“That’s a really good question…” when I hear this during my podcast, it really brings me joy and reminds me why I LOVE doing these!

Kelli Valade, President and CEO of Women's Foodservice Forum, and I go off-script on this one. That’s when the magic happens, and what comes out of those moments is what makes it worth your time to watch and listen in!

A few things you’ll walk away with:

🎙️ Why most people don’t lack ambition… they lack awareness of what’s possible for them

🎙️ Why asking “where do you want to be in 5 years?” isn’t helpful

🎙️ What it actually takes to build confidence in someone (hint: it doesn’t start with them)

🎙️ The hidden costs leaders miss because they aren’t visible on the P&L

🎙️ Where we got innovation right… and where we didn’t

🎙️ Why “being seen” might be the most underutilized leadership tool right now

If you lead people, develop talent, or just want to think a little differently about what leadership actually requires today… this episode is worth a listen!

There’s a misconception that restaurant brands are built by big ideas, big campaigns, or the next big menu innovation.

But the truth is much simpler and much harder. Restaurants don’t succeed because of one big home-run moment. They succeed because of thousands of tiny ones.

In this episode of The Business of Joy, Lisa Miller sits down with Robin Blanchette, Founder and CEO of Norton Creative, to explore what really drives restaurant growth. Robin shares why brands can “die by a thousand cuts” or be built by thousands of touch points, and how the smallest decisions, like menu design, guest experience, messaging, and leadership, can quietly transform a business.

She reflects on the early jobs that shaped her leadership, the hardest moment of her career during COVID, and what it truly means to show up for people, whether you’re leading a team, serving a guest, or advising a brand.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why the menu is the most powerful marketing tool in a restaurant

• The hidden role great consultants play behind the scenes

• The balance between art and science in restaurant marketing (shoutout Melissa)

• Why “showing up” might be the most underrated leadership skill

Great businesses, like great relationships, aren’t built all at once. They’re built one joyful moment at a time!

This is NOT OK: If a child is not reading on grade level by 3rd grade, they are 4x LESS LIKELY to graduate high school, and if living in poverty, 13x LESS LIKELY!

Carol Goglia, CEO of Catch Up & Read is focused on one of America’s most urgent challenges: early literacy. She has spent her career turning strategy into impact, from her early days at Frito-Lay to leading one of the country’s most powerful giving movements at Communities Foundation/North Texas Giving Day.

In this episode, Carol shares this idea of joy as a catalyst for learning and retention. From the “joyful results clubs” that make kids ask, “Is it Catch Up & Read day?” to lessons corporate leaders can borrow from the nonprofit world, this conversation is a powerful reminder that sometimes the biggest business signals start in the smallest moments.

If you care about the future talent pipeline, team development, or the long game of leadership, I think this will resonate!