The Joyous Edge

Joy St John
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The Joyous Edge Podcast helps purpose-driven, high-performing executives and leaders trade burnout and overcommitment for purpose, prioritization, and presence. Hosted by former KPMG Managing Director Joy St John, every episode is a masterclass in living fully, aligning your actions with your purpose, prioritizing your self-care, and becoming the confident, joy-filled executive you are meant to be.

  1. 2 days ago

    Leadership that Moves People with Jackie Chew

    💜 Schedule a FREE JOY CALL: https://FreeJoyCall.com 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE… In a world full of information, expertise alone is no longer enough. The leaders and speakers who truly move people are the ones who can bring clarity, ask better questions, and create spaces where ideas can turn into real change. Today, Joy sits down with Jacqui Chew, the leader of TEDx Atlanta, to talk about what makes an idea worth spreading and what it really takes to build a volunteer-powered movement. Jacqui shares the story behind TEDx Atlanta, why volunteers are led and inspired rather than managed, and how the best speakers use curiosity to help people see something differently. They also unpack the power of helpful cultures, why "super chickens" can damage teams, how safe feedback makes speakers stronger, and why belonging matters deeply for leaders who often carry more than people realize. 👋 WHO IS JOY ST. JOHN? Joy St John draws on 25+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate risk, and enterprise leadership to show teams how to simplify the work, reduce hidden risk, and restore ownership to the way people lead. Drawing on her career in top organizations and her personal wake-up call after years of overwork, Joy teaches leaders and teams to see the bigger picture, investigate problems with less ego and more curiosity, and bring energy back to work that has become too heavy, too complicated, or too routine. ✏️ RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE Learn more about Jacqui Chew: Linkedin ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:23 How TEDx Atlanta Became a Pioneer Chapter 03:33 What It Takes to Build a Volunteer-Powered Movement 07:33 Volunteers Are Led, Not Managed 08:20 Why the Right Idea Can Change Everything 11:18 Expertise Is Table Stakes. Clarity Is Leadership 12:34 The Best Speakers Ask Better Questions 13:59 Why "Super Chicken" Cultures Hurt High-Performing Teams 17:22 How Helpful Cultures Create Better Results 18:38 Better Feedback Makes Better Speakers 21:58 Creating Space for Curiosity and Childlike Wonder 23:49 Normalizing the Mental Health Conversation 26:32 Belonging, Estrangement, and the Loneliness of Leadership 30:07 What Brings Jacqui Joy 31:30 Why You Should Experience TEDx Atlanta 2026

  2. 5 days ago

    Reclaim Your Peace with Dr. Stacy Jagger

    💜 Schedule a FREE JOY CALL: https://FreeJoyCall.com   🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE… In a world where leaders, parents, and professionals are constantly pulled toward screens, notifications, and other people's expectations, true rest can feel almost impossible. Today, Joy sits down with Dr. Stacey Jagger to talk about how to disconnect in an over-committed world. Stacey shares how her own story of chaos, survival, and healing shaped her work with executives and families, why a child's struggle can be a signal for the whole family system, and how a 30-day digital detox can help replace entertainment with connection.  They also unpack nervous system regulation, the importance of margin, screen time boundaries, and the simple practices that help leaders come home to themselves, their families, and their joy.   👋 WHO IS JOY ST. JOHN? Joy St John draws on 25+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate risk, and enterprise leadership to show teams how to simplify the work, reduce hidden risk, and restore ownership to the way people lead.  Drawing on her career in top organizations and her personal wake-up call after years of overwork, Joy teaches leaders and teams to see the bigger picture, investigate problems with less ego and more curiosity, and bring energy back to work that has become too heavy, too complicated, or too routine. ✏️ RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE Learn more about Dr. Stacy Jagger: https://musiccityfamilytherapy.com/our-team/ ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:57 From Chaos to Calling 04:42 When the "Problem Child" Is Actually the Hero 06:37 Replace Screen Time With Real Connection 13:29 How to Know When Screens Are Dysregulating You 18:20 Finding Peace in a Noisy World 20:53 Regulated Leaders Create Healthier Teams 23:13 How to Leave Work at Work 26:24 Leading Strong Without Losing Your Softness 29:52 The One Skill Every Overloaded Leader Needs 31:04 Why Play Helps Us Come Back to Joy

