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What if a family joke became the blueprint for a second chance? We sit down with Ryan and Anne-Marie Villiers to unpack how a terrifying early brush with COVID—coma, code, and the long climb back—sparked the creation of Donut Kitty, a design-forward donut and coffee brand built to deliver delight in small, perfect moments. From a father–daughter trip to Iceland and late-night street-cart “kitties” to a home kitchen filled with test batches, their story blends craft, grit, and a refusal to give up.

Ryan shares how a career in digital design shaped a brick-and-mortar vision: a lighter, yeast-raised donut inspired by malasadas and beignets, finished with handmade fillings and glazes that are balanced rather than cloying. Coffee isn’t an afterthought; it’s curated to pair with each bite. Hear how they source and roast blends like the versatile Cat Box, plan for on-site roasting, and design an experience where music, color, and playful merch turn a purchase into a memory. Anne-Marie opens up about becoming a patient advocate, navigating insurance, and finding strength she didn’t know she had, then channeling that resolve into pop-ups that tested brand resonance, improved average order sizes, and sparked social buzz.

Beyond tactics and tasting notes, we explore the engine of perseverance: giving yourself space to feel hard days, taking the first imperfect step, and choosing community. You’ll leave with a rare, practical look at how to validate a food concept, pair coffee like a pro, and build a brand that bridges digital and physical without losing its heart. Most of all, you’ll hear how hope can look like warm dough, bright fruit, and a cup brewed to meet it halfway.

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a quick review to help more people find stories of grit and joy. Then tell us: what flavor pairing would you line up for first?

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When the noise gets loud and the headlines sting, naming what we see becomes an act of care. We sat down to talk about hope through witnessing—how refusing silence, telling the truth, and showing up in nonviolent solidarity can steady us when fear tactics try to shrink our voices.

Our conversation traces a path from heartbreak to agency. We revisit the lessons of history—diaries from World War II and testimonies from the Holocaust—to understand how propaganda takes root and why moral clarity matters. We acknowledge the role of privilege, especially as white Americans, and commit to deeper listening: learning names, hearing families, and refusing to look away from lived realities that many have endured for generations. Minneapolis becomes a touchstone for both grief and courage, as neighbors, clergy, artists, and organizers gather despite storms and pressure to stay home. This is not about left or right; it’s about right and wrong, ethics and humanity, and the leaders—mayors, governors, social voices—who model integrity when institutions wobble.

We also share practices that keep our footing: holding short windows for meditation and prayer, joining energy workers and Reiki practitioners to “keep the high watch,” and focusing attention on love, dignity, and order in the midst of chaos. Attention amplifies reality; by centering love, we grow the resilience needed to stand in the street, speak at work, and comfort each other without burning out. Along the way, we celebrate the helpers who turn compassion into logistics, art, and presence. Hope isn’t passive here; it looks like naming harm, showing up for neighbors, and telling the truth even if only two people listen.

If this resonates, share it with someone who needs steadiness today. Subscribe for more grounded conversations, rate the show to help others find it, and tell us: where are you witnessing courage right now?

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When life throws the kind of curveballs that make you say “are you kidding me,” where does hope live? We open up as sisters about the losses that reshaped us—death, divorce, and the everyday mess that never takes a day off—and how we learned to hold grief and gratitude in the same hand. This is a raw, practical conversation about staying present when love is gone, routers won’t connect, and snow stacks up on the windshield.

We trace the small, stubborn actions that become lifelines: assembling a crib while heartbroken, hanging insulation with an aching hand, building a wobbly workbench that still works. Those tiny wins aren’t cosmetic; they create dignity and momentum. We talk about acceptance without surrender, how “magical thinking” gives way to sober truth, and why doing the next right thing is a powerful form of self-respect. Along the way, we share how community keeps us upright—an online grief group that still meets weekly, friends who show up, and a creative practice that invites others to speak their stories aloud.

There’s also the mystery we can’t ignore: the ongoing relationship with those we’ve lost. We’ve seen how love continues in unexpected ways—dreams, timing, the ripple effects on friends’ weddings, tattoos, and new children. That continuity doesn’t cancel the pain; it sits beside it. We name both. If you’re navigating loss, burnout, or a season of relentless “WTF,” you’ll find real talk, gentle humor, and tools you can use today. Press play for a grounded take on resilience, grief literacy, and everyday courage, and then share your own “hope through” moment with us.

If this conversation gave you something you needed, subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who could use a little light. Your stories and reviews help us get this message of hope to more people.

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