When her life collided with a high-profile murder trial, longtime true-crime devotee Stephanie Tinsley found an unexpected path into creative agency and advocacy. After a career in sales and private equity, everything shifted when her husband, attorney Mark Tinsley, was thrust into the spotlight during the Murdaugh murder trials. In this episode, she and Amy discuss the making of Everything They Missed, the inner resources she had to marshal to tell the story well, and why centering human dignity is her driving force in true-crime storytelling.
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What’s the best advice that you’ve ever gotten?
There was a moment at the beginning of making this podcast when I started second-guessing myself. The tone. The narration. The way I was approaching the story. As a creator and host, that doubt can creep in fast.
So I asked Donald Albright, CEO of Tenderfoot TV and one of the true giants in this space, who also happens to be my creative director, if I should change anything. And he gave me the best advice I’ve gotten on this journey. He said:
“Create something dope you want to listen to.”
I think about that every single time I sit down to write or record. That’s why my show sounds the way it does. The voices I chose to highlight, the unconventional ways I investigated, the cinematic sound design… it’s all built around what I would want to hear on a long drive when I’m hungry for a story that feels real, raw, and different.
That advice grounded me. And it gave me permission to trust my instincts.
What’s your current favorite tool or material to work with?
My Shure SM7B mic, without question. I think it hides every imperfection and I love it for that.
What books are on your nightstand?
I actually have two — one I just finished and one I just started.
The first is The Hormone Shift by Dr. Tasneem Bhatia, or “Dr. Taz.” She’s my doctor, and I recommend this book to any woman over 35. It’s packed with insight about our bodies and minds as we move through different phases of life. Every five years I feel like I evolve — body, mind, and soul — and this book helped me understand what’s happening and why.
The second is The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. I started it before I began working on the podcast and haven’t had a chance to finish it yet, but I treasure it. I’m a chronic dog-earer and underliner, and by the time I paused reading it, I think I had folded down the first 50 pages. It’s one of those books you want to sit with… and I plan to go back to it when I’m ready to soak in every word again.
Favorite restaurant in your city?
Soho House in Nashville. The vibe there is unreal.
Who do you look up to and why?
This show has added new names to that list, but it starts with my parents, both of whom have passed.
My father was a lawyer but also an entrepreneur. He was always starting a new business, doing something unexpected, I’m that kind of a gypsy professional too.
My mother was a writer and an English teacher, and she gave me the love of storytelling.
Flora Hayes, Andrew’s mother (and the subject of my podcast), is someone I now look up to as well. She has the strength of a thousand men in her fight for her son. I would fight to the death for my child, and she’s a living inspiration of that kind of fierce, relentless love.
My best friend Elizabeth, who listeners hear on the show. She grounds me. She reminds me to slow down, trust myself, and stay vulnerable. She’s that ride-or-die truth-teller everyone hopes to have in their corner, and I’m lucky she’s in mine.
What are the last five songs you listened to?
I’m a hip hop and country girl so…
Trendsetter - Conner Price & Haviah Mighty
Venon - Emimen
New National Anthem - TI
White Horse - Chris Stapleton
The Fall - Cody Johnson
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