Twenty minutes. That's all it took for me to go from casual observer to completely bought-in advocate of a brand I'd barely heard of before. No pressure tactics, no manufactured urgency, just pure value, delivered with integrity.

Last week I experienced the psychology of a Joy First brand in real time.

Today I'm pulling back the curtain on the exact psychology behind building a Joy First Brand for the Joyconomy, including why Harvard Business Review says emotionally connected customers are 52% more valuable than just satisfied ones.

The profitability in Joy First brands isn't just about making people happy. it is about creating deep connections that transform casual customers into lifelong evangelists who can't help but tell everyone about you.

I'll show you the exact moment I knew this company understood something most businesses completely miss, and how you can reverse-engineer that same psychological magic in your own brand.

We're diving deep into the neuroscience of joy, the difference between satisfaction and obsession, and why some brands create customers for life while others struggle with constant churn.

I'll reveal which big brands have mastered these Joy First principles (and have seen massive revenue increases as a result), plus the cautionary tales of billion-dollar brands that abandoned these principles and watched their stock prices crater within weeks.

You'll discover why purpose-driven joy hits differently than gimmicky happiness, how mirror neurons make joy literally contagious, and the ancient Greek concept that explains why some customer experiences create lasting transformation while others are instantly forgotten.

Plus, I'm sharing specific examples of how small businesses can implement these principles immediately from the language you use to describe your services to the unexpected ways you can exceed expectations without breaking the budget.

• The exact neurological process that happens when customers experience Joy First brands (and why it creates addiction-level loyalty)
• Where and why dopamine is released in the joy process (and what this means for your brand)
• The critical difference between satisfaction and joy (and why most businesses are stuck in satisfaction mode)
• How several major corporations just proved Joy First principles drive real revenue (with specific numbers)
• Real examples of small businesses creating unforgettable customer experiences with simple psychological touches
• The customer journey audit that reveals exactly where you're missing joy opportunities

• Joy First branding services: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding
• Joy First Founders' Circle: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/jffc
• Joy First Brand Assessment: https://quiz.joyfirstworld.com/brand
• Color Joy program
• Ben & Jerry's linked prosperity model

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While banks failed and bread lines formed in 1929, the beauty industry became the fourth largest industry in North America.

In 2008, as the economy collapsed, Lego achieved record profits.

During the 2020 pandemic, the pet industry exploded with 16% growth.

What did these industries have in common? They weren't selling products: they were selling different versions of joy.

Today I'd like to introduce you to something trend analysts are calling the Joyconomy, and it's already starting to reshape how every successful business will operate in the Ai-fuelled future. This isn't another marketing trend you can ignore. This is the fundamental rewiring of how humans make buying decisions in our anxiety-driven world.

For 20 years, I've been building Joy First brands: businesses that compete on delight rather than desperation, connection rather than unworthiness. While everyone else was optimizing for pain points and fear-based tactics, I was obsessed with feel-good brands that made people's lives better through their products, services, social impact and even their marketing.

That "soft" approach? It just became the hardest competitive advantage in business.

Forbes just declared the Joyconomy a major trend for 2025 and research shows Joy First brands are outperforming traditional competitors across every metric that matters. But here's what most people don't understand... this isn't just about happy marketing or feel-good campaigns.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the five dimensions that separate Joyconomy winners from fear-first businesses that are about to get left behind. I'll show you why luxury brands use 40% more positive emotional language than mass market competitors, how one Italian car company made a radical decision that defied decades of industry wisdom, and why the whole basis of Web3 culture points to a massive shift away from individualism.

This is your roadmap to the future of business. The question isn't whether the Joyconomy is coming... it's whether you'll be ready for it.

• The five dimensions every Joy First brand must master to survive and thrive
• Why fear-based marketing is becoming losing its superior effectiveness (and what works instead)
• The surprising psychology behind why luxury brands don't use problem-solution frameworks
• How to use colour as a competitive advantage when everything has gone grey
• Why community and collectivism are about to disrupt the influencer economy
• The real reason health is becoming the new hustle (and what this means for your business)

• Book a Call with Nic: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding

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This is a special, intimate, informal storytelling episode. After a full season of sharing other peoples' stories of finding Joy First ways of working, I thought I would share mine - especially since as of tomorrow I am now officially celebrating 20 years in business!!

Want to watch the Video version? Visit my Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FbNQEVjn5/

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I can't wait for you to meet today's guest. Jennifer Waters and I first connected nine years ago when she joined one of my very first online programs. She had a pet photography side-hustle, and she was desperate to escape a toxic marriage and build financial independence as a single mom

I knew I really liked Jennifer straight away. But what I couldn't have known, was the profound journey she was about to embark upon, that I would witness first-hand. Over the course of a decade, through high highs, and the lowest of lows, Jennifer transformed not just her business, but her entire life.

