Live Your Extraordinary Life With Michelle Rios

The Midlife Leap: Building Your Own Brand with Joy Errico

• Michelle Rios

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You can look wildly successful on paper and still feel like your life is shrinking. Michelle Rios sits down with Joy Errico, a communications powerhouse who leads brands through high-stakes moments and then makes her own bold pivot at midlife, trading the perceived safety of corporate structure for the uncertainty and freedom of entrepreneurship.

We get real about what pushes a seasoned executive to finally hit reset: pandemic pressure, constant crisis communications, divorce, and the quiet realization that adrenaline is not a sustainable life plan. Joy shares what actually helps when you are standing at the crossroads, including therapy, support systems, financial planning, and the slow build of a brave decision that is years in the making.

Then we go deep on the part most people skip: mindset. Joy opens up about imposter syndrome, scarcity mindset, and the identity shift of becoming the face of your own company. She also explains how Maven Row evolves into a unique blend of strategic communications and brand image consulting focused on 360 executive presence: voice, body language, wardrobe, narrative, and “dress how you want to feel” authenticity that still reads as polished and powerful. If you are thinking about a midlife career change, building a personal brand, or launching a consulting business, this conversation offers practical clarity and a needed dose of faith.

Subscribe, share this with someone navigating a reinvention, and leave a review if it resonates. What would you change if you gave yourself six months to go all in?

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Welcome And Guest Introduction

Speaker 1

Hello, and welcome back to the Live Your Extraordinary Life podcast. I'm your host, Michelle Rios. And today I am thrilled to introduce a client that's bridged both the corporate world and the coaching world with me. And more importantly, a dear friend, Joy Errico. Joy is a powerhouse in communications. She's worked with some of the most prominent brands that we have in this country, from Macy's to Avery Dennison to Staples to BIC to WrightAid. She has ascended to the top and in the midst of midlife, made a very bold move to become an entrepreneur. And today she is CEO of Maven Row, which specializes in strategic communications and brand image consulting. Joy, welcome to the show.

Speaker

Thank you so much, Michelle. I'm thrilled to be here.

Pandemic Pressure And Corporate Chaos

Speaker 1

So, Joy, I just want to kind of jump right in. We've known each other now for I want to say about six years, right? I think that's right. That's about right. And we met because I was in the world of the PR agency world. You were a client. In fact, I think we met at BIC, but then we actually started working more closely when you went off to Write Aid. That's right. And we have been intertwined ever since. And I am so incredibly proud. I mean, I was thrilled to work with you under those particular circumstances because the work we did together was probably some of the most interesting work I've done over the course of my career. And I know yours as well. These were companies that were going through major renovations of their image, of their brand, of the business at really strategic times. But then I also got to know Joy the person, and we became good friends, probably because we were in the trenches. And I've seen you go through this massive reinvention at midlife with three kids through a divorce, remarried, and you are coming out the other side, just someone to be reckoned with. I am so excited to. Oh, you're too kind. No, it's just it's incredible because I find this is one of the things that really strikes me. Usually, when we get to midlife, one of two things happen. Either one, people kind of slow down and they kind of just coast through that side of their career. We're in that third, last third of the career. Not you. And that's what excites me. Instead, you're like hitting the reinvention button. Tell me what was going on for you. And I know this is probably going to go back over the last five or six years. What was going on with you that you decided to go from really chief communications officer at RiteAid to going off and becoming an entrepreneur? Tell us about that journey.

Speaker

It was quite the journey and something I'm really proud of now. Um, but it was definitely one of those um breakdowns to lead to breakthrough moments or that expression before. That was definitely me. So right um before the pandemic, I turned 40. And like others, I was home and working from home and balancing kids and teaching kids at home and realizing I just wasn't happy anymore. Um, and I couldn't really put my finger on it. And I ended up taking a role at Bright Aid as the chief communications officer. And that was an incredibly difficult place to be. Um, it was a business that was struggling, but right off the headwinds of COVID. So they were doing well for a brief period of time. And I joined, um, and soon after I joined, I realized that things weren't working at home, um, which is that time during COVID really got me there. And so I went through a painful divorce at the same time that I was leading communications for Rite Aid through two chapter 11s, which eventually turned into liquidation.

