The Strawberry Letter, heard on The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Monday, October 6th, 2025. Subject: "In Love & Terrified"

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Attorney Tessie Edwards and her husband Charles Edwards.

🎯 Purpose of the Interview

To explore the personal and professional journey of Tessie and Charles Edwards—a married couple who built a successful multi-million dollar law firm in Atlanta, Georgia—while highlighting their upcoming podcast “Love and Law”, which blends relationship advice with legal insights.

💡 Mission of the Podcast: Love and Law

To provide authentic, experience-based guidance on relationships, blended families, entrepreneurship, and legal matters, especially for couples navigating love and business together.

“We’ve lived through legitimation, divorce, blending families, foreclosure, food stamps—and now we’re here. That’s why we want to share.” – Tessie Edwards

🧭 Key Takeaways 1. Overcoming the Odds

• Tessie was a teen mom and high school dropout who went on to serve in the military, graduate college, and become a lawyer.
• Her original goal was to become a judge, but she ended up founding a law firm.
• Quote:

“I wanted my daughter to have someone to look up to.”

2. Blended Family Dynamics

• Together, they raise seven children: five from Tessie, one from Charles, and one together.
• They emphasize grace, communication, and unity in parenting.
• Quote:

“Children will try to play parents against each other. You have to be on the same page.”

3. Their Love Story

• Met at a football party in Atlanta and connected over a game of spades.
• Tessie wore a wedding ring to avoid attention but later revealed she was going through a divorce.
• Their first real conversation lasted seven hours.
• Quote:

“We didn’t get off the phone until 6 a.m.”

4. Business Partnership

• Tessie is the attorney; Charles is the Chief Growth Officer and “jack of all trades.”
• They’ve built two separate law firms: one for family law, one for criminal defense.
• Quote:

“If I’m going to work crazy hours, I’d rather do it for us.”

5. Challenges & Resilience

• They’ve faced financial hardship, foreclosure, repossession, and raising kids on food stamps.
• Their story is one of perseverance and rebuilding.
• Quote:

“We were at CVS on Christmas Eve trying to make the tree look full.”

6. Podcast Goals

• Share real-life relationship and legal advice.
• Feature subject matter experts, other couples, and audience Q&A.
• Topics include:
  • Blended families
  • Work-life balance
  • May–December romance
  • Building a brand together

7. Advice for Couples

Charles shares three pillars for sustaining a relationship:

1. Desire to stay married
2. Communication
3. Grace

“You both don’t need to give up at the same time.”

🗣️ Notable Quotes

• Tessie:

“I wasn’t looking for a relationship. I was just trying to be outside and have fun.”

• Charles:
  “I saw how she was with her kids. That’s the kind of mother I wanted for mine.”
• Tessie:
  “We’ve had knockouts and drag-outs. This hasn’t been all roses.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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