From growing up in her family’s Black-owned grocery store in Memphis to leading major brands across CPG, nonprofits, and higher ed… this is a story of grace, grit, and growth!

This was fun to sit down with my good friend, Dorothy Jones, Chief Marketing Office, to talk about the moments and lessons that shaped her life and career!

We talked about: 🛒 Early jobs that build confidence 💪 Resilience learned from her trailblazing mom Service and Community Are Foundational (FIX SPACING)

🧘‍♀️The power of being still 💡 and how Curiosity Is a Superpower!

THIS podcast conversation is one you won’t forget!

I met Arshay in 2019 through my rowing team. He is an entrepreneur and speaker who shares his message around the world. His full-length documentary, A Most Beautiful Thing, tells the story of growing up on the West Side of Chicago and how rowing and an entrepreneurship class changed his life. Since it debuted in March of 2020, it’s been a joy to watch all his success!

5 years later, he has a second book titled Let Me Be Real with You, which hit #1 on the USA Today best seller list, and he founded a non-profit organization to introduce rowing to youth!

We dove deep into stories he doesn’t often share - the gift of his entrepreneur class, how his culinary degree shaped his future, and the power of hope.

Rowing introduced him to teamwork, peace, belonging, and the chance to reinvent his future. This is a story about resilience, leadership, and the hope we give and receive.

For Toni Ronayne, her journey started as a 13-year-old coat check girl… staying up late, learning the value of tips, hospitality, and connection long before she ever stepped into the C-suite.

Today, Toni is the Founder & CEO of The C Society, and her story is one of courage, reinvention, and leading with authenticity in an industry that’s changing faster than ever.

A few of my favorite insights about Toni’s story:

💡Her superpower: being an “accidental executive”

💡Why restaurants are her true calling

💡The loneliness no one talks about when the title goes away (that is so real!)

💡How to scale without losing your soul

💡The win/win opportunity for fractional leaders

One of my favorite moments was when Toni said: “At the end of the day, I want people to say I lived my life true to who I am.”

Authenticity as a legacy! WOW! It is so fitting!

If you’re a leader navigating change, a brand builder, or an executive rethinking what’s next in your career… you’ll want to dive into this one 🔥

“I’m going to need some tissues. It’s a difficult story… but a beautiful one… because we can turn darkness into light.” -NASA’s Michael Ciannilli

Season 7 launches today! 🎙 Big news coming tomorrow too!

Hint: It’s a space (pun intended 😉) to spotlight every guest, every story, and every spark of joy we uncover together.

This premiere is one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had. It’s a journey from heartbreak to hope with a 30-year NASA veteran who helped lead the recovery of Columbia and turned tragedy into purpose.

After we recorded, Mike said something that reminded me why I love doing these: “I really enjoyed our discussion, Lisa. I must say once again, you’re a fantastic host who really brings out the person in the interview.”

Michael’s career took him from engineering and test directing rockets to leading NASA’s Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned program.

Here are some of the stories you’ll hear in this episode:


🚀 How 10-year-old Mike’s make-ready weekends shaped a lifetime of agility and craftsmanship


🚀 The 5½-year detour before joining NASA, and the perseverance that defined him


🚀 What it means to teach the “why” behind failure, not just the “what”


🚀 How the same human lessons apply whether you’re launching rockets, running a business, or leading teams

That’s the heart of The Business of Joy: getting to the human side of every story. Behind every title, every mission, every milestone, there’s a person finding light after darkness.


🎧 Now streaming! Get the tissues ready!

Joy, soul, and hospitality aren’t soft words… they're a growth strategy!

That’s the message from Brett Schulman, CEO & Co-Founder of CAVA, who joined me on The Business of Joy podcast this week.

Before leading one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in America, his early jobs of washing cars and chopping firewood built his work ethic: discipline, pride, and the power of showing up!

A few gems in this episode:

🌱 Manual work builds character, while human connection builds culture. His early jobs taught him attention to detail, perseverance, and the pride of finishing well.

🧡 Small wins build big discipline. Making your bed. Showing up. Doing the small things consistently… that’s how momentum and resilience are built.

🔥 Hospitality is a competitive edge. As technology removes friction, people crave warmth. The dining room isn’t dead - bad experiences are.

📈 Lead for decades, not quarters. Show up on the bad days. Invest through headwinds. Build for the long game.

Brett is a testament that when leaders choose humanity over fear, the brand doesn’t just survive… it thrives.

🎙️ We’re Baaaack! The Business of Joy Podcast

🔥 What if the biggest myth in leadership is the idea of the superhero CEO?

My guest, John Blakey, is one of the UK’s leading CEO executive coaches and the author of four books. He’s worked with FTSE 100 CEOs, entrepreneurs, and even coached gold-medal Team GB rowing squads. But what struck me most in our talk wasn’t his client list, it was his humanity.

John shared how a paper round at 12 taught him reliability and appreciation, how moving and changing schools often built his “resilience superpower,” and why mentors matter more than we think.

We dug into how even CEO’s have imposter syndrome and his Up, In & Out model, a practical way to align purpose, inner resilience, and follower engagement.

And then came his newest idea: the Thrival Kit. Not just a survival kit for leaders, but 19 real-world tools to help you thrive - a first-aid kit for purpose-driven leadership.

Leadership isn’t about being flawless. It’s about being human and equipping yourself to shine and help others shine.

At 13 years old, Joe Davis wrote a list of life goals. Fast forward decades later… it turned out to be the blueprint for his life!

For this episode of the Business of Joy, I had the pleasure of interviewing Joe Davis, Former Head of BCG North America and author of The Generous Leader!

We talked about the kind of leadership that actually moves people (and the needle): humble, curious, and human.

Some of the highlights from this episode:

📰 How a 6-year paper route taught accountability at 6am (and why showing up matters)

🔑 Why saying “I don’t know” can unlock creativity instead of stalling it

💞 What the pandemic taught him about empathy, perspective, and leadership at scale

👂 How properly listening to feedback from employees and teammates can help shape decisions and shift both morale and performance

If you lead teams (or aspire to) you’ll love this one.

📘 Joe’s book: The Generous Leader

AMAZON: https://a.co/d/95KT4xF

AUDIBLE: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Generous-Leader-Audiobook/B0D6WM3FJ5?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

#BusinessOfJoy #Leadership #GenerousLeadership #EmpathyInAction #HumanConnection

Imagine working 16 hours a day… and paying yourself in quarters from a jukebox!

That’s how Bruce Dean’s journey began.

In this episode, Bruce, co-founder of Black Bear Diner, shares stories (and leadership lessons) I’ll never forget:

🍳 Why staying true to who you are matters more than ever

🥓 How double-smoked bacon became a signature of quality

🐻 The roadside woodcarver who helped shape Black Bear’s identity

⭐ Why “good” is actually the enemy of “great”

💡 And how taking a chance on someone can change the course of their life

What stuck with me most? Hospitality isn’t just about feeding stomachs. It’s about feeding our souls.