The Write Your Own Story Podcast

What if the life you actually want starts with deciding what can wait?

In this episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with attorney, writer, poet, speaker, wife, and mom of three Whitney Ellison for a conversation about boundaries, reinvention, creativity, and learning to trust where life is taking you.

Whitney’s career has been anything but linear. She started in law, spent nearly a decade building a successful career in corporate sales, and eventually reached a point where she knew something had to change. Without a perfectly mapped-out plan, she began following her curiosity, making space for new opportunities, and eventually found her way back to practicing law in a way that finally felt like her.

Whitney shares why she doesn’t work Fridays, how she learned to protect her peace without apologizing for it, and why being endlessly available doesn’t make you better at your job—or your life. She and Betsy also unpack the pressure women feel to be everything to everyone, and Whitney’s realization that helping people doesn’t mean you have to save them.

They also talk about making room for creativity without needing to monetize it, holding your goals loosely, knowing when something simply isn’t a fit anymore, and remembering that your legacy isn’t just what you accomplish—it’s how you move through the world and how people feel in your presence.

If you’ve been gripping the plan a little too tightly, trying to fix everything for everyone, or wondering whether you’re allowed to choose more space for yourself, this episode is your reminder: you don’t have to have the whole path figured out. Follow what makes you curious, protect what matters, and trust yourself enough to take the next right step.

And according to Whitney, a woman who writes her own rules? Takes a nap every damn day. 😴

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What if the rejection that feels like the end is actually redirecting you toward what you’re meant to do next?

After more than 25 years in public education—and rising all the way to interim superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools—Tianay Amat thought she knew what the next chapter of her career would look like.

Then she didn’t get the job she thought she wanted.

That rejection forced her to pause and ask herself a bigger question: What is my purpose really?

The answer led Tianay away from the career she had spent decades building and into an entirely new chapter as President and CEO of Cincinnati Works, where she now helps people move toward economic stability, meaningful careers, and lives built around their strengths and potential.

In this episode, Betsy and Tianay talk about how rejection can become an unexpected redirection—and why changing direction doesn’t mean everything you’ve built was for nothing.

Tianay shares how she uncovered the deeper purpose connecting every chapter of her career, how knowing who you are changes the way you experience failure, and why some of the biggest turning points in our lives begin with a door closing.

They also dive into authentic leadership, building community as an adult, creating workplaces where people feel seen and valued, and why the best leaders aren’t afraid to admit when they’re wrong.

In this episode:

• Why rejection can become an unexpected redirection
• How to uncover the purpose underneath your career
• Making a major career pivot without starting from scratch
• Why failure is something you experience—not who you are
• How to stop looking outside yourself for validation
• Tianay’s approach to authentic, people-first leadership
• Why great leaders create space for their teams to challenge them
• Building community by getting uncomfortable and taking initiative
• Moving from a deficit mindset to seeing people for their strengths and potential
• Why investing in people creates stronger teams and better retention
• Dreaming big, starting small, and giving yourself permission to change direction

If you’ve been feeling pulled toward something new but are afraid that changing direction means walking away from everything you’ve worked so hard to build, this conversation is your reminder: you’re not starting over. You’re starting with everything you’ve learned.

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What if changing your relationship with money could change your entire life?

In this episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with Sarah Grace Mohr, CEO and owner of Mackey, to have an honest conversation about money, power, and the financial freedom every woman deserves.

Sarah shares her deeply personal money journey, from growing up in a family business to navigating loss, emotional spending, and the beliefs that shaped her relationship with money and self-worth. Together, they unpack why so many women struggle to charge what they're worth, feel guilty about spending, or shy away from taking control of their finances.

But this conversation isn't just about making more money. It's about understanding your money story, letting go of shame, and taking small, intentional steps toward greater confidence, independence, and choice.

Whether you're a business owner learning to own your value, a woman navigating shared finances, or simply ready to feel more empowered with money, this episode is your reminder that you don't have to figure it all out overnight.

Because money isn't just about what you can buy. It's about the freedom to write your own story.

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What if your next opportunity isn’t something you need to find—but something you can build from what you already know?

