What if the greatest leadership lesson isn't found in a title…but in the lives you've helped transform?

In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, Zena C. welcomes one of the people most responsible for shaping her academic and professional journey: Dr. Kandace L. Harris. An educator, media scholar, administrator, mentor, and advocate, Dr. Harris has spent her career helping students recognize the greatness already within them while creating pathways for them to thrive.

Their conversation explores the transformative power of HBCUs, the importance of representation in education, and why teaching is far more than delivering information…it’s about cultivating lives. Dr. Harris reflects on her upbringing in Oakland, her Howard University experience, the lessons she learned as a young professor at Johnson C. Smith University, and the moment she realized that every word spoken to a student carries lasting weight.

The discussion also dives into purpose, career pivots, lifelong learning, faith, accountability, and the importance of extending grace to yourself while pursuing excellence. Whether you're an educator, entrepreneur, student, or leader, this episode is a reminder that influence isn't measured by titles…it’s measured by the people who become greater because you showed up.

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Connect with Dr. Harris on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kandace-harris-ba03166/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kaleighgurlprof/]

Ep. 0022 | What You Say Matters

What if the thing you're building isn't just a business…but a space for restoration?

In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. sits down with Sherry Waters, founder of Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary, community chaplain, spiritual director, and stewardship coach. Through a conversation rooted in service, healing, and community care, Sherry shares how a simple green chair became the catalyst for creating one of Charlotte's most beloved spaces for reflection and connection.

From her early career in television news to decades serving nonprofit organizations, Sherry reveals the breadcrumbs that led her toward social entrepreneurship and the creation of a tea lounge designed to help people slow down, reconnect, and be restored.

Together, they explore stewardship, resilience, meaningful connection, spiritual discernment, and the courage required to honor a vision that doesn't look like anyone else's. At its heart, this conversation is about creating space…for yourself, for others, and for the healing work we're all called to do.

Find Sherry online at http://www.ienate.com/ or the tea bar at http://www.thepaulineteabar.com/

Ep. 0021 | Steep, Soak & Serve

In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. sits down with Dr. Erica N. Hilton, a Strategic Communications + Media Scholar and Assistant Professor of Strategic Communications at Hampton University, for a conversation that bridges scholarship, strategy, and soul.

With a career spanning higher education, national nonprofits, and digital activism, Dr. Hilton shares how her journey from aspiring publicist to award-winning educator revealed a deeper calling: to teach, to advocate, and to communicate for good.

Together, they explore what it means to take the pause in a world that demands instant responses, the lessons learned from moments of redirection, and how passion can guide us toward a purpose-filled life.

This episode is about resilience, discernment, and the power of aligning personal truth with professional calling.

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Connect with Dr. Erica Hilton on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericahltn/] or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ericahltn/]

Ep. 0019 | Find Your Passion, Follow Your Purpose

What does it mean to keep creating when everything around you feels like it’s collapsing?

In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. is joined by Dr. Ashley Gaddy Robbins, Equity, Liberation + Authenticity Scholar and Founder of Ashley Gaddy Enterprises, for a candid conversation on resilience, authenticity, and the storms that shape us.

From her early lessons in social justice to navigating systems not designed with her in mind, Dr. Gaddy Robbins reflects on what it takes to stand firm, speak truth, and center humanity even in the most turbulent seasons.

This is not just a conversation about leadership. It’s about finding joy, protection, and power when the storm refuses to let up.

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Connect with Dr. Ashley Gaddy Robbins on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleygaddyenterprises/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr.ashleygaddyrobbins/?hl=en] or by visiting her at ashleygaddyenterprises.com [http://ashleygaddyenterprises.com/]

Ep. 0018 | In the Midst of the Storm

In this illuminating chapter of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. sits down with scholar, author, and trailblazing university president Dr. Brian L. Johnson. From his roots in Durham, North Carolina, to becoming the first minority president in Warner Pacific University’s history, Dr. Johnson shares the lessons, pivots, and defining moments that shaped his purpose-driven path.

With honesty and depth, he opens up about:

 * The faith and encounters that clarified his calling
 * The pivotal rejection that redirected him from law school to academia
 * The resilience built by remembering where he came from
 * How mentorship, integrity, and preparation remain cornerstones of leadership

Dr. Johnson reminds us that purpose isn’t static — it evolves, it pivots, and it proves itself through resilience. This is a conversation for anyone navigating their own calling and searching for the courage to keep pressing forward.

Because the greatest story you’ll ever live is the one where you remember the good, so it can prepare you for the greater.

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Connect with Dr. Brian Johnson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-johnson-ph-d-004a8425/], Twitter [https://x.com/drbrianjohnson1] or visit intersectionoffaithandlearning.com [http://intersectionoffaithandlearning.com/]

Ep. 0017 | The Greatest Seven-Letter Word

In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. reconnects with her graduate school roommate turned powerhouse scholar, entrepreneur, and global speaker — Dr. Cierra M. Robinson.

A proud St. Louis native and three-time HBCU alumna, Dr. Robinson shares her journey from winning fifth-grade oratorical contests to shaping the future of higher education and entrepreneurship. With honesty and humor, she opens up about faith as foundation, family as fuel, and resilience as a non-negotiable.

Together, Zena and Dr. Robinson explore the role of authenticity in leadership, the hustle born from legacy, and the calling to lift as we climb. This is more than a conversation — it’s a masterclass in purpose, perseverance, and planting seeds for generational impact.

