In today’s episode, we’re diving into reflection, resilience, and reset showing up after grief, loss, and the unexpected twists life throws at us. This is a deeply personal conversation about what it takes to keep building your business and life even when everything feels heavy.

I’m joined by myself, Joker, your host. I wear many hats: mom, certified life coach, serial entrepreneur, but at the core, I’m just a Nigerian girl navigating the soft life wrapped in the glorious mess of life and business in America.

We unpack the lessons learned from a challenging year, intentional self-care, and the transformative power of writing and reflection.

Here’s what we covered:
✅ How grief, loss, and exhaustion shaped the start of 2025
✅ Why taking a real reset like a solo retreat can change your perspective
✅ The unexpected ways memories and writing can become therapy
✅ Turning personal reflection into creativity, spoken word, and eventually a book
✅ The story behind my new book, Unmute Yourself, and what it represents
✅ How to embrace your story, own your journey, and lead with purpose
✅ Introducing the SOUL method for clarity, courage, and intentional action

Whether you’re navigating life’s challenges, starting something new, or trying to find space for your gifts while building your business, this episode offers insight, encouragement, and practical ways to move forward.

Creative Business Mindset™
Episode 32
January 2, 2025

Creative Business Mindset is a podcast for entrepreneurs, creatives, and dreamers building businesses in the real world where passion meets pressure and not all the puzzle pieces arrive on time.

Hosted by Joké Durojaiye, certified life coach, serial entrepreneur, and self-described “mom in charge,” this podcast pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build and sustain a business. From falling flat and getting back up, to navigating identity, mindset, money, and growth, Joké brings candid stories, lived experience, and hard-earned lessons with receipts.

Business isn’t just strategy and spreadsheets. It’s emotional. It’s personal. And sometimes it’s messy. Creative Business Mindset is where we separate the math from the drama, one business at a time.

If you’re tired of fluffy advice, craving honest conversations, and ready to build with clarity, resilience, and intention you’re in the right place.

In this episode, Joké closes out an incredible year with gratitude, reflection, and a clear vision for what’s ahead. She shares what she learned from creating 33 consistent episodes, the highs and lows behind the scenes, and why 2026 is her year of implementation, expansion, and soft strength.

She also announces the official launch of Business Therapy™, her one-on-one clarity and coaching sessions for creative entrepreneurs who need help separating the math from the drama, starting afraid, owning their story, using what they have, and leading with purpose.

Key Highlights

 ✓ Lessons from a full year of consistency
 ✓ What 2026 represents and why she feels unstoppable
 ✓ Why destiny leaves clues about your calling
 ✓ Creativity in every profession, not just design
 ✓ Personal challenges and the resilience that shaped this season
 ✓ Why she’s taking the rest of the year off to reset and return refreshed
 ✓ Introducing Business Therapy™ and the heart behind it
 ✓ A reminder that you already have the seeds of what you’re meant to build

Learn More
Discover Business Therapy™ sessions at www.jokeDurojaiye.me

Final Note
Thank you for a beautiful year. The podcast returns next year, bigger, bolder, softer and stronger.

Episode Summary

In this power-packed episode, Joké sits down with Lasada Pippen, a former computer engineer turned full-time keynote speaker and communication coach. From growing up in an underserved community to becoming the first in his family to graduate from college and work in corporate America, Lasada’s story is a blueprint for resilience and reinvention.

We explore what it really means to "unmute yourself," how confidence and communication go hand in hand, and why your unique voice is your greatest leadership tool. Whether you are in a boardroom, a classroom, or trying to find the courage to show up online, this episode is for you.

Lasada shares his C4 Communication Framework and offers tangible advice for anyone ready to speak up, show up, and own their space.

What You Will Learn

✔️ How to identify your unique value and voice
 ✔️ Why fear and faith can co-exist—and how to move forward anyway
 ✔️ The truth about walking away from a “safe” career to pursue purpose
 ✔️ What it takes to break generational patterns and be the first
 ✔️ How to turn your story into your strength
 ✔️ The C4 Communication Formula that will change how you speak
 ✔️ How to go from quiet to confident without pretending to be someone else

The C4 Communication Framework

1. Clear – Define the message you want to communicate
2. Concise – Get to the point without losing the power
3. Compelling – Share with depth and a point of view
4. Confident – Deliver like you believe it

This episode is not just for aspiring speakers. It is for anyone who knows there is more inside them, but needs the clarity, courage, and coaching to bring it to the surface.