  3. 3 Sept

    Lead Through AI Without Losing Trust with Rachel Bolton

    💜 Schedule a FREE JOY CALL: https://FreeJoyCall.com 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE… How do you move fast on AI when your team is wondering whether the technology you are adopting will eventually replace them? Leaders are being asked to drive efficiency, manage risk, and reassure people at the same time, often without clear policies or promises they can honestly make. When polished output has no traceable source and corporate language feels evasive, trust disappears quickly. In this episode, Rachel Bolton shares how executives can communicate AI strategy with more honesty, clarity, and care. She and Joy explore the governance questions leaders cannot ignore, how an AI code of conduct can reduce uncertainty, and where AI can support better thinking without replacing human judgment or voice.   👋 WHO IS JOY ST JOHN? Joy St John draws on 25+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate risk, and enterprise leadership to show teams how to simplify the work, reduce hidden risk, and restore ownership to the way people lead. Drawing on her career in top organizations and her personal wake-up call after years of overwork, Joy teaches leaders and teams to see the bigger picture, investigate problems with less ego and more curiosity, and bring energy back to work that has become too heavy, too complicated, or too routine.   ✏️ RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE Rachel's website: https://www.therachelbolton.com/   ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:39  Why AI trust moves in more than one direction 02:36  The risk of polished work with no traceable source 05:43  Bringing risk, technology, and legal thinking together 07:48  Communicating honestly when employees fear for their jobs 15:57  How an AI code of conduct can reduce uncertainty 19:57  Using AI without surrendering your human voice

  4. 31 Aug

    Trust Yourself and Make the Bold Move with Amy Mosser

    💜 Schedule a FREE JOY CALL: https://FreeJoyCall.com   🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE… What would change if you stopped asking whether the bold move was safe and started asking whether staying the same was costing you more? You may already know which career, relationship, or dream no longer fits, yet fear, responsibility, and other people's expectations can make your own knowing easy to dismiss. In this episode, Amy Mosser shares how she rebuilt after divorce, refused to surrender her power, and turned fear into forward motion through faith, gratitude, and daily reflection. She and Joy explore what it means to own your choices without becoming a victim, create room for what matters, and use community to keep moving when confidence wavers.   👋 WHO IS JOY ST JOHN? Joy St John draws on 25+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate risk, and enterprise leadership to show teams how to simplify the work, reduce hidden risk, and restore ownership to the way people lead.  Drawing on her career in top organizations and her personal wake-up call after years of overwork, Joy teaches leaders and teams to see the bigger picture, investigate problems with less ego and more curiosity, and bring energy back to work that has become too heavy, too complicated, or too routine. ✏️ RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE Sisters Next Door - Website ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 02:32  Rebuilding when your back is against the wall 06:45  Moving through fear with faith, gratitude, and a clear why 12:54  The enoughness struggle that success does not erase 15:12  Why relationships and real community matter more than ever 18:53  Learning to trust what you already know 24:36  Stop repeating the same pattern and make the move

  5. 27 Aug

    Speak Up and Make a Bigger Impact with Shirley Laboy

    💜 Schedule a FREE JOY CALL: https://FreeJoyCall.com   🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE… What if the opportunity to make a bigger impact is already in front of you, but you have not yet asked for the room or the title to use it? Capable leaders can spend years doing work beyond their job description while hesitating to name the value they bring. At the same time, packed calendars and constant production leave little space for the thinking that makes leadership matter. In this episode, Shirley LaBoy shares how she advocated for an expanded leadership role and how board service changed the way she approaches voice, impact, and succession. She and Joy explore how to speak up with credibility, create room for every voice in high-level conversations, and use AI to reclaim time without immediately filling that space with more tasks.   👋 WHO IS JOY ST JOHN? Joy St John draws on 25+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate risk, and enterprise leadership to show teams how to simplify the work, reduce hidden risk, and restore ownership to the way people lead.  Drawing on her career in top organizations and her personal wake-up call after years of overwork, Joy teaches leaders and teams to see the bigger picture, investigate problems with less ego and more curiosity, and bring energy back to work that has become too heavy, too complicated, or too routine. ✏️ RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE Shirley LaBoy - LinkedIn ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 02:47  Why leaders have to challenge, advise, and speak up 07:09  Advocating for the title that matched the work she was already doing 10:05  Creating room for every voice in a high-level meeting 13:03  Making a meaningful impact inside a limited leadership term 15:06  Why leaders should value the thinking time AI creates 23:03  Using AI to reduce burnout instead of adding more work

