Summary:
In this heartfelt and joy-filled conversation, Lori sits down with longtime friend and leadership partner Christine Conroy to explore what it really means to lead with humanity. From Christine’s years at Coca-Cola to her current work at Grayston Bakery—home of the groundbreaking open hiring model—this episode is a powerful reflection on second chances, dignity at work, and leading with courage and compassion.

Together, Lori and Christine share personal stories about resilience, vulnerability, and building workplaces rooted in trust and purpose. As the holiday season approaches, they also reflect on gratitude, joy, and how leaders can stay grounded and hopeful—even in challenging seasons. This episode is a reminder that great leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about presence, empathy, and believing in people.

If you’re craving leadership that feels real, meaningful, and deeply human—this conversation is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Second Chances Change Everything
Christine shares how Grayston Bakery’s open hiring policy removes barriers and gives people the opportunity to rebuild their lives through meaningful work.
Audience follow-up → Where in your leadership could you create space for someone’s fresh start?

Vulnerability Is a Leadership Strength
True connection comes from leaders who are willing to be real, honest, and human—not just polished and perfect.
Audience follow-up → What would shift if you led your team with a little more openness?

Empathy Builds Stronger Partnerships
From corporate boardrooms to social enterprises, Christine and Lori discuss how empathy and mutual respect create lasting, impactful relationships.
Audience follow-up → How well do you really know the people you work with—and what they’re carrying?

Purpose Makes Work Matter
Christine reflects on the deep fulfillment that comes from aligning values with work, and how purpose-driven leadership fuels resilience.
Audience follow-up → Does your work reflect what matters most to you right now?

Joy Is a Practice—Especially in Hard Seasons
As the holidays approach, the conversation turns to gratitude, perspective, and choosing joy even when life feels heavy.
Audience follow-up → What’s one small way you can protect your joy this season?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

• Grayston Bakery & Open Hiring Model – A pioneering approach to employment rooted in dignity and opportunity
• Christine’s Leadership Journey – From Coca-Cola to purpose-driven work
• Mentors and Meaningful Relationships – Lessons from leaders like Mike Rizzo
• Personal Stories of Friendship, Loss, and Growth
  
  

✨ Reflection Prompts:

• Where have you seen the power of a second chance—either given or received?
• How do you balance results with compassion as a leader?
• What helps you reconnect to joy when leadership feels heavy?
  
  

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

• Leaders who want to lead with heart, not just authority
• Executives and managers interested in purpose-driven leadership
• Anyone curious about social impact, open hiring, and human-centered workplaces
• Listeners seeking inspiration, hope, and joy during the holiday season

📩 Want to Go Deeper?

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

Follow Christine Conroy on LinkedIn

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

Transcript

Hi, I'm Lori Pine, the Joy, CEO, and host of the Joy CEO podcast. I am so glad you are here. If this is your first time listening in, welcome. This show is about helping you with one thing. I want you to lead with clarity and confidence while finding joy along the way. And I'm not talking about joy, that's a bunch of fluff.

I'm talking about joy as a real leadership strategy that will fundamentally change the way you show up. So if that's the kind of leadership that you are striving to achieve, stay tuned. Buckle up and come along with me today. You are in for a real treat because I'm gonna share a conversation with you that is such a delight.

You are gonna get to hear from my dear friend Christine Conroy, who is. All the way back from my days at Coca-Cola, a trusted and beloved friend. We've stayed in touch all of these years. This episode is really [00:01:00] close to my heart for so many reasons. Christine and I not only go way back, but what you're about to hear is really sort of a masterclass in authentic leadership, wrapped in this warmth of real friendship.

And you're gonna hear about that. You're gonna learn about the power of second chances through Christine's work at Grayston Bakery, where there's an open hiring policy and these people who have perhaps made a mistake in their life really get a second chance that trans forms. Everything about what they do, about their future, about how they show up in the world, about how they change their families, their futures, generations, and legacies.

And you'll hear the story of how she landed on the most coveted team at the Coca-Cola company, 13 years in the making. She had her eye on the prize [00:02:00] and the relationship. Building framework that made it all possible and how she still uses that same relationship map To this day, you'll hear about perhaps what might be the most important lesson, and you'll discover why vulnerability in the workplace.

