Denise Ilitch show Denise Ilitch

Denise talks to Santa Ono, PhD, who was recently inaugurated as the 15th President of the University of Michigan, the third of his proudest accomplishments. The first two? Being married for 33 years to his wife Wendy and raising two daughters. 
Dr. Ono cherishes his family, but also knows how difficult it is growing up in a family that is less than nurturing. In fact, it can be life-threatening. As a teen, he spiraled into depression, living with parents who had unimaginably high standards and being compared to siblings who more easily met their expectations. At age 14, dealing with an overwhelming sense of inadequacy, he tried to take his own life. Fortunately, he got the help he needed to heal and has gone on to enjoy an exciting and fulfilling life. 
As a result of his childhood experience, Dr. Ono is a true champion of survivors. His advice to those who are suffering is to talk to someone you can trust, even if that person is outside your family. He wants everyone to know, “In the outside world, beyond the narrow boundaries of your nuclear family, there are other people who will appreciate you.”  
Meeting his wife was a turning point for him as well as starting to go to church. With a trusted partner and a faith community he found the much-needed support and guidance he deserved. He describes himself as the black sheep of his family, and it took him years to understand, “It doesn’t matter what others think about you…You are special. Everyone is special. Everyone has different attributes and strengths and gifts.” 
These days he meets a lot of perspective students, and he wants them to know that getting into the college of your choice is a lot harder than it was when he was applying! Remember there are a lot of schools, and none are bad. Pick the one that feels right. And if you don’t get in, don’t beat yourself up. 
Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and you can’t know who’s going to win the race by judging the first few miles. Denise couldn’t agree more; getting an education is what’s important. As an adult, many people don’t even ask where you went to college! 
Stay tuned to find out Dr. Ono’s two favorite Detroit moments, two favorite U-M moments and the two things he, as a man of many accomplishments, is surprisingly NOT good at. 
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Santa J. Ono, PhD is the 15th President of the University of Michigan and professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences in the Medical School. A recognized leader in higher education, Dr. Ono’s pioneering work in experimental medicine focuses on the immune system and eye disease. Previously, he served as president and vice chancellor at the University of British Columbia. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors, USA and the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars. In 2022, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Ono has served on numerous educational, advisory, editorial, and non-profit boards and won many distinguished awards in his field. He holds honorary doctorates from Chiba University and the Vancouver School of Theology. He earned his BA from the University of Chicago and PhD in experimental medicine from McGill University. He and his wife, immunologist and lawyer Wendy Yip, have two daughters. 
Denise Ilitch, an owner of Ilitch Family Companies and President of Ilitch Enterprises, has been a part of Detroit’s business and philanthropic community for over 40 years.  As a mother, lawyer, entrepreneur, devoted community servant and tireless advocate for women and children, she learned early, from her father, that everyone is worthy of contributing to the world.  Her passion for affordable, accessible, quality education stems from her own experience as a first-generation student, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she currently serves on the Board of Regents, and