💫 Whether you’re an entrepreneur, student, or leader-in-the-making, this episode will remind you that knowing who you are and whose you are is the true blueprint for success.

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Connect with Dr. Cierra Robinson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cierra-r-6bb7a7b/]

Visit LaidOffLemonade.com to learn more about Zena C's book

Ep. 0016 | Lift as You Climb: Faith, Family & Leadership

In this soul-nourishing chapter of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. welcomes her cousin and guiding light, Dr. Deborah Threadgill Egerton, for a rich conversation on what it means to become.

From the sacred stillness of a back porch prayer to building a global brand rooted in healing, Dr. E unpacks the real work behind purpose: trusting the call before the path is clear. Together, they explore the intersections of divine timing, identity, obedience, and the quiet power of being well-loved.

Whether you’re navigating a pivot or waiting on a promise, this episode will remind you that transformation isn’t a destination—it’s an unfolding.

💫 Listen closely. The business of becoming is already in motion.

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Connect with Dr. Deborah Egerton on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-deborah-egerton-805a4611/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/enneagramjedi/], or learn more about her work at DeborahEgerton.com [https://www.deborahegerton.com/]

Ep. 0015 | Divine Timing & The Business of Becoming

What happens when you finally stop shrinking and start speaking?

In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, Dr. Davia Crutchfield joins us for a deeply honest, spiritually grounded conversation on clarity, calling, and becoming. She opens up about how language, identity, and obedience intersect—and why your voice might be the very thing God is waiting on.

📖 From the power of journaling to the pain of playing small, Dr. Davia shares what it means to honor your truth—and how faith, fear, and frameworks are all part of the journey.

🎧 Tap in and step forward—your next chapter may be waiting on your “yes.”
🔍 Search “The GR8TNESS Router” wherever you get your podcasts.

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Connect with Dr. Davia J. Crutchfield on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davia-j-crutchfield/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drdavia/] or learn more about BL&CK at visitandblack.com [http://visitandblack.com/]

Scandinavia House | A Celebration of Doug Crutchfield [https://www.scandinaviahouse.org/sh/films/a-celebration-of-doug-crutchfield/]

National Nordic Museum | A Celebration of Dancer Doug Crutchfield [https://nordicmuseum.org/events/encomium-for-doug-crutchfield]

Ep. 0014 | Faith, Frameworks & Finding Your Voice

There’s a particular kind of grief that comes from being left behind not because you did something wrong—but because you were finally being real.

In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, Zena C. holds space for the quiet ache of being cut off, edited out, or misunderstood for choosing authenticity. Anchored by Langston Hughes’ iconic poem Mother to Son, this reflection invites listeners to consider what it costs to shrink, and what it could mean to stop.

From middle school memories to grown-folks clarity, this episode is a reminder that not all disconnection is loss—and that sometimes, the most radical thing you can do is let people go… and stay true to yourself anyway.

If you’ve ever traded a piece of yourself to belong—or felt discarded for simply being—this one is for you.

Ep. 0013 | Let Them Live. And You Be, Too.

What happens when the systems you’re trained to trust… start to show their cracks?

In this episode, Zena C. is joined by Civil Rights Attorney and Community Advocacy Educator Jonathan Barry-Blocker, JD, for a powerful conversation on identity, justice, and protecting your peace while doing the work.

From courtroom realities to community wisdom, Jonathan breaks down what it means to advocate with integrity—and still be whole. He shares how growing up in a deeply rooted Black family, navigating predominantly white institutions, and surviving the mental toll of overperformance shaped his perspective on boundaries, law, and liberation.

This episode is for anyone carrying the weight of excellence, service, or expectation… and learning how to set it down without letting go of who they are.

🎧 Stream Episode 0012 on all major platforms
Release Date: 5/22/25

Connect with Attorney Jonathan Barry-Blocker on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/attyjbarryblocker/]

Ep. 0012 | Ask The Question Anyway

Where purpose meets process. One conversation at a time.

Greatness isn’t random—it’s built through purpose, process, and perseverance. The Gr8tness Router is where deep, real conversations uncover the why behind success—not just what people do, but what drives them and how they navigate the journey.

Hosted by Zena C., this podcast moves beyond inspiration into practical insight, blending thought-provoking interviews with personal reflections to help listeners apply key lessons in their own lives.

Season 1: The Doctor’s Journey

Doctors don’t just wake up with a title—they are crafted through discipline, decisions, and defining moments. This season, we sit down with Black Doctors across disciplines—PhDs, MDs, JDs, Ed.Ds, ClinSciDs— to explore the wisdom, struggles, and breakthroughs behind their journeys.

But the conversation doesn’t stop there. In solo episodes, Zena C. unpacks key takeaways, shares hard-hitting insights, and breaks down how we can all apply the principles of greatness—no matter our field.

Why Listen?

🔹 Real stories. Real strategies. No fluff.
🔹 Conversations that connect purpose to process.
🔹 Actionable takeaways to help you navigate your own journey.
🔹 A fresh, engaging, and authentic space for learning and growth.

Whether you’re chasing your next milestone, pivoting in life, or just hungry for deeper conversations, The Gr8tness Router is here to connect you to the wisdom, resilience, and mindset behind success.

New episodes drop on Thursdays. Subscribe and let’s get to work. 🎤✨

Zena C

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