In this episode, I'm sharing what I've been learning as I move deeper into my own 'Joy First experiments', and why the most surprising discoveries have had almost nothing to do with that big 'jump up and down' version of joy.

Today we're talking about the science behind visual progress loops and how your mundane chores can genuinely light up your brain. We revisit the 10 Joy Codes and look at how a single ordinary activity can stack multiple codes at once. And I want to challenge the version of joy that most of us have been sold: the everything-is-amazing version that, if we're honest, isn't most of life.

Sometimes joy is just medicine. Sometimes it's the thing that keeps you going, not the thing that goes in your feed.

Key moments:

• The neuroscience of why my most hated chore has become a major joy ritual for me because it feels so good

• Why I started doubling down on when anxiety was at its peak

• How the Joy Codes show up inside the smallest, most mundane activities

• Why this season of the podcast is shifting toward real-time joy experiments, in the messy middle, with all the imperfections intact

The Joy Codes Episode: https://joyfirstworld.com/blogs/joy-first-podcast/finding-your-joy-codes

Take the Joy First Audit: https://joyfirstworld.substack.com/t/joy-first-audit

Discover your Colour type: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz

The best glitter pens: https://calmoverchaos.co.uk/products/constellation-glitter-pens

Arm Knitting in Lancashire: https://chunkyarmknit.com/

Painting Workshops UK: https://www.brushandtipple.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the finale episode of the Joy First Audit series: where we've been exploring the 6 categories of the Joy First audit, and today we're onto Category 6: Purpose. Meaning, growth, impact, & legacy.

The thread that holds everything else together.

In this episode I share my own pattern of "what now, what next" moments (which, as it turns out, have arrived almost like clockwork every four years) and explore why these moments aren't a sign you've lost your way. They're often a sign you've outgrown the version of yourself that built the thing you've already built.

In this episode:

• Why the "what now" moment is almost always an important milestone
• The Harvard Study finding that proves the power of purpose for living long, healthy life
• What dog ownership and ikigai have in common (and what it tells us about how even the small stuff counts)
• Why most entrepreneurs start with fear-fuelled drive and eventually have to reckon with something else entirely
• The pain or pleasure question that unlocks more Whyfinding® sessions than any other

Whether you scored 15/15 or felt every question land in a tender place, this episode is an invitation to start noticing what you're already chasing when it comes to being in service, and finding meaning in your life, business and storytelling.

Get access to the audit on our substack: https://substack.com/@joyfirstworld

Unlock the full AI-guided version with a paid subscription.

Learn more about Whyfinding® sessions: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding

Access the Whyfinding® co-pilot with Citrus: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/citrus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The colours on your walls, the quality of your light, whether your bedroom feels like a sanctuary or a storage unit, these things are doing something to you, all the time. This episode, we're exploring Category 5 of the Joy First Audit: Environment.

I scored reasonably high on this one (as I guess you'd probably expect) but then.... we found a leak in our downstairs closet, so all the floors have come up, and we've been living with industrial-sized dehumidifiers and fans running at full volume for weeks. We've just been told they will have to remain another two weeks. Once again, perfect timing to be having this conversation.

In this episode, I'm exploring what happens to your sense of self when your environment is in chaos, some quick fixes to create more of the feelings you want in your spaces, and why 'aesthetic' isn't just superficial.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The five environmental factors that most consistently affect mood and nervous system regulation (according to research)

• Why the colour of your walls, your light quality, and even the clutter level in your space matter more than we give them credit for

• The 'What should I pick' dilemma, and the one question to answer first to get what you want in the spaces you get to choose

• What the Joy First Audit's 'Environment' category is really asking, and how to use your score as a starting point for adding more joy to your spaces

TAKE THE AUDIT

Take the full Joy First Audit on Substack: https://joyfirstworld.substack.com/p/the-joy-first-audit

EXPLORE MORE:

Take the Colour Personality Quiz: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz

Learn about Colour Joy (free when you become a founding member on Substack): https://joyfirstworld.substack.com/p/getting-started-with-colour-joy-1

CTA

If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who you know will love it too 🧡 This is how together, we'll spark the #joyfirstrevolution

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Because joy usually isn't the Instagram version. Sometimes it's survival. Sometimes it's taking 20 minutes out to nip to the garden centre to get covered in manure to make a place for happy plants before the dentist appointment and the school run, and attempting to figure out dinner for everyone in a kitchen with no floors and industrial fans and dehumidifiers making you mysteriously nauseous.

Sometimes it's putting the kids' clothes away with love and intention, instead of racing through it.

This is the Joy category of the Joy First Audit: welcome to the real face of joy in the messy middle.

Key things we get into:

• The four versions of joy (and why most of us only count one of them)
• What the big battleground that feels really present this week
• My score: what it means and what it doesn't
• Why the gap between "laughter and play" joy and "survival" joy matters
• Some BIG BIG news I've been dying to share with you: a milestone that feels very connected to everything this season has been about

Links:

Take the Joy First Audit: https://joyfirstworld.substack.com/p/the-joy-first-audit

The 'Joy Codes' episode: https://joyfirstworld.com/blogs/joy-first-podcast/finding-your-joy-codes

Find us on Substack: joyfirstworld.substack.com https://substack.com/@joyfirstworld

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoyFirstWorld/videos

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So why does connection feel like the first thing we sacrifice when life gets full?

In this episode of the Joy First Audit series, I'm sharing my score for Category 3: Connection... and even though I came in at 14/15, there's a lot more going on beneath the surface.

We go into:

• The difference between not being alone and actually feeling seen

• What's happening in marriages and intimate relationships as we enter our forties (and why so many women are quietly renegotiating everything)

• Real vs superficial friendships: and how I've been looking locally to find something that feels nourishing

• The people-pleasing and guilt thread that runs through almost every connection question in the audit

• Why self-connection is the bank account that funds all the rest

This one gets honest about perimenopause, neurodivergence, the IDGAF era, and what it actually takes to feel genuinely connected when your nervous system is running on empty.

