A Fresh Story

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 20

We chatted with podiatrist and foot surgeon, Dr. Brad, of the popular TLC show, My Feet Are Killing Me. We talked about his journey coming out, and what he learned along the way, as well as how the people he loved supported him - and learned to support him in the way he needed. We discussed why representation in the LGBTQ+ community is so important, and how to support your friends on their coming out journey. It was an incredibly honest, funny, and interesting conversation about stepping into our truth, what it means to love ourselves, finding your career passion, and of course, corn chips!

Dr. Brad Schaeffer [“Dr. Brad”] is a board-certified podiatrist and foot surgeon with a practice on the upper west side of NYC. He was recently [Dec/Jan issue] recognized as one of the three finalists in Men’s Health Magazine’s Ultimate Men’s Health Guy Contest 2023 for his hard work, humility, integrity, and the belief that each of us can always do a little better. He was a finalist in NBC’s The Titan Games, hosted by executive producer Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and continues to share his love of fitness on his motivational IG fitness portal “Nothing but NET [No Excuses Team],” simply to share and generate interactive excitement about fitness.

He can also be seen on the popular TLC show, My Feet Are Killing Me, where he is known to bring compassion and expertise of podiatric medicine to patient’s lives. He is a proud member and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. His public coming out story was featured on NBC News’ Today.com and continues to reverberate across straight and queer media.

You can follow Dr. Brad on Instagram and his website.

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 19

We chatted with viral gymnastics sensation Nia Dennis about her journey in gymnastics, and how one single second changed the rest of her life - and led her to many new Fresh Starts. Nia is incredibly wise, appreciative of her past, and passionate about learning new things (like the saxophone!), and excited for her future. We discussed her viral moment at The Met Gala, her fresh start in college, and how she pivoted her whole career at a young age. You will learn so much from Nia’s wise words about self-talk and learning to love yourself, even when things are tricky in life.

Viral gymnastics sensation, Nia Dennis aspires to inspire. Her debut on the 2021 Met Gala red carpet was a cultural moment! Flanked by the 30-person Brooklyn United marching band, while wearing a patriotic Stella McCartney for Adidas jumpsuit, Nia easily went from gymnastics routine to red carpet glam as she flipped and danced her way to the top of the famous steps!

A member of the U.S. National Team from 2012-2016, Nia was a 2018 NCAA Gymnastics Champion and leading contender on the UCLA Women’s Gymnastics team. “The Culture” was a recurring theme in the fun-filled floor routines of her college career, as she treated the gymnastics floor as her stage and the perfect place to showcase black excellence to the world. In February 2020, Nia tumbled and hip-hop danced to a Beyonce inspired “Homecoming” performance that highlighted majorette-style dancing typical of HBCUs, which resulted in millions of online views, becoming the #1 trending topic online, and landing Nia a guest spot on The Ellen Degeneres Show. In February 2021, another one of Nia’s socially-justice filled routine also went viral, with a message of power and hope towards the push for equality that caught the attention of Michelle Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris and Janet Jackson, among others.

Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Nia grew up with Midwest values and a supportive family who encouraged her illustrious Junior Olympic and Elite gymnastics career. She sacrificed a traditional classroom experience and trained more than 30 hours per week to reach Elite status and compete internationally with the ultimate goal being the 2016 Olympics. But, with a torn Achilles months before the games, Nia learned invaluable lessons about overcoming obstacles, perseverance and creating new dreams.

You can follow Nia on Instagram, TikTok, and her website.

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 18

Model, entrepreneur, and opera singer, Alex Frankel grew up in San Francisco, where the definition of “hotness” was dictated by “beautiful” people in popular magazines and TV shows. His entire childhood, he felt trapped in his fat body and hated how he looked. That was until he realized what he had been taught his whole life was a lie. Hotness was more than perfect abs and bulging biceps, it was an attitude. And that he had! 

Fast forward, and now Alex is a successful plus-size model with Wilhelmina, and a body acceptance advocate and role model to fat guys all around the world. He created the Hot Fat Guy Club to dispel the myths around diet culture, fatphobia, and other fat-people stereotypes. He wanted a community where people are celebrated, not shamed, for their body type.

