Follow Your Joy Podcast by Marla Diann

Marla Diann
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I'm your host, Marla Diann! I've been transforming creative entrepreneurs' lives for over 26 years through two businesses. As a success coach and business strategist, I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs collapse the time frame of achieving their desires and goals. It's time to make joy your inner GPS for life and business decisions rather than lean on your logic and reason, first. You'll not only be following what is most authentic to you and for you, but you will live the beautiful life meant just for you. Here at Follow Your Joy Podcast, I aspire for you, the highly talented and passionate creative entrepreneur, to do what brings you joy more often …because you learned to listen to your intuition and take action on that guidance. This is where you'll find inspiring entrepreneurial stories and solocasts that prove listening to your intuition is certainly the doorway to your wisdom, your genius and your joy. Joy is not to be relegated to a good feeling. It's a life & business strategy. When we follow our joy and stay tuned into it, we will live a more authentic life. Not sure how to access, use or trust your intuition living in a logical, intellectual world? Join me in the conversation to find out how!

  1. 3D AGO

    When Wanderlust Becomes a Calling: The Season You Choose Yourself

    Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @marladiann  What if the very thing you've been taught defines success… is the reason you burned out? In this inspiring episode of Follow Your Joy, we explore the powerful intersection of travel, intuition, and redefining success for women who have achieved — yet know there's much more. My guest's story is a prime example of how a NEW CHAPTER begins with discontent, uncertainty, a defining moment, and then burnout. If her journey of being pulled toward something different… more freedom, more adventure, more aliveness… then this conversation will surely resonate deeply. I'm joined by global travel journalist, author, and entrepreneur Jen Ruiz, whose story is a brilliant example of what happens when you stop following the expected path — and start following your joy. Jen went from practicing law to taking a bold leap: 12 trips in 12 months before her 30th birthday — a decision that completely transformed her life and career. Sometimes… the most powerful next step isn't more strategy — it's a plane ticket, a yes to yourself, and the courage to follow what feels true. Inside this episode, we talk about: •        Why traditional "success metrics" rooted in hustle and logic often lead to burnout •        Jen's personal story of heartbreak, solo travel, and unexpected magic that led to her newest memoir •        How travel becomes a catalyst for clarity, healing, and reinvention •        The importance of blending feminine intuition with masculine structure for true alignment •        The role intuition plays in making bold life and business decisions •        Why women don't need to wait for the "perfect time" to start living fully Jen shares how she now uses her platform to amplify local and women-owned businesses around the world — combining her background in law with storytelling, advocacy, and global impact. This conversation is a reminder that: Success isn't just what you build. It's how you feel while living your life. Jen is offering a free 5-Day Travel Writing Challenge to help you craft compelling pitches and land your first paid travel assignment. You can access it inside the Portal of Joy. www.marladiann.com/podcast/portal If you're in a season of transition, craving more freedom, or ready to redefine what success looks like for you — this episode will open something within you. Resources + Links: @jenonajetplane across all socials, jenonajetplane.com, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jen-Ruiz/author/B07B7GSVSL -Marla's Amazon Lifestyle Influencer Store – shop for favorites! Jen's book is inside my store in the travel section https://www.amazon.com/shop/marla_diann -If your own midlife (40+) reinvention is knocking, let's explore it. What does freedom look and feel like for you? More travel? More creative expression? We begin our connection with a Freedom Chat. Use my Calendly link to get on the calendar. https://calendly.com/successcoach-marladiann/connection Loved this episode? Don't stop here, unlock the tools, resources, and free downloads mentioned during the episode. Click here to access the portal of joy. https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/

    1h 1m

  2. MAR 11

    Why Following Your Joy Is a Life & Business Strategy: Lessons from 100 Podcast Episodes!

