Kelly Corrigan never set out to become a writer. At 36, she was a nonprofit fundraiser, a mom to two young children, and facing stage three breast cancer when she self-published a book for her dying father. That book, The Middle Place, became a New York Times bestseller and launched a writing career that includes four bestsellers and two popular shows on PBS and in podcasting. On this episode of She Pivots, Kelly shares how life’s most difficult moments reshaped her understanding of what was worth writing about, from a transformative year in Australia to navigating cancer treatment while raising her daughters and caring for her dad. She also talks about the power of telling deeply personal stories and how our response to life’s challenges can help us hold on to wonder, even in the hardest seasons.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to She Pivots

00:27 Kelly Corrigan Introduction

02:07 Childhood Memories and Family Dynamics

07:46 The Turning Point in Sydney

10:29 The Power of Caretakers

11:47 The Birth of a Writer

15:16 Kelly's Expectations for Her Life

18:43 Cancer Diagnosis and Writing The Middle Place

23:46 Navigating Motherhood and Treatment

31:26 What's Next After The Middle Place

33:24 The Second Book Deal

34:30 The IVF Dilemma: A Book's Evolution

39:39 The Viral Essay

42:25 Low Point to Launch

45:17 Do You Think You'll Pivot Again?

47:10 Reflections on Kelly's Story

48:30 Podcast Production Credits

Listen to Kelly Corrigan Wonders wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up with what Kelly is up to at kellycorrigan.com

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zoanne Clack is one of the most influential writers and producers in the television industry, having written and produced more than 400 episodes across Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19. But Zoanne wasn’t always just writing about doctors—she was one. She began her career in emergency medicine, working grueling hours as a physician after training at Emory and serving at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At 32, completely burnt out and still thinking of her lifelong dream of working in television, Zoanne packed up her life in Atlanta and moved to Los Angeles, a move that changed the course of her life. On this episode of She Pivots, Zoanne shares her experience going through medical school knowing she didn’t love science and joining Grey’s Anatomy in its very early days. She also discusses how she became a leader in what she calls “entertainment education,” using television to tackle public health issues, expand representation, and in some cases, maybe even save lives.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to She Pivots

00:28 From ER Doctor to Grey's Anatomy

02:25 Childhood Dreams and Career Expectations

04:45 The Practical Choice: Medical School

08:33 Burnout and the Search for a New Path

16:47 The Turning Point: Moving to Los Angeles

21:31 Finding Her Footing in TV

29:04 Balancing Two Careers: Medicine and Writing

32:30 The Evolution of Grey's Anatomy

38:05 Zoanne's Mom

40:37 The Art of Medical Education Through Media

44:22 Low Point to Launch

47:43 Reflections on Zoanne's Pivot

48:36 Podcast Production Credits

Keep up with Zoanne @zclack on instagram, and learn more about her offerings here.

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a kid, Michaela Hammond had two goals pinned to her bulletin board: play sports and work in sports. She went on to play volleyball at NYU and build the career in sports she had dreamed about, but eventually found herself sobbing at her desk, wondering if she was really where she wanted to be. On this episode of She Pivots, Michaela talks about letting a dream take a new shape, the power of authentic storytelling, and how her experience in sports led her to co-found OffBall, an anti-algorithmic media company exploring the culture, fandom, fashion, and personalities surrounding the games we love.

Check out what Offball is up to at offball.news

Thanks to YOU She Pivots is a finalist for TWO signal awards! Vote for us at these links to help us bring home gold:

Most Inspirational Podcast

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Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.