We has an amazing conversation with Alex, about everything from his career as a professional opera singer, his entrepreneur journey founding The Hot Fat Guy Club, childhood bullying and how it changes us on a cellular level, his pandemic pivots in the entertainment industry, relationships, his foray into the big and tall modeling industry, toxic masculinity, raising sons in today’s cultural climate, body image and mindset - and so, so much more. Alex is brilliant, hysterically funny, compassionate, and out to change the world for the better with The Hot Fat Guy Club. We know you’ll enjoy this conversation about fresh starts, using your voice, and finding your way back to loving yourself.

You can follow Alex on Instagram, TikTok, and learn more about The Hot Fat Guy Club!

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 17

Susannah B (aka Susannah Blinkoff) is an accomplished singer-songwriter, screenwriter and actor. A Los Angeles resident for most of her adult life, Susannah grew up in Manhattan as the daughter of well-known Broadway composer/lyricist Carol Hall. From an early age, Susannah was acting off-Broadway and singing professionally in NYC clubs. She is currently writing a comedic musical TV series and, as a singer, Susannah B has performed at many clubs in L.A., She has also released six albums of her own pop songs as well as an album of retro jazz standards. Susannah B has a lifelong passion and dedication to philanthropy. She has been involved for many years with Peace4Kids and Kidsave, two organizations based in L.A. that support foster youth. Susannah B lives with her husband, two teenage kids and their fluffy dogs in a newly redesigned house in Los Angeles, where she's converted the garage into a performance space that she hopes to soon use for charity fundraiser shows.

We chatted with Susannah about the power of singing and how transformative it can be to get your voice in the world. She took us through all of her career pivots in the career industry, from acting to screenwriting, to music, to musicals, and always with the intention of community and uplifting people with the power of song. As a singer-songwriter, lyricist, and composer, Susannah believes in the power of harmonizing together and using music as a tool in therapy and wellness. We had a lovely conversation with Susannah about finding yourself through music and song. We appreciated Susannah’s devotion to creativity, philanthropy, and bringing people together to make the world a better place.

You can follow Susannah B on Instagram, her website, and Twitter. You can check out her library of music on Spotify, too.

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 16

Megan Bowen is a dancer, actor, entrepreneur, and content creator. She likes to provide her audience with a balance of comedic, relatable, and entertaining content while also sharing stories about her day-to-day life. As an entertainer, Megan creates captivating content through creative storytelling all while including her personality, style, humor, and artistry. Megan has a close relationship with her followers and they look to her as a guide to help them create a better, more confident, more fulfilled life within themselves.

We chatted with Megan about the power of movement and dance, her Fresh Start journey in New York City, and major career pivots during the pandemic. Ever the entrepreneur, Megan had to completely pivot her entire career in dance overnight and founded her company Dance from Home, a platform to take live and on-demand dance classes with Megan and move your body and soul. We love Megan’s authenticity and storytelling, as well as her sense of humor about herself and her journey. We chatted about becoming a dancer in New York City, and a sneak peek into the behind the scenes of auditioning and the dance industry. And, we especially love her wise words at the end of the episode about intuition.

You can follow Megan on Instagram and TikTok. Learn more about the Dance from Home program on the website, and Megan’s newest venture, The Dancer Body Club here. The Dancer Body Club is an Elite Membership for ex-dancers who grew up hating their body and want to form a new, healthy, and consistent relationship with working out & dance to achieve the results they want. The DBC is redefining what it means to have your ideal “dancer body”. We help dancers transform into confident people who can live boldly, love themselves from the inside out, and form habits to create sustainable results that last a lifetime through Megan's Method of strength, tone & dance-based cardio classes that will make you feel like a dancer again. 

Don’t miss Megan’s new podcast, Megan’s Mantras, too!

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 15

Laura McKowen is the bestselling author of We Are The Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life and Founder of The Luckiest Club, an international sobriety support community. Laura has been published in The New York Times, and her work has been featured in The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, the TODAY show, and more. Her second book, Push Off From Here: Nine Essential Truths to Get You Through Sobriety (and Everything Else), was released in March 2023 from Penguin Random House. She lives outside Boston.