Speaker 1

So CEO changes.

Speaker

Actually, we had four in three years. Um I said that many. It was. And it was um professional and personal upheaval that was a true inflection point in my life. And it really forced a reset. It forced a moment where I had to say, like, how do I want to live the rest of my life? Yeah. Um, I had no balance. Everything was negative, whether it was at home or it was at work, I was dealing with negative topics. I was doing a lot of crisis communication, I was on adrenaline all the time. And then I was like crying on my Peloton bike uh because I was, you know, worried about what did my life look like without my college sweetheart who I who I had married and been with my whole adult life and what would happen with my kids and all of those things. And so I was really forced to take a very hard, honest look and say, okay, if I fast forward the next 40 years, what do I want to look back and say, I did? How did I live my life and what did I change to make my life better? So it was, it was a crazy time for me for sure.

Speaker 1

What gave you the strength to move forward with that? Because I think a lot of people have been exactly where you are. They feel like, wow, I've been with this person for a long time. I know it's not working. I'm also like, I think it's more than 60% of women are the driving forces in business today. Yes. And leading the household charge. So it's a particularly, I would say, asymmetrical pressure that a lot of women in positions of power find themselves today. And it's somewhat unique than what our mothers went through. How did you find the strength to say, I know this is gonna be hard and we're gonna do it anyway?

Speaker

Yeah. I come from a long line of very strong Italian women. Uh start with that. Um, I my grandmother and my aunts um just be powerhouses in their lives and really do it all. Um, so I've been very inspired by that. That's number one. I think number two, um, I did a lot of self-reflection, reading, thinking, a lot of time in my head. And I had help. I went to uh therapy, I spoke to friends, and I finally got to a point. And this is by the way, Michelle, this is over like three or four years. Right. It wasn't an overnight decision. No, not at all. Not at all. It was a very careful decision. Um, and I realized over time that there was a force pulling me in this direction. And whether you want to call it, you know, guardian angels or God or what have you, I just got to a point where I felt this pull. This is what I need to do. Um, but it came after a lot of mind clearing, a lot of soul searching, a lot of thinking, a lot of, a lot of a lot to get to that point.

Speaker 1

I get that. But it does take that ultimately there needs to be that one brave, bold decision, the line in the sand that says, I'm moving forward with this, come what may, because there's a lot of uncertainty. You don't know how it's all gonna play out, right?

Speaker

For sure. And um, my, you know, my ex-husband's a great man, and we were best friends and we're together through college and beyond. And I'll I I cherish that season in my life. There's no one I would rather go through the first part of adult life with, and he's the father of my children. And so now I feel like we have a really good, solid relationship. But that's what made it especially painful because he's such a good guy, you know, it's that much harder.

Speaker 1

But I think that on the off on the other side of that, the good news is you have a great co-parenting relationship that you've been able to work through. These things are never easy, but to the extent that you have two strong, smart, um, heart-centered adults, you've really, I would say you've really created an ideal divorce scenario if there's such a thing.

Speaker

Hard one and ups and downs. But yes, anyone who is divorced knows there are ebbs and flows. It's a very complicated relationship with your ex. There's so much emotion um tangled in there. But at the end of the day, if you love and respect each other, I think, and you put the kids first. Kids are always come first. It makes some decision decisions really easy if you're putting the kids first. Um, so we really try to do that, but it's not, it's not always perfect. But I'm really proud of the relationship we have today.

Speaker 1

And you've got three great kids that are all thriving, and they're beautiful and they're going off to do great things. I know your daughter just got accepted into college, and she's starting the next phase. So that's a testament to the hard work that you guys have put in. Now, I want to fast forward because I took the jump into the entrepreneurial world a little bit before you did. And you in the beginning, we were we had a conversation because I was going through the transition. I was doing some consulting still with the agency world. You were in the thick of it at Rite Aid. Yes. And we stayed connected for a while, and then you called me. I want to say it was a good year and a half after I left. Yes. And said we need to talk.

