Ready or not: Rose Lounsbury on Running for Office, Staying Curious, and Doing the Next Hard Thing
What do you do when the next hard thing is something you never imagined yourself doing?
Rose Lounsbury never planned to run for office. But after getting more involved in her community and growing frustrated with her representation at the Statehouse, she looked for someone who might challenge the incumbent. Someone turned the question back on her: “Do you wanna run?” Rose pulled petitions the next day.
In this episode of Carry As You Climb, Nan Whaley talks with her longtime friend about what happened after Rose said yes, and what she’s learning as she runs for Ohio House District 36 for a second time.
From staying curious when conversations get uncomfortable to finding resilience when the work gets hard, this is a conversation about moving forward before you feel completely ready.
You don’t have to see the whole path. Stay curious, know what matters, and do the next hard thing.
Conversation Highlights:
- Stay curious: at the door: how a doorstep conversation that started with disagreement found common ground - and why Rose would rather ask another question than win an argument.
- Know it, then lose the notes: Rose and Nan on public speaking, connecting with an audience, and why fewer words can make a stronger point.
- Start with what matters: what Rose’s work in minimalism taught her about stripping away distractions and making decisions with purpose.
- Build the stamina for hard things: how raising premature triplets shaped Rose’s resilience, and why sleep, food, and knowing your limits are part of sustaining the work.
Resources Mentioned:
- Rose for Ohio — Rose's campaign website
- Follow Rose: Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | LinkedIn
- "How Many Towels Do You Need?" — Rose Lounsbury, TEDxDayton
- Suffs, the musical
- Iron Jawed Angels (2004)
- Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
About Our Guest: Rose Lounsbury is the Democratic candidate for Ohio House District 36. A former public school teacher and the daughter of two retired teachers, she is also a business owner, TEDx speaker, and author of Less: Minimalism for Real. Rose first ran for the Ohio House in 2024, receiving 47.63% of the vote, and is running again in 2026 to protect public education, voting rights, and affordability for working families.
About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014 - 2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend.
About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014 - 2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend.
About the Show: Carry As You Climb focuses on elevating the voices of women in leadership from Ohio and across the United States. The podcast features guests who give special attention to not only busting through doors to lead but also holding the door open for more women behind them. In other words, they carry as they climb. We focus on leadership development and leadership lessons. Plus, we share personal experiences to inspire the inclusion of more diverse leaders in business, government, and the nonprofit sector.
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Produced by: Collective Change Communications - Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler
Note: The opinions expressed by host Nan Whaley on this podcast are hers alone and do not represent any organization with which she is affiliated.