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Have you ever had the fantasy that a chance encounter with a stranger could tell you who to be? Karin Gutman was working as an assistant when a senior advisor to a US Senator came out of the blue with an offer to change her life…

Karin Gutman is the founder of Spirit of Story, a writing and story consulting business devoted to guiding people in discovering and writing their personal, life-based stories. Karin also recently started a Women’s Story Circle which is a monthly writing salon at a private home in Hancock Park.

This story first aired on Strangers in April, 2012.

Karin Gutman

Karin with Senator Joe Lieberman

Karin with then-Senator Barack Obama

The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to 29, 2004, at the FleetCenter (now the TD Garden) in Boston, Massachusetts

John Kerry’s acceptance speech