#raisedbyher

How do you build something from nothing - and find the courage to keep going?
In this episode, Ro Nita Hawes-Saunders (broadcasting/arts executive) and Donnica Hawes-Saunders (public affairs CEO) unpack creativity, courage, risk-taking, and intergenerational wisdom - from throwing legendary theme parties and producing campus theater during the civil rights era to building a radio station from the ground up and navigating corporate change with conviction.

You’ll hear practical ways to start small, build momentum, set vision, recruit allies, fund ideas, document playbooks, and pass the lessons forward - so the next generation doesn’t have to fight the same battles alone.

Time Stamps:

0:00 Welcome & The Spa Question That Sparked It All
1:21 Where Building Begins: Creativity, Curiosity & Risk
2:22 The Party Queen: Themes, Purpose & Fun "Guest Labor"
4:04 Design with Intention: "The Party Starts at the Invitation"
5:59 Why We Hated Group Projects (And What It Taught Us About Leadership)
8:05 Left Brain vs. Right Brain: A Mother-Daughter Difference
9:44 Building Out of Necessity: Producing a Play During the Civil Rights Movement
12:22 How to Get the Money: Funding Your Vision by Asking for Help
13:58 Why Your Courage Unlocks Courage in Others
15:14 The Real Meaning of Courage & Navigating Risk
16:25 The Power of a Safety Net: Why Support Systems Are Everything
17:21 Life Lesson: The Debutante Story & Why You Have to Do the Work
19:46 Taking Risks at Work: Pushback, Finding Allies & Writing the Playbook
23:07 Passing It Down: Oral History, Documentation & Intergenerational Legacy
24:02 A Tough Question: Why Didn't Your Generation Do a Better Job?
26:42 Strategy Debate: Is Integration the Only Answer?
27:01 Social Media vs. Depth: Keeping History (and Hope) Alive
29:42 The Power of Mentorship & Sponsorship
30:50 Fighting the Same Fights & How to Measure Progress
32:04 History as Fuel for Hope
33:04 The Mission Behind the "Raised By Her" Podcast
35:03 From the Ground Up: The 10-Year Journey to Build a Radio Station
36:21 The Pre-Internet Hustle: How Research Got Done
37:34 "Do It Afraid": Using Small Steps to Build Your Courage Muscle
38:32 The General Schwarzkopf Moment: If Not You, Who?
41:48 Career Reinvention: How Every Risk Teaches a Lesson
43:12 The Biggest Leadership Lesson: It's Not About You
44:03 Call to Courage & Final Thoughts

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Start where you are: break big visions into small, repeatable steps.
Design with intention: invitations, details, and roles create buy-in.
Recruit & resource: ask for help, fund the vision, and share credit.
Document the playbook: pass knowledge so others can build faster.
Legacy lives in action: your courage gives someone else permission to try.

Speaking, partnerships, or press: raisedbyherpodcast@gmail.com

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