Libsyn Directory

103. Cancer, Clarity, and Calling: Diana Fritz on Finding Purpose Through Life’s Hardest Battles

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

Release Date: 07/03/2025

116. The Fight Within Us: Gavin Lance Topp on Purpose, Sobriety, and Becoming a Man

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

In this episode of What’s the Point?, I sit down with Gavin Lance Topp, a former professional boxer whose life has been shaped as much by the battles outside the ring as the ones inside it. Gavin’s story is a powerful exploration of purpose, identity, and the fight within us all. Growing up in Australia and moving often as a child, Gavin found structure and validation in boxing. What began as an outlet for rage and energy became a disciplined pursuit that carried him from amateur fights to becoming the Australian Junior Middleweight Champion and eventually earning a world ranking. But as...

115. From Struggle to Sustainability: How Purpose Takes Shape with Vanessa Thompson

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

In this episode of What’s the Point?, I’m joined by Vanessa Thompson, whose story is a clear reminder that purpose doesn’t usually arrive fully formed. More often, it takes shape slowly—through struggle, uncertainty, and hard-earned clarity. Vanessa shares her journey through seasons of instability and questioning, moments where the path forward wasn’t obvious, and how those experiences ultimately reshaped how she thinks about work, success, and sustainability. We talk about how easy it is to chase outcomes without pausing to ask whether the life we’re building is actually...

114. Painting the World Our Children Will Inherit: Purpose, Art, and Community with Cbabi Bayoc

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

In this episode of What’s the Point, I sit down with artist Cbabi Bayoc, a painter, muralist, illustrator, and author whose work is rooted in one powerful idea: painting the world he wants his children—and all of our children—to thrive in. Cbabi shares how his art has always been about people. Faces. Emotion. Community. From his early days studying at Grambling State University to drawing caricatures at Six Flags, he learned to observe humanity closely, to listen, and to let people teach him through their reactions. What could have been discouraging moments became lessons in humility,...

113. Grit, Grace, and Becoming: How Tracy Spears Found Strength Through Truth, Belonging & Leadership

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

When you sit down with someone who has lived a big life, you can feel it instantly. That’s exactly what happened in today’s conversation with Tracy Spears—author, speaker, leadership coach, and co-founder of the Exceptional Leaders Lab. Her story is one of grit earned the hard way, grace discovered over time, and the lifelong work of becoming who we actually are. Tracy’s journey begins in a trailer park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where early messages about work ethic, worthiness, and performing for belonging shaped her worldview. She openly shares how one sentence from her father in third...

112. Healing Our Relationship With Nature: Purpose, Restoration, and Hope with Tim Christophersen

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

In this episode of What’s the Point, I sit down with Tim Christophersen, one of the world’s leading voices in nature restoration and conservation, to explore what really drives us as humans and how we find meaning in our relationship with the natural world. Tim’s journey is a powerful human story of growth, purpose, and responsibility — and it’s bigger than politics, bigger than hot-button climate debates, and deeper than soundbites. Tim shares how his love of nature began as a young boy walking through forests in Germany with his grandfather, quietly building the foundation for a...

111. Finding Meaning Through Resilience and Kindness with Noemi Beres

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

In this episode of What’s the Point, I sit down with Noemi Beres, a woman whose life story is a powerful reflection of resilience, kindness, and purpose. From growing up in Hungary in a modest but deeply loving family, to becoming an entrepreneur, connector, and creative force, Noemi shares what keeps her going and how she discovered what truly matters. Noemi opens up about her childhood, shaped by hardworking parents and the strong values of Eastern Europe. She shares how her family’s history — stories of survival, perseverance, and hope — gave her the foundation to keep going, even...

110. The Sweet Work of Meaning: Family, Craft, and Purpose with Shawn & Lawren Askinosie

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

On today’s episode of What’s the Point, we explore how meaning is created—slowly, intentionally, and lovingly—through the everyday work of craft, family, and purpose. Bill welcomes Shawn and Lawren Askinosie, the father–daughter team behind Askinosie Chocolate, one of America’s most respected bean-to-bar chocolate companies. Their story is more than a business profile—it’s a human story of growth, legacy, and discovering what truly matters. Shawn left a long and intense career as a criminal defense attorney to pursue chocolate making—a leap that few understood at the time....

109. From Rant to Resolve: How Unity Became His Purpose

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

Discovering meaning and purpose by choosing connection over division — how one leader turned a moment of frustration into a nationwide movement for unity. After three decades in high-powered business and private equity, Adam Mizel found himself yelling at the TV in 2020, watching the world unravel. That moment sparked an unexpected transformation—from executive to bridge-builder. Today, he’s the co-founder and CEO of US United, a growing movement focused on creating unity through human connection, community action, and service. In this episode of What’s The Point, Bill Ellis and Adam...

