The JOY CEO

In this heartfelt, wisdom-rich episode of the Joy CEO podcast, Lori Pine visits her longtime mentor Anne Quinn—the woman who supported her through one of the hardest chapters of her life: moving to New York, navigating divorce, and raising two young boys.

Anne shares her grounded, practical approach to clutter clearing through feng shui, revealing how our homes are not just spaces we live in—they are energetic reflections of who we are becoming. Together, they explore how clutter creates subconscious stress, why “mood follows action,” and how small, consistent steps (like clearing one drawer) can spark profound life shifts.

This conversation is about more than organizing. It’s about identity, energy, and finally letting go of what no longer fits—so you can step into who you are now.

If you’ve been craving lightness, clarity, or momentum, this episode will show you the fastest way to shift your life… starting at home.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Anne emphasizes that transformation doesn’t begin with a full-house overhaul. It starts with one drawer. One shelf. One small decision.

When you take action—even a tiny one—your mood shifts. Momentum builds.

Audience follow-up → What’s one small area you can clear today to create immediate movement?

Before adding crystals, mirrors, or symbolic enhancements, Anne insists: clear the clutter first.

Feng shui works best in a space that has room to breathe. Clearing what no longer serves you creates the energetic foundation for real alignment.

Audience follow-up → Are you trying to “add more” when the real work is subtraction?

Many possessions are rooted in fear, guilt, or obligation—not love. Anne invites you to ask:

Do I truly love this?

Or am I keeping it because I “should”?

Letting go creates emotional and energetic freedom.

Audience follow-up → What are you holding onto out of obligation rather than joy?

Homes tell stories. Outdated photos, broken items, unused gifts—they all carry a vibration.

Anne encourages keeping your space current and aligned with who you are now—not who you were 10 years ago.

Audience follow-up → Does your home reflect your present self—or your past?

Clearing is powerful—but not if you refill the space.

Anne suggests “shopping your closet” and using what you already own. Mindful consumption prevents the re-clutter cycle.

Audience follow-up → Where are you buying duplicates instead of appreciating what you have?

One of Anne’s signature teachings: More disappoints.

Accumulation rarely creates satisfaction. Simplicity brings clarity, ease, and calm.

Audience follow-up → Where in your life would less actually feel like more?

In feng shui, your front door represents opportunity and energy entering your life.

Is it welcoming? Clear? Alive? Or cluttered and forgotten?

Audience follow-up → If opportunity knocked today, what would it walk into?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

• Susan’s year-long incremental clutter transformation

• “Mood Follows Action” philosophy

• Clearing clutter before applying feng shui enhancements

• Anne Quinn’s March 20 Clutter-Clearing Workshop at Bath Avenue Guest House

• May Retreat in Ocean Grove

✨ Reflection Prompts:

What small action would create immediate lightness in your life?

Where are you living in yesterday’s identity?

What would your home look like if it reflected who you are becoming?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

Women navigating life transitions (divorce, relocation, reinvention)

Entrepreneurs craving clarity and momentum

Anyone feeling low-grade anxiety at home

Leaders who know their environment affects their energy

Those ready to feel lighter—without changing everything overnight

Summary:

In this bold and activating solo episode, Lori reframes a word many high-capacity women have been conditioned to fear: unreasonable. Instead of shrinking to fit expectations, she invites you to see “unreasonable” as a compliment—evidence of vision, capacity, and fire.

With 2026 carrying rare Fire Horse energy, Lori shares why this is not the year to dilute your desires or play small. This is a year for focused intensity, bold sprints, and wise integration. From her recent Nashville retreat revelation—shifting from obsessing over the “how” to prioritizing the “who”—to her challenge of radical subtraction, this episode is a call to lead, live, and desire at full volume.

If you’ve ever been told you’re “too much,” this episode will remind you: that might be your superpower.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

“Unreasonable” Is a Compliment

High-capacity women are often labeled “too much” when their ambition exceeds the room’s comfort level. Lori challenges you to stop shrinking your fire to make others comfortable.

Audience follow-up → Where are you diluting your ambition to stay palatable?

Say the Real Desire Out Loud

No qualifiers. No “if it’s meant to be.” No backup plan energy. Whether it’s wealth, romance, strength, impact, or freedom—name it clearly and expect it to be on its way.

Audience follow-up → What do you actually want? Can you say it without softening it?

Ferrari Energy Requires the Right Track

You don’t have Honda Civic energy—you have Ferrari energy. But a Ferrari on a dirt road will question itself. Sometimes growth requires walking away from rooms that can’t handle your speed.

