You have to stay inspired to be inspiring.

This quote was shared with me early in my career as a manager, and it has stuck with me ever since. Let me share a story… For a while, I had a very intense morning routine called P.O.W.E.R.

Although if I’m honest… “peace” quickly became “podcasts”. One ritual I loved was something I called “Podcast My Problem.”

Before work, I would Google the challenge I was facing that day followed by the words “podcast episode.” Then I’d roll the dice and see what came up. Sometimes it was obscure. But almost every time I found a nugget of wisdom that helped me feel inspired and ready to tackle the day.

Inspiration is meant to be shared

At the time, I told this story to my coach, Ben Brooks. He asked a simple question:

“Are you sharing that inspiration with your team?”

I wasn’t. To me it was just a personal growth ritual. But he pushed me: “Come on Joy — you’ve got to share that.” So I started doing just that. I would send little notes to my team: Here’s the problem I was thinking about…. Here’s the podcast I listened to… Here’s the insight I took away

And I encouraged them to do the same.

It was a great reminder: Being inspired is essential for leaders.

But being inspiring often just requires one extra step — sharing it.

A few podcasts that have inspired me lately

Ben recently launched a leadership podcast called The Lift, and it’s outstanding.

The Lift – Ben Brooks

The episode I’m linking features my friend Keziah Wanstolen, of Vannin Chief of Staff, really unpacking the power of the role of a Chief of Staff. She is brilliant, Ben is brilliant. Have a listen!

Another consistent source of inspiration for me has been Jenna Kutcher’s “Goal Digger” podcast. She’s no longer creating new episodes but the archive is fire!

A couple months ago I listened to an episode where she interviewed someone who builds membership communities. You can listen to that episode here.

Halfway through listening I had a realization:

“The next thing I’m going to build is a digital community.”

The idea that sparked the ScaleJOY Collective

The idea made sense for a few reasons.

Since founding ScaleJOY, I’ve been creating leadership development content delivered live — both virtually and in person. And because it was custom-made and delivered in person, it came at a premium, a premium of investment for my clients and a premium on my time.

Fast forward five years, life has changed. I don’t want to travel as much as I have in the past, and I want to reach more people than ever before.

I needed a way to scale my work digitally instead of hopping on a plane every few days.

I also already had experience building community through Wendy Road.

So, I decided to follow advice from Sir Richard Branson, shared in an interview with Reid Hoffman “The Secret to Big Leaps”:

When you have an idea, say “screw it, let’s do it,” and “A.C.T.”

So I did.

Today we are launching the beta test of the ScaleJOY Collective.

The ScaleJOY Collective is a digital hub for: Curriculum, Community, and Coaching.

All focused on leadership development.

The goal is simple:

Help leaders become teachers inside their companies so they can multiply their impact and scale leadership across the organization.

Who it’s for

The Collective is designed for a few different people:

If you see yourself in any of these roles, sign up for the waitlist here!

If you’d prefer NOT to DIY leadership development, never fear - book time to chat with me here.

What’s happening next

The first phase is a beta test with Wendy Road members.

In a few weeks, we’ll open it to our first waitlist members.

If you’re interested, don’t hesitate, early access will include massive savings and early adopter energy I know you love!

The Collective is super niche. It’s my life’s work — and it will be offered for a fraction of what companies normally pay to bring someone like me in. Instead, you’ll get the content and tools to deliver leadership development yourself.

If you want my professional pitch, you can watch a video about the Collective here. Thanks to my teammates, who encouraged me to go all in on this! 

Take a look.

Listen to some great podcasts.

And if it resonates, join us in the ScaleJOY Collective. 

And remember: You have to stay inspired to be inspiring. ✨

My company, ScaleJOY, has grown solely through word of mouth and by delivering quality experiences to the hundreds of clients we have supported. Spread the word by sharing this newsletter or connecting them directly to me for leadership development, coaching or offsite facilitation. Thank you for your continued support!