Joy Economics Podcast

Melissa Mueller-Douglas is all about living in the moment. As the founder and CEO of MYRetreat, she’s passionate about helping professionals slow down, schedule self-care and achieve wellness. Tune in to the latest episode of Joy Economics where we bring value to life’s everyday moments and embark on an amazing mindful journey.

"How can we find the things we're looking if we can't even admit them to ourselves?" CEO and Host of the JOY Economics, Shani Godwin, is no stranger to pain.  In this episode, she shares how she found her voice and the courage to stand in her power by confronting shame, fear and self-limiting doubt hiding in the shadows of her life and was able to rise above her own self-imposed narratives to write a new story.

Toyin Adon-Abel, Jr. is no stranger when it comes to sticking his nose into the business of big brands. Listen in to Part 2 of our interview with Toyin as we learn more about how he's using his superpowers for good and how the work he is doing through is marketing agency, Meddling Minds, is getting him into some #Good Trouble.  

Toyin Adon-Abel Jr. is a bona fide meddler. He is not afraid or worried about sticking his nose into the business of big brands and challenging them to use their influence for the greater good. Toyin is also an experienced marketer, with years of corporate experience helping enterprises build robust lead generation systems and processes. Toyin is now on a mission to combine his marketing and his meddling skills which is why he started Meddling Minds Agency, a network of socially conscious professionals and creatives leveraging the power of marketing to help aspirational brands find purpose and empower communities. Listen to his story on this episode of Joy Economics.

We're all launchers. Whether you realize it or not, you have the ability and the opportunity each day to launch something new. But what does it really mean to launch something? In this episode of Joy Economics, we'll lean on some evergreen advice about how to take the fear out of launching something new from business leaders Shane Benson and David Farmer, Chick-fil-A Executives and Co-Founders of Launch Youniversity and Becky Davis, Chief Bosspreneur and Business Growth Architect.       

Trying to advance your career as a women of color isn't always easy. According to a recent study from McKinsey and LeanIn.org, women of color represent only 4% of C-Level positions, despite representing about 18% of the U.S. population. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that according to Census data, minority women now control nearly half of all women-run businesses. But even with this entrepreneurial growth, much support is still needed for women of color to advance and thrive in the business world.   That's where Fern Johnson comes in. She created Career Sisters as a safe haven for women of color to learn, grow, share and emerge as powerful business leaders, ready to take on the world. Listen to her powerful story on this episode of Joy Economics. 

You are not your job. This is a powerful lesson that Communiqué CEO, Shani Godwin, learned from her dad after a season of devastating loss. Listen in as she candidly shares what depression, divorce and the death of her father taught her about her life and identity and how she’s used those lessons to redefine herself and how you can too—no matter what’s happening in your life or business right now.

Kelly Burton is truly a visionary. As a self-described serial entrepreneur, she has successfully started and scaled several businesses and is now on a quest to help minority-owned businesses do the same through her work as CEO of Founders of Color, a digital platform to support minority-owned businesses. With so many businesses facing the possibility of permanently shutting their doors, we wanted to revisit our timely conversation with Dr. Burton. Listen in as she shares her story, unpacks the challenges faced by businesses of color, and provides actionable steps for moving forward.

We know these are challenging times for many small businesses across America. According to a recent report from MetLife & the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 71% of small businesses are concerned about financial hardships due to prolonged closures and more than half worry about having to shut their doors permanently. The numbers are staggering, but there’s always hope.    On Joy Economics, we believe in working and living with a fighting spirit, and apparently, so does Matt Hinton, creator and owner of Bell St. Burritos. He is taking the time to reinvent himself and his business. Learn how in this episode of Joy Economics. 

If you tuned into Part 1 of our candid conversation with Elizabeth Giorgi then you learned that for her doing good business doesn’t just mean producing highly-converting content. It also means having the courage to take a stand. She’s done just that while fighting for gender and now racial equality.  Tune into the second half of our conversation as we celebrate the resilience of small businesses and learn how Liz finds joy and the energy to keep pursuing what’s next. 

Starting a business is hard work. Staying in business is an even tougher proposition. Elizabeth (Liz) Giorgi has successfully managed to do both as the founder of two innovative production companies, soona and Mighteor. She is compassionate. She is brave. And she is an inspiring lesson on how to make moves in your business while having the courage to take a stand.

At some point in our lives we will each experience a turning point—that unforgettable point in time when something happens that causes us to shift and change direction in a major way. In light of the global impact of COVID-19, we wanted to replay this timely episode featuring the powerful story of Amanda Hammett, also affectionately known as the "Millennial Translator." Amanda's story is about finding the courage and resilience to pivot after suffering an unexpected career blow. So as you try to cope with the impacts of COVID-19, we hope this episode will get you excited about exploring new opportunities, embracing growth, and proactively creating better ways to live, work and play. You'll also gain valuable insights from Amanda about the millennial generation’s mindset and how you can leverage this understanding for greater success in the workplace.