Favorite Quotes from Lasada

"If you can solve a problem or bring a unique angle, you have value"
 "You can have fear, but you cannot have doubt"
 "It is hard to quit on something you are obsessed with"
 "Most people talk. Some people speak. Few people communicate"

Connect with Lasada Pippen

Website: www.lasadapippen.com
Instagram: @lasadapippen

Episode Summary

What happens when a former tech executive at Meta, eBay, Target, and McDonald’s sets her sights on solving one of the most overlooked problems in fashion? You get TAELOR, the AI-powered menswear rental startup that is redefining style, laundry, and confidence for busy professionals.

In this inspiring episode, Anya Cheng, CEO and Founder of TAELOR, shares her powerful story. From arriving in the U.S. with no English to launching Facebook and Instagram shopping, and now building a company that solves a real problem for men who want to look sharp without the stress of shopping or laundry.

We talk about resilience, reinvention, and the real reason most startups fail. This episode is full of insight, energy, and practical business wisdom.

What You Will Learn

✔️ Why TAELOR is more than a fashion subscription. It is confidence on autopilot
 ✔️ The surprising way Anya landed her first job with zero connections
 ✔️ Why menswear rental is not just Rent the Runway for men
 ✔️ How AI helps clients feel ready to win in court, on dates, or in the boardroom
 ✔️ The biggest mindset challenge every first-time founder faces
 ✔️ How to build a business by solving a real problem
 ✔️ Why knowing your customer is more powerful than knowing your competition

Favorite Quotes from Anya

"People aren’t buying clothes. They are buying a chance to succeed."
 "Use your superpower. When you are operating in your strength, fear cannot lead."
 "Most failed fashion startups didn’t fail because of the idea. They failed because they were not scalable. That is where AI comes in."

About TAELOR

TAELOR is an AI-powered menswear rental subscription that makes style effortless. For a monthly fee, busy men receive a curated wardrobe without shopping, laundry, or decision fatigue. Think of it as Netflix for clothes. No commitment, just confidence.

Use code PODCAST25 to receive 25 percent off your first month
Use code PODCASTGIFT for 10 percent off any gift card

Visit www.taelor.style
Connect with Anya Cheng

[email protected]
 www.taelor.style

https://www.jokedurojaiye.me/the-podcast

In this episode, I am sharing a powerful shift that transformed how I work and why I work. I call it the Workation—a blend of focused creation and intentional rest that has become a non-negotiable part of my business rhythm.

Born out of the chaos of the pandemic and refined through practice, the Workation started as an escape from distraction and became a strategy for clarity, creativity, and meaningful productivity. I’m pulling back the curtain on how stepping away has helped me build better offers, design new ideas, and come back more aligned every single time.

If you are feeling tired, stuck, or disconnected from your work, this episode is your invitation to pause on purpose and hear what your next level might be saying in the silence.

What You’ll Learn

• How rest became a core business strategy
•  Why working more doesn’t always mean doing meaningful work
•  How to create space for your next big idea without losing momentum
•  What it means to retreat without guilt and still show up powerfully
•  How I’ve built new offers and ideas by walking away from the noise
•  Why burnout doesn’t birth breakthroughs

This Episode is For

• Creative entrepreneurs and visionaries are feeling stretched thin
•  Business owners who can’t remember the last time they paused
•  Anyone who feels guilty resting but craves clarity and inspiration
•  Leaders building in silence and ready for their next shift
• Mentioned in This Episode
• Wander.com and the concept of the digital Workation (not sponsored)
•  Personal behind-the-scenes of my annual pre-birthday retreat
•  The mindset shift that changed how I rest and why I create
•  My upcoming experience to help you build rest into your business model

Take Action

• Share this episode with a friend who is long overdue for a pause
•  Think about what a rest-first version of your business could look like
•  Be honest—when was the last time you were alone with your own thoughts
•  Stay tuned for something I’m creating to help you design your version of the Workation Life

Episode Summary

When you buy a business, are you really getting a company—or are you just buying yourself a job? In this conversation with Grant Findlay-Shirras, we explore the often-overlooked difference and why sometimes buying a job can actually be the right move if it aligns with your goals and lifestyle.