If you want to take the Joy First Audit for yourself, you can find it on our Substack @joyfirstworld.

Free members get the analog version. Paid members get access to a custom AI co-pilot that walks you through the audit and helps you take your next steps.

Next week: The Joy Audit

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not just a feeling, actual cognitive impairment that changes how we make decisions, often making a hard situation significantly worse.

This week on the Joy First Podcast, I'm sharing my honest score from the money and security section of the Joy First Audit (nine out of twenty, if you want to know), and getting real about what's behind that number.

This isn't a tidy little success story, it's a pretty raw look at 20 years of entrepreneurial cycles: the lawsuit that ate my savings, the double-burnout before 30, the year, six and seven figure successes, the year everything seemed to break at once, the ten year cycles, and what I'm doing right now in this next 'rebuild' stage.

We explore:

• How Scarcity makes us dumber
• The tunneling effect and why financial stress pushes us toward decisions that feel urgent but make things worse long-term
• My full money origin story, the parts I don't usually talk about
• How the Joy First Audit surfaces the difference between actual financial reality and the fear running the show
• The practical choices I'm making right now to reduce costs without abandoning the self-care that's keeping me functional
• Why building recurring, non-time-dependent revenue is the priority I keep coming back to
• Three brilliant women whose work has genuinely changed my relationship with money, and where to start with each of them
• 
  

Resources mentioned:

• Denise Duffield-Thomas: Get Rich Lucky Bitch + Money Bootcamp — denisedt.com
• Ann Wilson: The Wealth Chef
• Catherine Morgan: It's Not About the Money (book + podcast)
• The Joy First Audit: joyfirstworld.com/substack (free + paid with custom GPT)
• Find this (and last week's episode on Vitality) on our new YouTube channel @joyfirstworld

The Joy First Podcast is hosted by J.Nichole Smith, colour psychology expert, brand strategist, and working mum of two: finding, choosing and sharing joy while navigating the messy middle. New episodes drop every other week.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode kicks off a 6-part series exploring each category of the Joy First Audit. Today (live from sunny Morocco ooh la la) we’re diving into Vitality: energy, hormones, time scarcity, and breaking up with optimization. I share my own (not great) score and what I’m changing right now as a result.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/bkehOyf-oxw

Join us on Substack and take the audit: https://substack.com/@joyfirstworld

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This was not one of them.

This one arrived after bedtime, dinner, swimming lessons, forgotten groceries, a squeaky dog toy, and that low-level anxiety of juggling what work needs and what everybody else needs.

Which, actually is the perfect place to talk about baselines and audits.

I just audited my entire life using the same framework my clients and I have used for over a decade (with a few updates and upgrades) and I got my 'joy number' or Joy First Pulse (JFP): 75/100.

In this episode, I break down:

• The 6 categories I measured (and my scores in each)
• Why I created the Joy First Audit
• What I'm doing about my lowest scores (spoiler: I've already re-started HRT conversations, and am vlogging the process)
• How you can take the audit yourself (including a custom GPT to help you action it)
• Why I'm launching on Substack and what that means

This is the baseline. The messy starting point. The "where I actually am" before the experiments begin.

If you're brilliant at your work but struggling with adulting or self-care or 'balance'... this one's for us.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After three years of podcasting about joy, colour, and business, I'm doing something different.

Something scarier.

I've spent two decades teaching entrepreneurs how to build brands that create desire, joy, and transformation. But as I've sat down to write this Joy First book, it feels like I've really been tested. It's been a really challenging 18 months and I've been asking myself, who the heck am I to share this work? But on reflection I feel like my experience with testing, and imperfectly embodying these joy first principles and practices is the way joy REALLY looks. Joy isn't just aspirational, sometimes it's actual survival.

So, in this season, in an aim to continue to define share the real face of what 'joy first' actually means, 'm becoming my own guinea pig. Over the next six months, I'm auditing six key areas of my life, vitality, relationships, work, creativity, all of it, and documenting what happens when a someone who has obsessively built shiny, perfect 'afters' (but who feels perpetually like a 'before') attempts to really explore what the 'joy of the journey' actually looks like.

This season isn't about teaching you how to be joyful. It's about what joy really looks like for a 44-year-old woman dealing with perimenopause, anxiety, weight loss, two kids, marriage and a couple businesses.

To explore this 'Joy First Experiment' we're going back to our bi-weekly schedule on the public feed, with deeper, more vulnerable conversations happening over on the new Joy Journal Substack (link below).

If you've been stuck in the messy middle, that gap between who you are and who you're becoming, pull up a chair.

Let's get honest about what the real work of becoming the person you need to be to live the life you actually want actually looks like.

Welcome to Season 4.

LINKS:

• Join the Joy Journal on Substack: https://joyfirstworld.substack.com/
• Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyfirstworld
• Take the Joy First Pulse audit [coming next episode]

In this episode, I share:

• The real story behind the Joy First podcast (and the four iterations that came before it)

• What I’m intentionally shifting this towards (and why)

• What it has felt like to leave a niche where I had authority, ease, and security

• Why joy is not shiny, aspirational, or performative (it’s gritty and lived)

• What I've watched become the most powerful joy tool, ever

• What my emotional intelligence profile revealed that helped fuel this journey

• What’s coming next...

This season is about pulling back the curtain.

Not because I have it figured out.

But because joy lives in the trenches, not in the shiny 'after' photo

.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re great at building a life that looks good from the outside but feels disconnected on the inside…

If you’re in a season of change, confusion, or quiet unraveling…

If you’re tired of optimizing for other people's opinions and ready to feel like you again (or the first time ever)

You’re in the right place.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special New Years episode, Nic's mom is visiting from Seattle (complete with sourdough starter and yoga mat) and her wisdom bombs inspire this special end-of-the-year episode that may just close that loop that's been making you so uncomfortable all year.