Audience follow-up → Are you underperforming—or just in the wrong environment?

The Magic Is in the “Who,” Not the “How”

At her Nashville retreat, Lori realized the breakthrough wasn’t in figuring everything out alone. It was about proximity—the right rooms, leaders, and conversations.

Audience follow-up → Who do you need proximity to this year?

Radical Subtraction Creates Momentum

Instead of adding more strategies, remove what’s slowing you down. One meeting. One system. One habitual distraction. Clarity often comes from subtraction.

Audience follow-up → What’s one thing you can remove this week to create more power and focus?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

Fire Horse Energy – A rare energetic theme representing intensity, independence, boldness, and rapid movement.

Nashville Leadership Retreat – Lori’s recent breakthrough experience centered on connection and proximity over solo strategizing.

Radical Subtraction – Lori’s challenge to eliminate what’s cluttering your momentum instead of endlessly adding more.

✨ Reflection Prompts:

Where have you been “reasonable” when your soul wanted to be bold?

What desire have you been qualifying instead of claiming?

What room, relationship, or opportunity would stretch you in the best way?

What needs to be removed—not optimized—in this season?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

High-capacity women who are tired of shrinking

Visionary leaders ready to sprint with intention in 2026

Entrepreneurs craving bigger rooms and stronger proximity

Anyone who has been labeled “too much” and is ready to own it

📩 Want to Go Deeper?

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

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Summary:

In this episode, I’m talking about the financial fog—the money tasks that quietly sit on the “someday” list and drain your energy in the background. The unsigned will. The mystery subscriptions. The unclear spending. The conversations you keep avoiding.

I share why I chose to hire a financial coach (even though my husband is a financial advisor) to work through my own money emotions, self-worth, pricing, and generosity boundaries. I open up about being a single mom at 39, trusting my intuition to get more life insurance, and how that decision not only brought peace—but unexpectedly led me to meeting Michael. I also contrast that with a heartbreaking story of a family devastated overnight because life insurance wasn’t in place.

Then I walk you through exactly what I tackled in January 2026—signing a will that had been sitting for two years, tracking every dollar of 2025 spending (hello, $1,700/month on Amazon 😳), auditing subscriptions across PayPal and Apple, securing $785 in refunds, and clearing out physical clutter in my closet.

This episode is about stewardship, courage, and doing the one hard thing that clears the fog so you can finally feel present, peaceful, and powerful.

If money feels heavy, avoided, or emotionally charged—this conversation is for you.

When I avoid financial decisions, they don’t disappear—they create a low-grade anxiety loop in the background. That fog affects my focus, creativity, and peace.

Audience follow-up → What money task have you been postponing that’s quietly draining your energy?

I didn’t hire a financial coach because I didn’t understand money. I hired her because I needed support with my emotions around worth, pricing, generosity, and boundaries.

Audience follow-up → Where might you need emotional support—not just tactical advice?

As a single mom, I felt prompted to increase my life insurance. That decision gave me deep peace—and ultimately introduced me to Michael. On the flip side, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when protection isn’t in place.

Audience follow-up → If something happened tomorrow, would your family be financially protected?

When I categorized every 2025 bank transaction, I discovered about $1,700 per month going to Amazon. Awareness wasn’t shame—it was clarity.

Audience follow-up → What might you learn if you tracked every dollar for 30 days?

I hunted down hidden subscriptions across PayPal, Apple, and old emails—and recovered $785 in refunds. Small actions create powerful forward motion.

Audience follow-up → Where could you look for “hidden leaks” this week?

I had to ask myself: Would God give me more if I’m not managing what I already have well? That mindset shift changed everything.

Audience follow-up → Are you treating your money as something you manage—or something that manages you?

1. Choose one hard thing.
2. Get accountability.
3. Stay when it feels uncomfortable.
4. Finish it.
5. 
   

One completed task builds trust with yourself.

Audience follow-up → What is your “one hard thing” this month?

1. Hiring a financial coach to work through money mindset, worth, and pricing
2. Finalizing and signing a will after two years of delay
3. Full 2025 expense categorization and Amazon spending wake-up call
4. Subscription audit across PayPal and Apple
5. $785 in recovered refunds
6. Closet decluttering + donation as part of energetic clearing
7. The Foggy Lake metaphor—how clarity appears when you move forward instead of waiting for perfect visibility
8. 
   