Speaker

Yes.

Speaker 1

You hadn't done anything yet, but let's talk about that moment because we didn't actually start working together then. It took actually probably, I want to say, eight more months before we did. But tell, let's talk about that moment when you said, I need to talk to you, Michelle. I want to hear about what you're doing.

Speaker

Right. So I have been, I've always been someone who likes to learn from others and kind of um, you know, take in all the lessons and wisdom. And I know I certainly don't know it all. And I saw you, you know, transform from this executive in the agency world to the podcast to coaching. And I was intrigued. I was like, wow, this is someone that was in the communications world, has a similar lifestyle to me, um, working at a very high-level business travel crisis all the time and all that, all that high-stakes work. And you just seemed lighter and happier when I would see you, like on Instagram and so forth. And it intrigued me. So I wanted to learn more. And so that's what made me reach out.

Speaker 1

Yeah. That I was like, okay, we're at this point where she's curious, and this is a really interesting. And I wasn't sure that we'd ever work together in that in a coaching capacity. Um, but you reach back out. I want to say almost seven or eight months later. Talk about what shifted because a lot you had to go through a lot more. There was a lot more going on. There was a lot more work to do at Rite Aid. There was still things that you needed to go through before you were ready to say, I need to make a change from a career perspective.

Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Safety

Speaker

Yes. So um I went through, I've always wanted to go out on my own. I am someone who loves like freedom. I'm very creative. I like to do my own thing, right? So being in corporate America for 25 years, you are beholden to their schedule, uh, their values, their timelines, etc. And I was so craving um to get out of that and to be my own boss. Um, but I needed to save money, frankly. Um, I wouldn't recommend just starting your own business with nothing at all to lean back on in case. Um, I needed to think about what it is I wanted to do. Yeah. And I had started a company um called Pink Cardinal, totally different kind of company, an apparel company that gave uh that gives 25% to charity. And I had made so many mistakes with that company. I'm very proud of it, but I made many, many mistakes along the way. And I did it all on my own because, you know, typical joy, I just thought, oh, I can do this. I know how to do this. And I realized just how tough it is to run your own business from A to Z with no help. And I knew that if I wanted to go out on my own and I wanted to do something truly that would be truly successful and be something that would stand the test of time, something I could maybe pass on, that I needed help to do that. Um, because I had learned from Pink Cardinal, I can't do it on my own. I don't know everything. Uh, this is a lot harder than it seems on the outside. And that was an apparel company, it was pretty straightforward. Right. What I do now, services and working with brands and individuals, much more complex. So I knew at that point, right when I knew Rite Aid was winding down, um, and that timeline kept shifting. So that was tough, the uncertainty of it. But when I knew what Rite Aid was winding down, I just said, this is my moment. Like the timing of this, of everything that's happened. Um, and now this definite end to a position and a company gives me a moment. It's like a door has opened to do something different. And I was getting calls for recruiters to do chief communications jobs, and I really struggled with it. Um, but it's hard because you want it.

Speaker 1

Like I just want to stop here for a minute because for those people who are in that world of leading companies, you know that despite the fact that you may want more freedom, there is something very alluring about being wanted and being needed and feeling like you can contribute because we've done this and we know this world and we can do it. And it's a struggle. It really is because it's a known entity versus going off into the great unknown, right?

Speaker

And it's the surround of the perceived stability that a corporation or an organization gives you, right? You've got your benefits, you've got teammates, colleagues, there's a structure, there's a brand that you're a part of, right? So that that is a very safe place in my mind to be. And that's what I've always known. And so to go it on my own was just a complete and total leap for me, uh, leap of faith that I'm glad I took. But I had many moments of of just being really, really scared. Um, can I do it? You know?