    Watch & Subscribe on YouTube  Today we're celebrating a major milestone — the 100th episode of the Follow Your Joy podcast. To mark the occasion, we're doing something a little different. Instead of interviewing a guest entrepreneur, I invited my long-time brand manager, good friend, and creative partner Chelsey Marie to join me on the show and flip the script. Chelsey has worked beside me for over a decade behind the scenes producing the podcast and supporting the evolution of my brand. In this special episode, Chelsey interviews me about the story behind Follow Your Joy — why I started the podcast, what I've learned from 100 conversations with entrepreneurs around the world, and why joy and intuition remain the most powerful strategy for building a meaningful life and business. Inside this conversation we talk about: • The origin story of Follow Your Joy and how the idea arrived intuitively • What happens behind the scenes of producing a storytelling podcast • How intuition shapes the way I interview and uncover the heart of each guest's story • The burnout that changed the trajectory of my life and led me to Italy • Why joy, creativity, and feminine energy are essential to sustainable success • The pressure entrepreneurs feel to monetize everything they create • How business owners quietly lose their joy — and how to find it again • What 100 episodes has taught me about the human spirit We also talk about the deeper philosophy behind the show: Following your joy isn't just a feel-good idea. It's a life & business strategy. When you listen to your intuition and act on what lights you up, your path becomes clearer, your work becomes more meaningful, and your life becomes richer. Thank you to every listener who has been part of this journey. Let's raise a glass of bubbly to celebrate 100 episodes that illuminate the human spirit! If there's one theme that runs through every episode, it's this: Joy isn't a reward — it's a compass.  Let's discover why following your joy might be the most powerful strategy for your life and business. Always on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart & YouTube Resources + Links: -High value gifts, ebooks, downloads, product specials, journals, and more from my selectively chosen guests accessible ONLY in The Portal of Joy: www.marladiann.com/podcast/portal -Marla's Amazon Lifestyle Influencer Store – take a peek, shop for favorites! https://www.amazon.com/shop/marla_diann -If your own midlife (45+) reinvention is knocking, let's explore it. What does freedom look and feel like for you? More travel? More creative expression? I begin our connection with a Lifestyle Design Chat. Comment Freedom with your email. I'll send you my Calendly link to get on the calendar.  P.S. When you book and attend our call, I'm bearing gifts. You'll receive my custom "La Vita Dolce Italy Slow Travel Tips & Reinvention" Guide ($49 value)

    1h 15m

  3. FEB 18

    The Season After Hustle: Intuitive Branding & Feminine Leadership in Business with Luna Battalia

    Watch & Subscribe on YouTube (insert link)    Women entrepreneurs, see if this feels familiar.  You've built the business. It runs. It generates revenue. It makes the impact you desire.  And now… you're asking a deeper question. Who am I becoming next? In Episode 99 of Follow Your Joy, I'm joined by Luna Battalia — Leadership Mentor, Founder of Caru Creative, and creator of Animist Branding™ — a psychology-driven approach to branding rooted in intuition, intimacy, and feminine leadership. Luna works with mature women at the intersection of personal evolution and professional legacy. Her clients are no longer chasing growth metrics — they are building bodies of work that matter. Inside this episode, we explore:  • What happens when ambition softens into wonder • Why scaling isn't always the answer • How to relate to your business as a living entity — not just a revenue machine • The psychology behind powerful brand messaging • How to "listen between the lines" to uncover your true voice • Why Luna retired a successful podcast — and what that decision unlocked • The difference between identifying as your brand vs. tending to it Luna shares her Business as Entity™ philosophy — a shift from controlling your business to being in relationship with it. Because when your brand is treated as something living, breathing, evolving… The pressure dissolves. The clarity sharpens. The message deepens. This conversation is aligned beautifully with my La Vita e Bella brand for women entrepreneurs in their 40s, 50s and beyond who have built stability — and are now ready to lead from intuition, essence, and legacy. Luna is offering Follow Your Joy listeners 10% savings on her Messenger | Master the Art of Being Heard program, a six-figure step-by-step messaging system rooted in her Animist Branding™ and buyer psychology to become a better storyteller, and get more sales. Access her program link and savings inside the Portal of Joy www.marladiann.com/podcast/portal If you're in a season of tending rather than chasing — this episode will meet you there. ---------------------------- Resources + Links: https://www.lunaloveleadership.com https://www.facebook.com/lunaloveleadership https://www.instagram.com/lunabattalia https://www.linkedin.com/in/luna-battalia-352404248 Luna's gift: Access inside the Portal of Joy → www.marladiann.com/podcast/portal Messenger | Master the Art of Being Heard  (10% savings for FYJ listeners) a 6-figure step-by-step messaging system peeling back the curtain on the proprietary Animist Branding™ and buyer-psychology approach to confidently share your mission, become a better storyteller, and get more sales.  Inspired by the episode? Don't stop here, unlock the vetted tools, resources, and free downloads from Marla's podcast guests mentioned during episodes. Click here to access the portal of joy. https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/ On the path of reinvention? New chapter? Done with pushing, hustling, living in overloaded, burnout mode too often as a mature woman entrepreneur? Fill out a form to be on a waiting list for the next 90-day Soul-Led Next Level Portal coming soon. https://tinyurl.com/soul-led-call