1. What financial decision have you been postponing because it feels uncomfortable?
2. If your money was fully organized and clear, how would your body feel differently?
3. Where are you waiting for the fog to lift instead of taking one step forward?
4. 
   

1. Entrepreneurs avoiding pricing or profit conversations
2. Women navigating money after divorce or single parenthood
3. Leaders who want peace—not pressure—around finances
4. Anyone ready to clear avoidance and step into clarity
5. 
   

This is your invitation to stop circling the foggy lake… and start walking across it—one intentional step at a time.

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

1. Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

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Summary:

In this solo episode, I’m diving into the powerful role joy plays in leadership and personal growth—and why it’s not a “nice-to-have,” but a non-negotiable if you want sustainable success. I introduce the concept of Fire Horse Energy, a rare and intense force connected to the 2026 Chinese zodiac, and how this energy invites bold action, momentum, and deep personal responsibility.

I walk you through the three phases of fire—ignition, roaring fire, and embers—and help you identify where you are right now. Most importantly, we talk about how to sustain your fire without burning out by protecting your “oxygen”: the inner resources that keep you grounded, energized, and aligned.

This episode is both reflective and practical. If you’re feeling the pull to do more, lead differently, or step into a bigger version of yourself—this conversation is your invitation to do it with joy, not exhaustion.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Joy Is a Leadership Strategy

Joy isn’t fluff—it’s fuel. When I lead from joy, I make clearer decisions, build stronger relationships, and move toward my goals with purpose instead of pressure.

Audience reflection → Where have you been pushing instead of allowing joy to lead?

Understanding Fire Horse Energy

Fire Horse energy is fast, powerful, and transformative—but only when it’s directed intentionally. Left unchecked, it can lead to burnout or chaos.

Audience reflection → Where in your life do you feel this surge of energy right now?

The Three Phases of Fire

I break down ignition (the spark), roaring fire (momentum), and embers (integration and rest). Each phase requires something different from you.

Audience reflection → Which phase are you in—and are you honoring what it needs?

Oxygen Prevents Burnout

Your oxygen is your self-care, boundaries, nervous system regulation, and inner resourcing. Without it, even the strongest fire burns out.

Audience reflection → What replenishes you that you’ve been neglecting?

The Hula Hoop Principle

I share how staying in your own “hula hoop” keeps your energy clean, focused, and sustainable—especially in leadership and relationships.

Audience reflection → What are you carrying that actually belongs to someone else?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

• Fire Horse Energy (2026 Chinese Zodiac theme)
• The Three Phases of Fire: Ignition, Roaring Fire, Embers
• The Hula Hoop Principle for energetic and emotional boundaries
• Self-care as a leadership responsibility, not a reward

✨ Reflection Prompts:

• What would change if I let joy lead my next decision?
• Where do I need to slow down to sustain my fire long-term?
• What does “oxygen” look like for me in this season?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

• Leaders who feel called to grow without burning out
• Entrepreneurs and visionaries in a season of expansion
• Anyone feeling the intensity of “more” and wanting to navigate it with intention
• People ready to harness their energy instead of being consumed by it

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

Episode 37: The Power of Two: Why Focus Beats Hustle

In this focused and energizing solo episode, I invite you to rethink how you approach the year ahead by embracing just two priorities—one for business and one for personal life. I share why narrowing your focus isn’t about doing less for the sake of it, but about creating space for what truly matters.

Inspired by the symbolism of the Fire Horse year and the proven framework from Brian Moran’s The 12 Week Year, I walk you through how passion, intensity, and action can work with you—not against you—when they’re paired with clarity. I also share my own two priorities, the mindset shifts I had to make, and how letting go of non-essential commitments has already created momentum, relief, and renewed energy.

If you’re tired of spinning your wheels or carrying the weight of too many goals, this episode is an invitation to simplify, focus, and move forward with intention.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Two Priorities Are Enough

I truly believe you don’t need a long list of goals to have a meaningful year. I’m focusing on just two priorities—one in my business and one in my personal life—and the clarity has been game-changing.

Audience follow-up → If you stripped everything back, what are the two things that matter most right now?

Fire Horse Energy: Passion Without Overwhelm

For me, the Fire Horse year represents courage, intensity, and forward momentum—but only when that fire is contained. Scattered energy leads to burnout; focused energy leads to transformation.

Audience follow-up → Where are you spreading yourself too thin instead of directing your fire?

The Problem With Doing Too Much

I talk honestly about how overcommitting can look productive on the surface, but often keeps us stuck and exhausted. Sometimes “busy” is just a way to avoid making clear decisions.

