The Business of Joy

“I’m going to need some tissues. It’s a difficult story… but a beautiful one… because we can turn darkness into light.” -NASA’s Michael CiannilliSeason 7 launches today! 🎙 Big news coming tomorrow too! Hint: It’s a space (pun intended 😉) to spotlight every guest, every story, and every spark of joy we uncover together.This premiere is one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had. It’s a journey from heartbreak to hope with a 30-year NASA veteran who helped lead the recovery of Columbia and turned tragedy into purpose.After we recorded, Mike said something that reminded me why I love doing these: “I really enjoyed our discussion, Lisa. I must say once again, you’re a fantastic host who really brings out the person in the interview.”Michael’s career took him from engineering and test directing rockets to leading NASA’s Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned program.Here are some of the stories you’ll hear in this episode: 🚀 How 10-year-old Mike’s make-ready weekends shaped a lifetime of agility and craftsmanship 🚀 The 5½-year detour before joining NASA, and the perseverance that defined him 🚀 What it means to teach the “why” behind failure, not just the “what” 🚀 How the same human lessons apply whether you’re launching rockets, running a business, or leading teamsThat’s the heart of The Business of Joy: getting to the human side of every story. Behind every title, every mission, every milestone, there’s a person finding light after darkness. 🎧 Now streaming! Get the tissues ready!

Joy, soul, and hospitality aren’t soft words… they're a growth strategy!That’s the message from Brett Schulman, CEO & Co-Founder of CAVA, who joined me on The Business of Joy podcast this week.Before leading one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in America, his early jobs of washing cars and chopping firewood built his work ethic: discipline, pride, and the power of showing up!A few gems in this episode: 🌱 Manual work builds character, while human connection builds culture. His early jobs taught him attention to detail, perseverance, and the pride of finishing well.🧡 Small wins build big discipline. Making your bed. Showing up. Doing the small things consistently… that’s how momentum and resilience are built.🔥 Hospitality is a competitive edge. As technology removes friction, people crave warmth. The dining room isn’t dead - bad experiences are.📈 Lead for decades, not quarters. Show up on the bad days. Invest through headwinds. Build for the long game.Brett is a testament that when leaders choose humanity over fear, the brand doesn’t just survive… it thrives.

At 13 years old, Joe Davis wrote a list of life goals. Fast forward decades later… it turned out to be the blueprint for his life!For this episode of the Business of Joy, I had the pleasure of interviewing Joe Davis, Former Head of BCG North America and author of The Generous Leader!We talked about the kind of leadership that actually moves people (and the needle): humble, curious, and human.Some of the highlights from this episode:📰 How a 6-year paper route taught accountability at 6am (and why showing up matters)🔑 Why saying “I don’t know” can unlock creativity instead of stalling it💞 What the pandemic taught him about empathy, perspective, and leadership at scale👂 How properly listening to feedback from employees and teammates can help shape decisions and shift both morale and performanceIf you lead teams (or aspire to) you’ll love this one.📘 Joe’s book: The Generous LeaderAMAZON: https://a.co/d/95KT4xFAUDIBLE: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Generous-Leader-Audiobook/B0D6WM3FJ5?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp#BusinessOfJoy #Leadership #GenerousLeadership #EmpathyInAction #HumanConnection

There’s a difference between reporting sports... and sharing the stories of sports.That’s what makes Newy Scruggs, the 15-time Emmy-winning Sports Director at NBC DFW, stand out. For over 30 years, he hasn’t just covered games, he uncovers the human lessons inside them. Lessons we can carry into work, leadership, and life. From sit-downs with former TCU head coach Gary Patterson and UT Athletic Director Chris Del Conte to everyday athletes, Newy gets to the heart of it.If you’re in Dallas, Newy is a household name. If you’re not, trust me, you’re missing out.In our Business of Joy conversation, Newy shared:💡 Why vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s the bridge to real connection⛰️ The Mount Everest principle of success and how complacency kills momentum🌱 How cutting lawns at 11 on military bases taught him work ethic, grit, and perspective🎤 A 5th-grade mock newscast that revealed his calling in broadcasting🙏 How faith, perspective, and a daily choice for joy keep him groundedThe game ends. The highlights fade. The headlines change. But the lessons and stories Newy shares will stick with you.Newy's Interview with Chris del Conte: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/meet-chris-del-conte-ut-longhorns-athletics/3764827/Newy's Website: newyscruggs.com#BusinessOfJoy #NewyScruggs #Storytelling #Leadership #NBCDFW

“Everyone wants to just ‘let the data speak.’ But data without a question is just noise.”Right?AI seems to be taking over a lot of our “mind share” these days. So I decided to sit down with an expert, Mike Lukianoff, CEO of Signal Flare AI, to get down to the brass tacts.I could have talked with Mike for hours about this stuff! Here are just a few of my favorite quotables from this episode:📊 “Letting the data ‘tell you’ is like asking a calculator to write your business plan.”🧠 “Nobody knows you’re doing your job until you’re not.” (Describing his offensive lineman mindset and leadership behind the scenes.)💡 “I got the right answer to the wrong question. That’s a type three error in statistics, and it’s happening everywhere with AI.”From offensive lineman to entrepreneur, Mike shares what it means to do the work no one sees and why asking better questions might just be the most human thing we can do.

“You’re not burned out because of your job. You’re burned out because you’re doing someone else’s job.”That line stood out to me when I sat down with Monica Rothgery, former COO of KFC and one of the most joyful, no-BS leaders I know. Monica was the first woman in the US to hold that position and the first member of the LBGTQ community to get to the C-suite at YUM!For the fiftieth episode of the Business of Joy, we talked about:✨ What the Army didn’t prepare her for at Taco Bell🎧 Why she wears a headset during her keynotes and what it says about who she leads for🌏 How she led a turnaround in Thailand, despite no global ops background nor language skills⚠️ What “compressed productivity” is, and how it’s quietly suffocating innovation in your org🔥 The radical clarity that comes from asking: “What’s mine to do?”Whether you’re running a business, mentoring new talent, or working the frontlines yourself, Monica’s perspective and insights will change how you think.#BusinessOfJoy #LeadershipDevelopment #FrontlineLeaders #Restaurants #WomenInLeadership

What’s the mistake too many young leaders make?🚫 Skipping steps. 🚫 Skipping the struggle.This week’s episode of The Business of Joy podcast features Andrew K. Smith, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Savory Fund!From cleaning kennels at 14 to co-founding a $500M fund, his story is a playbook for gritty, joyful leadership.We talked about:💸 The truth about today’s fundraising climate—and where opportunity still lives🔄 What legacy brands can learn from emerging ones🌟 “Don’t be a know-it-all. Be a learn-it-all.”🌱 How restaurants (and leaders) can be the light others lean toward💡 Why he believes positivity breeds successWhat struck me most? His ability to dream big and stay grounded.🎧 One of my favorite conversations yet. Packed with perspective, wisdom, and unforgettable one-liners.And BTW—we even talk favorite bands and music. So cool.Here were two of the bands that Andrew mentioned:Zola Blood: https://www.youtube.com/@ZOLABLOOD/videosWashed Out: https://www.youtube.com/@realwashedout/videos