While most brands are chasing tomorrow’s sales, Chris Hoyle, Chief Marketing Officer of Simple Modern, focuses on driving brand connections and loyalty through generosity.

If you don’t know this brand, you should:

>Their purpose in the crowded drink-ware and consumer goods space is clear: “We exist to give generously.”

>On their website it even says “generous prices” - meaning affordability

>Chris even shares a story about “generous laughter” – LOVE IT, never heard those two words together before

In this episode, we cover the difference between growing the brand and growing the business.

💥 What a 40oz tumbler taught Chris about agility, timing, trends, and trust

🧠 Why “users” and “ROAS” don’t tell the whole story

👏 The power of giving credit and recognition to employees

🎯 Why in a tie, you win on brand

“Everyone wants to just ‘let the data speak.’ But data without a question is just noise.”

Right?

AI seems to be taking over a lot of our “mind share” these days. So I decided to sit down with an expert, Mike Lukianoff, CEO of Signal Flare AI, to get down to the brass tacts.

I could have talked with Mike for hours about this stuff! Here are just a few of my favorite quotables from this episode:

📊 “Letting the data ‘tell you’ is like asking a calculator to write your business plan.”

🧠 “Nobody knows you’re doing your job until you’re not.” (Describing his offensive lineman mindset and leadership behind the scenes.)

💡 “I got the right answer to the wrong question. That’s a type three error in statistics, and it’s happening everywhere with AI.”

From offensive lineman to entrepreneur, Mike shares what it means to do the work no one sees and why asking better questions might just be the most human thing we can do.

What if the right jacket didn’t just fit, but helped you own your seat at the table?

In this week’s episode of The Business of Joy, I sat down IN PERSON 🎥 in New York City with fashion icon and entrepreneur Nina McLemore, founder of the brand worn by senators, CEOs, and powerhouse women across America.

Her mission?


To design clothing for professional women that commands respect, radiates confidence, and helps level the playing field, without sacrificing color, comfort, or quality.

We talked about:


✔️ Growing up in Mississippi with a legacy of strong Southern women


✔️ Taking the leap from department store buyer to founder


✔️ Building a brand for women who belong at the table


✔️ Why color isn’t just aesthetic, it’s power


And before you ask, YES, I’m proudly wearing one of her jackets in this episode 💙 Plus, I have many, many more that I wear ALL THE TIME! Check out her site here: ninamclemore.com

#BusinessOfJoy #NinaMcLemore #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #ApparelIndustry #Leadership #LevelThePlayingField

“You’re not burned out because of your job. You’re burned out because you’re doing someone else’s job.”

That line stood out to me when I sat down with Monica Rothgery, former COO of KFC and one of the most joyful, no-BS leaders I know. Monica was the first woman in the US to hold that position and the first member of the LBGTQ community to get to the C-suite at YUM!

For the fiftieth episode of the Business of Joy, we talked about:

✨ What the Army didn’t prepare her for at Taco Bell

🎧 Why she wears a headset during her keynotes and what it says about who she leads for

🌏 How she led a turnaround in Thailand, despite no global ops background nor language skills

⚠️ What “compressed productivity” is, and how it’s quietly suffocating innovation in your org

🔥 The radical clarity that comes from asking: “What’s mine to do?”

Whether you’re running a business, mentoring new talent, or working the frontlines yourself, Monica’s perspective and insights will change how you think.

#BusinessOfJoy #LeadershipDevelopment #FrontlineLeaders #Restaurants #WomenInLeadership

🧠 “I knew right away I wasn’t going to be happy just executing someone else’s plan.” -Mark Brezinski

That mindset shaped decades of restaurant innovation, from the King Solomon Burger at age 16, to concepting Velvet Taco, Pei Wei, Tin Star, EatZi’s, and more.

This week’s episode of the Business of Joy features Mark Brezinski, restaurant conceptor, consultant, & author of Food Fight!