In this episode, Betsy sits down with Jill Morenz, CEO of Aviatra Accelerators, for an inspiring conversation about entrepreneurship, career pivots, side hustles, and figuring out what comes next when your path doesn’t look exactly how you thought it would.

Jill’s own career has been anything but linear. She’s built businesses, started over, worked five jobs at once, stepped into nonprofit leadership, and continued creating entrepreneurial projects of her own. Her story is proof that you don’t need to have your entire future mapped out—you need to trust that you can figure out your next move.

Jill shares her **Three E’s: Expertise, Experiences, and Enthusiasms**, a simple framework for recognizing the skills, knowledge, and passions you already have and exploring how they could become your next opportunity.

Betsy and Jill also unpack how to identify the problem you can solve, find the people who need what you have to offer, give a new business time to grow, and use a side hustle to create more freedom, flexibility, and independence in your life.

And maybe most importantly, they talk about giving yourself permission to change your definition of success. Bigger isn’t always better. Changing direction isn’t failure. And what worked in one season of your life doesn’t have to be what you choose for the next.

If you’ve been wondering **“What’s next for me?”**, this conversation will help you look at everything you already have—and start imagining what you could build from it. ✨

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What happens when you stop waiting to feel ready and just start?

In this episode, Betsy sits down with Abbey Cummins, founder and CEO of Everything Cincy, to talk about what it actually takes to build a business from the ground up—from launching during the pandemic and navigating the unexpected loss of her father to growing a team, learning to let go of control, and turning Everything Cincy into a platform built around community and connection.

Abbey gets candid about the parts of entrepreneurship we don’t talk about enough: protecting your energy, separating your identity from your business, knowing when persistence becomes a sign to pivot, saying no to opportunities that don’t align, and realizing that not all money is the right money.
They also unpack why collaboration beats competition, why you can't build something meaningful entirely on your own, and why confidence usually comes after you take the leap—not before. Because sometimes writing your own story means doing it scared, figuring it out as you go, and trusting yourself enough to take the first step.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, doubting whether you’re ready, or wondering whether to keep going or change direction, this episode is your reminder: you don’t need a perfect plan. You just need to start.

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What could happen if you stopped waiting until you felt talented enough, confident enough, or had everything figured out and started following what makes you curious?

In this episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with mixed media artist, designer, entrepreneur, and creative retreat teacher Lori Siebert to explore the power of curiosity, creativity, and giving yourself permission to follow what lights you up.

If you’ve ever told yourself you’re “not creative,” it might be time to rethink that. Creativity isn’t something you either have or you don’t, it’s a muscle you build through practice.

You’re allowed to be a beginner, make something imperfect, find yourself in the messy middle, and keep going anyway.

And you don’t need to know where your curiosity is going to lead. The hobby, idea, or passion you can’t stop thinking about doesn’t need to have an immediate purpose or become a business.

Sometimes, giving yourself permission to explore it can open doors you never expected.

Lori shares how following her own curiosity led to a career full of pivots, from running a design firm and working in art licensing to creating art and teaching creative retreats around the world.

Her story is a reminder that you don’t have to stay in one lane forever, you can recognize when something no longer fits and make more room for what brings you joy.

You’ll also hear about letting go of constant productivity, making more space for play, protecting your creativity when it becomes a business, taking yourself on creative “field trips,” and finding ways to recharge before you hit burnout.

So, what would you explore if you weren’t worried about being good at it?

Where could your curiosity take you if you actually followed it?

You don’t need to know where it’s going.

You just need to be curious enough to begin.

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What if your path was never supposed to be a straight line?

In this episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with six-time Emmy Award-winning journalist Michelle Hopkins for an honest and inspiring conversation about reinvention, embracing the detours, and trusting that every chapter of your life is preparing you for what comes next.

Michelle’s career has been anything but linear. After stepping away from television for 13 years, she moved through new industries, roles, and seasons of life—gaining skills, perspective, and experiences she never could have planned for. Eventually, her path brought her back to television and the storytelling she loved, but this time in a way that felt more authentic and entirely her own.

Together, Betsy and Michelle unpack what it means to let go of the idea that there is one “right” path and instead give yourself permission to pivot, evolve, and start again—at any age.

