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Cathy Hughes, founder and chairperson of Radio One/TV One, Inc., the largest African- American-owned and operated broadcast company in the United States, was honored with a Women’s Leadership Exchange Compass Award at the 2007 Southern California conference.

Q. Today, your company is valued at more than $2 billion and continues to grow. What has been a principal key to success?

A. Being myopic about the goal, which is to provide a voice for the African-American community. Our number one purpose is to offer information. When African-Americans have information, we will find answers to the challenges we face. Radio One never loses sight of that objective.

I personally measure success by how many people I have been able to affect positively. That, not the dollar size of your company, is what is important. When you work for others, the work is never hard and it is incredibly satisfying.

Q. As a business owner, what are some of the practical things that have helped you?

A. You have to surround yourself with good people, people who are not ‘yes’ people. You want advisers who will rock the boat and challenge you. If you don’t hire people like that, you don’t grow.

But, you have to create a work environment in which bright people like this will be nurtured. I always say that when you focus on developing your front line, your bottom line will go up.

Radio One began as a family business. We became a public company in 1999. Family businesses are difficult to run in terms of succession planning. If you are a generational business, my advice is not to stay too long and to seek the advice of consultants who know how to help create leadership transition.

Q. Can you describe some of the personal keys to success that have helped you in your life?

A. It is essential to maintain your spiritual side. I am a praying woman and am public about this because it acknowledges a force outside of one’s self. Too often, business owners allow money and success to become their ‘god,’ and that certainly is not a way that I think success should be defined.

The Women's Leadership Exchange has more fabulous articles for to inspire and encourage women!

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