In our conversation on The Business of Joy, we talk about:


🍴 His surprising first jobs (and first off menu item)


🧭 The equation he teaches young leaders: 1/3 of your time controls the other 2/3

⭐️ Why BBQ is the perfect fast casual North Star


📉 The personal bankruptcy that taught him more than any success ever did


📚 What his book revealed to friends who thought they knew him


🔥 Why “authentically good” matters more than “authentic” or “good” alone

Check out Oak'd BBQ: https://www.instagram.com/oakdbbq/?hl=en

#businessofjoy #RestaurantIndustry #HospitalityLeadership #BrandBuilding #RestaurantInnovation

What’s the mistake too many young leaders make?

🚫 Skipping steps. 🚫 Skipping the struggle.

This week’s episode of The Business of Joy podcast features Andrew K. Smith, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Savory Fund!

From cleaning kennels at 14 to co-founding a $500M fund, his story is a playbook for gritty, joyful leadership.

We talked about:

💸 The truth about today’s fundraising climate—and where opportunity still lives

🔄 What legacy brands can learn from emerging ones

🌟 “Don’t be a know-it-all. Be a learn-it-all.”

🌱 How restaurants (and leaders) can be the light others lean toward

💡 Why he believes positivity breeds success

What struck me most? His ability to dream big and stay grounded.

🎧 One of my favorite conversations yet. Packed with perspective, wisdom, and unforgettable one-liners.

And BTW—we even talk favorite bands and music. So cool.

Here were two of the bands that Andrew mentioned:

Zola Blood: https://www.youtube.com/@ZOLABLOOD/videos

Washed Out: https://www.youtube.com/@realwashedout/videos

❌ Innovation by committee.

❌ Waiting for approval.


❌ Endless alignment meetings.

It’s not working. And Rita McGrath, C-suite strategist, professor at Columbia Business School and Founder of Valize, says it’s time to stop pretending it is!

In our latest Business of Joy episode, she breaks down what happens when teams go permissionless—and why it leads to:

✅ 75% faster execution


✅ Smarter, more motivated teams


✅ Strategy that actually keeps up with reality

We also dug into Gen Z, leadership blind spots, and how small changes (just 2% better!) lead to big reinvention.

If you're clinging to hierarchy, you’re already behind!

Rita's Website: https://www.ritamcgrath.com/

Her Thought Sparks Podcast: https://www.ritamcgrath.com/podcast/

Velize: https://velize.com/

Rita's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/rgmcgrath

Her Current Bedside Book: https://www.amazon.com/Wiring-Winning-Organization-Slowification-Simplification/dp/1950508420

From flipping pancakes to flipping strategy—this episode goes where most interviews don’t. 🎙️

Today on The Business of Joy, I’m joined by Julia Stewart, CEO and Founder of Alurx. You may know the highlights: starting as a 16-year-old server at IHOP, leading one of the largest restaurant acquisitions in history, and launching a bold second act in health tech.

But in this episode, we go deeper. Julia shares untold moments from her journey: what it really takes to reinvent, take risks, and lead with relentless curiosity. Just a few of the many highlight moments:

🍽️ Read the table. What she learned at IHOP when she was 16 years old still applies in boardrooms today—it starts with reading the table, trust, and connection.

🛣️ Don’t stay in your lane. Julia didn’t wait for permission to pivot. She chased the experience she knew she needed.

🔄 Reinvention doesn’t have a retirement age. Her second act isn’t a side project, it’s bold, future-facing, and deeply personal.

🌟 Leadership is about giving people hope. Because you never know when your words will be the ones they remember.

🎁 BONUS:

1️⃣ After the official interview, we kept talking, then decided to hit record again. Don’t miss the 8 extra minutes of never-before-shared stories.

2️⃣ And yes… we’re posting the full video for this one and the full episode! Remember..... 💛 Joy is a choice we make—and a business we build. Keep investing in joy.