96. From Diagnosis to Empowerment: Deb Krier on Living Fully, Leading Boldly, and Building a Legacy

An Honest Conversation About Life, Illness, and the Power of Perspective In this powerful episode of What’s the Point?, Bill Ellis sits down with Deb Krier—a seasoned marketing and communications expert, longtime business podcaster, and three-time cancer survivor—who has turned unimaginable adversity into a purposeful mission to help others live with clarity and courage.

Deb's career began with a simple piece of advice: turn your passion into your profession. That led to a decades-long journey in PR, branding, social media, and communications, eventually founding Wise Women Communications, LLC, an award-winning, full-service firm. She later launched The Business Power Hour podcast, now a part of the C-Suite Network, where she's hosted over 1,000 episodes helping business leaders thrive.

But in 2015, her life took a dramatic turn when a routine mammogram resulted in a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis. Deb faced catastrophic complications during treatment, spending months in the hospital and undergoing nine surgeries. Through it all, she worked, coached, and kept her sense of humor. Today, she channels that experience into her platform, TryingNotToDie.live, and supports others by showing what it means to not just survive—but truly live.

Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways:

• Living with Purpose: Why Deb launched TryingNotToDie.live to encourage others to embrace life despite illness.
• Turning Passion into a Career: How a love for PR and communications led to the founding of her own agency.
• Trust and Advocacy in Healthcare: How standing up for herself—and switching doctors—was essential to her survival.
• The LIVE Acronym: Lead your tribe, Invigorate your soul, Voice your feelings, Elevate your mindset.
• Misdiagnosis and Resilience: From a stage 0 to stage 4 diagnosis and overcoming life-threatening complications.
• Support is Everything: The role her husband, friends, and professional network played in helping her recover and thrive.
• What Not to Say: The worst advice Deb didn’t follow—and why that mattered.
• Professional Identity Through Illness: How she balanced treatment with podcasting, coaching, and leadership.

Deb Krier doesn’t just talk about surviving—she lives out the message of thriving through adversity, being your own best advocate, and helping others find strength in their stories. Whether you’re facing a diagnosis, caring for someone who is, or simply looking for ways to live with more intention, this episode offers perspective and purpose in abundance.

Subscribe & Share: Don’t miss an episode of What’s the Point?. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement to lead, live, and leave a lasting impact.

Connect with Bill:

• [email protected]
• www.brandingpillars.com
• www.brandingforresults.com
• IG - @wcellis
• Facebook - @CoachBillEllis
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/wcellis
• Book: Women Who Won

Links for This Episode:

• Name:  Deb Krier
• Email:  [email protected]
• Phone: +1_-_303-594-8930
• Website: https://tryingnottodie.live/
• SOCIAL MEDIA INFO:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahkrier/
• Facebook: Personal:  https://www.facebook.com/Deb.Krier
• Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tryingnottodielive

Quick Episode Summary: 

• 0:00 Welcome and introduction to Deb Krier’s inspiring journey
• 1:00 From communications and cancer PR to becoming a patient herself
• 3:00 Misdiagnosis, shifting from stage 0 to stage 4, and the importance of informed care
• 6:00 Finding the right medical team and surviving septic shock
• 10:00 Deb’s perspective on trusting medical providers versus liking them
• 14:00 The childhood advice she rejected and the wisdom she embraced
• 17:00 The moment she launched Trying Not To Die LIVE
• 20:00 A deeper dive into the LIVE acronym and what each part means
• 27:00 Standing your ground when medical instincts say otherwise
• 31:00 Why we can’t just "try not to die"—we have to choose to live fully
• 33:00 Legacy, service, and taking others on the journey with you
• 34:00 Deb’s podcasting journey: Over 1,000 episodes and counting
• 36:00 Communication, nuance, and the lost art of listening
• 40:00 What’s next: Becoming a cancer coach for business leaders
• 43:00 Deb’s answer to "What’s the Point?"—Leave a legacy you’re proud of