    1h 2m

  4. FEB 3

    Planting Seeds of Creativity & Wonder: How One Woman's Vision is Helping Children Dream Bigger

    Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @marladiann Be ready to open your heart and respond in awe at what this one woman has done in the name of transforming children's lives. In this deeply heartening episode of Follow Your Joy, I welcome educator and nonprofit founder Sheila Grantham, Executive Director of Adventures to Dreams Enrichment, a Long Beach-based youth garden and enrichment nonprofit creating a safe, imaginative space where children can thrive—through creativity, nature, and community. Sheila shares how a single startling, yet intuitive moment sparked her mission to help children dream beyond their circumstances. What began as field trips turned into a full-blown movement rooted in gardening, art, and hands-on learning for youth—especially those living in high-risk neighborhoods. She believes children should be able to dream bigger than their circumstances—and that creativity, nature, and love can lead the way. She is joined by Vivi Goh, her visionary support from the beginning. Inside this episode: The moment that moved Sheila to action by creating a garden of hope for children in underserved communities Why "Busy Hands = Busy Minds" is at the heart of her teaching philosophy How she blends creativity, gardening, and social impact in her nonprofit The power of intuition in running a values-driven mission Her beautiful advice to dreamers, givers, and creative entrepreneurs 🌻 Access her Kids Gardening Guide (perfect for parents, teachers & caregivers) inside the Portal of Joy → www.marladiann.com/podcast/portal - Kids Gardening Free Guide inspires young green thumbs with fun, creative, hands-on activities that make growing their first plants easy and playful. Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon & iHeart   Resources + Links: FB - https://www.facebook.com/adventurestodreamsenrichment/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/adventurestodreams/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/adventurestodreamsenrichment TikTok: @adventurestodreams Youtube: @adventurestodreamsenrichme4514   Fill out a form to be on a waiting list for the next 90-day Soul-Led Next Level Portal coming soon. https://tinyurl.com/soul-led-call Loved this episode? Don't stop here, unlock the tools, resources, and free downloads mentioned during the episode. Click here to access the portal of joy. https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/

