Flipping through ‘Flip Your Script’

“Everyone, give it up for Kristi Piehl and Jo Saxton!”

The crowd roared with applause. Cheering  filled the once-silent air as Piehl and Saxton walked onto the stage of the Benson Great Hall. Bethel students and staff, book club members and interested readers outside of Bethel all came to witness the release of Piehl’s new creation.

The two waved at the crowd and walked over to the navy leather chairs onstage, beaming at the reaction from the sea of people. In front of them, red, blue and green journals and diaries from Piehl’s grandma overflowed a small table, a crucial aspect of Piehl’s new book. Each of them was filled with Piehl’s grandma’s thoughts and stories.

Kristi Piehl is a Bethel class of ‘97 graduate, Bethel Board of Trustees member, and CEO of Media Minefield. She hosted a book launch for her debut book, “Flip Your Script: Own your story & unlock the positive power of social media,” October 21 in Benson Great Hall. 

“To be authentic means you have to share your story vulnerably, and you have to share your story truthfully, and that’s something that people struggle with, and I hope, by modeling that in the book, it can inspire other people of what can happen,” Piehl said.

“Flip Your Script” is a social media playbook. Throughout the book, Piehl explains the importance of telling your own story on online platforms. As a broadcast journalist and CEO of her own company, Piehl has used social media personally and professionally. Her book provides practical tips on how to utilize social media effectively through personal anecdotes and evidence-based strategies.

One of her many practical tips is to generate an online identity that aligns with your values. Piehl encourages “controlling your story” by being present on social media and making posts that showcase your true identity, rather than leaving it to someone else to produce a false narrative.

“People are allowed to write what they want about other people,” Piehl said before the event. “And when folks come to my company in some kind of crisis, oftentimes it’s because they have never told their own story, and so the story that’s being written about them is crafted based on the narrative of other people.”

Piehl hosted the book launch with Jo Saxton, the executive director of The 25, Bethel’s cohort program designed to promote female leadership and career opportunities. The two discussed Piehl’s book, answered audience questions and explained why people should use social media with intention.

“If you’re an athlete, you’ve got plays that you’re working on,” Saxton said before the event. “You’ve got reps that you’re training in. When you’re a scientist, there are experiments you’re doing. There’s research you’re doing. All of you have a plan. What’s your plan for social media?” 

Piehl also highlighted the importance of authenticity and representing oneself truthfully when using social media.

“People want to work with people,” Piehl said. “They don’t want to work for brands or a false persona. And in the world we live in today, when everyone is walking around with a camera and a recording device in their pocket, it’s impossible to be fake in one part of your life and be real in the rest of your life.”

Piehl also shares the story of her son’s cancer diagnosis in “Flip Your Script.” She recounted her family’s journey through the diagnosis and how sharing their story became a ray of hope, arguing that stories of overcoming suffering can transform adversity. 

To help patients and families undergoing a similar difficult journey, all proceeds from Piehl’s book will go towards the Cancer and Blood Disorders Program at Children’s Minnesota.

As Piehl and Saxton walked offstage, the crowd cheered with the same enthusiasm as when they had first appeared. Piehl’s book will continue to inspire audiences across the nation and the globe, teaching others how to use social media positively in the midst of chaos and hatred.