Ep 97 | Finding Joy in the Mess and Fixing Problems That Shouldn’t Exist

📺 HELP US HIT OUR SUB GOAL BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR YOUTUBE PAGE! 

What does it mean to find joy in the middle of problems that should never have existed in the first place?

In this episode of Highly Visible & A Little Misunderstood, I sit down with Louis Byrd, Chief Architect of Responsible Innovation at Zanago Design, to talk about how doing the hard, often frustrating work of fixing broken systems can still be a source of joy and purpose.

Louis shares how he stays grounded while working on solutions to issues that overwhelm most people, the surprising ways joy shows up in that process, and why influence isn’t always about the loudest voice in the room. We get into:

• 🌍 Impact without burnout — why joy is a renewable fuel for long-haul work
• 🧩 The “sphere of influence” mindset — and how to use it when change feels impossible
• 🤝 The quiet power of presence — influencing others without having to push or persuade

Whether you’re a changemaker, a problem-solver, or someone wrestling with the weight of the world’s mess, this conversation is a reminder that joy isn’t a distraction from the work — it’s what keeps us in it.

📺 Watch Previous Episode on Youtube

💬 Join the Conversation
How have you found joy in work that feels heavy or frustrating?
Drop a comment or send a voice note → Submit your bit of joy ✨

🤝🏾 Connect with Louis Byrd

• Connect with Louis on LinkedIn 
• Responsible innovation & products on Zanago 
• Homeowner? Stay organized & Financially ready with Kataba 

📚 Resources & Links

• To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other by Viet Thanh Nguyen
• WATCH: Surviving For Closure: Documentary

📬 Join our community + get free stickers

☕️  Support the show on Ko-fi (one-time donation)

Follow us for more:

• 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @HighlyVisiblePod
• 🎙️ All platforms: https://linktr.ee/highlyvisiblepod

🎛️ Production Credits

• Produced & Edited by: Jonathan Dumas
  
• Co-Produced & Additional Editing: Reggie Hall
  
• Contact: HighlyVisiblePodcast@gmail.com 

#Podcast #BlackJoy #HighlyVisiblePodcast #Joy #ResponsibleInnovation #Housing #HousingJustice #RealEstateTransparency #DesignThinking #ProblemSolving #EthicalTech #AIEthics #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Community #Creativity #Midwest #Fatherhood #BlackPodcasts #BlackPodcaster #BlackPodcast