Speaker 1

Yeah. I mean, I think that that's probably every entrepreneur, but I think particularly in your scenario, because all of a sudden you're a single mom. You're stepping away from this big job with perceived stability. Because I know a lot of people are like, it's no longer the most stable.

Speaker

It is perceived, yeah.

Speaker 1

But nevertheless, there's structure there that doesn't exist in the entrepreneurial world initially. And yet you did it. And I want you to talk a little bit because the beginning of our working together really, we we dealt with a lot of the emotions because it's an incredible emotional journey to become an entrepreneur. And a lot of it is really the mindset you step into. This was not about capabilities, this was not about contacts, you had both. And then there may have been new skills that you had to bring to the table that you had other people doing in your previous job that you had to assume initially. But a lot of it is are you in the right mindset for becoming an entrepreneur? Let's talk a little bit about what happened when you started your coaching journey, because I think this is what most people skip over or they try to just push through. And that becomes the Achilles heel for a lot of people.

The Mindset Work Behind The Leap

Speaker

Yeah. So this is what shocked me about coaching. And you told me it would be about mindset, but of course I thought to myself, oh no, this is really someone to be a thought partner, hold me accountable, make sure, you know, the mechanics of the business are in place, um, process all of that stuff. And you were right, it was completely about mindset. And for me, drive came so naturally. Hard work was all I knew. Right. It was belief in myself that was the struggle. And it's so ironic because people who don't know me that well think I'm really confident. And I portray myself to be that way, I guess.

Speaker 1

Um, in 100% in a professional setting.

Speaker

But the the reality is I'm very confident promoting someone else, their brand, who they are, or a brand. I will be the biggest promoter. I will be out there, I'll be the most confident voice promoting anyone else. But when it comes to promoting yourself, and it's just you and you're the face of the company, that was extremely difficult for me. There was a lot of, you know, imposter syndrome there. Um, there was a lot of vulnerability in doing that. Um, I think the other thing you really helped me with, Michelle, in this journey, which I never thought about in terms of um something I'd have to work on with being a business owner, was a scarcity mindset. So, you know, my upbringing, we had what we needed, but we never had more than that. And I always knew finances were a struggle. And I've carried that with me my entire life, worked so hard uh to have a comfortable life and resources to give my kids a better life. And suddenly, all of that, again, perceived security of a corporate salary and corporate benefits and all of that's gone. And I just didn't realize how scary that would be for me and how much that touched on the child in me that that worried about money. Um, so that was a real surprise for me. But I would say that's where I think we did our best work and where I feel like I made the most progress that now um has is really serving me and helping me to be successful.

Speaker 1

I I mean I can't underscore this enough. It really is the identity work. At the end of the day, so much of our identities are tied up in the careers that we've chosen in the past we've already gone down. And to dismantle that system and to step into a completely new identity requires a different set of beliefs, a different set of understanding of yourself. And to your earlier point, it truly is that breakdown to the breakthrough. It sounds cliche, but it's so exactly what needs to happen. You need to let go and grieve, grieve the dismantling, the loss, if you will, of that corporate identity and start to really see yourself before you even proven the concept of entrepreneur, business owner, CEO of my own company. And yet I would say you've made the transition look seamless from the outside. Looks that way, but it looks that way. And but hold on, a lot of people that I've worked with take a lot longer to get to the place that you're at right now. You were incredibly willing to get vulnerable from the get-go. And I think that that made your acceleration and your takeoff, and quite frankly, your phenomenal early success as an entrepreneur possible.

