Podcast Summary: She’s So Lucky – “How to Get What You Want Without Waiting to Be Chosen” ft. Danielle Robay

Host: Les Alfred
Guest: Danielle Robay, Journalist & Podcaster
Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Les Alfred sits down with journalist and podcaster Danielle Robay to unpack how women can proactively create opportunities and “get what you want without waiting to be chosen.” They delve into the mindset shifts, actionable habits, and personal anecdotes that have shaped Danielle’s career, touching on themes of luck, curiosity, intuition, self-advocacy, and the art of asking better questions. The conversation is an honest, dynamic exploration of ambition, resilience, and the importance of betting on oneself.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Redefining Luck – Preparation Meets Opportunity

• Both Les and Danielle reflect on the meaning of luck, crediting their families and unique upbringings.
• Danielle on the “bus stop” metaphor of luck:
  “Luck is like a bus. There will always be another bus you can hop on, but you have to be at the bus station. Meaning, you have to be prepared. You have to be doing the work, otherwise you'll never jump on again.” (09:36)
• Les connects luck to probability:
  “The more you roll the dice, the more likely you are to get the outcome you want...but you gotta keep rolling.” (10:00)

2. Curiosity & Intuition as Driving Forces

• Danielle distinguishes between outright intuition and curiosity, viewing the latter as “the whisper” that nudges her toward new opportunities.
• Danielle: “Curiosity is how intuition shows up for me...the ‘hmm, what would that be like?’ I think that is intuition.” (12:03)
• Executing on instincts is highlighted as essential. Danielle credits her eldest-daughter energy and cultural background for making her an “executor” (12:43).
• Les admits execution was a learned skill rooted in growing self-belief:
  “I had to train that muscle...Once I realized I had the power to make things happen, all bets were off.” (13:04)

3. The Power and Practice of Asking Questions

• Danielle argues that questioning is a core responsibility and a tool for personal and social change:
  “Questioning is how we stay awake to things. It’s how we challenge power and hierarchy...it’s how we claim authorship over our lives.” (21:00)
• Children are naturally curious—adults need to re-cultivate this skill, which systems often suppress.
• Practical tip: The “how” question is less confrontational and more generative than “why” questions in conversation (23:09).
• Asking questions can be as simple as engaging cashiers or baristas to build confidence (47:46).

4. Career Journey – Creating Your Own Opportunities

• Danielle’s journey from political science student to media personality is marked by risk-taking, learning from setbacks, and repeated “shooting your shot.”
• Example: Sending gifts with job applications led to a pivotal first opportunity (27:31).
• When confronted with pay inequity, Danielle advocated for herself and, when turned down, chose to leave, guided by her mother’s advice:
  “Every time you’ve bet on yourself, it’s worked out. You did it once, you can do it again.” (34:30)
• Emphasizes not waiting for permission:
  “If you want something, you have to go get it. There’s always a way...You can’t just sit around and hope it comes to you.” (35:50)

5. Shoot Your Shot – The Rejection Reframe

• Both discuss reframing fear of rejection. For Danielle:
  “No means next option...Trying is winning. You can’t solve for winning, but if you’re trying, you have momentum.” (37:33)
• Les shares her shift from waiting to be chosen to proactively asking for what she wants.
• Danielle: “I’ve never regretted shooting my shot. It has always paid off.” (36:26)

6. Creating and Rebranding Your Platform

• Danielle shares the evolution of her podcast from "Pretty Smart" to "Question Everything," emphasizing cultural relevance and longevity.
• The shift was inspired by feedback that “Question Everything” had greater resonance and movement potential (43:02).

7. Rapid-Fire Self-Reflection Questions

• Les and Danielle ask and answer deep reflective questions about desire, success, risk, and authenticity:
  • Desire you admitted to yourself: “I want it all. I want a family and a big career...It was hard to admit, but I’m going to find out.” (52:26)
  • Outgrowing working for free, and learning from every risk—even ‘big Ls’—because “you either win or you learn” (53:16).
  • On what question we avoid but need to ask:
    “Picture yourself at your 85th birthday...What would make you cry of sadness that you did not do?” (54:48)
  • Les adds: “What do you want that’s not influenced by other people?” (56:39)

8. Action Steps & Takeaways

• Try, even if you’re scared; “trying is winning” (58:05).
• Early efforts are the least risky—no one is watching yet, so use that freedom (58:43).
• Most successful people aren’t outliers; they simply “believe that they can” and persist (59:34).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Wisdom comes from wonder.” – Danielle (26:14)
• On not waiting:
  “If I ask for what I want, it could be yes, or it could be no. If I don’t ask, it’s absolutely a no.” – Les (37:00)
• On resilience:
  “I think 90% of going after what you want and getting it is just believing you can, truly.” – Danielle (60:03)
• On legacy and regret:
  “The future fucks you...we don’t often work backwards. In your 30s and 40s, you’re building for the 80s and 90s.” – Danielle paraphrasing Saturday Night Fever (55:14)
• On embracing discomfort:
  “Trying is winning...There’s nothing else to do.” – Danielle (58:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening reflections on luck, family, formative influences: 02:12–07:58
• Luck as preparation and probability (bus/rolling dice): 09:36–10:46
• Curiosity, intuition, and execution: 12:03–13:43
• Money, value, and personal growth: 13:43–14:39
• The practice and impact of questioning: 19:43–25:27
• Danielle’s career progression & risk-taking: 27:04–37:00
• Rejection as redirection, reframing the ‘no’: 37:00–38:18
• Rebranding podcast and finding your authentic voice: 42:36–45:21
• Self-reflection and life-defining questions: 52:26–54:48
• Final takeaways—trying, risking, believing: 58:05–60:13

Overall Tone

The episode is candid, inspiring, and conversational, characterized by mutual respect, humor, and the willingness to probe hard questions. Both women offer actionable wisdom rooted in personal experience, with a focus on empowering listeners to take charge of their own narratives.

Recommended For

Anyone looking to build confidence, learn how to advocate for themselves, or inject more curiosity and intentionality into their career and life decisions—especially women hoping to “create their own luck” and stop waiting for external validation or permission.

Find Danielle Robay:
@ROBAY (across socials)

Find the full episode wherever you listen to "She's So Lucky" or visit the show's website for additional resources.