Isn't weakness, but perhaps how that is what actually fuses, fuses us all together and how a little bit more empathy and a lot more joy could really transform an entire culture. So I hope you'll grab your coffee, settle in, or put on your earbuds and get going on your walk, whatever it is that you're doing.

Listen up and let me introduce you to my dear friend Christine Conroy. Okay. Welcome to the Joy CEO podcast. I am so [00:03:00] thrilled to have with me today, not only fabulous, dynamic and beautiful, but a very dear friend from my days at Coca-Cola. Please help me welcome Christine Conroy. Hi. Hi. That very sweet.

Welcome to the podcast. Thank you for having me. It's such an honor. Yes. And as we get close to the Christmas holidays, you took so much time out of your busy schedule to join me today. Well, I actually booked it today 'cause I knew it was gonna be busy and I knew this would be a great way. Jump into the holiday week.

Yes. Together. End a week and jump back into the next holiday week. Yeah. So good. So why don't you tell anyone listening just a little bit about yourself and what you're up to these days, and just a little bit about who you are. Me, little me. So we obviously met at Coca-Cola, so back in, oh my goodness. I joined Coca-Cola in 1998 and I think we met around.

I think I was pregnant with [00:04:00] my second, so I have two boys, 19, about to be 20, 15 and 14, about to be 15 polar opposites that we met at Coke. Yes. Like so many of our great friends 15 years ago, oh my goodness, 15 great years ago, and I love that we can still pick up the phone and call any of our buddies and check in.

And anyway, so after Coke, I went to a startup. Beverage startup and it was great opportunity. Coke brought me back to then lead their food service. I've always been in the food service world, which is really fun because you get to work with the salt of the earth people from, we always say the fryer to the ceo.

So being able to connect with all levels and you know me, I love that. Like I love being in the store or being in the office with the leadership, but love being behind the counter. So anyway, leading to, to today I am. Grayston Bakery, which is a beautiful, beautiful bakery in Southwest Yonkers, [00:05:00] New York. And I joined Grayston because I love the mission behind the sale.

And so what makes Grayston different is not only do they make, we make the great piece of the brownies that go in all the Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Delicious. Delicious, right? That was like, wow. So you're legit. Uh, but also the fact that we have an open hiring policy. So all of our bakers put their name on a list.

There's no background check, there's no resume. There's you put your name on a list and when we have an opening, we call you and we ask you to come in. And it is a beautiful place to work. To get see opportunity where people have been told no and no, and no and no. And that's pretty incredible. And to see those bakers rise, rise up in the promotion ranks and lead up to QA and get to meet some of their kids when they come in.

It's, it's a beautiful opportunity and we have a year long waiting [00:06:00] list to work there. So it's my role to really sell more so we can hire more people. Yeah, so that's how I look at my role. So that's where I am like today. Yes. And there's so much to unpack in that. So let me go backwards, goes all the way back.

I saw a video about Grayston and it brought me to tears and mm-hmm. It was about, you know, this open hiring policy that they have and somebody can be a convicted felon. Mm-hmm. Which is very difficult in New York state in many states to then be hired. Mm-hmm. If you have a felony on your record, but here at your company.

With it being an open policy, it's, it's basically kind of a no questions asked. You put your name on this list, and this video I saw was somebody who really got a second chance and started at the bottom and then worked his way up to a, a, a supervisor role and how it changed their [00:07:00] life. Right. And I was so moved by this and the mission behind it.

Do you wanna say a little bit more about that, how you were moved? Well, I mean, I was moved by it because that's how it brought me back to, you know, my father and Southwest Yonkers has always been a tough area. And that's where he used to go and feed the homeless at night after work, after we all went to bed.

And it's an area that when our founder opened it, he wanted to give opportunity to Southwest Yonkers. I had the same feeling when I went for the interview and I talked to a ton of people and I did some research. I just watched those videos and I said, I, I need to be a part of this. Like, because I was in tears as well.

And to see it change lives, that's pretty incredible. And if anybody, I have anybody, like if I can change a life. I love your podcast. You're like, if you can inspire one person Yeah. And to have a job where you can change a life for someone that is [00:08:00] always told No, and it's a really, that's just what I love about the, the bakery.