Energy And Service As A Strategy

Speaker

Yeah, I agree. I think the other piece of this that's really important that I did not realize. So, if people are listening who are looking to start businesses, I think this is really, really key. Energy is everything. I so I am an empath. I feel energy very deeply. So as a result, I've always been very purposeful about the energy I put out. I'm very intentional. I think about the energy I put out into the world. What that looked like before was really being happy for others' successes, being, you know, generous with contacts and connections and resources. I never gateked any of that. I always gave that freely because I always felt like it came back to me in spades. I mean, I for sure. I used to think I was lucky and I used to say that. Oh, I'm really lucky. I've been lucky in business. I actually realize now it's not luck, it's a combination of hard work and the energy that I've put out that I now feel come, feel coming back to me. I think one thing that you really help me with is to be delusional about my success. And I now say that to clients, just so you know, I've passed that on. And what does that mean? It means having such incredible faith in your ability to persevere, move things forward, and be successful, even when it doesn't feel like it, even when there's no proof. I mean, I have days where I'm not getting any replies back in my emails, I'm reaching out to people, no one's calling me. And those are the days where you need to say, nope. Every day that I do something towards my goals and I keep my energy up. And I, you know, when I have those days, it's like, what can I do for someone else to keep that energy positive and keep it on a high level? As long as I'm doing that, I'm moving in the right direction and it will come. And that belief takes a tremendous amount of work mentally to get there where you're really actually believing that. I was skeptical. I mean, it it took a while for me to get there, but I feel like I'm I'm in a zone now where I found the things that work for me that help me with my energy. Um, and it's I don't think it's a coincidence that things are going well now.

Speaker 1

Um, for sure. I, you know, you said something, and I think this is, I don't want to say unique to you, but certainly a trademark of how you operate. And I want to talk about it because I do think it's sort of a secret sauce. And that is, I've always known you to be somebody who looks out for others. Um, you've always been really good with your team. You were really good with your agency. You were hard and tough, but you were really good. But with love. With love. I mean, you have high standards, and we were going through some really tough things together on behalf of the businesses we represented. So those environments, I mean, for us, it turned into a beautiful friendship and a relationship that will be lifetime. Um, but it's one of those things I don't think most people tap into. And that is when you are trying to do something for yourself, when you are trying to build a new business, a career, to actually focus on others. And I know it's been a point of frustration at times because you are a giver and you give and you give and you give. And not everybody reciprocates. That's just it just is what we and we talked about this a lot where it had to become a place where you did it and you let go because you knew eventually it would pay off. And it's never because it's just who you are. You're in the DNA, you're like this with your family. I know that you're like this with your friends, you're like this in business. But if people can really hone in on helping others, even when they're building their own next chapter, it will pay off in dividends.

Speaker

I, this is probably one of the driving forces of, you know, why I've been successful in my mind. I mean, and I haven't done it because to be successful, it's just who I am and how I was raised. But I really feel like there's room for everyone to have success. This world is so large, so complex. There's so much out there. We can all be successful. And to me, it's, you know, and I've said this to my kids before too. It's like when things go wrong and you feel like crap, serve others. You will never feel worse. It's just kind of like when you have a you're not feeling great and you exercise, you feel better after. You always feel better. It's the same thing with serving others. It's like if you don't know what to do, and you're literally sitting there like, God, no one's getting back to me, nothing's working. Try to help someone else and you will at least feel better. And you know you put that energy out there. And it, it, it accumulates over time. And I just, I am one of those people, when my friends are successful, like I am in the front row. I am clapping the loudest, I am screaming the loudest. I mean, I love it. I love seeing my nieces, my nephews, my brother is so successful in business, you know, my sister, everyone, when they're successful, it makes me so happy. And that's genuine. Um, but you do have to do some work to get there because it's very easy. And I think naturally humans get jealous. Naturally, humans are worried about themselves, right? What's in it for me? Um, you really have to get to a point where you're so confident in who you are and what you do that you just you give it freely and you're not worried about the return.

unknown

Right.

Speaker

And that's the secret.

Speaker 1

Absolutely. It's a huge one. And for those of you who have been on this journey, listening to this podcast for some time, you know this. We've talked about this a lot. It all starts with how may I serve? And I loved, I'm I was so happy to have this part of the conversation come to light with Joy because she does it so effortlessly. She does it naturally. It's just part of who she is. I see her doing double time even when she's tired because she just knows it's the right thing to do. And not everyone is hardwired that way. And if you aren't, that's okay. But be intentional because if you are stuck, I guarantee you the answer is somewhere in service. So if you're thinking about how to move forward, always ask how may I serve others? And I tell you, it happens every time the path for you will appear.