Jennifer's story isn't your typical entrepreneurial success tale. It's much deeper and more beautiful. Jennifer is here today to share what happens when life strips away everything you think you know and love, and forces you to discover (and build) something entirely new.

Spoiler Alert: She's not a pet photographer anymore, but she's just picked up the keys to her third location expansion in only 18 months for her current business, which is one she never intended to start.

How did she get here? One thing that makes this conversation really special, is our exploration of grief.... something none of us ever really want to talk about. Jennifer lost six dogs in three years. Six heart dogs. Her business, her brand, the book she was writing... her entire identity disappeared along with them.

What emerged from that grief will change how you think about business, creativity, and what's possible when you stop trying to force things to work and fully commit to what brings you joy.

Jennifer, who now runs her unexpected business from her dream house on Lake Superior (the same lake house she once believed was impossible for a single woman to afford), ships her products worldwide, has a 75% customer loyalty rate and still hasn't even written a business plan.

I love this story of joy first working, because it's so rare to talk to someone who has built something from a place of pure love and trust... which in our day and age of reason and cynicism, is the most radical strategy of all. But Joy First works. And Jennifer is living, smiling proof.

• How Jennifer navigated six devastating losses in three years without losing herself
• The moment she realized pre-grief was stealing her present joy
• Why her most successful business has no business plan (and never will)
• How she went from $24 in her bank account to a thriving company in just a few months
• The ancient principle that explains why clearing grief creates space for joy
• Why building from love instead of market research can work better

• Dogkind Candle Company website: dogkindcandles.com
• Jennifer's social media: @dogkindco (Instagram and Facebook)
• My book "Million Dollar Dog Brand" (referenced in our conversation)

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In this beautifully revealing, intimate conversation, Carrie Green opens up about the darkest period of her business journey. In this episode Carrie shares with us the most generous and honest reflection on entrepreneurial burnout that I've ever heard.

Having founded the Female Entrepreneur Association (FEA) in 2011 (which she grew into 7-figure business with a network of almost 1 million women) Carrie is an international bestselling author (She Means Business, Hay House) and an online business trailblazer. But today we're stepping back from the shiny stuff in her list of incredible achievements to talk burnout, motherhood, and the darker sides of business success.

"I'd be getting home from work every night saying to my husband, I don't think I can do this anymore," she reveals. "I felt so trapped by it all."

While Carrie's body was screaming at her to slow down... she pushed on through... until she physically, mentally and emotionally could not go on. But that's not the end of our story: we discover that Carrie's just closed out her best launch of all time, after slowly having found her way back to her health, wellbeing and magic.

In this episode we explore the complex reality of managing a team for a multi-million pound online business, the weight of avoiding difficult conversations, and how hiring full-time "experts" to solve your problems can backfire spectacularly. Carrie's brutal honesty about the real challenges she's faced as a leader and the emotional toll of getting some of it wrong, is so wildly refreshing.

If you've ever felt trapped by your success, questioned whether you're cut out for leadership, or wondered how to rebuild when everything feels broken, this conversation is for you!

• The physical warning signs Carrie ignored before her body forced her to pay attention
• Why hiring "experts" to solve your problems often creates more chaos than clarity
• How avoiding difficult conversations with team members nearly destroyed her business
• The specific work and practices that helped her rebuild
• How energy and frequency directly impact business results
• Why Carrie believes success should equal joy and what happens when it doesn't

• Carrie's Instagram: @IAmCarrieGreen
• Female Entrepreneur Association
• Patrick Lencioni's leadership books (especially "The Motive")
• Her podcast (recently hit #59 in Apple's business charts!)

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Today I'm sitting down with Ruth, the brilliantly creative mind who, when asked what her current job title is, replies with a laugh, "Today we're going with digital product strategist."

This sense of fun sets the tone for our entire conversation about what happens when you follow joy instead of rigid business rules.

Ruth's journey from corporate banking job to creative entrepreneur wasn't planned, it unfolded naturally as she simply shared what she loved making. Whether it was photographs, websites, online courses, or physical products like t-shirts and journals, Ruth's magnetic energy comes from a place most business coaches never talk about: genuine excitement.

"I'm not purposefully sharing to get a client," she reveals. "It's just this homepage has brought me joy. I can't keep it in. So I'm just going to share it." This approach has led to clients consistently finding her rather than the other way around something many of us dream about but struggle to achieve.

We also dive into the fascinating parallel between building a business and Ruth's two-year journey to achieving a challenging physical goal, where we learn about her philosophy on persistence. When most people try something once and declare "it doesn't work," where as Ruth has shown up Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for years.