You'll discover:

• What a 12-year-old with a handpan and 30 videos on instagram has to teach you about social media
• The ai-unfriendly paradox that took Nic 14 hours locked in a hotel room to solve
• The feels Necker Island's version of "luxury" has that most 'luxury hotels' do not
• The assumption Nic made about her book that almost killed the entire project
• Why most brands you admire refuse to pick a side
• What Richard Rohr says we must accept or we'll never love anything correctly
• The real reason your brand doesn't feel like it fits
• What one thing might be your competitive advantage as we enter the AI age
• PLUS 5 journaling questions to help you integrate the thinking and lessons in this episode

Fair warning: This episode will make you question every "either/or" decision you've ever made in your brand. And that's kind of the point.

New year, whole you. Not new you.

Ready to stop flattening yourself to fit one-dimensional definitions of success? Press play.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Citrus Program (AI copilots for the Colour Brand® method): https://go.joyfirstworld.com/citrus
• Brand in a Week: book a call with Nic: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding
• Strong Ground by Brené Brown
• Built to Last by Jim Collins
• 
  

Take action:

• Grab the 5 reflection questions on the website: https://joyfirstworld.com/blogs/joy-first-podcast/new-year-whole-you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The lives we've been encouraged to build, rooted in consumption, achievement, and constant productivity, keep pushing us further from what actually creates lasting joy.

But decades of research tells us plenty, we know what makes humans thrive.

We've known for years.

Why haven't we been encouraged to prioritize what makes us happier? Well, because it's not really in any corporate best-interests for us to be joy-fuelled and loved-up. (Spoiler: joyful people are harder to control and sell things to.)

In this Christmas Eve episode, I'm sharing the 10 Joy Codes I've discovered and distilled for my upcoming book 'Joy First', These the research-backed sources of joy that are fundamental to human thriving. Think of them as the building blocks of a life that actually feels good to live (and that allows you that life in a healthy body and mind for longer!)

Plus, I reveal my simple joy goal for 2026 (complete with phone alarm and daily ritual that takes less than 2 minutes). Want to play along? I'm creating a space for us to share in the New Year...

Because choosing joy first isn't selfish: It's liberation work. And we're all in it together!

What you'll discover:

• The 10 Joy Codes backed by decades of research
• The Harvard Study that will change how you think about success
• The correlation between joy and longevity
• My ridiculously simple 2026 joy goal (and how to create your own)

This is your permission slip to move closer to what actually matters to both you and our collective well-being in 2026 and beyond.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you seen how the internet just lost its mind when photos surfaced of what the house from 'Home Alone' looks like now? (spoiler: it's monochrome)

Turns out, the systematic draining of colour from our world is not an accident. It's not just "modern minimalism." And it's definitely not sophisticated.

It's colonialism. It's capitalism. It's white supremacy with a Pottery Barn catalog.

In this episode, I'm tracing 200+ years of history to show you exactly how we got here—from Protestant "godliness" to HGTV's greige obsession—and why choosing color is actually an act of resistance.

We'll Explore:

• Why grey has ZERO positive psychological benefits (and what it has to do with white)
• The shocking study that proved our world is losing colour
• How colourlessness became a tool of oppression
• 3 practical ways to bring colour, joy and back into your life

Spoiler: Your fear of painting that accent wall? Tune-in to hear what you may have internalized (that you never asked for).

Ready to join the rebellion?

Listen now. Share this episode. Then paint that wall.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And the internet is... not okay.

When 'Cloud Dancer' was announced last week, I canceled everything to record this episode. Because like many of us, I simply could not wrap my head around how Pantone looked at the world and said: "You know what we need? More white."

So let's get into it!

In this episode, we're exploring:

• The hidden history behind Pantone's Color of the Year (spoiler: it has to do with The Devil Wears Prada)
• Who actually makes these decisions (and who gets put on stage to defend them)
• What color psychology actually says about white (hint: it's complicated)
• The rage-bait question: Did Pantone choose controversy on purpose?
• What the Pinterest trend report reveals about what we actually need right now
• Another take on the 'colour of the year' that I gotta admit, I like a lot better!
• My friend Natalie MacNeil's hot take on the colour of the year from an astrological perspective (this is what shifted my view)

This isn't just about one color choice. It's about who gets to define what the world needs.

It's about retreat versus revolution.. and it's about whether we're brave enough to choose colour in a world that's been training us toward grey for 400 years (more on that next week!)

Mentioned in This Episode

• Pantone's 2026 Color of the Year: https://www.pantone.com/uk/en/color-of-the-year/2026
• Pantone's Color Institute: https://www.pantone.com/eu/en/color-consulting/about-pantone-color-institute
• WGSN Trend Report on 2026 consumer behavior: https://www.wgsn.com/en/blog/colour-year-2026-transformative-teal
• Etsy's 2026 Colour of the Year: https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/color/a69676808/etsy-2026-color-of-the-year-patina-blue/
• Natalie MacNeil: https://nataliemacneil.com/
• Pinterest Predicts Trend Report: https://newsroom.pinterest.com/en-gb/news/pinterest-predicts-nonconformity-self-preservation-and-escapism-drive-21-trends-for-2026/
• CNET video featuring Sky Kelly: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EzYv2yxweGg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you don't need a bigger audience, or a bigger budget... but deeper resonance?

In this episode, we're talking about why "trying to be everywhere" might be killing your impact, the psychology behind what makes brands instantly magnetic, and how to stand out without burning yourself out in the process.

If you're tired of the content hamster wheel and ready for marketing that actually feels good (and works better), this one's for you.