Speaker

A hundred percent. I believe that in my bones. And I hope to pass that on to my kids as well because that's just one of the most important lessons in life.

Maven Row And The 360 Presence

Speaker 1

Absolutely. All right, let's talk about Maven Rowe because I am so excited. Uh, Maven Rowe, you came to coaching with Maven Rowe branding already done. Yes. Um, and you already had a client in your wing. So we had a concept already. It was already in process. It was a small project, but it was enough for proof of concept.

Speaker

Yes, absolutely. But it also evolved. What I decided to do with Maven Rowe evolved. And I think you're a big part of that evolution. And again, this is part of, you know, investing in coaching, which when you're not making money is hard to do. It's okay. I get it. It is, it is, it is. But having someone hold a mirror up to you is really important. And knowing what you know and knowing that you don't know a lot is really important. Just being aware of that. So, Maven Rowe, you know, my bread and butter, what I've always done is strategic communications. And so my first client, which was a small little project from someone former colleague who's a president at a company, gave me, which was wonderful. Um, that was my bread and butter. Same with the second client that I still have now. And then as as time went on, I felt like, God, something's missing. You know, I want to do more than that. And we started talking about it. And I was a makeup artist many years ago. I was also a painter when I was in college. I studied color theory. I've always had a very creative bent. And I kept saying, I want to help people more. I feel like I'm not bringing this all together. And what we kind of workshopped over weeks and weeks and weeks was how do you how do you marry strategy with style? And how do you help people show up and in the best possible light, like the best version of themselves? And through the years, as uh, you know, leader in communications, I always worked with executives or the celebrities I've worked with, train them for high stakes moments, train them for a big media moment or for an investor call or for a presentation. And it was always about how do I make you come across as the most authentic but best self that you executive, you know, that you are. And so we we talked about that a lot. And that's the that's the work that I find the most joy in because I love seeing someone, everyone has potential and everyone has different things that make them great. And I love bringing those things out and watching people just evolve into the best version of themselves. And so where we landed was not an image consultant, and there's nothing wrong with this, but not like just a stylist or doing that, though I love that part, but really about your full 360 presence. So, what's your body language? How do you speak? What are you wearing? Yes. What's your story? What's your narrative? How do you bring that all together? So, whether that means you're up leveling in your life and you're looking for something new, you're changing career paths. I have a couple of clients that are just completely changing career paths. I have another client who is becoming a CEO and she's interviewing for CEO. Um, how do you put that whole package together and increase your gravitas, your presence, and how you show up in a way that's still you? So we have this concept dress how you want to feel. You know, a lot of people think, oh, you know, you've got to dress, you know, you got to wear the black suit with, you know, the pumps if you're a female, et cetera. All buttoned down. Yes. Or a white button down. If that's you, yes, you should wear that. And that's great. But what's the most polished version of you that we can bring to light so people see you in the best possible light? Because you know this, Michelle. I mean, people make an assumption about you seven seconds before you even open your mouth. So the signals that you're sending and how you look and how you appear and how you show up are so important. And I think a lot of people miss that. They don't invest in themselves to really look at that and assess that and figure out what they can do to improve. So that's the work I love with Maven Rowe. Of course, I also love the strategic communications work and promotion and publicity and all that fun stuff. But this is a new part of the business that I think is really fun, brings me tons of joy.

Speaker 1

If you can share the story of when, excuse me, of when we landed on you doing an ebook.

Speaker

The ebook. Yes, I have an ebook. Michelle kept pushing me, saying, you know, I know you like this communications work, but I you keep going back to this image consulting thing. And you you really need to, I really think there's something there for you. I can totally this feels so you. And I would have like asked my friends, they're like, oh my God, Joy, this is you.

Speaker 1

You've been like picking out our clothes since we were 18, you know, and and helping me with, you know, different, you know, um not just our clothes, but also like people's living rooms and that for uh she has a great eye for how things work together.

