Today I'm sitting down with Ruth, the brilliantly creative mind who, when asked what her current job title is, replies with a laugh, "Today we're going with digital product strategist."

This sense of fun sets the tone for our entire conversation about what happens when you follow joy instead of rigid business rules.

Ruth's journey from corporate banking job to creative entrepreneur wasn't planned, it unfolded naturally as she simply shared what she loved making. Whether it was photographs, websites, online courses, or physical products like t-shirts and journals, Ruth's magnetic energy comes from a place most business coaches never talk about: genuine excitement.

"I'm not purposefully sharing to get a client," she reveals. "It's just this homepage has brought me joy. I can't keep it in. So I'm just going to share it." This approach has led to clients consistently finding her rather than the other way around something many of us dream about but struggle to achieve.

We also dive into the fascinating parallel between building a business and Ruth's two-year journey to achieving a challenging physical goal, where we learn about her philosophy on persistence. When most people try something once and declare "it doesn't work," where as Ruth has shown up Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for years.

I love Ruth's comfort in her own lane whether in business or at the gym. While many of us are constantly looking sideways, she's focused firmly on her own path, completely unbothered by how fast or slow others might be progressing.

This conversation isn't just about business or strategy, it's about finding joy in the process, sharing from a place of genuine excitement, and showing up consistently without comparing your journey to others.

If you've been feeling the pressure to niche down or follow conventional business wisdom, but something about it doesn't feel right, this episode might just give you the permission you've been waiting for.

• Why Ruth gets clients without actively seeking them and the mindset that makes this possible
• The truth about passion projects and why they don't always need to make money
• Ruth's approach to personal goals that mirror how she runs her business
• Why Ruth writes all her content herself (without ai)
• How she balances "joy projects" and "income projects" to keep her joy and business sustainable

• Ruth's website: RuthXO.com
• Liz Gilbert's book "Big Magic"
• Our Joy First Founders Circle community
• The Colour Joy

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Today I'm sharing what might be the most important conversation of this entire Joy First season. I had the incredible honor of sitting down with Rha Goddess – organizational soul coach, author, and one of the wisest voices I've encountered on the subject of intentional, purpose-driven work.

This conversation couldn't be more timely. As we navigate economic uncertainty, political chaos, and the ongoing aftermath of a pandemic that changed everything about how we view work, Rha's insights offer both a challenge and a permission slip.

The Great Resignation

What happens when 50 million people quit their jobs, and then another 50 million the following year? What are we all sensing and seeking in this massive reshuffling of priorities? And most importantly – how do we move forward when we know we're not going back?

Rha's new book "Intentional Ambition" explores exactly this territory, diving deep into what it means to renegotiate our relationship with work after the Great Resignation. But this isn't just about finding better work-life balance – it's about a fundamental shift in how we define success, ambition, and the role work plays in our lives.

One of my favorite quotes from Rha in this episode responded with: "If it ain't joyful, I ain't doing it." This speaks to my soulllll. Not just a cute boundary – this statement is a radical act of resistance in a world that has conditioned us to de-prioritize our joy and happiness.

We explore the fierce nature of love (which is not what you might think), why comfort and joy are not synonymous, and how to distinguish between what she calls "wounded ambition" versus "true ambition."

Whether you're considering a career pivot, feeling burned out in your current role, or simply questioning the traditional definitions of success that never quite fit, this conversation offers both profound wisdom and practical guidance for creating a new relationship with work... a relationship where joy leads.

• The three stages we go through when redefining our relationship with work
• Why choosing joy is both a form of resistance and surrender
• How to use your energy (not just your time) as your compass for decision-making
• A simple daily practice to identify what's draining you vs. what's energizing you
• The difference between "wounded ambition" and "true ambition"
• Which discomfort might actually be growth in disguise

• Rha Goddess's new book: "Intentional Ambition"
• Move The Crowd website
• Rha Goddess website
• @RhaGoddess on all platforms: LinkedIn Instagram

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Today I'm chatting with one of my business besties, Nicole, who embodies everything this season of Joy First is about. After spending 13 years as a zookeeper making just over $30K/year at the peak of her career, Nicole started a family which led into a pivot into entrepreneurship. Since those first nervous steps into life as a photographer, she's built a profitable, truly scalable business that now allows her the income and freedom to travel internationally dozens of times a year, live the horse life: competing at shows alongside her teenage daughter, and even run a non-profit that in its first year managed to raise over a quarter million dollars for wildlife conservation.

One thing I love and admire about Nicole is how she's consistently leaned into what brings her joy—never what conventional wisdom said would make the most money. From becoming a pet photographer when "pet photography wasn't even a thing" to launching international photography retreats in castles and villas across Europe, she's built success by following her curiosity and pursuing passion.

In this episode dive deep into her transition from struggling photography business to online education empire, and how she's structured her life to accommodate her "neuro-spicy" tendencies that make doing repetitive tasks nearly impossible. Her super power is systems and let me tell you, she's a genius at it (I think spreadsheets might be her actual love language 😂)

You'll hear about a few of her most powerful "light bulb moments" and she shares candidly about how she balances it all: motherhood, entrepreneurship, the horses, the travel and her latest obsession: sourdough.

I love Nicole's version o joy first living and working— and I know it will inspire you to find your own route to build more wealth and impact your way: with more joy and freedom at the front.

• How Nicole's passion for animals led her from zookeeper to building a 6-figure pet photography business
• The moment she realized she could make $20K from one simple digital product and how it changed everything
• What particular type of revenue stream can create more stability and freedom for your business
• How her mastermind experience sparked a nonprofit that's now raised over $250K for wildlife conservation
• The systems she uses to run multiple businesses while traveling internationally

• Hair of the Dog Academy - Nicole's pet photography education business - https://hairofthedogacademy.com/
• Hair of the Dog Conservation Fund - Nicole's nonprofit supporting wildlife conservation - https://www.hodconservationfund.org/
• Nicole's Instagram: @nicolebigleyofficial - https://www.instagram.com/nicolebegleyofficial
• Learn more about Commercial Pet Photography (our joint venture) - https://learn.hairofthedogacademy.com/commercial-registration
• Joy First Founders Circle - Join our private podcast to get bonus travel hacking content from Nicole (and lots more!) - https://go.joyfirstworld.com/JFFC

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