What We Cover:

• Why the "shout louder" approach creates diminishing returns (and what to do instead)
• The neurological difference between content that interrupts vs. content that resonates
• Five specific tactics for creating deeper connection without burning out
• The consistency vs. frequency shift that changes everything
• How to audit your marketing to see if you're resonating or just reaching

Resources:

Ready to stop shouting and start resonating?

Join Founders' Circle: our community of joy first founders who are learning to practiec marketing in a way that feels good and works for the long-term. With weekly co-working, monthly Q&A calls and planning sessions, private podcast, and our 2026 goal setting session coming up on December 18th.

Learn more: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/jffc

Looking for a rebrand?

We are the home of psychologically consistent, emotionally resonate rebrands, for founders at all stages with all budgets:

Learn more: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding

This Wild Idea:

https://www.instagram.com/thiswildidea/

Podcast with Paige:

https://joyfirstworld.com/blogs/joy-first-podcast/paige-brunton-focus

Thai Insurance Ad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaWA2GbcnJU

Tara Lynn & Co.

Website; taralynnandco.com/

Fb post: https://www.facebook.com/taralynnandco/posts/pfbid02y6iW2pWFKwUFNkV7Y7WbM9cSZzJaJFbJk9vi7Bi3Ggg5i4qi4i1j9G3vzasVsovel

The Antarctic Experience:

antarcticexperience.com

Trader Joes Newsletter:

traderjoes.com/home/ff

Glorious Gravel:

https://gloriousgravel.com/

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But what if that's exactly why your marketing feels so hard? What if that's why you freeze up when it's time to post, or why your sales copy makes you feel icky?

Here's the truth: Not all purchasing decisions are driven by problem-solving.

When was the last time you bought something expensive purely because it sparked joy? That weekend getaway you didn't "need." That dress that made you feel like your best self. The art piece that moved you.

That decision came from a completely different place than booking an emergency plumber.

In this episode, I'm challenging the biggest lie in marketing:

That fear and pain points are the only way to sell. They're not.

And for creative entrepreneurs, coaches, artists, and anyone selling transformation over transactions? Joy First marketing is often more profitable.

What we're diving into:

• Why the pain-point formula works brilliantly for plumbers but might be killing your premium brand
• The neuroscience behind joy-based purchasing (hint: happy people spend more generously)
• Real brands winning with positivity—from John Lewis's tear-jerking holiday ads to how Ryan Reynolds built a $14 billion empire through genuine enthusiasm and storytelling
• When joy-first marketing is your secret weapon (and the signs you're forcing the wrong approach)
• Why you get this intellectually but still can't implement it (and what actually helps)

The truth nobody wants to say out loud:

You're allowed to build a business that feels good. That leads with desire instead of desperation. That makes people feel better about themselves, not worse.

And it can be more profitable than the fear-based alternative.

Your work matters. Your joy matters. And showing up with genuine enthusiasm in a world drowning in manufactured urgency?

That's how you stand out.

Resources Mentioned:

• John Lewis 2024 Holiday Ad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bRlnyQeDk
• White Stuff "Walkies" Campaign | https://www.whitestuff.com/life-stuff-style/episode-25
• Citrus 48-Hour Brand Refresh https://go.joyfirstworld.com/citrus (early bird pricing ends Friday)
• Joy First Founders' Circle https://go.joyfirstworld.com/jffc

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes Cheetos, Krispy Kreme and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup so dang addicting? These treats aren't perefction on accident, food scientists engineer them to hit what they call the "bliss point": the perfect balance of sugar, salt, and fat that makes your brain scream "more please" without you even consciously deciding.

Your brand can hit this bliss point too.

That sweet spot where what lights YOU up and what the market needs (and is willing to pay for) overlap so perfectly that people binge your content, buy whatever they can afford, and want to stay in your world long-term.

Most founders I work with? They're operating with only one of the 'circles', which means they're either burning out doing work that pays but depletes them, or pouring their soul into something nobody will buy.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the two foundational circles every brand needs, why most of us only nail one, and revealing the third circle that determines whether people stick around long enough to understand your brilliance.

I'm also sharing my own painful story from 2024, how being out of alignment cost me big time, forced me to let go of team members, and nearly broke me. And what finally clicking back into my bliss point created (spoiler: it's Citrus).

You'll discover:

• The ven diagram for sustainable business growth
• Where "finding your why" fits into all this
• Warning signs you're out of alignment (before it costs you big time)
• The third circle that makes everything click
• How AI is changing the game for founders who can articulate their bliss point

This episode is for you if:

• You're making money but losing your soul in the process
• You love what you're doing but nobody's buying
• You keep pivoting, second-guessing, feeling resentful about incoming work
• You suspect there's a "next level" but can't quite see how to get there
• You're ready to stop bouncing between passion and profit

The founders who nail this now: all three circles aligned, are going to blow up in the next few years. Because AI is rocket fuel for amplifying what makes you unique. But if you can't articulate what that is? You can't use that fuel.

Links & Resources:

• Citrus: 48 hr. brand refresh: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/citrus
• Free Masterclass Waitlist: Get the full framework + check-list for psychological consistency: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/future?utm_source=podcast
• Brand in a Week | Whyfinding® | Super Bloom® : VIP Brand Experiences using the Colour Brand® Method": https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding

Next Week: The Profitability of Positivity: Why joy is the #1 strategy for small business success right now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You've been trying to fit in. Learning the industry standards. Following best practices. Being professional. Being credible. Being like everyone successful.

But what if you're optimizing for the wrong thing?

What if instead of apologizing, you should be celebrating?

Research shows industry outsiders drive breakthrough innovation at significantly higher rates than insiders. Not despite being different. Because of it.

Sara Blakely (fax machine salesperson → Spanx). Yvon Chouinard (climber → Patagonia). Rihanna (cultural outsider → Fenty Beauty). None of them succeeded by fitting in. They succeeded by leveraging what made them different.