Denise talks to Shauna Ryder Diggs, MD, who’s earned many accolades as a highly acclaimed, board-certified dermatologist with her own practice and skincare line, CosmedicDerm, admired among her staff, clients, and peers—all of which she accomplished through heartbreak.
In 2019 she suffered the devasting loss of her husband, Detroit businessman and real estate developer Douglass J. Diggs. Losing much more than a life partner, he was her best friend, biggest champion, and an incredible father. While others were telling her when she was pregnant with their second child to take time to focus on herself, Douglass was her sole supporter in starting her practice.
Despite opening her business just before a recession, it grew year after year. She credits her commitment to personable customer service and offering the best medicine and recalls the wisdom of her late husband who told her, “If you’re good at what you do it will not matter.”
If you were hoping you’d learn some skincare secrets from the expert—you’re in luck! And you’ll be happy to know that Dr. Diggs uses her own products daily and tests them on her daughters. 
Stay tuned to find out…
The number ONE thing everyone can do to protect their skin The THREE daily product types to use to care for your skin Which common skin care product is NOT required What the latest lasers, microneedles, intense pulse light, and radiofrequency heat techniques can do for your skin Not only does Dr. Diggs have a passion for her business, but also for Detroit. She enjoys advocating for the city and enthusiastically serves its philanthropic community.
What would she say to her younger self? “Have more confidence. You know a lot more than you think.” 
To learn more about Dr. Diggs and her products visit www.drshaunadiggs.com. She invites listeners to email her with questions hello@drshaunadiggs.com.
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Shauna Ryder Diggs, MD is an American Board of Dermatology certified dermatologist, a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and a Fellow of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery. With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Diggs is a leading expert in using the latest advancements in dermatology for skin rejuvenation and has created CosmedicDerm Professional Skin Care. A graduate of University of Michigan’s distinguished Inteflex program, she completed an intensive and accelerated program of combined undergraduate and medical training in just seven years. She has been featured as a guest expert on Fox News and in Styleline, The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press. This is the fourth year running she was voted a Top Doctor by her peers. Dr. Diggs plays an active role in the Detroit community and serves on many non-profit boards. She was married to the late Douglass J. Diggs and has two daughters.
Denise Ilitch, an owner of Ilitch Family Companies and President of Ilitch Enterprises, has been a part of Detroit’s business and philanthropic community for over 40 years.  As a mother, lawyer, entrepreneur, devoted community servant and tireless advocate for women and children, she learned early, from her father, that everyone is worthy of contributing to the world.  Her passion for affordable, accessible, quality education stems from her own experience as a first-generation student, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she currently serves on the Board of Regents, and a law degree from the University of Detroit Law School. 
FOLLOW DENISE @thedeniseilitchshow 
TO LEARN MORE about all our inspiring podcasts visit https://www.lifestough.com/.  

Denise talks to Carrie Weiner, co-founder and CFO of The Little Black Box, who is most proud of her ability to strike a balance between running a business and being a dedicated single mom. She says she’s a good planner and practicing stellar time management skills allows her to put her kids first while providing for the family. 
Like many entrepreneurs, Weiner saw a need, and during the pandemic in 2020, along with her friend now business partner Michelle Scerbo, created a company that redefines the gift giving industry by making giving back a part of the business model. Her desire to support communities and women-owned vendors stems from her value of relationships and support, something she lacked at a pivotal moment in her life. 
It was the toughest situation she’s ever had to face as a single mom. At age three, Weiner’s son was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, Fragile X. Both of her parents had recently passed away, and she found herself without the emotional support of a loving community close by. So, she set out to make one. 
Learning to trust her gut—the “visceral” feeling inside—has paid off. The Little Black Box is not only a luxury gifting service that’s totally customizable, it’s also an economic engine for the nonprofit community, with a portion of every purchase donated to charities for women like Alternatives For Girls, benefiting homeless and at-risk girls in Detroit. The range of gifts covers everyone from classroom teachers to corporate executives for any occasion at just about any price point. 
Like her company’s products, Weiner’s advice to would-be entrepreneurs is thoughtful and timeless. 
Hire an attorney  Write a business plan Clearly define roles Manage expectations  What would she say to her younger self? “You can do it!” Ask for help and help others.  
Stay tuned for her two favorite Detroit moments, one with her dad and one with her mom, both of which may have foreshadowed her future. 
Web | www.thelittleblackbox.com 
IG | the_littleblackbox   
Facebook| Little Black Box, LLC 
 
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Carrie Weiner is co-founder and CFO of The Little Black Box®, a bespoke gift-giving company offering luxury, customizable, curated and affordable gifts for anyone desiring to give a meaningful gift. The company uplifts women and small business by sourcing unique products and donating a portion of each purchase to charity. To further the philanthropic arm of The Little Black Box®, Weiner and her business partner created Citizen Society, their own product line and activism hub. Weiner is a graduate of the New York School of Interior Design and previously used her creative talents in the design of homes and restaurants and her own women’s clothing store. She is the proud mom of two amazing children. 
Denise Ilitch, an owner of Ilitch Family Companies and President of Ilitch Enterprises, has been a part of Detroit’s business and philanthropic community for over 40 years.  As a mother, lawyer, entrepreneur, devoted community servant and tireless advocate for women and children, she learned early, from her father, that everyone is worthy of contributing to the world.  Her passion for affordable, accessible, quality education stems from her own experience as a first-generation student, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she currently serves on the Board of Regents, and a law degree from the University of Detroit Law School. 
FOLLOW DENISE @thedeniseilitchshow 
TO LEARN MORE about all our inspiring podcasts visit https://www.lifestough.com/.  