    1h 5m

  5. JAN 21

    When the Map Doesn't Exist—You Follow Your Soul: Lisa Schoenthal's Story

    Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @Marladiann What if your next adventure wasn't just a vacation—but a sacred return to yourself? The theme of this episode: "My guest booked a One-Way Ticket to Herself—and Never Looked Back." In this heartfelt and energetic episode of Follow Your Joy, I'm joined by Lisa Schoenthal—storyteller, retreat leader, and soulful founder of Breath of Freedom—a movement for women ready to release the performance, claim their truth, and live in liberated, beautiful alignment. Lisa's journey is anything but ordinary. From high-pressure event sales to flight attendant at 47 to now curating transformational retreats in Mexico and beyond, Lisa shares how following her intuition (and a few unexpected soul nudges) led to the work she was always meant to do. Inside this episode: Lisa's personal story of burnout, travel, and rebirth that led to writing her book The Men We Meet Behind the scenes of what really happens at her retreats—and why women leave forever changed How storytelling, movement, and sisterhood become catalysts for healing and joy The trip that changed her life—and sparked her entire body of work Why intuition—not logic—is her business strategy Her advice to creative, ambitious women who are done with hustle and ready for deeper fulfillment This is a love letter to the woman who's craving connection, freedom, and a community that sees her. Lisa's community, retreats, and podcast can be found below: Resources + Links: www.breathoffreedom.com https://www.facebook.com/LisaSchoenthalTransformationalMentor https://www.instagram.com/lisa_schoenthal_ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-schoenthal-transformationalmentor   Portal of Joy Gifts: https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/ Lisa's Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery and Transformation-your invitation to slow down, tune in, and rediscover your magic. Her next 90-day Soul-Led Next Level Portal begins on January 28 2026. Curious? Book your Soul-Led-Next-Chapter Call: https://tinyurl.com/soul-led-call Loved this episode? Don't stop here, unlock the tools, resources, and free downloads mentioned during the episode. Click here to access the portal of joy. https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/

    53 min

  6. JAN 6

    When the Old Blueprint No Longer Fits. The Year That Reshaped Me.

    Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @Marladiann   What a year.  In this New Year solo cast, I reflect on the trials and triumphs of 2025—and the deep inner transformation that inspired my newest chapter. After one of the most intense years for millions of us - personally, professionally, and globally, I'm emerging with a brand-new lifestyle vision: La Vita e Bella—a movement for refined women 45+ who are ready to reinvent with feminine wisdom, elegance, creativity, and joy. In this episode, I share: The 2025 Spotify Wrap-Up of Follow Your Joy and our top 7 episodes My biggest gratitudes (and lessons) of the past year How I'm integrating social selling, affiliate marketing & women's wellness into my next chapter, brand, and impact What inspired the launch of La Vita e Bella, my new lifestyle brand 7 powerful signs that you are ready to start a new chapter in 2026 Why hormonal and brain shifts are changing how women 45+ live, set boundaries, and own their power How I redefined success rooted in feminine wisdom and guiding women to do the same inside the Soul Led Next Level Portal (enrollment closes Jan 19) Allow this episode to be a sign for you - Let it be a turning point—where your next season becomes less about performance, and more about presence, validation, beauty, and embodied leadership while creating results you love. A new season calls for a new rhythm—one where your desires lead, your nervous system is regulated, and your intuition runs the show. Resources + Links: Soul-Led Next Level Portal details: www.marladiann.com/soulled Her next 90-day Soul-Led Next Level Portal begins on January 28, 2026. Book your Curation Call: https://tinyurl.com/soul-led-call Portal of Joy where we house hand selected high value free downloads from my expert guests.  https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/

    53 min

  7. 12/03/2025

    The Voice Whisperer: Transforming Authors Through the Power of Sound (Audiobooks)

    What if your voice was your greatest creative tool?   In this week's Follow Your Joy podcast episode, meet Vaughn Fahie—a jazz saxophonist, intuitive audio engineer, and creative visionary behind Audio Newborn Productions and The Voice Brander. Vaughn's journey began with a love for music three decades ago, following his intuition to become a full-time artist even before the money caught up. Today, he brings that same artistic soul into the audiobook world—helping first-time authors step into their authentic voice and record their books with confidence and heart. He's like a voice whisperer—intuitively guiding authors to speak from their soul, not their script. His process transforms recording from a "daunting task" into an inspiring experience of self-expression. His greatest joy? Watching his clients go from self-doubt to "When can I record my next book?" It's about overcoming fear, unlocking expression, and honoring the legacy of your voice. In this soulful and enlightening episode, we talk about: How Vaughn integrated his musical career with his creation of Audio Newborn Productions His actor's studio-style process to help authors speak their truth Why every voice has a "voiceprint"—and how to find yours How sound carries our stories, emotions, and energy into the world 🎁 Plus, get Vaughn's free ebook Push Record So the World Can Push Play to discover how your voice can become your legacy → Find it in the Portal of Joy: www.marladiann.com/podcast/portal Streaming on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon, YouTube (@marladiann) Resources + Links: Instagram: @vaughnfahie LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaughnthevoicebrander  FB: Vaughn Fahie https://audionewbornproductions.com   Marla loves helping ambitious women redefine and integrate new success metrics that honor their feminine arts & wisdom blended with masculine strategies creating a new identity, next chapter and new relationship with money. Her next 90-day Soul-Led Next Level Portal begins in late January 2026. Curious? Book your Soul-Led-Next-Chapter curation call: https://tinyurl.com/soul-led-call Loved this episode? Don't stop here, unlock the tools, resources, and free downloads mentioned during the episode. Click here to access the portal of joy. https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/