Today: The four types of valuable outlier perspectives. And the exact framework for turning your "weirdness" into strategic advantage when building a brand.

You'll discover:

• Why industry insiders are actually constrained (and you're not)
• The outlier type you probably are (and didn't know was an asset)
• Why neurodivergent thinking creates natural business advantages
• The four-step framework from hiding difference to leading with it
• Why "what if I alienate customers" is the wrong thing to be worrying about
• How to price for uniqueness instead of competing on sameness

Listen if:

• You've been hiding parts of yourself to seem "professional"
• You don't have traditional industry credentials (and feel like an imposter)
• Your brain works differently than "normal"
• You've been told you're "too different" or "don't fit the mold"
• You're tired of trying to be like everyone else
• 
  

Links & Resources:

• Whyfinding® Sessions: Get Nic's help finding, defining your 'weird' : https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding
• The 'troll' post on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQmC_0gDLR-/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You have 0-7 seconds. In that time, three subconscious questions get answered:

"Can I trust this?"

"Is this for me?"

"Is it worth it?"

Obviously in this time, your clients are not consciously analyzing your logo. But they are feeling their way to their answers to these three questions.

Today I'm breaking down the three elements that actually drive the feelings in your first impression, and uncovering what makes buying obvious or creates instant resistance instead. And why most brands are accidentally creating discord instead of harmony.

You'll discover:

• Why color discord happens even when your brand colors are "right"
• The personality type mistake that makes premium pricing feel "too expensive"
• How imagery can undermine credibility before anyone reads a word
• Why sophisticated visuals with uncertain copy kills conversions
• The three-question harmony audit to check your own brand
• How to fix the biggest gap without rebuilding everything

Listen if:

• You've invested in beautiful branding but conversions aren't improving
• People say "you're too expensive"
• Your brand feels "off" but you can't figure out why
• You're getting mixed signals about your positioning
• You want clarity on what actually moves the needle

Links & Resources:

• Free quiz: Discover your brand personality type: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz
• Waitlist: 48 hr brand refresh program: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/weekend-waitlist

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From ancient Greek mythology to Marvel movies. From Shakespeare to Star Wars. The same patterns keep showing up because they're wired into human psychology.

And when your brand taps into these universal patterns, you're not just creating marketing. You're activating something that bypasses conscious thought and goes straight to emotion, memory, and identity.

And if you’ve been in my world a while, then you know just how important emotion is when it comes to building a successful business. It’s not ‘nice to have’ - it needs to be the core of your brand and all your marketing.

Today, after many many requests for this episode, I'm breaking down the twelve Jungian archetypes and why they're one of the most powerful strategic tools you can use to create instant recognition, deep connection, and fierce brand loyalty.

But here's what most people get wrong: They pick an archetype based on what sounds cool and end up with a stereotype instead of a strategy. The secret is understanding the four core motivations underneath the twelve archetypes. That's what transforms this from marketing gimmick into psychological strategy that runs all the way the way from your reels to your company’s vacation policies.

You'll discover why brands with tight archetypal clarity grow 97% more than confused brands, how Founders like Richard Branson manage to infuse their archetypes across over 400 companies worldwide.

What You'll Learn:

• The Four Core Motivations:
• The Four Core psychological Motivations driving all archetypes
• Jung’s 12 Core Archetypes with Brand Examples
• The difference between founder archetype, brand archetype, and product archetype
• Why combining primary and secondary archetypes creates depth
• Warning signs of archetypal dissonance and which archetypes and personality types clash (and what to do about it)
• How to translate archetypes into voice, visuals, and customer experience
• Creating an archetypal strategy document for consistency

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• "The Hero and the Outlaw" by Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson
• Nic’s Color Brand Quiz: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz
• Get on the waitlist for our new course to build your brand with archetypes: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/weekend-waitlist

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When you spend hours researching the perfect font pairing over and over again, you're not actually working on your business. You're avoiding something scarier.

This is what I call 'procrastibranding'. And if you just felt called out, stay with me. Because I'm not here to shame you. I'm here to help you understand what's actually happening and how to break the cycle.

Today I'm breaking down why brand work feels so productive when it's actually sophisticated procrastination, what it's really costing you in money and opportunity, and the practical framework for finally committing to your brand and focusing on what actually generates revenue.

You'll discover the three psychological drivers of procrastibranding, why "good enough" often outperforms "perfect" in today's market, and the one question that changes everything. Plus...

What You'll Learn:

• The three warning signs you're caught in procrastibranding (and which one is keeping you stuck)
• Why repetitive creative work feels productive but what it's costing you
• The hidden costs nobody talks about
• How inconsistency kills word-of-mouth (your most powerful free marketing)
• Why imperfect authenticity builds more trust than sterile perfection right now
• Which 20% of branding actually moves the needle
• My "good enough" checklist: four boxes to check before you launch
• When a rebrand IS worth the investment (and when it's not)
• Five practical strategies to break the procrastibranding cycle

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Free Brand Personality Quiz: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz
• Joy First World: https://joyfirstworld.com/
• Book a Brand Breakthrough Call: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding
• Joy First Founders' Circle community: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/jffc

The truth? Your ideal clients aren't waiting for your logo to be perfect: They're waiting for you to show up and help them.

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If your visual brand is as on-point right now as the Huntr/x high-notes - customers are doing the exact same thing as those kids. They're lighting up in your funnels, on your website and in your social feeds.

But how do you know if you're peddling visual harmony or discord?

In today's episode, I'm breaking down why some brands make you feel instant trust while others make you want to close the tab (even though you probably can't quite explain why).

