In this episode of Keep Rising with Kristy Kuhl, Kristy sits down with Juan Catalan, whose life changed forever when he was wrongfully accused of murder and faced the possibility of life in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Juan spent months in jail fighting for his freedom before an extraordinary twist of fate helped prove his innocence. Footage filmed at a Los Angeles Dodgers game during the production of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm ultimately confirmed that Juan had been at the stadium with his daughter at the exact time the crime occurred.

But Juan's story goes far deeper than the headline.

In this conversation, Juan opens up about the emotional toll of being falsely accused, the resilience required to survive unimaginable circumstances, and how he rebuilt his life after walking free.

This episode explores mental fortitude, resilience, faith, and the mindset required to rise after adversity.

0:00 Introduction
2:14 How Kristy and Juan Connected
4:37 The Night Juan's Life Changed
8:52 Being Wrongfully Accused of Murder
13:46 The Emotional Toll of Being in Jail
19:21 Fighting for His Freedom
24:58 The Dodgers Game That Became His Alibi
30:17 The Discovery of the HBO Footage
36:02 The Moment the Truth Finally Emerged
41:25 Rebuilding Life After Being Exonerated
47:10 Lessons in Mental Fortitude
51:03 Final Reflections

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Kristy Kuhl is a high performance coach, strategic advisor, and host of the Keep Rising Podcast.

After building a successful career in the medical device industry leading multiple disruptive product launches, Kristy made a bold pivot to pursue her true calling. Today she works with entrepreneurs, executives, and high performers who know there is another level available to them and want the clarity, alignment, and strategy required to unlock it.

Kristy's work integrates performance psychology, neuroscience, identity work, and operational strategy to help high achievers create extraordinary results while building lives they are genuinely excited to live.

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Deals with Starbucks and Chipotle? Check.

But the real win?

Walking away from addiction—and walking into the man he wanted to become.

Jay Siano gets raw about the discipline it took to grow the business and the self.

This one hits deeper.

You don't need perfect circumstances. You just need to show up.

Key Themes & Topics

• Healing in the Hustle - The discipline of showing up—not just for work, but for yourself.

• The Discipline Behind the Deal - Jay's edge wasn't talent—it was showing up when most people wouldn't.

• Brand Building with Soul - Hustling for growth and grounding. Jay's approach to doing both in one breath.

• Micro Wins instead of Flashy Hustle - The quiet, unglamorous grind that no one claps for—but that actually changes everything.

• Redefining What "Winning" Looks Like - Letting go of old metrics of success to define life on new, soul-aligned terms.

The Words That Shifted Everything

• "All the problems in my life were my choices. I just want to make better choices now." – Jay, on personal responsibility

• "I built stores for Starbucks and Chipotle… but rebuilding myself was harder. That took real work." – Jay, on identity beyond business

• "I used to show up for the deal. Now I show up for myself first." – Jay, on shifting priorities

• "At some point, success stopped feeling like success. That's when I knew something deeper had to change." – Jay, on waking up in the hustle

• "I didn't have the tools. I built them through struggle." - Jay, on resourcefulness & resilience

• "You want to change your life? Stop drinking. Get radically honest with yourself." - Jay, on sobriety & self-awareness

About the Guest

Jay Siano is a real estate entrepreneur, founder of Sabre Real Estate, and respected thought leader on business reinvention and strategic leadership. With decades of experience in retail brokerage and advisory, Jay built a career at the top — only to realize that the price of nonstop hustle wasn't worth it.

Today, Jay is a passionate advocate for authenticity, mental health, and purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Through Sabre, his content, and his raw storytelling, he's helping others rise differently with strategy, soul, and sustainable success.

Follow Jay:

• Website
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• YouTube

Connect with Kristy:

• Instagram
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• Website
• YouTube