Let the Life Dictate the Job: Kristi Piehl
“IT'S AMAZING WHO WE BECOME ON THE PATH.”
Episode Description
In this episode of Leadership Matters, Kristi Piehl, founder and CEO of Media Minefield and author of Flip Your Script, joins host Kaylee Thomsen for an honest conversation on reinvention, resilience, and the power of storytelling. Kristi shares her journey from Emmy-winning TV journalist to communications strategist, how losing her job became the gift that changed everything, and what leaders and brands consistently get wrong about showing up authentically. She also opens up about navigating her son’s cancer diagnosis and how it transformed her perspective on leadership, gratitude, and what it means to do work that matters. If you believe your story has the power to move people, this one is for you.
Chapters
- 00:00 Intro: Meet Kristi Piehl
- 00:33 What She Wanted to Be Growing Up
- 02:32 A Full-Circle Moment on Live TV
- 03:00 The High Point of Her News Career
- 04:35 Getting Laid Off
- 06:31 Two Powerful Feelings at Once
- 07:26 Choosing Not to Rush Back to Work
- 09:51 Writing Down Her Non-Negotiables
- 11:26 The Ethical Discomfort That Pushed Her Away From News
- 12:31 A Season of Self-Discovery
- 14:12 The Class That Sparked Media Minefield
- 16:07 Building the Company Alone
- 17:00 The Story Behind the Name
- 19:23 Creating Process From Scratch in Year One
- 21:47 Moments of Wondering Whether to Walk Away
- 23:42 The Role Coaching Has Played in Her Growth
- 25:38 Why Brands Miss Out on Their People
- 27:35 Fear as the Reason Leaders Stay Hidden
- 28:52 How AI Is Rewarding Authentic Content
- 30:52 Reframing PR as Solving Business Problems
- 32:19 Naming Blessings Backward at 3 a.m.
- 33:42 Her Son's Cancer Diagnosis
- 35:42 Reframing Priorities During Crisis
- 37:22 How the Experience Changed Her
- 39:28 Unfollowing the Voices That Weren't Helping
- 41:51 Final Reflection: Controlling What You Can
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