PART 1: Story Jam, Parallel Lives & the Plot Twist That Changes Everything

Some people follow a creative path. Others wander down it with curiosity and a guitar and somehow end up building an entire storytelling universe. That’s more or less what happened to my guest, storyteller, Stephanie Rogers.

Stephanie is the founder and creative force behind Story Jam, the Chicago-based storytelling and live music show that transforms true personal stories into vibrant, collaborative performances. Think rock concert meets Ted talk.

Stephanie’s creative life has taken many forms. She holds a B.A. in acting from Northwestern University and an M.A. in written communication, and she has worked as an actor, musician, bandleader, writer, teacher, and producer throughout Chicago’s creative scene. She now teaches popular storytelling and writing classes online and in Chicago through Story Jam Studio, helping people find their voices, shape their narratives, and occasionally discover that their childhood trauma is actually excellent material.

In this first part of our conversation, we dive into Story Jam, Stephanie’s artistic journey, spirituality, how our creative journeys feel wildly parallel, and the unexpected turning point that reshaped Stephanie’s path.

This conversation is deep, amazing and hilar.

To learn more about Stepahanie's work and Story Jam, go to: storyjamshow.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

Part 3 closes out this series with the good stuff — the artist stuff. The part where we talk about being brave enough to be yourself onstage, even when your brain is pitching twelve different exit strategies. Mike opens up about how he works with fear instead of fighting it, why authenticity is the only thing that actually lands with an audience, and how he keeps showing up even when the jitters come in hot.

We also touch on his two podcasts, The Real RAP (Regular Ass People) and A Professor and a Comedian Walk into a Bar at Northwestern, plus what he’s building next in his comedy life. 

Mike is a Chicago-based comedian who has performed at Riddles, Laugh Factory, the Omaha Funny Bone, University of Illinois, and Monticello in Atlanta. He has that rare, grounded presence that makes you feel like he’s talking with you, not at you, which is why people love him onstage and behind a mic.

This 3-part conversation with Mike is funny, real, deep, and gives us all permission to be our regular-ass selves.

To learn more about Mike, go to: mikeknightcomedy.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

It's Part 2 of this 3-part series with guest, Mike Knight, Chicago-based comedian and the host of the Real R.A.P. (Regular Ass People) Podcast, where comics sit down to talk news and entertainment, and co-host of A Professor and a Comedian Walk into a Bar, a show that brings comedy and academia together for real conversations, produced out of Northwestern.

Part 2 gets into one of the most important chapters of Mike’s story: the moment he decided to stop drinking (after a first attempt that was unsuccessful, but very minty).

Mike talks about what changed, what clicked, and how performing without alcohol brought him into the present moment, sharpening his comedy and deepening his presence.

It's another great convo with Mike Knight.

To learn more about Mike, go to: mikeknightcomedy.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

Mike Knight is a regular face throughout comedy clubs in Chicago, and has showcased at venues like, Riddles, Laugh Factory, the Omaha Funny Bone, University of Illinois, Monticello in Atlanta. He’s the creator and host of the Real R.A.P. (Regular Ass People) Podcast, where comics sit down to talk news, entertainment, and the world as it really feels on the ground, and is the co-host of A Professor and a Comedian Walk into a Bar, a show that brings comedy and academia together for real conversations about the cultural and political issues shaping our lives, produced out of Northwestern University.

Mike grew up as a “military brat” and spent a majority of his youth in foreign countries learning how to make new friends every four years, adapting to new environments, and how humor became a valuable tool to break the ice and find the common ground in every culture.

Mike and Suzanne both have seven years of sobriety.  Yeah, that’s right, they're like sobriety twins.

In this conversation, Mike shares about his journey growing up military, getting into stand up, and the beginnings of his path to sobriety. It’s raw, deep, and it’s frickin hilarious.

To learn more about Mike's work and see where he is performing, go to: mikeknightcomedy.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

Part Four: Purpose, Elevation, and the Future of Women Leading Together

In the final installment of this four-part series, Suzanne and Lisa Jimenez, founder of SheIsMe Global, explore the deeper meaning behind why we’re here: in our lives, in our work, and in our stories, and how purpose often emerges through the very experiences that shape us.

Lisa shares her belief that every woman’s path holds meaning, and that discovering purpose isn’t about striving harder, but listening more deeply. Together, they talk about how women can elevate collectively, and how women have their own way of leading, one that’s rooted in connection, intuition, collaboration, and authenticity, rather than trying to succeed within a structure that was never designed with women in mind.