And we have an onsite social worker that helps them with everything outside the walls of the bakery. Because if you have, if you have been a convicted felon, no one wants to rent you an apartment. So. She helps them with everything, all the barriers they're faced with, like we think we're having a tough day or like the barriers that they're faced with on a daily basis is pretty incredible.

Wow. Yeah. Amazing. But it also was a starting point, and I'll never, just one quick story. It was my second day and I was trying to, I think, find a water fountain, and I, and I asked this, this very nice man, but he was all, he had just come off the floor, so he was still in his, he had his hair net on a mask and his coat, so I didn't recognize him per se.

I asked him his name and we, I introduced myself. Then about three months later, he came up to the [00:09:00] leadership meeting. This gentleman walked in, didn't recognize him, was so clean cut and polished and beautiful work clothes on, not in his, you know what they used in the bakery, the lab coats. And he said, Christine, I met you on your second day.

And I was like. That you look so different without a hairnet and a mask and a laptop. But he said, you're gonna do really great things here. I could tell that on the second day. And Grayson's been great to me because it's just been my launching pad and he had accepted a new role at a new company and he was so excited and he just wanted to thank the leadership team.

And it was a really rewarding experience for se, for folks to see. To have a chance to have a second chance at starting life over. Look at that. So I'm happy to be a part of it. What a beautiful story. Yeah, it really is. It really is. Yes. Now you have a track record of making a difference [00:10:00] wherever you go.

And one of the stories that really stands out for me with you is that you worked at the Coca-Cola company. You just shared that you are always in food service. But not only were you always in food service, but you had your heart set on. Getting to a particular role mm-hmm. Onto a particular team. Mm-hmm.

And not just any team, but like the most coveted team mm-hmm. That you could ever possibly be on in a sales role at the Coca-Cola company. So can we just talk about that for a minute? I mean, you didn't wanna be on that team. Why not? I mean, so when I, Jo, when I joined, like they hired, I think I said 13 applications when I was in college.

They actually came to the university and interviewed and hired. I was hired in a group called Team 2000 and there were 60 of us right out of school and we spent like two or three weeks in Atlanta in a training program. And all you would hear about was [00:11:00] this McDonald's team on this secret floor that no one could get to, but you needed a special code to get through the doors because everything was secret.

And I'm like. Easy. They must be doing great work. But also the fact that it was the most important and most strategic customer of the comp for the Coca-Cola company at that time, and I believe it still is. And it was truly a partnership. Definitely not like a vendor, but it was a real partnership and that was a beautiful thing, but also.

Not only did I wanna be on that team that managed the most strategic, most important customer for the company, I wanted to learn how they did it because I was managing customers and franchise chains. So I wanted to learn like what did they do so differently to make that partnership so amazing. Because that's really the reality.

So I was very fortunate to have a great manager who said, [00:12:00] we're gonna find you a mentor. Maybe I was talking about it a little too much, like, how do I get there? And who do I do, you know, what do I have to do? But anyway, so he had a, he's like, let's find you a mentor on that team. And it was such a great idea because.

From the beginning of my career at Coke and you know, in sales, managing food service and managing franchisees, Popeye's, dairy Queen, IHA, you name it. I feel like I've managed almost every, I've touched more chains out there than anyway, so with this mentor that was on the McDonald's team, so many sessions, we sat together and she would show me how she managed.

Her, her, you know, her region. It, it was basically on one page, the relationship map. And it was just such a turning point for me and 'cause I was managing all these different franchise groups and different, in the different regions, they have different media budgets and just keeping track of it all and knowing which re like what the, where are the sales driving from?

Like, where are they growing? Is it the east, [00:13:00] is it the, you know, because we did this promotion. So it was a really unique way and I shared it then with everyone I worked with. Because it was great to be able to hand my boss a piece of paper and say, these are the people, circle the people in the room like that are on my relationship map.

But it was really learning how to have a much deeper connection and more of an intentional connection with your customers to really understand who are the influencers who really care about this, who really are invested in making this partnership work and getting the most out of it, and keeping that on the forefront every day.

