JOY² – Live With Joy Podcast

On this episode of the JOY² – Live With Joy Podcast, Greg De Koker sits down with global executive, leadership advisor, and founder of Ascencia Group, Wray Carvelas, for a powerful and grounded conversation on what it truly means to lead with joy, purpose, and genuine care for people.

With a career spanning engineering, mining, and global leadership – including CEO roles leading thousands – Wray brings a rare perspective: high performance at scale, built through people, not pressure.

But what sets his leadership apart isn’t just what he’s achieved – it’s how he’s achieved it.

In this episode, we explore:

•  Why joy isn’t a reward for results – but a strategic starting point•  How leaders set the emotional tone for their teams (whether they realize it or not)

•  The shift from “work-life balance” to true integration of life, purpose, and leadership

•  The role of ikigai in aligning passion, strengths, and impact

•  The hidden cost of taking on too much – and how self-awareness changes everything

•  How to lead in environments that resist change – and still stay true to your values

Wray also shares honest reflections from his journey – what he’s learned, what he’s unlearned, and what it really takes to create cultures where people feel valued, empowered and inspired to do their best work.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between performance and humanity…

If you’ve questioned whether joy truly belongs in leadership…

This conversation will challenge your assumptions – and invite you to lead in a way that changes everything.

Because when leaders choose joy first, everything else follows.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Welcome to Joy Squared / Why Work-Life Balance is a Myth

00:01:37 Meet Wray Carvelas / From Global CEO to People-Centered Leader

00:03:30 Believing in Big Possibilities

00:07:12 Shifting Mindsets Around Joy at Work

00:12:25 Why Leaders Must Care Before They Lead

00:14:05 Joy vs Work-Life Balance / Why Life Must Be Blended

00:21:32 Be the Reason for Joy / Leadership Starts With You

00:26:55 Knowing Your People Deeply

00:28:00 Misconceptions About Productivity

00:34:14 Choosing What Matters Most

00:35:45 Self-Awareness and Courage / Overcoming Joy Blockers

00:40:37 Finding Purpose and Actively Caring

00:41:32 How to Connect with Wray 

00:42:54 Leading with Joy, Purpose, and Impact

00:44:50 Closing Message / Joy is Contagious – Spread It

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to stay connected and subscribe to the "JOY² – Live With Joy" Podcast so you never miss a conversation designed to help you live, work and lead with more joy – intentionally.

Connect with Greg De Koker

Website: www.joy2.ca

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gregdekoker/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/greg_de_koker/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/greg.koker.5/

Connect with Wray Carvelas

Website: www.ascenciagroup.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wray-carvelas-80520032/

Listen and Subscribe to JOY²: 

Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joy-live-with-joy-podcast/id1886910363

Spotify: creators.spotify.com/pod/show/joy-squared-podcast

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@JOY2LiveWithJoyPodcast

Stay Connected to JOY²:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/joysquaredofficial/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joysquaredofficial/

Take Action

Inspired by this conversation? Start where Wray starts: with people.

Today, choose one person you lead, work with, or care about – and intentionally show them that they matter. Not through a task or transaction, but through genuine connection.

Ask a better question. Listen a little longer. Be fully present.

Because leadership doesn’t begin with strategy. It begins with how you show up for people.

Action Tip

Before your next meeting or conversation, pause for 10 seconds and ask yourself:

“How do I want this person to feel after interacting with me?”

Then lead from that intention.  Joy, care and connection aren’t accidental – they’re chosen. And they’re contagious.

Be the reason someone experiences more joy today.

In the first episode of the JOY² – Live With Joy Podcast, host Greg De Koker sits down with keynote speaker, executive leadership coach, and podcast host Jamie Mason Cohen for a powerful conversation about encouragement, courage, and the choice to lead life with joy.

This episode is especially meaningful for Greg, because Jamie was one of the first people who encouraged him to share his voice publicly and step into the work he’s now bringing to life through this podcast.

Before becoming an internationally recognized speaker and leadership coach, Jamie’s path was shaped by a deep curiosity about communication, creativity, and human connection. Over the years, he has worked with leaders and organizations around the world, helping them communicate more authentically and lead with greater clarity and impact.

In this conversation, Jamie reflects on the experiences that shaped his career—from early days in teaching and storytelling to building a global speaking practice and interviewing some of the world’s most influential thinkers.

Together, Greg and Jamie explore what it takes to start something meaningful even when doubt, fear, and overthinking try to hold us back. They talk about how a single word of encouragement can change the trajectory of someone’s life, why perfectionism often delays the things that matter most, and how joy isn’t something we experience after success—it’s something we choose and cultivate along the way.

This conversation sets the tone for the JOY² podcast: honest, thoughtful discussions about leadership, personal growth, and the small but powerful practices that help us live, work, and lead with more intention and joy.

If you’ve ever hesitated to begin something important—or wondered how to bring more joy into your work and life—this episode is a meaningful place to start.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Welcome to JOY² / The Power of Joy in Life, Work & Leadership

00:00:59 Meet Jamie Mason Cohen / The Man Behind the Podcast Inspiration

00:03:44 The Moment That Sparked This Podcast / Seeing Potential Before You Do

00:07:25 The Loneliness Epidemic & Why Connection Matters More Than Ever

00:08:32 Overcoming Inner Critic & Fear of Starting a Podcast

00:10:41 Saying Yes Before You’re Ready / Breaking Perfectionism

00:15:24 Stop Overthinking / Focus on the 3 Things That Actually Matter

00:23:45 Building Momentum / From Overwhelm to Simple Action Steps

00:25:35 How to Cultivate Joy Intentionally (Not Accidentally)

00:27:33 Daily Joy Habits / Kundalini Yoga & Energy Shifting

00:33:00 Movement, Music & Positive Distractions for Mental Health

00:36:19 Vulnerability in Men / Building Authentic Friendships

00:39:18 Why Hobbies Matter / Creative Outlets for Mental Balance

00:42:00 When You Stop Forcing, Life Works / Unexpected Opportunities

00:45:39 Rejection is Redirection / Trusting Life’s Timing

00:47:00 Letting Go Framework / Accept, Learn, Forgive

00:50:00 Choosing Peace Over Conflict / Emotional Maturity in Action

00:52:03 What Joy Really Feels Like / Presence, Lightness & Connection

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the "JOY² – Live With Joy" Podcast so you never miss a conversation designed to help you live, work and lead with more joy – intentionally.

Connect with Greg De Koker

Website: www.joy2.ca

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gregdekoker/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/greg_de_koker/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/greg.koker.5/

Connect with Jamie Mason Cohen

Website: https://jamiemasoncohen.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiemasoncohen

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

Follow JOY² Official Social Media

Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joy-live-with-joy-podcast/id1886910363

Spotify: creators.spotify.com/pod/show/joy-squared-podcast

Instagram: www.instagram.com/joysquaredofficial/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joysquaredofficial/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@JOY2LiveWithJoyPodcast

JOY² – Live With Joy is a leadership and personal growth podcast exploring the hidden power of joy in work, leadership and life.

Hosted by brand and culture strategist Greg De Koker, each episode features meaningful conversations with founders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, creators and thought leaders who are reimagining how we lead teams, build thriving cultures and live more meaningful lives.

Together we explore purpose, passion, fun and the powerful role joy plays in leadership, workplace culture, performance and human connection.

JOY² is a gathering place for people who believe joy belongs at the center of how we live, work and lead.

If you're a leader, entrepreneur, creator – or simply someone who wants more meaning, energy and joy in your life – this podcast is for you.

Welcome to the conversation.

Let’s Live With Joy.