Flip Your Script

Christine Ha lost her vision due to a medical condition almost two decades ago and had to re-learn how to cook. Now known as The Blind Cook, she is a New York Times best-selling cookbook author and the chef behind three restaurants: The Blind Goat, Xin Chào and Stuffed Belly. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Christine shares how MasterChef launched her culinary career and how creativity and determination can t...

Jason Arday was diagnosed with autism as a child and couldn't read or write until he was 18. Facing many challenges growing up, Jason wrote a list of personal goals on his parents’ bedroom wall. One goal said: “One day I will work at Oxford or Cambridge.” Now, Jason is the youngest black professor at the prestigious University of Cambridge. In this inspiring episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Jason shares his story and ...

Amanda Brinkman is a small business champion and marketing expert. She has worked on campaigns for brands like BMW, Reebok and Sony. But it was a role as Chief Brand Officer at Deluxe that gave her the chance to launch her boldest career move. In this episode of Flip Your Script with Kristi Piehl, Amanda shares her “Do Well By Doing Good” philosophy, the reality show she created, produced and hosted, Small Business Revolution, and ...

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 a simple game turned into a success...

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 talks about how she started telling t...

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 h...

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 Piehl, Jimmy shares his personal journ...

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 Script with Kristi Pi...

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 to start a business after owning and...

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 tells her story of livi...

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 emotions that come with raising an au...

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 Piehl, Christine talks about the impo...

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 Piehl, Josh shares how Lady Gaga c...

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 Your Script with Kris...

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 experiences with a traumatic brain injury a...

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, actor, motivational speaker, New York...

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 how the magic of Disney changed her...

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 of 2022 to help motivate and remind ...

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 Piehl, Rob shares how he moved on f...