That was, you know, this one piece of paper that I would update on a daily basis, but it was my relationship map and obviously there was a lot more to that, more detail. But there was something about working on the most important strategic customer for the Coca-Cola company that I really wanted to be a part of, and it was an amazing experience.

And what would you say, so what would you [00:14:00] say that feeling was when you finally got to that coveted moment when you're on the McDonald's team? Well, that was, let's see, that was 13 years later. Yes, yes. Takes time, right? And like. Timing's never great, right? I just accepted a role in the convenience store, channel six, literally, and the role came open and I went to this manager and I said, if I don't, if I don't, you know, ask for an interview or apply, I forget how we did it internally, but if I don't do it, I will regret it forever.

He said, okay, go do it. Like you have to do this. And I explained to him, you know, this was my, you know, this has been like my building blocks and this is something, my dream, my whole, okay. Like, okay, dream is no, it was maybe like the career component, like of the dream, but. I was so lucky that he said, go for it.

Because [00:15:00] I literally think I was a week in and I'm not one to do that, to jump around. And so I did. And you know, when I finally got there I realized, wow, this is a different place. This is very different how they operate. So many call points. But it was great 'cause it truly was a partnership and that's very rare in these days.

Typically it's a vendor part relationship. And with. McDonald's. It was not, it was a true partnership. I was the only, you know, non-voting board member at every board meeting. I was also like, my territory was so large, I was expected to be in like six places on the same day. So, you know, managing relationships from afar and how to do that was important.

And I had to learn how to do that very quickly. Yes, yes. Yeah, and, and I'm sure all of those skills have served you well. You know, our relationship map, understanding who the real constituents are that are gonna drive your business, that really are gonna partner [00:16:00] with you has served you well, right? Also on a daily basis, I think I was asked 10, 15 times, what have you done for my business slavery?

So like really being able to say, and these are all franchisees and every franchisee is their own president. So then there's, so there's the franchisee, there's the region, then there's the corporate. So being able to just have three bullet points always in your pocket of this is what we've done for you lately and to stewardship.

A lot of people don't understand what stewardship is, but it's really what have you done for me lately. Yes. Yes. So, and it's a great way to say, so to that end, will you support me in this? What do you think of this idea, right? Mm-hmm. So it's a true partnership. Yes. So that both can win. Yes. And both needs can get met.

Yes. Yes. And I think when one person has an initiative and a need and the other person can see that, how that will benefit them, and then both can become [00:17:00] advocates for that. Right. That's when you know you're really swimming in a true win-win partnership. Yes. And a lot of people say that doesn't exist anymore.

I truly believe it does though. I would agree with you. It does. It does. It does. And the more we go into, you know, an artificial intelligence world and a world that's, you know, becoming far more linear, I think those relationships are gonna be even more important. Yes, yes, yes. Call me old school, but I, I, no, my eye, I, I, I agree as well.

I absolutely do. Yes, yes, for sure, for sure. Yep. So that, that's my dream in a nutshell. You were on the McDonald's team. A dream is a stretch. Yeah, well it was. It was certainly a role that you aspired to and you got there. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. For solid 13 years. Yes. Every manager knew, this is where I wanna be.

Yes. And along the [00:18:00] way, you know, life gets lifey and so we have some women listening who, you know, life's getting lifey with them. And you know, pivots are happening and transitions are happening and disappointments are happening. Mm-hmm. And so, you know, what would you share with somebody who's listening, you know, who could just use a little bit of resilience?

I honestly always say when I have to remind myself. To get up to be resilient. I, I put myself mentally in my own little elevator and I remind myself when I open the, when those doors open, what do I need to, like, what am I gonna see? Vi like vision, A quick visionary thought. Yeah. When I get overwhelmed because.

Lifey is a great word. Things get lifey and you almost have to like, sometimes you don't have a time to like sit down and meditate for 30 minutes. That doesn't, it just, no. It's a luxury on the, I'm the first one, so like it could take 30 [00:19:00] seconds though to put yourself in your own elevator and say, okay, what needs to happen when those doors open?