• The neuroscience of how your brain processes visual harmony (and why your brand should care)
• What Gordon Ramsay and fine dining can teach us about brand consistency
• The five elements I adjust most often in Design Time hot seats (and how to audit yours)
• Why mixing colour groups creates the same discomfort as notes out of tune
• How to identify visual discord in your brand using the "scramble test"
• Real metrics: why harmonious brands show higher conversions, longer time on site, and better word-of-mouth
• The biggest harmony pitfalls facing most Founders, and how to fix them

LINKS FROM TODAY:

• Starling Bank rebrand analysis: https://www.tiktok.com/@joyfirstworld/video/7550797369546198294
• Free Brand Personality Quiz: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz
• Book a Call to talk about your rebrand: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding
• DM me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jnicholesmith

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Picture this: I'm VP of brand at a tech startup, locked in a battle with our UI/UX designer over whether our app's greys should be warm or cold. She's insisting on blue-based greys: Apple does it, all the big tech brands do it, so obviously it's correct for technology, right? Wrong.

And today I'm going to de-code for you why this seemingly insignificant detail reveals everything you need to know about colour psychology.

What You'll Learn:

• What happens in your mind with colour before your cognitive mind analyzes anything
• The four groups of colour and how they correlate with personality types (with the exact science behind it)
• How to choose colours strategically based on psychology, not just preference
• Why certain colour combinations create delicious harmony while others trigger instant distrust
• The critical questions to ask before choosing any colour for your brand
• Real examples of brands getting colour psychology right (and catastrophically wrong)
• Why it's so important to stick to colours from one 'group' to get the results you want with your brand
• The psychology behind every major colour from brown to pink (including which one to avoid entirely)

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Free Brand Personality Quiz: go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz 
• Tara Lynn & Co. photography (sunshine brand example)
• Janna Scharfenberg website (seaside brand example)
• The Ad Girls rebrand: theadgirls.com (fireside brand example)
• Natalie MacNeil website: nataliemacneil.com (fireside brand example)
• Dr. Romie Mushtaq - Busy Brain Cure book
• Starling Bank rebrand breakdown (mentioned)
• Dealing with Whiteness podcast series (previous season)
• Color psychology resources and tools
• Book a strategy call with Nic
• Super Bloom program information
• Color Joy program

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(not just making something new or pretty for the sake of new or pretty)

As a serial entrepreneur as well as a branding expert, I've always had extremely high standards for how, where and when brand is worth investing in... and extremely high expectations for the kind of return I want to see on that investment.

I've always bent over backwards to create this for my clients - but it always felt like 're-inventing the wheel' each time... a long, painful process for me and them, that always resulted in something fantastic, but often no one could really explain why it was great, or how we got there. As someone who loves science, systems and repeatable successes, that was never good enough for me.

When I did a Masters in Marketing I thought for sure I'd find the missing link, the secret, the guarantee. But no. It wasn't until I got certified in Applied Colour Psychology that I found the answer, the key to creating visuals with more predictable impact on behavior...

What if I told you that your brand, just like you, has a personality? A frequency. And what if there was a predictable, repeatable, profound framework for you to understand and lean-in to that personality and get better results in every metric that matters to your business? 

Today I'm sharing the breakthrough that transformed how I build brands and why it might be exactly what you've been searching for. We're diving into the psychology behind brand personalities. I'll introduce you to the four personalities and show you how when you find yours, and build your brand in exclusively that vibe, you can create more solid and predictable emotional responses in your customer (which as you know, is the key to driving purchase).

You'll discover how to reveal your brand's natural frequency, learn why trying to force a personality that isn't authentic or aligned creates problems (and how to fix it), and you'll hear how to audit your current branding for psychological consistency.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Daily Mail Article Quoting me about Ellen DeGeneres' Farmhouse
• Starling Bank's Rebrand: Long Version | Short Version
• Joy First Founder's Circle
• Colour Brand® Colour Psychology Method overview
• Personality Type Quiz
• Joy First® Brand Assessment 
• Super Bloom® branding client case studies

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Twenty minutes. That's all it took for me to go from casual observer to completely bought-in advocate of a brand I'd barely heard of before. No pressure tactics, no manufactured urgency, just pure value, delivered with integrity.

Last week I experienced the psychology of a Joy First brand in real time.

Today I'm pulling back the curtain on the exact psychology behind building a Joy First Brand for the Joyconomy, including why Harvard Business Review says emotionally connected customers are 52% more valuable than just satisfied ones.

The profitability in Joy First brands isn't just about making people happy. it is about creating deep connections that transform casual customers into lifelong evangelists who can't help but tell everyone about you.

I'll show you the exact moment I knew this company understood something most businesses completely miss, and how you can reverse-engineer that same psychological magic in your own brand.

We're diving deep into the neuroscience of joy, the difference between satisfaction and obsession, and why some brands create customers for life while others struggle with constant churn.

I'll reveal which big brands have mastered these Joy First principles (and have seen massive revenue increases as a result), plus the cautionary tales of billion-dollar brands that abandoned these principles and watched their stock prices crater within weeks.

You'll discover why purpose-driven joy hits differently than gimmicky happiness, how mirror neurons make joy literally contagious, and the ancient Greek concept that explains why some customer experiences create lasting transformation while others are instantly forgotten.

Plus, I'm sharing specific examples of how small businesses can implement these principles immediately from the language you use to describe your services to the unexpected ways you can exceed expectations without breaking the budget.

What You'll Learn:

• The exact neurological process that happens when customers experience Joy First brands (and why it creates addiction-level loyalty)
• Where and why dopamine is released in the joy process (and what this means for your brand)
• The critical difference between satisfaction and joy (and why most businesses are stuck in satisfaction mode)
• How several major corporations just proved Joy First principles drive real revenue (with specific numbers)
• Real examples of small businesses creating unforgettable customer experiences with simple psychological touches
• The customer journey audit that reveals exactly where you're missing joy opportunities

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Joy First branding services: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding
• Joy First Founders' Circle: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/jffc
• Joy First Brand Assessment: https://quiz.joyfirstworld.com/brand
• Color Joy program
• Ben & Jerry's linked prosperity model

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While banks failed and bread lines formed in 1929, the beauty industry became the fourth largest industry in North America.