Audience follow-up → What are you holding onto out of habit rather than alignment?

The 12 Week Year Framework

Using the 12-week sprint model has helped me shift from long, overwhelming timelines to focused action. I explain why 12 weeks creates urgency without pressure—and how it keeps goals realistic and achievable.

Audience follow-up → What would meaningful progress look like for you in the next 12 weeks?

Letting Go Is a Leadership Skill

One of the biggest lessons I share is this: letting go is not failure—it’s leadership. When I released what wasn’t essential, everything else began to move faster and feel lighter.

Audience follow-up → What do you need to say no to in order to fully support your top priorities?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

1. The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran – The goal-setting framework I use to create focus and momentum
2. The Fire Horse Year – A symbolic lens I use for passion, clarity, and intentional action
3. My Personal and Business Priorities – Real examples of what narrowing my focus looks like in practice
4. 
   

✨ Reflection Prompts:

1. If I could only move two things forward this year, what would they be?
2. Where has “more” been costing me peace, energy, or clarity?
3. What might change if I trusted focus instead of force?
4. 
   

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

1. Entrepreneurs and leaders who feel stretched too thin
2. High achievers craving progress without burnout
3. Anyone entering a new season and ready to lead with intention
4. Listeners curious about aligned goal-setting and sustainable momentum

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

1. Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

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In this deeply reflective solo episode, I invite you to pause, take stock, and prepare for takeoff. Using the metaphor of flight, I explore what it really means to move forward in life and leadership—by releasing old identities, outdated beliefs, and emotional “luggage” that no longer fits who you’re becoming.

This episode is especially for women in leadership who feel the pull toward more—more clarity, more alignment, more impact—but know they can’t get there carrying everything from the past. I share personal stories, mindset shifts, and honest encouragement to help you get clear on your true destination, reconnect with your deeper why, and choose the next right action with courage and intention.

If you’re standing at the edge of a new beginning and wondering what to leave behind, this episode is for you.

I Can’t Take Old Luggage Into a New Season

I talk about the importance of naming the habits, beliefs, and stories we’ve outgrown. Growth requires discernment—what once protected or served us can quietly become the thing that holds us back.

Reflection → What belief or behavior am I ready to stop carrying into my next chapter?

Clarity Is What Creates Lift

Before any real takeoff, I need to know where I’m going. I share why getting honest about what I actually want—not what’s expected or convenient—is essential to moving forward with confidence.

Reflection → If fear wasn’t in the way, where would I choose to go next?

My “Why” Has to Be Bigger Than Me

I reflect on how a meaningful why—rooted in service, contribution, and impact—becomes the fuel that keeps me going when things get uncomfortable or uncertain.

Reflection → Who benefits when I fully step into this next level?

I Was Never Meant to Fly Alone

In this episode, I open up about the role of community, mentors, and trusted co-pilots in staying aligned and resilient. No one builds a meaningful life or legacy in isolation.

Reflection → Who are the people helping me stay grounded, brave, and honest?

The Next Right Action Is Enough

I remind myself—and you—that I don’t need the entire flight plan figured out. Momentum comes from taking the next aligned step, even when clarity feels incomplete.

Reflection → What’s one small but intentional action I can take this week?

1. The “old luggage” metaphor for outdated identities and limitations
2. Choosing intentional flight paths instead of reactive living
3. The power of support, mentorship, and shared leadership journeys
4. Personal stories of letting go and choosing alignment

1. What season of my life or leadership is coming to a close?
2. What am I afraid to leave behind—and what is it costing me?
3. What would change if I trusted myself to fly higher?

1. Women in leadership navigating transition or reinvention
2. Entrepreneurs and executives craving clarity and alignment
3. Anyone standing at the edge of a new beginning
4. Those ready to release limitations and lead with intention

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

1. Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

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Summary:

In this deeply reflective solo episode, I explore the often-overlooked space between what was and what’s next—the transition gap. I share what it was like to leave a significant brand and spend three years in what I now call the “runway,” a season that felt quiet, disorienting, and deeply uncomfortable at times—but also essential to who I’ve become as a leader.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, release old identities, and trust the timing of your evolution. Instead of rushing toward the next title, business, or role, I talk about why honoring the gap matters, how joy can become a leadership compass, and what it really takes to prepare for a powerful takeoff. If you’re in a season of change and wondering when things will finally click—this conversation is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

The Transition Gap Isn’t Failure—It’s a Runway

I reframe the space between leaving a known identity and stepping into what’s next as preparation, not lost time. The runway is where alignment happens.