And just to like calm yourself down. It might be as silly, but it works for me when I'm having those lifey moments. Probably on a daily basis, right? Yes. And I would say you always need to have just a few, you know, less than on your hand confidence where that you can be vulnerable to in your career, in your life.

No more than five though. And you always have to remember that everyone in the room, you're sitting in, in the boardroom, in the office, everyone is going through something as well. Yes. And when you know that and you remember that, it puts it in perspective that. You don't need to go, you just can. You just have to remember that everyone here is going through something and so you don't need to share it all with everyone.

If there's one person you feel comfortable with, share it with them. I'm feeling a little vulner vulnerable, and this is [00:20:00] why I just need to share it with someone because we're here together every day for eight hours, 10 hours a day, and you know, hopefully that person is really a great person that is just there for them.

I think that you do need to be vulnerable, but you need to remember that every single person is going through a challenge. Yes, is going through a lifey moment, even if they make it look really good on the outside. And you and I have a personal moment when life was really lifey for me, I was. I was in a bathroom in our corporate office in New York, and I was having a moment, and you came in and I.

Shared with you what was happening. I mean, I was in the middle of this divorce. I had two little boys. Like I just couldn't keep it in. And you really held that space for me. You held that confidence. You, you didn't tell anybody. And [00:21:00] in that moment, we really solidified mm-hmm. A friendship. Absolutely. Yeah.

I could not, but, and I was in awe. I was in shock and awe of your strength because I said to myself, oh my goodness. Little, you know, fast forward a few years. Yeah. I found myself in a very similar situation. And so it's so necessary to be vulnerable when you have to be with the right people. Yeah. And I remember, I just got chills.

I remember exactly where we were standing in that yellowish bathroom. The fifth floor. Yeah. Yes. And I just remember thinking, oh my goodness, I had no idea. And. I was in shock of your strain. I really was. And look at you now. Yeah. I mean, we can all, all make it look really good. Like, I've got it, I'm fine.

But on the inside you just have no idea what walls are falling [00:22:00] down and how we're just coming apart. And so, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And like I said, like I feel like everyone needs a little more empathy and grace just to not ju be so judgmental because everyone's going through something, something. So like just if you didn't get the right response from them today, don't take it personal, you know, just look for the right.

Try again. Try again. Exactly. Yeah. And like if our, if our workplace could have a little more empathy and less judgment. I'm talking about in general. In general, it would be a beautiful world. Yes, I agree. I agree. If we could have a little more joy and joy and joy. How did I leave that one out? How did I leave that out?

Yes, a little more joy. So you and I have this moment where forever connected, but that time in that New York office was very special and part of what made it [00:23:00] special was certainly the people. The people were amazing. There was a group of us that were very close. I kind of came in late to the party. I, I had been in another state.

I applied for a job, got transferred to that New York office. But there was a group of, of you prior to me arriving that was really tight. Do you wanna talk about that and how that made all the difference? Well, I would say that, like this small group, so I, my, the first office I worked out of was Marston, New Jersey.

And, and then Stanford, Connecticut, and then the office in Elmsford where I met you. And there was one consistent person that was in all of those offices, and that was Mike Rizzo. And he became my lifelong mentor, big brother. Just always there. You know, we would just, wonderful friend. And then there was Sherry.

Yes. Who I met when she moved to Stanford office. [00:24:00] I'll never forget her. She actually, I won't say it because she swears to this day she didn't say it, but I don't forget these kinds of things. But she, she joined me on the, the marketing side for the Popeye's team, and I went out for maternity leave and she's like, I'm gonna manage the sales.

I wanna do sales, I'm gonna do this. Five days later I came, was coming home from the hostel and she's like, get back here right now. I can't do this. I hate sales, I hate sales, I hate customers, blah, blah, blah. And I was like, you got this Sherry, you can do it girl. And look at her now. Look at her now. So really great stories.

And then Sherry was obviously in Elmsford, so we had a really great, and then obviously Lisa, like there's just a great. In general, we work with great people at Koch and that's the, you know, it was a really great first, like my, the first years of my career because I, to work with great people, you can figure anything out.