We chatted with Laura about her journey to sobriety, how even the darkest of Fresh Starts can lead to beautiful journeys, the foundation of The Luckiest Club during the early days of the pandemic, and of course, her gorgeous book Push Off From Here: Nine Essential Truths to Get You Through Sobriety (and Everything Else). Her wise words about starting fresh, as well as her brilliant advice and beautiful storytelling are incredibly powerful, and we were honored to have such an important discussion with Laura about sobriety – and choosing yourself.

You can follow Laura on Instagram, and read We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life, as well as Push Off From Here: Nine Essential Truths to Get You Through Sobriety (and Everything Else). For more information on The Luckiest Club, check out the website here. Keep up with Laura’s events on her website, as well.

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 14

Erica Taylor has been a professional makeup artist and beauty expert for over 25 years working with top brands like MAC, Laura Mercier, Benefit Cosmetics, and more. She recently made the decision to leave the industry she has loved for over 25 years and become a full-time entrepreneur. She started her TikTok in 2021 where she does makeup tutorials and has created an incredible and engaging community sharing tips and techniques for women in their 40's +.

We chatted with Erica about her winding career in the world of makeup and beauty - and why you just need to “do the work,” and lead with kindness. Erica’s incredible work ethic has taken her to so many places she is excited to talk about, and we appreciated her paying homage to all of the women who lifted her up along the way and taught her the lessons as she stepped into new career paths.

We discussed how her ADHD is a superpower, and how she used her super skills to propel herself into the world of beauty. And, we especially loved her perspective on makeup and why it’s so important to look at yourself in the mirror and take a moment to notice yourself and your beauty. Erica made us laugh, cry, and appreciate the beauty of staying creative with your life’s choices.

You can follow Erica on Instagram and TikTok.

Jenny and Olivia had a Terrible Idea...and then, it became a BOOK! Yes, friends - we wrote a book!! We're so excited to introduce you to Simple Scripts to Support Your People: What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say.

Heralded as the modern day go-to guide for everything you need to support your people, Simple Scripts to Support Your People guides you through tough, trying and tremendous life moments. Speak them, text them, send them. Each simple script is like a hug that can be sent over the airwaves. Grounded in the proprietary and revolutionary VASE Method, each script is crafted with supporting your people in mind. From lost luggage to funeral planning, from heartbreak to new jobs, and everything in between, we’ve got you. As one reader said, "If every person read this, our world would be better."

You can purchase Simple Scripts to Support Your People in paperback, hardcover, or for your Kindle. You can learn more about Simple Scripts to Support Your People at TheSupportBook.com and TheSupportBook on Instagram. Let us know what you think!

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 12

Larry Sprung is the Founder and Wealth Advisor of Mitlin Financial, and an Award-Winning Wealth Advisor and Financial Literacy Advocate, the host of the Mitlin Money Mindset podcast, and most importantly a father, and husband.

We chatted with Larry about how he became an entrpreuner, how his brother-in-law’s suicide propelled him to help others, fatherhood, marriage, and his beautiful perspective on the relationship between money and joy.

You can follow Larry on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can learn more about Mitlin Financial on their website, and check out Larry’s NEW book: Financial Planning Made Personal: How to Create Joy And The Mindset for Success. Listen to Larry’s podcast, Mitlin Money Mindset. Check out our co-founder Olivia on Mitlin Money Mindset!

The net proceeds of "Financial Planning Made Personal" are being donated to the Keith Milano Memorial Fund at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

A Fresh Story, season 2, episode 11

Emily Feret (like the animal) is a 30 year old stay at home mom of two who loves to “normalize normal” on her social media platforms by talking about motherhood, body image, marriage and more with no filter! She gives tours of her messy house, celebrates her cellulite and stretch marks and more.

We chatted with Emily about her fresh start into motherhood, and her mission to help normalize normal lives so that no one feels alone. We had a fantastic conversation about why the lack of village around us raising children, and how it impacts our mental health, her experience on TikTok sharing her vulnerability, and why it’s so important to talk about living life without the filter, the real, authentic, messy parts of parenthood and how it truly connects us all.

You can follow Emily on TikTok, Instagram, and her website.