled by curiosity rather than convention. From flyin...

What if love isn’t something you find once, but something you choose, nurture, and rediscover every single day? In Episode 52 of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with therapist, social worker, men’s group leader, and lifelong bridge-builder Domenic Tamborriello for a deeply insightful conversation about relationships, masculinity, healing, and the stories we tell ourselves that...

In this compelling episode of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson sits down with filmmaker and writer Micah Groenevelt, a rising creative force whose journey into filmmaking began with backyard experiments and evolved into award-winning work, an Emmy nomination, and an ambitious feature film now in development. Micah shares the unvarnished reality of building a creative career, from sho...

In this compelling episode of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson sits down with filmmaker and writer Micah Groenevelt, a rising creative force whose journey into filmmaking began with backyard experiments and evolved into award-winning work, an Emmy nomination, and an ambitious feature film now in development.  Micah shares the unvarnished reality of building a creative career, from sh...

In this episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with Christina Clark, president of La Roche University, for a wide-ranging and deeply human conversation about leadership, education, and the unexpected paths that shape a life. Christina didn’t set out to become a university president. In fact, her journey began with a love of teaching, a childhood shaped by a military family,...

In this episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with Christina Clark, president of La Roche University, for a wide-ranging and deeply human conversation about leadership, education, and the unexpected paths that shape a life. Christina didn’t set out to become a university president. In fact, her journey began with a love of teaching, a childhood shaped by a military family,...

In this episode of Stories from Everywhere, Jill L. Ferguson sits down with Trish Azar, children’s book author, estate sale business owner, world traveler, and proud dog mom to the unforgettable Lola, for a conversation about creativity, courage, and stepping outside your comfort zone. Trish never planned to write a book. In fact, she was convinced she couldn’t. But one small nudge to join a writi...

What do football, fundraising, reggae music, and champion show dogs have in common? For George Barron, Vice President of Advancement at La Roche University, a small Catholic university near Pittsburgh, they all come down to one thing: thriving under pressure and building meaningful relationships. In this engaging and often surprising conversation, host Jill L. Ferguson sits down with George to exp...

What does endurance running, Cuban heritage, servant leadership, and the future of education have in common? In this inspiring episode of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson sits down with Marcos Redondo, President of Zenith Prep Academy, for a conversation that explores the power of passion, perseverance, and authentic learning. Marcos shares the remarkable journey that shaped his life...

What if the sounds you hear could help rewire your brain, calm your nervous system, and unlock your body’s ability to heal? In this fascinating episode of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson sits down with sound healing practitioner and founder of Sound Ascent, Nav Kaur, to explore the science, and the deeply personal journey, behind sound therapy and brainwave entrainment.  Blending an...

What can one small act of kindness do? In this powerful episode of Stories from Everywhere, host Jill L. Ferguson sits down with Doug Cornfield and Dave Clark, the founders behind the Disability Dream & Do movement and the organization behind D3D camps. Their story begins with adversity, but grows into a mission that is transforming lives across the country. Dave Clark’s journey started when h...