Yes. And I think that was like the [00:25:00] core of what, how special that group was. And when you're in small individual offices and as opposed to like a big headquarter, you really have to figure things out with this small niche group of people. So, yes. Yes, yes. This field based team and, right, like, even if it's not in your wheelhouse, we all had suggestions for each other, right?

Yes, yes, yes. And Mike Rizzo, you're right. He, he was just that salt of the earth for every one of us. Big brother, mentor teacher. I, I don remember, I remember he was going for this big pitch. To win new business. And I vividly remember the, the pitch deck and the preparation he was doing. Oh goodness. Walking by his office and, and just, I learned so much from that and his process.

And so then when it came time I was in a role doing business development. I remembered going back to that. Mm-hmm. And just how. How much of an influence he [00:26:00] had on me. And, and then of course a year and a half ago, his very unexpected passing just devastated us all. And, and, and all that unfolded with that, so, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I, I ran into a customer that, it might've been what, that pitch deck, but I also called on this customer several times. They never converted to us, but we always, we had a great, great partnership. But actually didn't do business together, but, and Mike was always on that business with me when we pitched them, and there were solid reasons why we didn't win the pitch.

He thanked me for my friendship when I ran into him in August and he sent, he's like, I was cleaning out my office and he had a picture on his phone of Mike's card and my card probably from like 2004, and it just like my heart just melted. He's like, I took a picture. I'm like, that's. That's a legend picture right there.

Those are two legends. Legendary. For sure, [00:27:00] for sure. Frame worthy. I know. Frame worthy. Frame worthy, yeah. So as we head into this holiday season and you know, we think about like where you're joining us from today, what's kind of bringing you joy right now? It's bringing me joy right now. Well, I'm currently joining you from New Rochelle, New York in my sweet little house.

It's 103 years old from my home office and you know, being warm in this house is bringing me joy. Yes, I was renting for quite a bit and, and just, you know, I would say going into the holiday season, it was a great week that going into the week I was a little nervous, like, am I gonna get through this? But I did.

Look at us now, it's Friday afternoon. And just connecting with at industry events, holiday parties, and actually new people there, which was a great feeling because it's, I'm kind of in a different industry right now, not beverages. [00:28:00] And that was just, that felt great to be able to connect with folks on a less bus, not on a transactional basis, but just on a, you know, have a great holiday.

Yes. And, and also connecting with friends or annual holiday party. Last night. So it was a special week where I felt like, okay, how am I gonna get through this with hockey practice? Will's coming home from college, but it's all good, you know? Yeah. I'll be hosting next week, which I'm excited about, and it'll be a, it'll be a great holiday, a different holiday, obviously.

Got my dad, but it'll be a great one. Yes. Your first holiday without your dad. So a little tender. A little tender. Yeah. But it's, it, he's. Not in pain. It's a great, he brought us so much joy and I feel so blessed to have had such a wonderful father that was almost a feminist at heart and just always was. I mean, up until, you know, a week before, he was always our biggest champion.

And [00:29:00] how lucky, how lucky am I to have had that for my entire life? So, I mean, he will always be. Just, yeah. Uh, I don't, I can't even put words to it, but I just feel so blessed that I had such a wonderful father Yes. For, gosh, for 50 years. Almost. Almost 50, almost. Not quite, almost, yeah. 49 years. And I just feel like some people don't have that opportunity.

No. And like I'm blessed that I had such a wonderful father and Yes. We miss him dearly. Yes. But I always find a giggle almost daily just thinking about him. Oh, now that is joy. That is a real treasure, just right. Your soul. Yeah. Like he just had the, you know. I could just, I can hear him now saying, Chrissy, Katie, Michelle, what's your name again?

Like Chrissy, Katie, Michelle, Sean. Who are we? Which one are you? That's funny. Picking up the phone to [00:30:00] one of our friends calling and him saying, you changed your name again. He loved getting to know everybody, but if he, if he missed a name, he was really funny about it. So that's fun. I had a grandmother who would do the same thing.

She had six children and it was, yeah. You know, Colleen, Charlene, Kathleen, Leo, Michael, Patrick. You know which one I mean? Yes, yes, yes. Yes. Yeah. And for some reason he always called us by our full name. So you know, my friends back from growing up still call us, you know, Chrissy McDonough, Katie McDonough, Sean McDonough, Michelle McDonough.