What's your biggest lesson learned from 2019? On this episode of Joy Economics,  Shani Godwin, CEO of Communiqué USA, Inc. along with fellow team members Kim Brown and Kellie Ladipo continue a discussion on the ups and downs of 2019. Listen in for another round of reflecting on a year of living, working and playing.

The year 2019 has had its ups and its down, but through it all we blessed to survive the year, have a great year, and come out on top. Join us as we reflect on a year of living, working and playing, and learning lessons along the way that will set us up for success for years to come. Part 1 of our holiday episode features Shani Godwin, CEO of Communiqué USA, Inc. with fellow team members Kim Brown and Kellie Ladipo.

Featuring Kristen Sweet Employee Experience Manger, RaceTrac For many of us, when we're young in our career we think we have things all figured out. We think we know who we want to, what we want to do, and where we want to go. But what happens when things don't go exactly as planned? On this episode of Joy Economics, we'll hear from Kristen Sweet about how her plan to become an educator didn't pan out but instead opened up a higher opportunity to inspire employees day in and day out through her work in employee engagement at RaceTrac.

For this episode we're heading to the Joy Jar. This is a tradition on Joy Economics where we ask guests to pull a random question from our Joy Jar to provide additional insight on topics like their childhood, career adventures and favorite things. The answers to these questions help us learn the unexpected about our leader and find relatable experiences that connect us and inspire us to explore the deepest parts of ourselves.

We've all been there. Life hands you a bag full of lemons and somehow you're suppose to turn it into lemonade. This episode is all about pivoting, featuring some of our best advice from past guests on how to pivot and make the most out of life's pitfalls.  We'll hear from Adrion Porter, founder and host of the podcast Gen X Amplified, Kelly Burton, Chief Executive Officer of Founders of Color, and Amanda Hammett, The Millennial Translator.

"Where you start does not have to dictate where you finish." This powerful theme is at the heart of CJ Stewart’s life story. Stewart is the CEO of Diamond Directors and Executive Director of L.E.A.D (Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct). He grew up in one of the most dangerous housing projects in Atlanta, Georgia. Despite the odds stacked against him and with the help of his community and strangers who saw his potential, Stewart went on to play competitive high school and college baseball and was eventually drafted by the Chicago Cubs. In this candid conversation with Joy Economics host, Shani Godwin, learn more about Stewart’s rise and find out how he is building a legacy by not only training future baseball stars, but impacting at risk, inner-city, minority youth facing insurmountable odds just like he did so many years ago. Get ready to be inspired and motivated to make your own change in the world!

Terrez Thompson is passionate about empowering women in business. As the Vice President of Supplier Diversity at The Coca-Cola Company and as a champion of the company's 5by20 economic empowerment initiative, she's laser focused on breaking down the barriers and building bridges of progress for women entrepreneurs across the globe.

Humility is a hard pill to swallow when you are running a business, but it’s in those tough moments where you find opportunities for growth. In this episode of Joy Economics, we chat with Meghan Lynch, President and CEO of Six-Point Creative, to learn just what it takes to find confidence in your business again, and how you can apply that same principle to your own professional journey. Megan shares the insights she’s gained from working as a brand strategist and helping second stage companies move past their feelings of stagnation. She also explains how her company’s Solve for Y method leverages the power of improv and the magic words “Yes, and …” to positively impact growth and find the joy and ease in any situation.

In this episode, we chat with Generation Xer, Adrion Porter, who is a marketing veteran with over twenty years of experience working with some big brands that include HBO, Cartoon Network, and Citi. Adrion is also the founder and host of a podcast called Gen X Amplified. His show provides leadership and development insights from and for his listeners who he proudly describes as the X-Ceptional, X-Traordinary generation. Listen in as Adrion talks about his experience, how to pivot and turn a career low into a career and personal high, and how to use his 5-step B.R.A.N.D. framework to create a winning personal brand. 

Kelly Burton, CEO, Founders of Color In this episode of Joy Economics, we chat with Dr. Kelly Burton, the brainchild behind Founders of Color, a digital platform helping minority-owned businesses scale and grow. Kelly is an accomplished entrepreneur who knows a thing or two about starting and running a successful business. But it was a very public failure that’s led to her most ambitious undertaking to date aimed at upending the narrative for all minority-owned businesses. Join us as Kelly talks about her childhood in New Jersey and how she went on to become the first in her family to graduate from college at Clark Atlanta University and then went on to earn her PhD. in political science from Emory University. She took all that hard-earned education and put it to work as a researcher before starting her own non-profit and corporate consultancy, Nexus Research Group. She’s now helping minority-owned businesses grow and scale, with her newest undertaking, Founders of Color.

Amanda Hammett is a successful entrepreneur who knows a thing or two about what it takes to excite a team of Millennials and Gen Xers. So much so, she calls herself the “Millennial Translator”. In this podcast, you will gain a deeper understanding of the millennial generation’s mindset, how they both stand apart from and are much like generations before them, and how employers can leverage this understanding for greater success in their workplaces.