  6. 24 Aug

    Build a Team You Don't Have To Carry with Elyse Badewitz

    💜 Schedule a FREE JOY CALL: https://FreeJoyCall.com   🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE… If you're the leader everyone depends on, it's easy to convince yourself that carrying more is simply part of the job. But when every decision, every employee problem, and every unexpected fire still lands on your shoulders, success can start to feel a lot like exhaustion. Today, Joy sits down with business owner and coach Elyse Badewitz to explore what it takes to build a business and a team that can thrive without consuming you. They unpack the emotional side of leadership, why empathy needs boundaries, how your energy affects the people around you, and what changes when you stop tying your worth to your team's reactions.   👋 WHO IS JOY ST JOHN? Joy St John draws on 25+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate risk, and enterprise leadership to show teams how to simplify the work, reduce hidden risk, and restore ownership to the way people lead.  Drawing on her career in top organizations and her personal wake-up call after years of overwork, Joy teaches leaders and teams to see the bigger picture, investigate problems with less ego and more curiosity, and bring energy back to work that has become too heavy, too complicated, or too routine. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 01:45 – Why successful leaders still end up buried in the business
 07:20 – Building a team you can trust without doing everything yourself
 18:40 – The emotional weight of leading people who may not always love you back
 27:30 – Why your team feels your stress even when you think you're hiding it
 36:45 – Balancing empathy, boundaries, and standards without burning everyone out

  7. 20 Aug

    Become the Most Trusted Voice in the Room with David Lawhorn

    💜 Schedule a FREE JOY CALL: https://FreeJoyCall.com 🎙️IN THIS EPISODE…  What if the next level of leadership has less to do with saying more and more to do with becoming the person people trust when the stakes are high? A rushed reply, distracted conversation, or overpromised deadline can erode credibility, even when your intentions are good. Showing up is only the beginning. How you make people feel heard, valued, and confident in your word determines whether they will follow you. In this episode, David Lawhorn shares how intentional communication turns ordinary interactions into trust-building moments. He and Joy explore the NOW framework, the internal dialogue that shapes external results, the questions that create genuine connection, and the executive shift from being the loudest voice in the room to the most trusted.  👋 WHO IS JOY ST JOHN? Joy St John draws on 25+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate risk, and enterprise leadership to show teams how to simplify the work, reduce hidden risk, and restore ownership to the way people lead. Drawing on her career in top organizations and her personal wake-up call after years of overwork, Joy teaches leaders and teams to see the bigger picture, investigate problems with less ego and more curiosity, and bring energy back to work that has become too heavy, too complicated, or too routine.  ✏️ RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE David Lawhorn - David Speaks International ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 01:30 The communication difference between average and top performers  02:55 The NOW framework for winning important conversations 06:37 Why trust sits at the center of every strong interaction 10:33 One question that instantly makes a conversation more intentional 19:41 How leaders develop talent instead of driving it away 23:52 Becoming the most trusted voice in the room

  8. 17 Aug

    Succeed Without Losing What Matters Most with Joel Okaah

    💜 Schedule a FREE JOY CALL: https://FreeJoyCall.com   🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE… What is success worth if the people you love get the leftovers and your own health is always next on the list? Ambition can look responsible from the outside while quietly pulling you away from your family, your purpose, and the body that has to carry everything you are building. In this episode, Joel Okaah shares the painful moment that exposed his misaligned priorities and the decision to leave most of his income behind for work rooted in faith, fitness, and service. He and Joy explore consistency without perfection, health practices that fit a responsibility-filled life, and the identity shift that turns self-care from another task into part of who you are.   👋 WHO IS JOY ST JOHN? Joy St John draws on 25+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, corporate risk, and enterprise leadership to show teams how to simplify the work, reduce hidden risk, and restore ownership to the way people lead.  Drawing on her career in top organizations and her personal wake-up call after years of overwork, Joy teaches leaders and teams to see the bigger picture, investigate problems with less ego and more curiosity, and bring energy back to work that has become too heavy, too complicated, or too routine. ✏️ RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE Training Ground Performance - Website ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:35  Leaving most of your income to follow a clearer purpose 02:25  The moment success exposed a painful priority problem 06:46  When responsibility leaves no margin for your health 08:37  Why consistency beats perfection in a real life 20:26  Protecting the health that makes your purpose possible 28:27  Upgrading your operating system for a new season

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About

The Joyous Edge Podcast helps purpose-driven, high-performing executives and leaders trade burnout and overcommitment for purpose, prioritization, and presence. Hosted by former KPMG Managing Director Joy St John, every episode is a masterclass in living fully, aligning your actions with your purpose, prioritizing your self-care, and becoming the confident, joy-filled executive you are meant to be.

Information

  • Creator
    Joy St John
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    The Joyous Edge