This episode also dives into what true leadership looks like: lifting others up, creating space, and rising in a way that honors who we are. It’s a conversation about legacy, alignment, and the future we build when women lead together.

To learn more about SheIsMe Global, go to: sheismeglobal.com

To register for the SheIsMe conference and voyage: 5 days of empowerment, sisterhood, and soul-stirring experiences aboard a luxury cruise. Sailing out of Los Angeles to Vancouver May 2-6, 2026, go to sheismeatsea.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

Part Three: Roles Are for Actors 

In part three of this four-part series, Suzanne sits down with Lisa Jimenez, founder of She Is Me Global, to talk about how her company is creating spaces where women can grow, lead, and rise together.

This episode explores what it means to step out of the limiting roles society assigns to women — and how powerful it is to add your voice to the conversation instead of shrinking from it.

Together, Suzanne and Lisa dig into collective leadership, personal visibility, and the sacred act of women showing up for one another.

To learn more about SheIsMe Global, go to: sheismeglobal.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

Part Two: From Survival to Purpose

This is part two of Suzanne’s four-part series with Lisa Jimenez, powerhouse founder of SheIsMe Global, a worldwide movement creating spaces for women to grow, connect, and step into leadership.

Lisa’s journey from domestic-violence survivor to global movement leader is woven into every layer of her work. After nearly 40 years in corporate product management and event production, she redirected her expertise toward building communities where women can speak freely, heal in connection, and rediscover their strength.

In this episode, Suzanne and Lisa go deeper, into the rebuild, the inner work it took to move beyond survival, and the moment Lisa’s purpose came fully online.

*Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of domestic violence. Please take care while listening.

To learn more about SheIsMe Global, go to: sheismeglobal.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

In part one of this powerful four-part series, Suzanne is joined by Lisa Jimenez, founder of SheIsMe Global, a worldwide movement creating spaces for women to grow, connect, and step into leadership together.

Lisa brings decades of experience in corporate leadership and event production, but what fuels her work is deeply personal. In this episode, Lisa shares the story of surviving a life of domestic violence and how that journey became the foundation for a global sisterhood of healing, empowerment, and voice.

Suzanne and Lisa talk about the beginnings of SheIsMe Global and why women rising together is not just powerful it’s necessary.

*Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of domestic violence. Please take care while listening.

To learn more about SheIsMe Global, go to: sheismeglobal.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

Welcome to Part Three of a powerful three-part series with my guest, Teresa Thome: writer, producer, actor, and truth-teller

Teresa’s resume is impressive — and layered. She’s the Emmy-winning co-creator of The Blessing Bracelet on the Hallmark Channel, a movie she co-wrote with longtime collaborator Patrick Ziegler. That movie has become a favorite in the Hallmark universe — and they’ve since been asked to write another. She’s also the creator and performer of Warm Cheese, an award-winning one-woman show about her complicated relationship with her mother, which won Best Script at the United Solo Festival in NYC.

In the final installment of this three-part series, Suzanne and Teresa dive into the long arc of healing — and what it means to tell your truth even when it doesn’t align with someone else’s.

They talk about growing up with wounded parents, the meaning we make of ourselves in the aftermath, and how humor becomes a necessary companion on the path to wholeness. Teresa shares how she continues to live creatively, spiritually, and honestly — and what’s next for her as a writer and producer.

If you’ve ever struggled to hold your story with compassion — or wondered what your voice is really worth — this one’s for you.

To learn more about Teresa's work go to: teresa-thome.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com

Welcome to Part Two of a powerful three-part series with my guest, Teresa Thome: writer, producer, actor, and truth-teller

Teresa is an award-winning writer and co-creator of The Blessing Bracelet on the Hallmark Channel, and  the creator and performer of Warm Cheese, her one-woman show about her complicated relationship with her mother, which won Best Script at the United Solo Festival in NYC in 2019.

In Part 2 the conversation turns personal — and powerful.
Teresa shares the story behind her solo show Warm Cheese, an award-winning one-woman performance about her complex, painful, and deeply human relationship with her mother. Suzanne and Teresa explore what it means to write about the people who shaped us — especially when the truth is messy, not everyone agrees with your version, and you're still healing.

They talk about family dynamics, creative courage, narrative ownership, and the sacred challenge of making peace with parents who couldn’t always love us in the ways we needed.

This one’s for anyone who’s ever had a mother. Or a story they weren’t sure they were allowed to tell.

To learn more about Teresa's work go to: teresa-thome.com

Thank you for listening! Learn more at suzannsole.com

Check out Suzanne's spiritual and sassy t-shirts at personallyspiritual.com