Interview with Shani Godwin, CEO, Communique, USA and Host of Joy Economics Podcast With David Harris, as Guest Host You hear her bright voice every time you tune in to a Joy Economics podcast, but who is Shani Godwin? Guest host, David Harris, provides the questions that introduce us to the voice behind the mic. Learn what makes this successful entrepreneur tick and what’s helped shape her vision of a corporate America defined by people over profits. Godwin speaks honestly and frankly about overcoming fear, her own mental illness and the importance of love and defining purpose in one’s life. Finally, you’ll understand how she is putting her Joy Economics philosophy into practice and how you can, too. Walk away with practical insights sure to help you realize your true potential on your own terms!

We're getting into the holiday spirit with a throwback to one of our favorite episodes from Season 1, featuring Stephanie Walters, lifestyle specialist in Hampton Roads, VA and Kyla Young and Chase Miller, two special young fans of the show. We'll be talking about holiday traditions and sharing lifestyle tips on how to manage and enjoy the holiday season.  Happy Holidays to you and yours!

This bonus episode of Joy Economics features a quick course on how to make your elevator pitch great with David Farmer and Shane Benson of Launch YOUniversity. We’ll also revisit our friends at Moving in the Spirit, an Atlanta, Georgia-based non-profit that uses dance to help youth thrive.

Interview with Jean Adero, Founder of “Read Across Africa” Jean Adero believes her “soul” purpose in life is to reimagine her home country of Africa. At face value this sounds like a monumental proposition. Not for Jean Adero, the founder and brainchild behind the youth literacy non-profit, Read Across Africa.  In this powerful interview, host, Shani Godwin, unveils the many trials and tribulations Jean had to endure to realize her vision of founding a library in her community in Africa. We will travel back in time to witness the countless obstacles Jean had to overcome to make it to America and achieve her educational and professional goals. Along the way, we will learn about Jean’s five life priorities and how they have helped her realize, sustain, and grow her vision. Listeners will also learn about the Read Across Africa initiative, the various programs it offers to children in Kisumu, Africa and how you, too, can get involved and make a difference!

Joy EconomicsInterview with Becky Davis, Bosspreneur CEO, MVPWork, LLC Becky Davis was in her early 20’s when she first yearned to start her own business.  She had the charisma, stage presence and natural gift for public speaking, but when the moment came to step out and share her gift with the world, she just couldn’t do it. How many times has this happened to you? How long have you been sitting on your great idea? How long have you, too, been hiding from your gift? Davis’ wake-up call almost cost her a life- her own! In this Joy Economics episode, host Shani Godwin, uncovers how Davis was able to overcome her own fears to go on to lead a successful business and thriving executive coaching consultancy that positioned her for the role of a lifetime as spokesperson for the Coca Cola Company’s 5by20 entrepreneurship initiative focused on supporting 5-million women owned businesses worldwide by the year 2020!  

Interview with Shane Benson, VP, Operator Support &Organizational Planning, Chick-fil-A, Inc. & David Farmer, VP, Restaurant Experience, Chick-fil-A, Inc. / Co-founders of Launch Youniversity  If you’re not actively launching something new in your life, you may be missing out on the very thing that keeps you challenged, fresh and relevant in today’s constantly evolving world. In this episode, you will meet David Farmer and Shane Benson, top executives at Chick-fil-A Inc., who along with their partners, Kevin Jennings and Jeff Henderson, have created a digital platform called Launch Youniveristy. This virtual hub provides access to resources, tools and mentorship opportunities for those would-be “launchers” out there who need that little extra nudge to get their idea off the ground! Farmer and Benson will provide valuable insights derived from their own launch failures and successes to teach us what it takes to start, sustain and grow a great idea. For more on Joy Economics visit joyeconomics.com. Guests: Shane Benson and David Farmer Host: Shani Godwin

Omari and Onaje Henderson are on a mission to open up the art experience, in its many facets, to communities of color. In a stroke of genius, these engineers-by-trade decided to take their passion for art and turn it into a business that’s paying off in ways they never imagined. In this episode of Joy Economics, host Shani Godwin dives into their story and how you, too, can harness that passion into purpose.  

Dana Lupton’s love affair with dance has taken her from the first housing project in Atlanta, Georgia to the Gold Room of the White House.  Along the way, she overcomes her own childhood prejudices, discovers the meaning of selfless mentorship, and co-founds a youth-development non-profit, “Moving in the Spirit” that is dedicated to creating compassionate leaders through dance. In this powerful interview with Joy Economics host Shani Godwin, Dana provides an intimate look into her own personal and professional struggles with finding her purpose in life and offers some simple steps we can all take to live the life we’re meant to live.

We are all familiar with the archetypal hero who risks life and limb for the greater good. They’re portrayed in the movies donning super powers, celebrated in the news for their bravery and defined as human exceptions in our collective psyche. But, what if a hero resides in all of us? Seems like an audacious suggestion, but what if it’s true? And if so, how could this realization impact you and the lives of those around you?  These are just a few of the questions Joy Economics host, Shani Godwin explores in her interview with Rodney Bullard, author of “Heroes Wanted: Why the World Needs You to Live Your Heart Out”.