Speaker

Yeah, and I think that's like all the painting I did and all the art I did. I just I'm very visual and I can just see things, how things go together, um, which is a great gift. And so, but I never thought of monetizing that or put making that into something that would be even close to resembling a career path. Um, and so one of the things that you had said, Michelle, is oh, you know so much about this. Why don't you write an ebook? And I just like I think I laughed at you.

Speaker 1

And I think you just stared at me for a little while, like, what?

Speaker

Like an ebook? What? What do you mean? And I thought about it and I'm like, I don't know enough.

Speaker 1

You know this was the part that cracked me up because she's like, I don't have enough concept to actually create a book.

Speaker

And then a few weeks later, a few weeks later, I was going to a board uh meeting for one of the charities um I work with, and I was stuck in the airport. And I had my laptop and I was thinking about this ebook. I'm like, I'm gonna just start like writing. Well, that ended up into like a five-hour writing set. I couldn't stop. I think I finished it in a week or two. Yeah. And it just poured out of me. And um, and it was just amazing, and it sort of underscored for me, yeah, you do know this, and you can do this. And this is so natural to you. And you know, when I think of like when I give advice, like when I'm mentoring people, it's always like when you are early in career, you're in college, or whatever, I always tell people, lean into what you're good at. Don't worry about what people think. So, like when I told my parents I was gonna be an English major, they were like, What are you gonna do with that? But I knew I was good at I love to read, and I knew I was good at writing and interpreting things and all of that. And I just knew, okay, if I do this, it will come right naturally. And so I just leaned in and it it it really did shock me. It really did shock me. And I have a couple clients now using the book, you know, as they're working with me. And they're like, this is so good. You know, there's so many insights in this. And I still like shake my head that I can't believe I even I even went there. But I have to do that.

Go All In With Patience

Speaker 1

I love I love using that example because she's like, there's no way I would have enough to say. What would I say? And then 55 pages later, full of content, nuggets, wisdom, and insight. She has an ebook, and it it's uh authoritative and informative and insightful, and it's fun to read. So I'm so proud of you. I'm really, really proud of you. All right. As we get toward the end of our conversation, I'd love for you to just think about look, there's a lot of people listening that are very successful, but they're quietly wondering whether there's something more aligned for them. They're on the fence, they're at that crossroads that you once were at. What would you say to someone standing at those crossroads?

Speaker

Well, I would say two things. One is, um, I know it's cliche, but you really can do anything. I mean, if you put your mind to something and you put the work in, I really feel like the hard work, but also the intention. If you have the right intentions and you follow through, it is possible. It is hard. You will question yourself. You will say, What am I doing? Uh, why am I doing this? But it's interesting. When I first started, so many people gave me the advice do this on the side of your desk. Take a new job after write aid and do this on the side of your desk. Because, you know, if it doesn't work out, you have your full-time job. And I had someone else, Ashley Dennison, actually, um, who heads up comms consultants, she said, My advice to you is six months, go all in. Go all in. Give yourself the chance to really, really do it. And if it doesn't work, then go back to the corporate job. You can start interviewing. So I'm not saying it's gonna be easy, but go all in. And I had that in my head, and that's my personality anyway. I'm always all in, right? So I just went for it. And every day I worked on it. And I think if you do that and you have that philosophy, of course, you need to put some things in place to be able to do that first. You have to be smart, you have to have a cushion that you can rely on and a time frame in your mind. It's six months, it's three months, it's four months. I mean, I you need at least four months, I would say. Um it's possible. And you got to believe a little in in magic, you know, and and you have to have faith. I mean, I have a deep spiritual spirituality that I lean on. Um, but you have to believe and believe in yourself and believe in the universe, giving you what you need at the time that you need it. And sometimes when things don't work out for you, it's a blessing, it's a redirection to something better. And you have to believe that in your soul, you know, and that just takes a lot of work to do that. But if you have that, believe me, it can happen for you.

Speaker 1

Absolutely. Okay. If you could go back and give yourself advice at the very beginning of this transition to your entrepreneurial journey, what would you say?