It's like, okay. It's funny. Yeah, yeah. Those things that, yes. So it'll be, it'll be great. My family's we're with big and mighty and strong, so we'll be okay. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Wonderful, wonderful. One of the things that is so signature of you is this effortless style that you have, and I've been into your home, and you do the same with decorating your home.

Tell me how that comes so naturally to you. Yeah, okay. [00:31:00] Well, that, that's aggressive, but I, I don't know what to say. It's effortless. I have done my, I really, I strive for it every day on editing, editing, editing. I feel like I donate. If I'm not using it or haven't used it in six months, there's someone else out there that can, right.

And so it just makes me feel better about sharing and editing. I just think that our world leaves too much stuff. Yes. And so constantly editing, my goal is to have a capsule wardrobe. And I know that sounds boring, but I just feel like I love the simplicity and I'm most confident. In, I think you asked me like, what's your favorite color?

I think I've gone to shade, like shades I'm most confident in. I think black is a, my mother's an artist, so that's why I am Black is a shade and white I believe is also a shade. Excellent. So I feel like in the summer I just wear as much white as possible. It makes me feel happy. Yes. And [00:32:00] winter white, beautiful.

Yes. And it just is like. I try to make it like seamless, like we don't need to worry about in the morning, like what goes together. And like I tend to, when I tend to buy pieces, I'm like, this is too much. It's not gonna work for me. It's going back. So just trying to keep it simple and that, that takes a lot of editing, but yes, I love that.

No, in your, I love to edit. Yes. So in your home you use shades as like the walls, but then you use pops of color, which is so brilliant. And I love that like you have nice bright green armoires and your couches are bright and pillows and Yes. You excel accessorize. Well, I, well, you know what, I've repurposed a lot.

I love, I really, I don't own any press board. Everything I have has been repurposed and I have it painted or I have it refinished and I love [00:33:00] that. It's fun to do and it's. It's fun to see furniture repurposed. So I just believe like why not? There's so much great and a lot of this stuff. Yeah. Well you're right.

I do use, all my walls are pretty much the same except for a few. Yeah. Chantilly Lace. But anyway, then I accessorize with color. You're right. And a lot of it started with my mom's artwork 'cause. When I first had my first home, I'm like, mom, I have nothing for my walls. And she's like, no problem. She took out artwork from the basement, hosed it off li literally.

Um, and, but they're great big pieces and I kind of used those to start, most people start with the rug. Yeah. I didn't own any rugs, so I started So you started with the artwork? Right. And I never really ever thought about the rug. I just go, I really try to stick to neutrals and then just pops up color everywhere else.

I love it. So for all the ladies, listen and I don't even think about it or, but yeah, keep it simple on [00:34:00] the big items, like the walls, the floors, the furniture. I mean, I've had my, and if I do have to upholstery, I obviously do buy new, but keep it simple and make it last. Yes, I have the same, you know, just keep it simple.

And then the pops of color, the pops of joy. Yes. For real. So good. So for anybody listening, that's mm-hmm. That's how we can keep things spicy. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. So fun. Yeah. So fun. All right, well, we are at the point in the podcast where we are gonna do a little rapid, I got wrap fire. All right. All right.

To wrap us up, bring it. I wanna speak clearly. We've got five rapid fire questions. Okay. Yeah. So what is one piece of leadership advice you wish you had learned earlier? I would want just one piece. I would say the work will always be there tomorrow. Your family dinners will not be. So I found that even as a remote employee, I would work and work and work and the kids would [00:35:00] be knocking at the door like, mom, dinner's ready.

Dinner's ready. Like they should not have to do that. The work will be there tomorrow or when may go to bed, but. Family dinners are important. Yes. Yes. They're, you can't get those back. You cannot get those back. No. And now that they're teens, it's like, okay to watch a movie with ear pods while we're eating dinner.

No. Like what has happened? Complete anarchy. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Okay. What is a daily habit or practice that keeps you grounded? Oh my goodness. This is my second five year journal. And it's just like a few, oh God. It's like, you can tell it's been through, it's just a few sentences a day and it's. I'm on my ninth year and you know, it looks like it's been through a tornado.

