Joy Martin’s story and architecture firm show remarkable resilience. Like the European Starling thriving far from its origins, Joy has navigated moves across the country and built a small, multi-state practice through seasons of change and personal loss. The starling’s ability to adapt to new climates and contexts mirrors Joy’s journey, learning new rhythms, forming new roots, and thriving in unfamiliar places.

Starlings are best known for their mesmerizing murmurations, thousands of birds moving together, responding to one another to form living shapes in the sky. That same spirit defines Joy’s approach to design. Her process is collaborative, fluid, and deeply attentive, allowing projects to evolve through shared momentum rather than top-down direction. By empowering her team and cultivating trust, Joy built a firm capable of continuing even when she needed to step away, proving that collaboration creates lift.

Joy describes how her own experience in professional practice shaped the culture and structure of her firm. Her team fills in the gaps, responding to one another and to client needs with clarity and care. By being attentive, supportive, and intentional, Joy empowers team members to step into leadership roles when needed, taking ownership and rising to responsibilities they feel called to carry. For solopreneurs and small-firm leaders, this episode is a reminder that adaptability, collaboration, and trust can create practices that are not only resilient, but capable of moving together with grace.

Joy Architecture + Interior Design

• Website: Joy Architecture + Interior Design
• Instagram: @joyarchitecture
• Facebook: Joy Martin Architecture
• Pinterest: JoyArchitecture

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. 

Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.