In this episode, Betsy and Michelle talk about:

💗 Why your career—and your life—doesn’t have to follow a straight line
✨ Reinventing yourself and starting again at any age
🌷 Trusting the detours, pivots, and unexpected seasons along the way
💫 Carrying the lessons from every success, mistake, and experience into what comes next
🌿 Navigating the uncertainty of an in-between season when you can’t see the whole path yet
💕 Choosing peace, boundaries, and authenticity as your definition of success evolves
✨ Trusting the process while continuing to learn, grow, and prepare for your next opportunity

Michelle’s story is a reminder that changing direction doesn’t mean you’re starting from scratch. Every twist, turn, success, mistake, and unexpected opportunity becomes part of the story you’re writing.

You don’t need to know exactly where the path is taking you. You just have to be willing to keep moving, keep learning, and give yourself permission to change direction along the way.

Because your path doesn’t have to be linear to lead you exactly where you’re meant to be. 💗

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What happens when you stop waiting for the “right” opportunity—and start creating your own?

In this episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with Rhiannon Hoeweler, CEO of MadTree, for an honest and inspiring conversation about ambition, leadership, trusting yourself, and having the confidence to do things your own way.

Rhiannon’s career has never followed a traditional roadmap. After spending six years at home with her son, she returned to work with a degree in environmental science and landed an opportunity at the Cincinnati Zoo after making the call and asking for the chance. From there, she continued taking on new challenges, building roles around her strengths, and saying yes to opportunities that pushed her to grow—eventually leading her to become CEO of MadTree.

In this episode, Betsy and Rhiannon talk about:

💗 Asking for what you want instead of waiting to be chosen
✨ Taking on challenges and figuring things out along the way
🌷 Building a career around your strengths, passions, and natural gifts
💫 Trusting yourself enough to do things differently
🌿 Creating your own path instead of following someone else’s definition of success

Rhiannon’s story is a reminder that you don’t need to know exactly where every opportunity will lead. Sometimes you have to make the call, raise your hand, take on the challenge, and trust yourself to figure out the rest.

There is no one “right” path. You get to make it your own. 💗✨

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What if getting older wasn’t about becoming more careful—but becoming more yourself?

In this episode, Betsy sits down with Cincinnati creator, connector, and the woman behind Hey Michelle, Michelle Jones, for a joyful and refreshingly honest conversation about reinvention, identity, friendship, and refusing to let age decide what your life gets to look like.

Michelle shares how divorce and becoming an empty nester forced her to ask a question so many women eventually face: Who am I now? Instead of disappearing into the background, she chose to show up. What began as simply sharing the restaurants, places, and people she loved grew into a brand, a community, and a career built around the things that came naturally to her.

Together, Betsy and Michelle talk about finding yourself again after a major life pivot, building genuine friendships as an adult, letting go of the pressure to have everything figured out, and why creating more joy doesn’t require completely changing your life.

Sometimes it’s saying yes to the concert. Trying the class. Hosting the girls before the house is perfect. Walking into the room where you don’t know anyone. Doing something you might be terrible at simply because it sounds fun.

Because there is no age when you suddenly become too old to try something new, meet new people, build something meaningful, or become a new version of yourself.

Your life is still yours to play with.

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Description

What happens when life forces you to rewrite your definition of success?

In this episode, Betsy sits down with Kate Schroeder—CEO of Interact for Health, former global health leader, cancer survivor, and former congressional candidate—for a conversation about the moments that reshape who we are. From leading public health initiatives in Zambia to facing a life-changing lymphoma diagnosis in her early 30s, Kate shares how each unexpected chapter gave her a new perspective on purpose, ambition, and what truly matters.

Together, they explore the tension between achievement and fulfillment, why service is at the heart of meaningful leadership, how criticism can become a catalyst for growth, and what it really means to live courageously when the outcome isn't guaranteed. Kate also opens up about running for Congress, letting go of fear, embracing uncertainty, and building a life guided by values instead of expectations.

This episode is a powerful reminder that our greatest challenges often become the experiences that shape our greatest impact—and that sometimes the life you never planned becomes the one you're most grateful to live.

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