Denise talks to Joshua Cascade, a former private equity investor with over 25 years of industry experience. Cascade has led or co-led leveraged buyout transactions representing over $2 billion in aggregate acquisition value. These days you’ll find him back on campus, educating the next generation of MBA candidates at the Yale School of Management and undergraduate business students at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. 
Having rubbed elbows with thousands of founders and CEOs in 48 states, he’s proud to have learned so much from such a diverse group of people. His experience—and his mistakes—along the way have taught him the importance of knowing what your blind spots are. When he was starting out, his answer to overcoming adversity was to put his head down and work harder. Now he asks himself, “Am I being too risk averse? Am I making this decision out of fear?” 
Cascade is happy to be back in his home state of Michigan, and happy to be teaching for both Yale and his alma mater, University of Michigan. The wisdom he would offer his younger self is the same he offers his students. Slow down. Embrace the “I don’t know.” Apart from crediting his wife as the real secret to his confidence, he stresses having an open mind and humility. Learn before you leap. 
Cascade is super impressed by his students’ curiosity and intelligence. The next generation is incredibly data savvy and their ability to gather better information faster will undoubtedly be a game changer. 
Not surprisingly his favorite Detroit moments are sports related. With the city’s sports teams getting better and better, much like the revival of the city itself, he believes when one of those teams wins a championship again, the party will take to Detroit’s downtown streets like never before. 
Both Denise and he agree, that is something to look forward to. 
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Joshua Cascade is a former private equity investor with over 25 years of industry experience, most recently as a Managing Partner at Wellspring Capital. Prior to Wellspring, Cascade was a member of the investment team at Odyssey Investment Partners. He began his career at The Blackstone Group in 1994, after earning an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Michigan. Since 2018, Cascade has been teaching a private equity course to MBA candidates at the Yale School of Management and undergraduate business students at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He resides in Michigan with his wife and daughters. 
Denise Ilitch, an owner of Ilitch Family Companies and President of Ilitch Enterprises, has been a part of Detroit’s business and philanthropic community for over 40 years.  As a mother, lawyer, entrepreneur, devoted community servant and tireless advocate for women and children, she learned early, from her father, that everyone is worthy of contributing to the world.  Her passion for affordable, accessible, quality education stems from her own experience as a first-generation student, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she currently serves on the Board of Regents, and a law degree from the University of Detroit Law School. 
FOLLOW DENISE @thedeniseilitchshow 
TO LEARN MORE about all our inspiring podcasts visit https://www.lifestough.com/.  

Seeing Adversity as a Gift with Robert Paylor 
Denise talks to professional motivational speaker Robert Paylor, who inspires millions with his message of hope, courage, and unwavering determination. Paylor is living proof that with discipline and a strong support team, we can achieve the impossible. He uses the story of the best day of his life, also the day of his greatest tragedy, as his driving purpose to help others. 
At 6’ 5” the Sacramento native was naturally strong and a gifted athlete. His love for contact sports led him to rugby, first as a student at Jesuit High School, the number one ranked team in the nation. A natural born leader, captain of the team, Paylor and his team won a lot of hardware. As a college student at UC Berkeley, he earned a starting position on the legendary Men’s Rugby Team, which has won 33 national championships. 
May 6, 2017 his team was competing in the Collegiate Rugby National Championship against Arkansas State. As a big guy, Paylor was accustomed to being in a maul where three or more players push against one another. There are strict rules about mauls, one being that players are not allowed to join from the side. As the opposing team continued to make illegal moves, Paylor found himself in a tight headlock and was pushed to the ground. He heard a “snap” and in an instant was face down, in the dirt, unable to move. 
He suffered severe injuries to his spinal cord and doctors told him he’d never walk again, let alone move his hands. Faced with whether to have a potentially life-threatening surgery he contacted his priest. A devout Catholic, Paylor wanted to make sure he could receive the Sacrament of Last Rites. He was given 30 minutes to decide. 
In this inspirational conversation, Paylor pays forward the advice he’s been given, and the strategies he uses to keep making progress. As his priest told him right before his surgery, “The one thing you have control over is your mindset…Your willingness to wake up every day and fight this is up to you and this injury can’t take that away from you.” 
Paylor found the courage to face his fear of a body—and a future—he didn’t recognize. He says he sleeps peacefully knowing he gives every day all he has. When he doesn’t feel like exerting the effort to simply get out of bed in the morning, he remembers that millions of people feel just like he does. When he faces difficulty, he asks himself, “Compared to what?” not to dismiss his challenges but to overcome them. 
The single best catalyst to leaping those mental hurdles comes from knowing that when he stays strong, others can stay strong too. Instilled by his faith and engrained by athletics, Paylor is inspired by the words of his UC rugby coach and friend Jack Clark, “Be grateful for everything and entitled to nothing.” 
To book Paylor and follow him on social media go to www.robertpaylor.com.  
Setup by a friend to pay for uncovered medical expenses, visit his healing and rehab GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/robertpaylor. 
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Robert Paylor is a motivational speaker who shares the skills he uses to overcome quadriplegia and go from paralyzed to powerful. The former 2017 UC Berkeley Men’s Rugby Team player uses a life-changing injury to fuel his purpose of inspiring others to reach their full potential. Four years after he was told he would never walk again, Paylor walked with assistance across the stage to receive his diploma from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Paylor still resides in California, enjoys the outdoors, barbequing, hikes, the water—and still loves rugby.  
Denise Ilitch, an owner of Ilitch Family Companies and President of Ilitch Enterprises, has been a part of Detroit’s business and philanthropic community for over 40 years.  As a mother, lawyer, entrepreneur, devoted community servant and tireless advocate for women and children, she learned early, from her father, that everyone is worth