    55 min

  8. 11/11/2025

    Messages from Florence: A Love Letter to Italy, Life, Intuition, & Next Chapters

    Buongiorno… or perhaps Buonasera—depending on where you are in the world. Today's episode is a heart-opening love letter to Florence, Italy. And if you've ever stepped foot in a foreign city and felt inexplicably at home—like your soul had been there before—this story will speak to you. I'm joined by the beautiful and wise Melinda Gallo, writer, intuitive expat, website developer, and author of the exquisite new book Messages from Florence—a collection of soulful reflections, photography, and poetic messages received through her 21-year journey of living in Florence. Melinda didn't plan to live in Italy. But after arriving for what was meant to be a three-month break to learn Italian and find inspiration, the city had other plans. Within weeks, she had an apartment, a job, and a whole new life—and she's been guided by Florence ever since. Inside this romantic, soulful episode, we talk about: How Melinda followed her intuition (and left a successful tech career in Paris) to start over in Italy Why Florence became her muse, her teacher, and her greatest guide The story behind her book Messages from Florence and how it was divinely downloaded over years of quiet communion with the city The creative rituals and intuitive practices that shaped her path What it truly means to lead a heart-centered life A beautiful $10-off gift for Messages from Florence—link below! Melinda's story reminds us that reinvention doesn't always begin with a plan. Often it begins with a feeling… and the courage to follow it. 🎧 Listen now on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon, YouTube or: 👉 www.marladiann.com/ep94 🛍️ Grab Melinda's stunning book with $10 off: Available via the Portal of Joy → www.marladiann.com/podcast/portal Resources + Links: www.melindagallo.com https://www.facebook.com/LivingInFlorence/ https://www.instagram.com/melindagallo   Marla's favorite mentoring - Helping ambitious women redefine and integrate new success metrics that honor their feminine arts & wisdom blended with masculine strategies creating a new identity, next chapter and new relationship with money. Her next 90-day Soul-Led Next Level Portal begins in late January 2026. Curious? Book your Soul-Led-Next-Chapter Call: https://tinyurl.com/soul-led-call Loved this episode? Don't stop here, unlock the tools, resources, and free downloads mentioned during the episode. Click here to access the portal of joy. https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/

    41 min
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About

I'm your host, Marla Diann! I've been transforming creative entrepreneurs' lives for over 26 years through two businesses. As a success coach and business strategist, I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs collapse the time frame of achieving their desires and goals. It's time to make joy your inner GPS for life and business decisions rather than lean on your logic and reason, first. You'll not only be following what is most authentic to you and for you, but you will live the beautiful life meant just for you. Here at Follow Your Joy Podcast, I aspire for you, the highly talented and passionate creative entrepreneur, to do what brings you joy more often …because you learned to listen to your intuition and take action on that guidance. This is where you'll find inspiring entrepreneurial stories and solocasts that prove listening to your intuition is certainly the doorway to your wisdom, your genius and your joy. Joy is not to be relegated to a good feeling. It's a life & business strategy. When we follow our joy and stay tuned into it, we will live a more authentic life. Not sure how to access, use or trust your intuition living in a logical, intellectual world? Join me in the conversation to find out how!

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