A Fresh Story

When Lori Lyons became a stepmom, she knew exactly what she didn’t want: the tension, jealousy, and divided loyalty she had grown up with as a child of divorce. Instead, she envisioned something radical for the time—a family that included everyone, even her husband’s ex-wife. In this heart-opening episode of A Fresh Story, Lori invites us into her Louisiana home and into a decades-long story of blended family done beautifully right...

Some weeks, it all bubbles over—and this was one of them. In this emotional, unfiltered, and deeply personal episode of The Weekly Wrap-Up, sisters Olivia Howell and Genevieve Dreizen unpack a week full of professional friction, single mom milestones, and the aching beauty of watching your child graduate when life hasn’t gone to plan. Olivia shares the vulnerable experience of sitting solo at her son’s graduation—reflecting on how ...

Some weeks feel like a blur of soft moments and wild schedules, where the biggest revelations are found not in headlines, but in quiet yards, tiny donuts, and the hum of treadmills. In this week’s wrap-up, Olivia and Genevieve invite listeners into their real lives—the ones with deer sleeping in the backyard, pool memberships, belt tests, donut day detours, and dreams of Muppet parades. It's a gentle episode full of small delights,...

Scott Christian Sava didn’t plan to write a book or become a YouTube mentor to millions. He just wanted to draw Spider-Man. But as his creative journey unfolded—from comic books and video games to filmmaking and community-building—Scott discovered something bigger than himself: the call to teach, to connect, and to remind others that art is a deeply human experience. In this heartfelt episode of A Fresh Story, Scott shares the long...

Olivia had a secret—and not the bad kind. This week on A Fresh Story, she shares a joyful surprise: after quietly enrolling in and completing a certification, she’s now a certified divorce coach. For someone who’s spent years writing about divorce, supporting others through it, and building an entire support ecosystem, it wasn’t about adding another title. It was about taking responsibility for her words and the people who read the...

Chloe Sexton didn’t plan on becoming a mom—or a business owner shipping massive cookies across the country. But life has a way of rewriting the script. When Chloe’s mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and later became pregnant, Chloe stepped up to help raise her baby sister, Charlotte. Years later, that unexpected bond transformed into guardianship. And just as Chloe was navigating pregnancy, job loss, and grief, she found herse...

There’s a certain kind of magic that happens when sisters talk—not about the big milestones, but about the quiet moments in between. In this emotional and deeply honest episode of A Fresh Story’s Weekly Wrap-Up, Olivia and Jenny invite listeners into one of those rare, intimate conversations where laughter and longing intertwine. What begins as playful banter about Dunkin’ Donuts and “noise violations” unfolds into a soulful reflec...

In this episode of A Fresh Story, we sit down with Leslie Gray Streeter—journalist, memoirist, and now debut novelist—to unpack the heartbreak, humor, and honesty woven into her new book, Family and Other Calamities. With wit and grace, Leslie shares how she turned personal loss and professional scandal into fiction that cuts close to the bone.

We follow Leslie’s journey from writing about her own grief in her memoir to crafting a p...

In this episode of Weekly Wrap-Up, hosts Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen of Fresh Starts Registry share an engaging and heartfelt reflection on the week's events. They kick things off with the exciting news that their podcasts have been named semifinalists in the Quill Podcast Awards, highlighting their deep commitment to creating impactful and community-focused conversations. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and p...

Emily Westerfield’s journey into surrogacy began not with a grand plan, but with a simple, profound desire to help others. After experiencing her own ups and downs with pregnancy, Emily found herself drawn to the idea of carrying a child for another family—a selfless act of compassion and strength. Her story unfolds with heart and honesty as she shares the transformative experience of being a surrogate, navigating the emotional lan...

In this episode of the Weekly Wrap-Up, Olivia and Jenny reflect on their week, sharing personal updates, business insights, and reflections on growth and resilience. They kick off the episode by talking about the importance of having an agenda and how the weather can shape their productivity and mood. Jenny shares the experience of buying their first coffee table for their apartment, navigating the quirks of furnished UK apartments...

It began with a mother’s intuition, an uneasy text from her daughter, and a phone call that would shatter the world as she knew it. In this unforgettable episode of A Fresh Story, Shawnee Baker walks us through the life-altering days that followed a tragic accident involving her daughter Baylie Grogan, a brilliant pre-med student with her entire future ahead of her. As Shawnee and her husband raced to Miami from a remote sailboat o...

In this week’s jam-packed episode of The Weekly Wrap-Up, Olivia and Jenny catch you up on all the behind-the-scenes wins, woes, and wisdom. From award nominations to media features to the eternal struggle of finding a summer camp that actually has spots left, this episode is equal parts celebration and commiseration.

Jenny shares the thrill of a long-awaited breakthrough—years in the making—and Olivia spills the tea on what really m...

Welcome to Weekly Wrap-Up with Olivia and Jenny!

This week, Olivia and Jenny are pulling back the curtain and letting you all the way in! 🎤✨

Listen in as they chat about the real story behind launching this podcast idea (spoiler alert: it started with a casual convo and a big dream), the highs and lows of running a bootstrapped startup, and why community feedback literally shapes everything they do.

They’re spilling all the juicy de...

When Trystan Reese received a call from a social worker about two toddlers in need of a home, he and his partner made a decision that would change everything—they said yes. What followed was a beautifully complex journey into parenthood as a transgender man, one shaped by love, learning, and the fierce desire to build a family rooted in connection. In this moving episode, Trystan shares the raw truth of what it means to step into f...

When Lorraine Connell stepped into the classroom, she didn’t expect her most profound lessons on leadership to come from the very students she was there to guide. But over the years, it became clear: the traditional model of leadership—titles, hierarchy, perfection—wasn’t serving the teens she worked with. In this episode of A Fresh Story, Lorraine, a seasoned educator and Teen Leadership Coach, shares the powerful stories that led...

When Olivia Howell’s life took an unexpected turn, she found herself standing at the edge of everything she thought family was supposed to be. In the aftermath of her divorce, she wasn’t just rebuilding a household—she was rebuilding an identity, a rhythm, and a new kind of love for her children and herself. In this episode of A Fresh Story, Olivia shares how she not only survived one of the most challenging chapters of her life, b...

What happens when love finds you across an ocean? In this episode of A Fresh Story, Olivia Howell sits down with her sister, Genevieve Dreisen, to talk about the beautifully complex journey of building a life—and a family—across continents. From a chance meeting in Scotland to the quiet triumphs of long-distance love, this is a story that blends vulnerability, resilience, and deep-rooted connection.

Genevieve opens up about the raw,...

In the kickoff episode of A Fresh Story’s new Family Season, sisters and co-hosts Jenny Dreizen and Olivia Howell sit down to reflect on the evolution of their podcast and their ever-deepening curiosity about what truly defines a family. With over 200 episodes under their belt, the duo shares how their fascination with storytelling—and particularly stories rooted in family dynamics—has shaped both their show and their own understan...