No Comment Is a Comment: Kristi Piehl on Crisis, Leadership, and Owning Your Story

From the newsroom to the boardroom, Kristi Piehl has built a career on the power of storytelling. As the founder and CEO of Media Minefield, she’s redefining PR and showing leaders how to communicate with clarity, confidence, and heart. In this episode, we sat down to talk about leadership in a crisis, building a personal brand, and why silence is never the answer.

Elaine Acker: Let's start with something high stakes: crisis communication. You said something that stuck with me: “No comment is a comment.” What do leaders get wrong in a crisis?

Kristi Piehl: Too many people think staying silent will make a crisis go away. But silence creates a vacuum—and people fill it with their own stories, usually the worst-case scenario. We say all the time, “No comment is a comment.” Even a simple response like, “Thanks for reaching out, we’re gathering facts and will get back to you,” is so much better than radio silence. You don’t have to say everything—you just have to say something.

EA: What about the common missteps? What trips leaders up?

KP: Three big ones:

• Delaying a response while waiting for legal input, which gives the story time to spiral.
• No identified spokesperson, which leads to untrained employees being viewed as the voice of the brand.
• Getting emotional—especially online. When leaders respond in the heat of the moment, they often escalate a situation rather than calm it.

Another growing issue? Overlooking digital reputational damage. A nasty Glassdoor review or a viral customer complaint might not make headlines, but it can absolutely impact hiring, partnerships, and client trust. And when leaders try to fight back without a strategy? It adds fuel to the fire.

EA: You’ve got a powerful background as a journalist. How has that shaped your PR approach?

KP: Journalists thrive under pressure. They know how to sort through chaos and deliver clear, accurate information on deadline. That training makes all the difference in PR—especially during a crisis. You learn to communicate quickly, truthfully, and with empathy.

And it’s not just writing skills. Journalists are trained to understand the audience and read the room. That means our team can craft messages that land well, not just sound good on paper. We’re not guessing. We know how the media thinks, how stories spread, and what gets traction.

EA: I love that. Now, let’s talk entrepreneurship. You started this business from your basement, right?

KP: Yep! I was laid off in 2009. I had two little kids, no job, and I knew I didn’t want to stay in TV news. I also didn’t love how traditional PR worked. It felt out of touch and too focused on marketing spin instead of real storytelling.

So, I took a class at church about using your gifts to help others. One question stopped me in my tracks: “What do you know well enough to teach someone else?” I wrote down “news.” That was the moment Media Minefield was born.

I called my husband (he was in New York at the time) and said, “I’m starting a business.” He said, “Great.” Within 30 days, I had a name, a business license, and a vision to change the game.

EA: You've built a “people first” culture, what does that look like in action?

KP: For me, it started as a reaction to toxic newsrooms. I wanted to prove you could build a successful business without sacrificing your values or your family time. That meant creating a culture where people are seen as people first, not just employees.

But growing a company means growing yourself. A few years ago, I realized I needed more tools to be the leader my team deserved. That’s when I went back to school. I just earned my Master’s in Management and Leadership from Pepperdine University and I’m a better CEO for it.

“People first” also means making tough calls. Sometimes the people who help you build the foundation aren’t the same ones who can take the business to the next level. That was a hard lesson, but necessary for growth.

EA: Let's dig into thought leadership. How do you define it?

KP: Thought leadership isn’t about having a PhD or millions of followers. It’s about showing up authentically with ideas and insights you’ve earned through experience. You’re not repeating what someone else said. You’re sharing what you’ve learned, lived, and believe.

And here’s the thing: everyone has a personal brand. The question is, are you shaping it or letting others define it for you? Thought leadership is about owning your narrative and showing up with intention.

EA: What if someone’s afraid to post or doesn’t know where to start?

KP: Start small. Start honest. You don’t need to post daily—just consistently. Share a lesson. Thank a mentor. Highlight your team. Share a moment that shaped your thinking.

If you’re stuck, think of social media as a digital diary. You’re leaving breadcrumbs for the people coming behind you and for the future version of yourself. And remember, you’re not doing it for likes. You’re doing it for impact.

EA: You’ve shared your own story online too, especially your son’s cancer diagnosis. That couldn’t have been easy.

KP: It wasn’t. But I believe deeply in using social media for good and in sharing stories that help others. When my 17-year-old son was diagnosed with a rare but treatable cancer earlier this year, I knew I had to say something. Not just for transparency, but because it might help someone else.

So I shared his story on World Cancer Day. And the response was overwhelming. One of the most meaningful moments? A Super Bowl-winning athlete who survived the same cancer called my son at Mayo Clinic. That connection wouldn’t have happened without social media. That’s the power of showing up even when it’s hard.

EA: And you’ve got a book coming out soon—want to give us a preview?

KP: Yes! The book dives deeper into these themes, especially how leaders can take control of their digital presence and become intentional about their personal brand. Social media is today’s public diary. If you’re not telling your story, someone else is.

We paused the release after my son’s diagnosis, but I’m back at it and aiming for a fall 2025 launch. It’s personal, it’s practical, and I hope it inspires people to show up as they are and lead with purpose.

Want to connect with Kristi?
Follow her on LinkedIn and keep an eye out for her book this fall. If you’re ready to show up with more intention and impact, Kristi is someone you want in your corner.