In 2008, as the economy collapsed, Lego achieved record profits.

During the 2020 pandemic, the pet industry exploded with 16% growth.

What did these industries have in common? They weren't selling products: they were selling different versions of joy.

Today I'd like to introduce you to something trend analysts are calling the Joyconomy, and it's already starting to reshape how every successful business will operate in the Ai-fuelled future. This isn't another marketing trend you can ignore. This is the fundamental rewiring of how humans make buying decisions in our anxiety-driven world.

For 20 years, I've been building Joy First brands: businesses that compete on delight rather than desperation, connection rather than unworthiness. While everyone else was optimizing for pain points and fear-based tactics, I was obsessed with feel-good brands that made people's lives better through their products, services, social impact and even their marketing.

That "soft" approach? It just became the hardest competitive advantage in business.

Forbes just declared the Joyconomy a major trend for 2025 and research shows Joy First brands are outperforming traditional competitors across every metric that matters. But here's what most people don't understand... this isn't just about happy marketing or feel-good campaigns.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the five dimensions that separate Joyconomy winners from fear-first businesses that are about to get left behind. I'll show you why luxury brands use 40% more positive emotional language than mass market competitors, how one Italian car company made a radical decision that defied decades of industry wisdom, and why the whole basis of Web3 culture points to a massive shift away from individualism.

This is your roadmap to the future of business. The question isn't whether the Joyconomy is coming... it's whether you'll be ready for it.

What You'll Learn:

• The five dimensions every Joy First brand must master to survive and thrive
• Why fear-based marketing is becoming losing its superior effectiveness (and what works instead)
• The surprising psychology behind why luxury brands don't use problem-solution frameworks
• How to use colour as a competitive advantage when everything has gone grey
• Why community and collectivism are about to disrupt the influencer economy
• The real reason health is becoming the new hustle (and what this means for your business)

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Book a Call with Nic: https://go.joyfirstworld.com/branding

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special, intimate, informal storytelling episode. After a full season of sharing other peoples' stories of finding Joy First ways of working, I thought I would share mine - especially since as of tomorrow I am now officially celebrating 20 years in business!!

Want to watch the Video version? Visit my Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FbNQEVjn5/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I can't wait for you to meet today's guest. Jennifer Waters and I first connected nine years ago when she joined one of my very first online programs. She had a pet photography side-hustle, and she was desperate to escape a toxic marriage and build financial independence as a single mom

I knew I really liked Jennifer straight away. But what I couldn't have known, was the profound journey she was about to embark upon, that I would witness first-hand. Over the course of a decade, through high highs, and the lowest of lows, Jennifer transformed not just her business, but her entire life.

Jennifer's story isn't your typical entrepreneurial success tale. It's much deeper and more beautiful. Jennifer is here today to share what happens when life strips away everything you think you know and love, and forces you to discover (and build) something entirely new.

Spoiler Alert: She's not a pet photographer anymore, but she's just picked up the keys to her third location expansion in only 18 months for her current business, which is one she never intended to start.

How did she get here? One thing that makes this conversation really special, is our exploration of grief.... something none of us ever really want to talk about. Jennifer lost six dogs in three years. Six heart dogs. Her business, her brand, the book she was writing... her entire identity disappeared along with them.

What emerged from that grief will change how you think about business, creativity, and what's possible when you stop trying to force things to work and fully commit to what brings you joy.

Jennifer, who now runs her unexpected business from her dream house on Lake Superior (the same lake house she once believed was impossible for a single woman to afford), ships her products worldwide, has a 75% customer loyalty rate and still hasn't even written a business plan.

I love this story of joy first working, because it's so rare to talk to someone who has built something from a place of pure love and trust... which in our day and age of reason and cynicism, is the most radical strategy of all. But Joy First works. And Jennifer is living, smiling proof.

What You'll Learn:

• How Jennifer navigated six devastating losses in three years without losing herself
• The moment she realized pre-grief was stealing her present joy
• Why her most successful business has no business plan (and never will)
• How she went from $24 in her bank account to a thriving company in just a few months
• The ancient principle that explains why clearing grief creates space for joy
• Why building from love instead of market research can work better

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Dogkind Candle Company website: dogkindcandles.com
• Jennifer's social media: @dogkindco (Instagram and Facebook)
• My book "Million Dollar Dog Brand" (referenced in our conversation)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this beautifully revealing, intimate conversation, Carrie Green opens up about the darkest period of her business journey. In this episode Carrie shares with us the most generous and honest reflection on entrepreneurial burnout that I've ever heard.

Having founded the Female Entrepreneur Association (FEA) in 2011 (which she grew into 7-figure business with a network of almost 1 million women) Carrie is an international bestselling author (She Means Business, Hay House) and an online business trailblazer. But today we're stepping back from the shiny stuff in her list of incredible achievements to talk burnout, motherhood, and the darker sides of business success.

"I'd be getting home from work every night saying to my husband, I don't think I can do this anymore," she reveals. "I felt so trapped by it all."

While Carrie's body was screaming at her to slow down... she pushed on through... until she physically, mentally and emotionally could not go on. But that's not the end of our story: we discover that Carrie's just closed out her best launch of all time, after slowly having found her way back to her health, wellbeing and magic.

In this episode we explore the complex reality of managing a team for a multi-million pound online business, the weight of avoiding difficult conversations, and how hiring full-time "experts" to solve your problems can backfire spectacularly. Carrie's brutal honesty about the real challenges she's faced as a leader and the emotional toll of getting some of it wrong, is so wildly refreshing.

If you've ever felt trapped by your success, questioned whether you're cut out for leadership, or wondered how to rebuild when everything feels broken, this conversation is for you!