“You gotta walk away from the elephant to see that sometimes adversity opens up new opportunities.” Brooke Lites 
Denise talks to Brooke Lites, a woman with an established love of learning about to embark on a new career path, and Denise’s daughter! Brooke says her experiences in higher education have been a great foundation for approaching problem solving. Her love of justice and fair-mindedness initially drew her to study law. 
The toughest situation she’s faced was her divorce in 2018, which she wasn’t as equipped to handle as she thought. She’s learned that whether the problem is personal or professional, keeping a sense of humor and rolling with the punches help get you through. Stressing the importance of asking for help, she’s grateful to have a strong tribe to lean on; having an emotional support animal was a plus. 
She says maintaining confidence is a daily exercise—that and going to the gym to get her endorphins going. She knows herself well enough to see the signs of self-doubt; that’s when she leans into the present moment, changing what she can and accepting what she cannot. Instead of comparing herself to other women who seem like they have it all together, she honors all parts of herself as making her whole.  
Brooke credits her mom for always making time for her and staying connected and the two enjoy a wonderful, loving friendship now. Growing up with a mom who ‘did it all’ Brooke knows now that moms are more than the sum of the hats they wear. Seeing her siblings and their spouses enjoy parenthood is a privilege she hopes to one day share. 
She says that working on big problems makes room for the opportunity to create big solutions and she reminds us of the words of Thomas Edison, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” 
Brooke’s sage advice to her younger self is good medicine for everyone: 
Be more accountable.  Be softer and kinder with yourself.  Remember your worth.  Establish boundaries. Put yourself out there; make friends. Hit the travel button more!  Laugh at your mistakes.  Brooke says she’ll proudly represent Detroit forever; stay tuned to learn some of her favorite Motor City moments. 
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Brooke Lites, currently studying to become a certified personal trainer, previously owned and founded Boudoir B a luxury and vintage clothing store after working as a substitute teacher in Oakland and Washtenaw County, Michigan. Lites was an anti-bullying educator for Defeat the Label, a nonprofit aiming to end bullying by putting the power to do so in the hands of students. Lites earned a BA at the University of Michigan, a JD at the University of Detroit Law School and a master’s in psychology at the Michigan School of Professional Psychology. She resides in Jacksonville, Florida. 
 
Denise Ilitch, an owner of Ilitch Family Companies and President of Ilitch Enterprises, has been a part of Detroit’s business and philanthropic community for over 40 years.  As a mother, lawyer, entrepreneur, devoted community servant and tireless advocate for women and children, she learned early, from her father, that everyone is worthy of contributing to the world.  Her passion for affordable, accessible, quality education stems from her own experience as a first-generation student, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she currently serves on the Board of Regents, and a law degree from the University of Detroit Law School. 
FOLLOW DENISE @thedeniseilitchshow