108. The Journey, Not the Destination: John Golden on Authentic Leadership and Self-Awareness

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

In this episode of What’s the Point?, Bill Ellis welcomes John Golden—strategist, podcaster, martial arts practitioner, and Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at Pipeliner CRM. John’s story stretches from growing up in Ireland to building a career in the U.S. that blends sales leadership, publishing, and purpose-driven business. Through their conversation, John emphasizes why embracing the journey matters more than obsessing over the destination. He shares how self-awareness, core values, and non-negotiables can guide decisions, why comparison is a trap, and how authenticity is the...

107. Building Trust That Lasts: How Unity and Service Can Transform Communities, Companies, and Culture with Chip Webster

What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose

Trust. It’s something we all crave, yet so many of us feel it slipping away. In today’s conversation, I sit down with Chip Webster, founder of Unity and Service and author of Unity and Service: A Pathway to Responsible Citizenship. Chip has spent decades observing how trust is built—and broken—in boardrooms, neighborhoods, and across our country. His mission is simple: rebuild unity one act of service at a time. We dive deep into the cultural shift that’s left many of us disconnected and cynical. Chip challenges us to get off the couch, engage with our neighbors, and remember that...

More Episodes

In this powerful episode of What’s the Point?, Bill Ellis welcomes leadership and change consultant Diana Fritz to share the profound journey she’s walked since her rare cancer diagnosis. Diana opens up about the physical, emotional, and spiritual impact of living with—and surviving—a life-altering form of cancer. From losing her eye in a high-risk surgery to gaining a deeper sense of mission, her story is one of grit, grace, and choosing to grow through what she’s gone through. Diana’s message is clear: adversity doesn’t have to define us—it can uniquely qualify us to serve others.

Diana Fritz is a wife, mom, leadership coach, and cancer thriver who brings two decades of business experience and a deep personal story of resilience. A DISC-certified consultant and member of the Maxwell Leadership Group, Diana leads with authenticity, using her life experiences to teach others about communication, connection, and courage. Her book, Uniquely Imperfect, Uniquely Qualified, captures the heart of her message: that even our hardest seasons can become our greatest qualifications to help others.

Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways:

A Rare Diagnosis: Diana shares how a routine biopsy turned into an 11-year battle with sebaceous carcinoma, a rare form of cancer that eventually led to the removal of her eye.
From Control to Surrender: As a single mom and executive, Diana reflects on learning to release control and trust the journey—especially when the future was uncertain.
Faith and Family First: Grounded by her faith and driven by her love for her two sons, Diana found strength in focusing on what truly matters.
Seen, Heard, and Valued: Diana offers insights on how to treat others with dignity, especially those with visible differences, and why a smile or “hello” can change someone’s day.
Purpose from Pain: Her story reveals how challenges can transform into powerful opportunities to lead, influence, and serve others.

Diana Fritz’s story is a testimony to the power of faith, perspective, and service. Her willingness to embrace vulnerability and lead with compassion is an invitation for all of us to stop waiting for perfect circumstances—and instead, start living with purpose. Whether you're walking through a storm or simply searching for direction, Diana reminds us that we can find strength not in spite of adversity, but because of it.

Subscribe & Share:
Inspired by Diana’s story? Be sure to subscribe to What’s the Point? so you never miss a conversation about finding meaning in every chapter of life. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement, clarity, or a reminder that they’re not alone in their journey.

Connect with Bill:

Links for This Episode:

CONTACT INFO:

Email diana@grituiuq.com

Website(s) https://grituiuq.com/

SOCIAL MEDIA INFO:

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/diana-fritz-b032064

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/diana.kline.395

BOOK:

Uniquely Imperfect. Uniquely Qualified: Overcome Adversity, Escape the Imperfection Mentality, and Journey from Self to Serve https://www.amazon.com/dp/1636804306?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_1JNFAV8K7142AJXD77CX&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_1JNFAV8K7142AJXD77CX&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_1JNFAV8K7142AJXD77CX&bestFormat=true

Quick Episode Summary:

0:00 – Bill introduces Diana and previews the themes of resilience, surrender, and compassion
1:08 – Diana shares her rare cancer diagnosis and what made her case so unique
3:44 – The decision to remove her eye and undergo a life-altering surgery
6:10 – Parenting through pain: navigating cancer as a single mom with young children
9:29 – The emotional and relational weight of visible differences and public perception
13:00 – Why Diana strives to make others feel seen, heard, and valued
15:10 – How connecting with patients, doctors, and strangers gave her a greater sense of purpose
17:01 – Bringing her story into her leadership coaching and DISC communication work
20:00 – Her career evolution from corporate leadership to coaching and people development
22:45 – Choosing authenticity in leadership: owning your mistakes and leading with humility
24:55 – Her motivation to model resilience for her children and others watching
26:00 – Viktor Frankl, meaning-making, and how her mindset started long before her diagnosis
28:00 – Why she titled her book Uniquely Imperfect, Uniquely Qualified and what it means
30:00 – The power of turning adversity into a unique ability to help others
31:00 – How her commitment to growth and influence shaped her career and personal mission
34:00 – The worst advice she ignored—and the best advice she followed
38:45 – Final reflections on finding your “why” and helping others as the path to healing

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