Why build an entire business—and now a podcast—around joy? In this intimate solo episode, Lori pulls back the curtain on the moment she walked away from her high-powered VP role and made the boldest, most strategic decision of her life: to lead with joy.

Spoiler: Joy isn’t fluffy. It’s her anchor, her methodology, and her leadership advantage.

She shares what corporate never taught her about joy, the data behind why joy increases productivity, and the mindset shift that helped her move from burnout to clarity, from performance to presence. If you’ve been operating like success is the goal and joy is the reward—this one’s for you.

Joy Is Not Fluff—It’s Fuel

• Lori reframes joy as a hard-won mindset, not a fleeting mood.
• She made joy her anchor after two decades of pressure, promotions, and personal loss.
• Audience follow-up→ Ask yourself: What have I been calling “fluff” that might actually be a survival strategy?

There’s Data Behind Joy

• Joyful leaders are 31% more productive and 3x more creative.
• Joy boosts profitability, sales, retention, and engagement.
• Audience follow-up→ Google studies from Harvard Business Review, Shawn Achor, and McKinsey on emotional contagion, psychological safety, and joy in the workplace.

Gratitude Is a Daily Practice—Not a Personality Type

• Lori’s 5-minute morning gratitude habit helps her shift from stress to presence.
• Audience follow-up→ Start your own: Write down 5 things you’re grateful for every morning (no repeats!).

You Can’t Lead Well If You’re Depleted

• Joy helped Lori repair her health, reconnect to her worth, and set unshakable boundaries.
• She stopped surviving on Diet Coke and pretzels—and started sleeping, hydrating, and showing up differently.
• Audience follow-up→ Choose one daily habit that supports your well-being and commit to it this week.

Legacy Isn’t About Metrics—It’s About Meaning

• People won’t remember your dashboard—they’ll remember how you made them feel.
• Joy creates space for human connection even in high-pressure environments.
• Audience follow-up→ In your next meeting, remember one personal detail about someone on your team—and ask them about it.

• Her VP roles at Coca-Cola, Campbell’s, and Anheuser-Busch
• The “Rainbows & Unicorns” comment from a toxic SVP that became a turning point
• Gratitude practice: 5 things every morning
• The TV show The Bear as a metaphor for her last corporate environment
• Her personal definition of joy:

• Where are you achieving, but not fulfilling?
• What would shift if you let joy lead—not as a finish line, but as your foundation?
• How do people feel in your presence—and how do you want them to feel?

• Executives who are successful on paper but running on fumes
• Professionals recovering from burnout, overfunctioning, or toxic leadership
• Women ready to lead on their terms—with boundaries, clarity, and presence
• Anyone asking: Is there a better way to lead? (Yes. It’s JOY.)

• Explore the neuroscience + business...