Mm-hmm. But I love it. I love, I don't, something made me start, everyone's always talking about journaling and it felt so overwhelming and I found this one concept of just a few [00:36:00] lines a day. Yeah. For five years. And it's so interesting. Sometimes I look up at, you know, December 19th, two years ago and three years ago and what I did that day or what, I was grateful for that day.

What was, you know, with my kids, we always did like, what was your high and what was your low of the day. Sometimes I, I keep it simple, but it, it's interesting to see, yeah. You know how we continue to grow and we're still growing. Yes. Yes. And it's your reminder. Yeah. And there were probably moments that did feel like a tornado, you know, along the last five years and, and, and, you know, there may be another point that feels that way, but you've also had some, some beautiful moments too.

Right? And we grow from those moments. So Yes. So we know how to. We might know how to handle them next time. We might not, but we might. Yes, exactly. Or, well, there may be bathroom moments where people help us handle them, so yes, yes, yes. Okay. Question number three, the most joyful [00:37:00] moment in your career so far.

I would say my time at Coca-Cola, because working, and it was about, it wasn't about working at Coke at all. It was about the people that we worked with. Yes, it was like you could pick up the phone and call anybody different division, different, and they would be willing to help. Where now it's, and times have changed.

Now you have to schedule a teams meeting with someone, right? It's not like it was where we could just pick up the phone and call to the connections we had within one company. And then I found, you know, alumni that I've met at events most recently and just the. Gratitude and the willingness to like, if there's anything I can do to help, let me know.

And I've run into so many people in the past six months just by being at industry events, and it's just a really nice feeling. So that I think that is very special and not everyone has that experience. So I'm most grateful for that, that I had that [00:38:00] experience to work with really great individuals.

Amazing. Yes. Yeah, you're right. Yeah. A real like-mindedness. Mm-hmm. Special. Yeah. What's one thing people often misunderstand about success? Oh, success is so different for so many people. Right. And I feel like success is so many different milestones in your life. So I would say. You might think success is she finally got on that team that she always wanted.

But I think success is such a longer, it's different. It's, it's not financial, sometimes it's not. It's about feeling purposeful for me, purposeful that I'm actually moving the business forward or helping someone advance their career or advancing the business. It's about. It's not about the money, it's not about the title, certainly not about the title.

It's about feeling like you're, you're purposeful, like you have, there's a reason for you [00:39:00] at this role, in this role, and that at least that's success for me. That I can advance some kind of business to greater, you know, to better the greater the company or an individual. At least right now. That's how, where I'm finding success.

Yeah. Yeah. You're doing great. You're doing great. And last question, what do you want your leadership legacy to be? Well, one thing, and you might have found this as well, that when you're from New York, your headquarters is in Atlanta, you're direct. And I found myself apologizing. So I would, I, I learned that quickly, that I just need to be authentic and unapologetic about my authenticity.

Right. Yeah. Yeah, because I care and if I can help change one life and the, you know, one life, many lives change a business. Help someone live their American dream as their franchisee. That to me is the legacy. Amazing. Yes. Shining [00:40:00] that little light of yours wherever you go, Chris Conway. Little light of joy.

Yes. Yes. And you have it as, I mean, you are theo of joy. Yes, yes. We certainly are trying over here. So, well my friend, what a pleasure to be with you today. Great. Thank you for joining us. Great. Yes. Thank you so much for having me. Yes. Such an honor. My pleasure. Thank you all for joining us on the Joy CEO podcast and for having Chris Conroy along with us for the day.

Everybody enjoy your holidays. We are so glad to be doing it with you. Thanks for listening to the joy CEO. I hope today's conversation left you feeling seen. Stretched and a little more grounded in your own joy, if something resonated, be sure to hit subscribe. Leave a five star review and share this episode with someone walking a similar path.

And if you're ready to take this work deeper, connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram at Lori Pine, or head over to my website, lori pine.com to learn more about coaching [00:41:00] retreats and how we can work together. Because joy isn't just personal, it's powerful. And when you lead with joy, you don't just rise, you bring others with you.

Until next time, keep leading with heart and don't forget to claim your joy.