Audience follow-up → Where are you pressuring yourself to “take off” before you’re ready?

The Brand Hangover Is Real

After leaving a big role or brand, I noticed how many habits, expectations, and validation loops I was still carrying. I call this the brand hangover—and it can quietly keep us stuck.

Audience follow-up → What titles, systems, or external validation are you still holding onto that no longer fit who you’re becoming?

Joy Is a Leadership Strategy, Not a Reward

I share why joy isn’t something we earn after success—it’s something we must cultivate during uncertainty to guide better decisions and healthier leadership.

Audience follow-up → What genuinely brings you joy right now—and are you letting it lead?

The Quiet Is Where Identity Gets Rebuilt

The gap is quieter. There’s less recognition and fewer external markers of success—but that silence helped me hear myself again.

Audience follow-up → How comfortable are you being unseen while you grow?

Momentum Comes After Release

Momentum didn’t come for me until I started shedding old patterns, timelines, and expectations that no longer served me. Preparation happens long before the lift-off.

Audience follow-up → What do you need to release before your next chapter can begin?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

• The “Runway” Metaphor – How I think about transition as preparation, not stagnation
• Brand Hangover – The lingering identity and expectations after leaving a major role
• My Three-Year Reset – A season of rebuilding, reflection, and recommitting to joy
• Fire Horse Energy – A preview of what’s coming next: momentum, takeoff, and bold leadership

✨ Reflection Prompts:

• What season of transition am I in right now?
• What parts of my old identity feel heavy instead of helpful?
• If I trusted my timing completely, what would change?
• How could joy guide my leadership decisions this week?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

• Leaders stepping away from corporate or legacy roles
• Entrepreneurs rebuilding after burnout or identity shifts
• Women redefining success and leadership on their own terms
• Anyone who feels “in between” and is learning to trust the gap

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

Summary:

In this reflective and grounding solo episode, I invite you to pause and take a powerful year-end inventory—one that goes beyond goals, metrics, and checklists. Inspired by the symbolism of the Year of the Snake, I explore what it really means to shed what no longer fits: outdated habits, misaligned roles, relationships, and identities that quietly drain our energy.

As I look ahead to the action-driven fire energy of 2026, I share personal reflections from my own life—including divorce, career shifts, and the intentional pauses I had to take along the way. This episode is a reminder that transformation isn’t about rushing forward—it’s about creating space so we don’t carry old baggage into new chapters.

If you’re standing on the edge of a new season and want to enter it with clarity instead of chaos, this episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Leadership Requires Inventory, Not Just Intention

I believe real growth begins when we take stock of what we’ve outgrown—not just what we want next.

Audience follow-up → What did you carry through 2025 that no longer serves who you’re becoming?

Shedding Creates Space for Alignment

Like the snake, I’ve learned that leaders must release old skins to grow. Letting go creates the energetic and emotional room needed for transformation.

Audience follow-up → Where are you holding on out of habit instead of alignment?

Pause Before the Pivot

I share how major life changes in my own journey required intentional reflection—so I didn’t bring unresolved patterns into new beginnings.

Audience follow-up → What do you need to process before you move forward?

Harness the Energy of What’s Coming

The fire energy of 2026 calls for focus, action, and passion—but only after we’ve cleared what’s outdated.

Audience follow-up → What deserves your full energy next year—and what doesn’t?

Reflection Is a Leadership Skill

I don’t see reflection as passive—I see it as preparation. Leaders who pause and look inward lead with more clarity, purpose, and power.

Audience follow-up → How often do you intentionally slow down to reflect as a leader?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

• The symbolism of the Year of the Snake and the power of shedding
• The energetic shift into 2026 and its fire-driven leadership theme
• My personal reflections on divorce, career transitions, and intentional pauses
• The practice of taking a year-end leadership inventory

✨ Reflection Prompts:

• What did you release in 2025—by choice or by force?
• What space did that release create in your life or leadership?
• How do you want to feel as you step into the next season?
• What must stay behind so you can move forward lighter?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

• Leaders navigating transition, endings, or new beginnings
• Entrepreneurs and executives preparing for a new year with intention
• Anyone feeling the urge to reset, realign, or start fresh
• Women leaders ready to lead with clarity, not carryover

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

Summary:

In this heartfelt and joy-filled conversation, Lori sits down with longtime friend and leadership partner Christine Conroy to explore what it really means to lead with humanity. From Christine’s years at Coca-Cola to her current work at Grayston Bakery—home of the groundbreaking open hiring model—this episode is a powerful reflection on second chances, dignity at work, and leading with courage and compassion.