Grant’s story is one of resilience and reinvention:

• Launching Canada’s largest mobile fitness franchise.
• Scaling a $37M real estate marketing technology company from scratch, without investors.
• Hitting rock bottom multiple times and discovering the power of systems.
• Acquiring Dekora, a 20+ year-old home staging company, and applying his playbook to the creative industry.

This episode pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to acquire, grow, and enjoy running a business—or a job you choose on purpose.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The difference between buying a business and buying a job.
• Why buying a job can be the right option for some people.
• How to evaluate whether an acquisition is sustainable—or just another paycheck.
• Why systems are the secret to growth, profit, and freedom.
• What stagers and designers can learn from entrepreneurs outside the industry.

Connect with Grant

• Instagram: @grantfindlayshirras
  Check out Dekora in Calgary: Dekora Home Staging & Design

The 5 Stages of the Creative Business Journey

Every creative entrepreneur hits that moment where the fun fades and business feels heavier than it looks on Instagram. But here’s the truth: you’re not failing—you’re evolving.

In this episode, Joké breaks down the five stages of the creative business journey:

1. The Spark – when excitement and possibility are at their peak.
2. The High and the Heat – your first wins and your first reality checks.
3. The Hustle Trap – booked, busy, and burned out.
4. The Shift – when you stop being the bottleneck and start building systems.
5. The Sweet Spot – clarity, support, and the freedom to lead with peace.

Whether you’re just starting with an idea or you’re tired of carrying your business alone, this conversation will help you recognize your stage, prepare for what’s next, and move with intention.

Learn more at businessofhomestaging.com

Are you overlooking your wins?
 In this episode of the Creative Business Mindset Podcast, Joké breaks down a powerful lesson inspired by a coaching client. Too often, creative entrepreneurs normalize their breakthroughs so quickly that they forget to celebrate them. Instead of honoring progress, we skip straight to the next problem—and in doing so, rob ourselves of joy, clarity, and confidence.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
 ✔ Why your brain downplays progress and jumps to “what’s wrong”
 ✔ The hidden danger of always chasing the next milestone
 ✔ How gratitude and celebration fuel momentum in your business
 ✔ A simple practice you can use daily (and in team meetings) to acknowledge wins
 ✔ Why acknowledging growth—even the small stuff—changes how you move forward

If you’ve signed a client, launched a service, hit a milestone, or simply showed up again today, this episode is your reminder to pause, pinch yourself, and recognize: you’re doing better than you think, and you’re just getting started.

Whether you’re growing a home staging business, leading a creative venture, or balancing the grind of entrepreneurship, this mindset shift will help you celebrate progress and sustain success without burnout.

Creatives Under Pressure— A Spoken Word Tribute 

Episode Summary

In this powerful spoken word episode, Joké Durojaiye delivers a relatable, funny, and emotional tribute to every home stager who ever undercharged, overworked, and still made it look effortless.

This is not just poetry. It is real talk with rhythm.

You’ll find yourself nodding along, laughing out loud, and maybe even tearing up as Joké shares the real behind the reel. From loading your own truck to fielding drive-by staging requests, this piece will hit home in more ways than one.

If you’ve ever
 • staged with secondhand pieces
 • dealt with impossible budgets
 • been asked to "just throw in" furniture like it's sprinkles on a sundae
 This one is for you.

What You’ll Hear

• Why that spray-painted table still mattered
 • The mental math of quoting jobs while trying to stay sane
 • The infamous "Can you stage tomorrow" call
 • A moment to honor your journey and the business you built
 • A straight-up reminder to raise your prices and stand in your worth

This Episode Is For

• New and aspiring stagers trying to make sense of the chaos
 • Seasoned stagers who need a reminder of how far they’ve come
 • Creatives building something meaningful with limited resources
 • Anyone who wants to feel seen, heard, and respected in their work

More From Joké

Website: businessofhomestaging.com
Instagram: @businessofhomestaging
Workshops and offers: businessofhomestaging.com/workshop

Want to Work With Joké

If you’re ready to build a staging business that is both beautiful and bankable, explore coaching, courses, and resources created for stagers who are done playing small.
 Visit businessofhomestaging.com/resources