I love Ruth's comfort in her own lane whether in business or at the gym. While many of us are constantly looking sideways, she's focused firmly on her own path, completely unbothered by how fast or slow others might be progressing.

This conversation isn't just about business or strategy, it's about finding joy in the process, sharing from a place of genuine excitement, and showing up consistently without comparing your journey to others.

If you've been feeling the pressure to niche down or follow conventional business wisdom, but something about it doesn't feel right, this episode might just give you the permission you've been waiting for.

• Why Ruth gets clients without actively seeking them and the mindset that makes this possible
• The truth about passion projects and why they don't always need to make money
• Ruth's approach to personal goals that mirror how she runs her business
• Why Ruth writes all her content herself (without ai)
• How she balances "joy projects" and "income projects" to keep her joy and business sustainable

• Ruth's website: RuthXO.com
• Liz Gilbert's book "Big Magic"
• Our Joy First Founders Circle community
• The Colour Joy

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Today I'm sharing what might be the most important conversation of this entire Joy First season. I had the incredible honor of sitting down with Rha Goddess – organizational soul coach, author, and one of the wisest voices I've encountered on the subject of intentional, purpose-driven work.

This conversation couldn't be more timely. As we navigate economic uncertainty, political chaos, and the ongoing aftermath of a pandemic that changed everything about how we view work, Rha's insights offer both a challenge and a permission slip.

The Great Resignation

What happens when 50 million people quit their jobs, and then another 50 million the following year? What are we all sensing and seeking in this massive reshuffling of priorities? And most importantly – how do we move forward when we know we're not going back?

Rha's new book "Intentional Ambition" explores exactly this territory, diving deep into what it means to renegotiate our relationship with work after the Great Resignation. But this isn't just about finding better work-life balance – it's about a fundamental shift in how we define success, ambition, and the role work plays in our lives.

One of my favorite quotes from Rha in this episode responded with: "If it ain't joyful, I ain't doing it." This speaks to my soulllll. Not just a cute boundary – this statement is a radical act of resistance in a world that has conditioned us to de-prioritize our joy and happiness.

We explore the fierce nature of love (which is not what you might think), why comfort and joy are not synonymous, and how to distinguish between what she calls "wounded ambition" versus "true ambition."

Whether you're considering a career pivot, feeling burned out in your current role, or simply questioning the traditional definitions of success that never quite fit, this conversation offers both profound wisdom and practical guidance for creating a new relationship with work... a relationship where joy leads.

• The three stages we go through when redefining our relationship with work
• Why choosing joy is both a form of resistance and surrender
• How to use your energy (not just your time) as your compass for decision-making
• A simple daily practice to identify what's draining you vs. what's energizing you
• The difference between "wounded ambition" and "true ambition"
• Which discomfort might actually be growth in disguise

• Rha Goddess's new book: "Intentional Ambition"
• Move The Crowd website
• Rha Goddess website
• @RhaGoddess on all platforms: LinkedIn Instagram

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Today I'm chatting with one of my business besties, Nicole, who embodies everything this season of Joy First is about. After spending 13 years as a zookeeper making just over $30K/year at the peak of her career, Nicole started a family which led into a pivot into entrepreneurship. Since those first nervous steps into life as a photographer, she's built a profitable, truly scalable business that now allows her the income and freedom to travel internationally dozens of times a year, live the horse life: competing at shows alongside her teenage daughter, and even run a non-profit that in its first year managed to raise over a quarter million dollars for wildlife conservation.

One thing I love and admire about Nicole is how she's consistently leaned into what brings her joy—never what conventional wisdom said would make the most money. From becoming a pet photographer when "pet photography wasn't even a thing" to launching international photography retreats in castles and villas across Europe, she's built success by following her curiosity and pursuing passion.

In this episode dive deep into her transition from struggling photography business to online education empire, and how she's structured her life to accommodate her "neuro-spicy" tendencies that make doing repetitive tasks nearly impossible. Her super power is systems and let me tell you, she's a genius at it (I think spreadsheets might be her actual love language 😂)

You'll hear about a few of her most powerful "light bulb moments" and she shares candidly about how she balances it all: motherhood, entrepreneurship, the horses, the travel and her latest obsession: sourdough.

I love Nicole's version o joy first living and working— and I know it will inspire you to find your own route to build more wealth and impact your way: with more joy and freedom at the front.

