Let’s Talk About Growth Leadership and Maternal Care

What Does Real Growth Look Like? Leadership, Nonprofits, and Maternal Care with Lakeesha Harris.

Most people see the result. This episode is about the work behind it.

In this episode of It’s Just Business with Lovie, we sit down with Lakeesha Harris, Executive Director of Chicago Volunteer Doulas and founder of Duenola, to talk about what growth actually looks like when you are leading a nonprofit, advocating for mothers and building something meaningful while real life keeps moving.

This is not a conversation about overnight success. It is about the kind of growth that is personal, spiritual and strategic all at the same time.

We get into the critical role doulas play in maternal care, what it means to truly advocate for mothers during and after childbirth and why that support is more essential than most people realize. Lakeesha also shares what it takes to lead an organization with purpose, handle expanding responsibility and stay grounded when the work gets hard.

If you are a nonprofit leader, a birth worker, a mother or someone building something that actually matters, this conversation is for you.

In this episode we cover:

• What real growth looks like behind the scenes of nonprofit leadership
• The role of doulas in maternal care and why advocacy during childbirth matters
• Personal, spiritual and business growth and how they intersect
• How to build something meaningful without losing yourself in the process
• Doula training, certifications and how to get started in the field

Keywords: doula training, maternal care, nonprofit leadership, Chicago Volunteer Doulas, birth support, DUENOLA, postpartum care, women’s health, nonprofit growth, purposeful business, It’s Just Business with Lovie

• Growth often requires boundaries, rest, and giving yourself grace before expanding your work.
• Strong communities are built through service, advocacy, and investing in people.
• Doulas provide far more than birth support by serving as advocates, educators, and resource connectors.
• Nonprofit leadership requires strategic planning, financial stewardship, and resilience.
• Lasting impact begins when we recognize that people are our greatest investment.

In this conversation, Lakeesha Harris shares her journey leading two mission-driven organizations while advocating for Black maternal health and expanding access to doula care. Together, we discuss nonprofit leadership, the realities of building sustainable organizations, the importance of maternal advocacy, and how personal growth, community, and purpose shape the work of creating lasting change.

Lakeesha Harris is the Executive Director of Chicago Volunteer Doulas and the founder of Duenola (Doulas United in Equity New Orleans Louisiana), a nonprofit initiative expanding access to maternal care, doula education, and postpartum support. Through her leadership, she advocates for healthier birth outcomes, strengthens underserved communities, and creates pathways for aspiring doulas to serve where they live.