Together, Lori and Christine share personal stories about resilience, vulnerability, and building workplaces rooted in trust and purpose. As the holiday season approaches, they also reflect on gratitude, joy, and how leaders can stay grounded and hopeful—even in challenging seasons. This episode is a reminder that great leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about presence, empathy, and believing in people.

If you’re craving leadership that feels real, meaningful, and deeply human—this conversation is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Second Chances Change Everything

Christine shares how Grayston Bakery’s open hiring policy removes barriers and gives people the opportunity to rebuild their lives through meaningful work.

Audience follow-up → Where in your leadership could you create space for someone’s fresh start?

Vulnerability Is a Leadership Strength

True connection comes from leaders who are willing to be real, honest, and human—not just polished and perfect.

Audience follow-up → What would shift if you led your team with a little more openness?

Empathy Builds Stronger Partnerships

From corporate boardrooms to social enterprises, Christine and Lori discuss how empathy and mutual respect create lasting, impactful relationships.

Audience follow-up → How well do you really know the people you work with—and what they’re carrying?

Purpose Makes Work Matter

Christine reflects on the deep fulfillment that comes from aligning values with work, and how purpose-driven leadership fuels resilience.

Audience follow-up → Does your work reflect what matters most to you right now?

Joy Is a Practice—Especially in Hard Seasons

As the holidays approach, the conversation turns to gratitude, perspective, and choosing joy even when life feels heavy.

Audience follow-up → What’s one small way you can protect your joy this season?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

• Grayston Bakery & Open Hiring Model – A pioneering approach to employment rooted in dignity and opportunity
• Christine’s Leadership Journey – From Coca-Cola to purpose-driven work
• Mentors and Meaningful Relationships – Lessons from leaders like Mike Rizzo
• Personal Stories of Friendship, Loss, and Growth

✨ Reflection Prompts:

• Where have you seen the power of a second chance—either given or received?
• How do you balance results with compassion as a leader?
• What helps you reconnect to joy when leadership feels heavy?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

• Leaders who want to lead with heart, not just authority
• Executives and managers interested in purpose-driven leadership
• Anyone curious about social impact, open hiring, and human-centered workplaces
• Listeners seeking inspiration, hope, and joy during the holiday season

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

Follow Christine Conroy on LinkedIn

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

Summary:

In this reflective and grounding solo episode of the Joy CEO Podcast, Lori Pine invites you into the quiet, liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s—a week that often feels suspended between what was and what’s next. Lori explores why this in-between time holds powerful potential for clarity, truth, and realignment.

Drawing inspiration from Elizabeth Gilbert’s concept of “not this,” Lori shares personal stories and gentle wisdom about listening to your inner knowing—especially when it whispers instead of shouts. This episode is an invitation to pause, release what no longer fits, and consciously step toward a more aligned version of yourself as you move into 2026.

If you’re craving space to breathe, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters—this episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

The Power of the Liminal Week

This quiet week isn’t meant for productivity—it’s meant for presence. Lori explains why the pause between years is a natural doorway for reflection and emotional honesty.

Audience follow-up → Where are you rushing when your soul is asking you to rest?

“Not This” as a Compass

Inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert, Lori reframes clarity as knowing what you don’t want—without needing the full answer yet.

Audience follow-up → What feels like a clear “not this” in your life right now?

Personal Moments of Truth

Lori vulnerably shares her own “not this” realizations—moments when success, habits, or expectations no longer aligned with joy.

Audience follow-up → Where have you outgrown an old version of yourself?

Four Reflective Questions for the New Year

Instead of resolutions, Lori offers four grounding questions to help you enter 2026 with intention and self-trust.

Audience follow-up → Which question feels most alive for you—and why?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

1. Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Not This” Concept – A powerful permission slip to release misalignment without forcing answers.
2. The idea of liminal space – That sacred in-between season where insight and clarity quietly emerge.

✨ Reflection Prompts:

1. What am I ready to let go of before stepping into the new year?
2. What truth have I been gently avoiding?
3. What would joy ask of me next?
4. How do I want to feel in 2026—not just what do I want to achieve?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

1. Leaders and professionals craving clarity without pressure
2. Women navigating transitions or quiet inner shifts
3. Anyone feeling called to slow down before starting again
4. Listeners who want to lead their life—and year—from alignment, not exhaustion

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

1. Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

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