Speaker

I would say that there will be many days where you get no responses, you don't hear back, and you feel like you're failing. But actually, in the long, you've got to look at the long game and in the long run what happens. Try not to get discouraged by those things. Instead, do something positive for yourself that's moving your business forward in those days and just keep going. Because what I found is I did that for six months and it was like crickets. I had thank, thankfully, I had a client that was, you know, helping me to pay the bills. But then all of a sudden, after six months, all these little things I put out into the world started, I started getting calls, I started getting emails, I started getting referrals. And it was me heads down for six months thinking, I don't know if after this client I'm gonna have anyone to to work for. So um, I would tell myself, patience, patience is very important in this process.

Speaker 1

And I would say you don't have to do it alone.

Speaker

Right, a hundred percent.

Speaker 1

You need a group, you need a support network for sure. Yeah, you really do. All right, let's talk a little specifically about your coaching journey. Looking back on it, what are you most proud of?

Speaker

I'm most proud of kind of putting it all out there, like like really going there and really doing the personal work, even when it was uncomfortable, even when you're telling me something I don't want to hear, hard truth, which is probably often in the beginning.

Speaker 1

Yeah, there was a lot happening. You were still working, you were standing up this company. It was I remind you you were getting ready to get remarried, yes, which was a wonderful thing, but a lot of work.

Speaker

Um, and and um so I would say um really, really doing the work, you know. I if I invest in this, I have to be ready to do the hard work. It's not just meeting with Michelle, you know, every week, it's what happens around that meeting and really thinking deeply about the things that we talked about and and what actions can I take to move me forward. Um, so I'm really proud of just being being completely open to the process and letting myself be vulnerable, letting my guard down, and just putting it all out there.

Defining An Extraordinary Life

Speaker 1

Ideal client, and um very proud uh to call her an alumni here. Okay. So I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you this. It's something I ask all of my guests. But looking uh back across your journey, what does it mean to you today to live an extraordinary life?

Speaker

For me, living an extraordinary life is being aligned from the inside out. What do I mean by that? I mean being able to be really present with my kids. That's my most important thing. Doing work that is purposeful, working with people who have that positive energy and who are putting good out into the world. To me, that is a real luxury to have the choice to work with those kinds of people and those kinds of brands. Um, so for me, it's about presence and purpose, really. Have being present with the people that I love, truly present. Um, not on a conversation. Conference call half watching the game or whatever it is, truly present, and then living a life that reflects my values and my purpose of you know serving others, helping others, making people feel good. That to me is the ultimate extraordinary life.

Speaker 1

I love that. I love that. And it's so beautiful. For I think when you're in this space where things start to click, and we talk about being in the zone where the days are hard sometimes, but you go to bed at night at peace, knowing you're on the right path. There is nothing else like it.

Speaker

So true. Right? It's so true. It's a wonderful feeling. It's hard won, but everything that's worth it is hard won, right? So it's it, it, it's, and I'm just at the beginning of my journey. But um when you start feeling that momentum and you start working with people who are good people and generous and spirit and all of that, it's like, wow, like I can choose who I work with, I can choose who I partner with. You know, you are the company you keep. And um, when you work in a structured environment, you a lot of that is forced. Absolutely. You know, and so this to this freedom, it's extraordinary to have that in a real luxury. So I'm very grateful.

Speaker 1

Well, Joy, I am so grateful that you came on and we were able to have this conversation together. It was a long time in coming, and I'm just incredibly, well, frankly, I'm in awe at what you've done in a very short amount of time, but not at all surprised. Um, thank you. This is uh, you're such an inspiration. Uh, you've been a phenomenal client, and more importantly, you've been a spectacular friend. And I thank you for your time and thank you for sharing your journey with us today.

Speaker

Thank you so much, Michelle. I really, really appreciate it. It's been a joy.

Speaker 1

Okay, everyone. Until next time, go and live your extraordinary life.

Head Shot

Michelle Rios

Host