• How Nicole's passion for animals led her from zookeeper to building a 6-figure pet photography business
• The moment she realized she could make $20K from one simple digital product and how it changed everything
• What particular type of revenue stream can create more stability and freedom for your business
• How her mastermind experience sparked a nonprofit that's now raised over $250K for wildlife conservation
• The systems she uses to run multiple businesses while traveling internationally

• Hair of the Dog Academy - Nicole's pet photography education business - https://hairofthedogacademy.com/
• Hair of the Dog Conservation Fund - Nicole's nonprofit supporting wildlife conservation - https://www.hodconservationfund.org/
• Nicole's Instagram: @nicolebigleyofficial - https://www.instagram.com/nicolebegleyofficial
• Learn more about Commercial Pet Photography (our joint venture) - https://learn.hairofthedogacademy.com/commercial-registration
• Joy First Founders Circle - Join our private podcast to get bonus travel hacking content from Nicole (and lots more!) - https://go.joyfirstworld.com/JFFC

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I'm 100% committed to amplifying women's voices, but today I'm giving a shout-out to a few men who have shaped my approach to creating the freedom-filled, joy-centered business I run today. From the pioneer of psychology-driven marketing to the spiritual CEO who helped me finally escape my inbox, these "bros" are surprisingly solid. Each guy featured in this episode introduced me to frameworks and mindset shifts that transformed how I work—and how I create time for, sustain and expand my joy first ways of working.

In addition to naming names, I'm sharing the top strategies I've borrowed from their playbooks and adapted to create my joy-filled, profitable business model. You'll hear the highs & lows: the brick-and-mortar business that had me stuck, the time-for-money cycle that I feared I'd never escape, and how I created an online business that allowed me to live in Mallorca, Lake Como, and France - and travel all over the world exploring, while still serving my clients brilliantly.

I also reveal the unexpected encounter that led me to the 'bonus dude' (#6)—the billionaire who taught me the most profound lesson about joy and gifted me with a surprising lightbulb moment about the connection between play and productivity.

Whether you're curious about how to build a business model that supports the lifestyle you want, or you're looking for key strategic frameworks and tactics that work (without the typical toxic hustle culture), this episode bridges the gap between smart business tactics and joyful living.

Join me as I reveal which "marketing bro" advice I've kept, which I've modified, and how it all fits into creating a business that prioritizes joy without sacrificing results.

• The psychology framework that transformed my marketing (and how to use it ethically)
• The #1 secret ingredient that makes recurring revenue businesses actually retain members
• The big shift I made back in 2016 that is probably the most joyful business decision I've ever made
• The simple funnel filler that's bringing us 800-2,000 leads monthly
• The brand-related must-have that one bro (with 8 exits to his name) says is the #1, #2, and #3 most important factor in business success
• The unexpected secret to access bigger, clearer CEO thinking

• My Colour Brand Personality Quiz
• Book: "Launch"
• "The Membership Experience"
• Mind Your Business Podcast
• Book: "Ask Method"
• Book: "Viral Hero"
• Apply for our rebrand experiences: Brand in a Week, Super Bloom + Creator Club
• Founders' Circle - Our substack-style community
• Score App (formerly bucket.io)

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What if your body knows something your mind hasn't yet recognized?

In this episode of Joy First, we are diving deep with Human Design business strategist Jazze Jervis into a revolutionary approach to work and life that challenges everything you've been taught about productivity and success. What we discovered might explain why certain business strategies leave you drained while others feel energizing.

Together we explore the one-size-fits-all business advice—the kind that has you doubting your abilities when the real issue might be something entirely different. Because here's what most business coaches won't tell you: what works brilliantly for one person might be actively harmful for another.

In this episode Jazze introduces a framework for understanding your unique energy blueprint that goes beyond personality types or work preferences. This isn't about minor adjustments to your schedule—it's about fundamentally reimagining how you approach everything from decision-making to marketing.

There's a moment in our conversation where Jazze reveals why some people thrive with spontaneity while others need structure—and it has nothing to do with discipline or mindset. This insight alone might explain years of struggle you've experienced trying to follow systems that were never designed for your energy type.

What could become possible when you stop fighting against your natural rhythms? What opens up when you build a business aligned not only joy first decision-making, but also with how you're designed to create?

This conversation is for the entrepreneur who's done everything "right" but still feels misaligned. It's for anyone who's ever wondered why conventional wisdom about success feels like a path to burnout rather than fulfilment.

In a world that profits from your self-doubt, understanding your design becomes an act of defiance. It's permission to trust the wisdom your body has been trying to share all along.

This isn't just business theory. It's the ULTIMATE joy first way to work.

This is about creating work that doesn't just make freedom, it feels like freedom.

[ Join Founders' Circle to get instant access to the Bonus Content from this episode ]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazzejervis_/

Find your Human Design Energy Type: https://www.jazzejervis.com.au/generate-your-chart

Request her Design Guide: DM her 'Design Guide' on Instagram

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