What You'll Learn:

• The physical warning signs Carrie ignored before her body forced her to pay attention
• Why hiring "experts" to solve your problems often creates more chaos than clarity
• How avoiding difficult conversations with team members nearly destroyed her business
• The specific work and practices that helped her rebuild
• How energy and frequency directly impact business results
• Why Carrie believes success should equal joy and what happens when it doesn't

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Carrie's Instagram: @IAmCarrieGreen
• Female Entrepreneur Association
• Patrick Lencioni's leadership books (especially "The Motive")
• Her podcast (recently hit #59 in Apple's business charts!)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

What You'll Learn:

• 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

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• 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.

What You'll Learn:

• 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

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• 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.

What You'll Learn:

• 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

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• 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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We're spotlighting 5 dudes who've significantly influenced my Joy First® way of working.

I'm 100% committed to amplifying women's voices, but today I'm giving a shout-out to a few men who have shaped my approach to creating the freedom-filled, joy-centered business I run today. From the pioneer of psychology-driven marketing to the spiritual CEO who helped me finally escape my inbox, these "bros" are surprisingly solid. Each guy featured in this episode introduced me to frameworks and mindset shifts that transformed how I work—and how I create time for, sustain and expand my joy first ways of working.

In addition to naming names, I'm sharing the top strategies I've borrowed from their playbooks and adapted to create my joy-filled, profitable business model. You'll hear the highs & lows: the brick-and-mortar business that had me stuck, the time-for-money cycle that I feared I'd never escape, and how I created an online business that allowed me to live in Mallorca, Lake Como, and France - and travel all over the world exploring, while still serving my clients brilliantly.

I also reveal the unexpected encounter that led me to the 'bonus dude' (#6)—the billionaire who taught me the most profound lesson about joy and gifted me with a surprising lightbulb moment about the connection between play and productivity.

Whether you're curious about how to build a business model that supports the lifestyle you want, or you're looking for key strategic frameworks and tactics that work (without the typical toxic hustle culture), this episode bridges the gap between smart business tactics and joyful living.

Join me as I reveal which "marketing bro" advice I've kept, which I've modified, and how it all fits into creating a business that prioritizes joy without sacrificing results.

You'll Learn:

• The psychology framework that transformed my marketing (and how to use it ethically)
• The #1 secret ingredient that makes recurring revenue businesses actually retain members
• The big shift I made back in 2016 that is probably the most joyful business decision I've ever made
• The simple funnel filler that's bringing us 800-2,000 leads monthly
• The brand-related must-have that one bro (with 8 exits to his name) says is the #1, #2, and #3 most important factor in business success
• The unexpected secret to access bigger, clearer CEO thinking

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• My Colour Brand Personality Quiz
• Book: "Launch"
• "The Membership Experience"
• Mind Your Business Podcast
• Book: "Ask Method"
• Book: "Viral Hero"
• Apply for our rebrand experiences: Brand in a Week, Super Bloom + Creator Club
• Founders' Circle - Our substack-style community
• Score App (formerly bucket.io)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your body knows something your mind hasn't yet recognized?

In this episode of Joy First, we are diving deep with Human Design business strategist Jazze Jervis into a revolutionary approach to work and life that challenges everything you've been taught about productivity and success. What we discovered might explain why certain business strategies leave you drained while others feel energizing.

Together we explore the one-size-fits-all business advice—the kind that has you doubting your abilities when the real issue might be something entirely different. Because here's what most business coaches won't tell you: what works brilliantly for one person might be actively harmful for another.

In this episode Jazze introduces a framework for understanding your unique energy blueprint that goes beyond personality types or work preferences. This isn't about minor adjustments to your schedule—it's about fundamentally reimagining how you approach everything from decision-making to marketing.

There's a moment in our conversation where Jazze reveals why some people thrive with spontaneity while others need structure—and it has nothing to do with discipline or mindset. This insight alone might explain years of struggle you've experienced trying to follow systems that were never designed for your energy type.

What could become possible when you stop fighting against your natural rhythms? What opens up when you build a business aligned not only joy first decision-making, but also with how you're designed to create?

This conversation is for the entrepreneur who's done everything "right" but still feels misaligned. It's for anyone who's ever wondered why conventional wisdom about success feels like a path to burnout rather than fulfilment.

In a world that profits from your self-doubt, understanding your design becomes an act of defiance. It's permission to trust the wisdom your body has been trying to share all along.

This isn't just business theory. It's the ULTIMATE joy first way to work.

This is about creating work that doesn't just make freedom, it feels like freedom.

Want to have Jazze walk you through finding your Human Design type?

[ Join Founders' Circle to get instant access to the Bonus Content from this episode ]

More from Jazze:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazzejervis_/

Find your Human Design Energy Type: https://www.jazzejervis.com.au/generate-your-chart

Request her Design Guide: DM her 'Design Guide' on Instagram

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In this episode of Joy First, I sit down with Paige who challenges the frantic, scattered approach that leaves so many entrepreneurs exhausted. We deep dive into her #1 productivity hack (which isn't a hack at all) — and discuss the how's and why's of the freedom it's created for her.

During our conversation, Paige shares the moment she realized most business owners build their dreams on quicksand. She was doing it too—until a radical shift in her approach to both web design and decision-making changed everything.

What struck me most was Paige's counterintuitive approach to social media. While most business gurus push omnipresence across platforms, Paige does things differently. She explains why this conventional wisdom might be the very thing holding you back and shares her alternative: which feels like a quiet little rebellion that gives her permission to breathe.

Since we're both expats, of course we have to cover the topic of living in Europe—a choice that seems impractical on paper but has aligned perfectly for both of us and our her joy first living and working. When it comes to location independence; it's all about the courage and commitment it takes to to design your business around your life (instead of sacrificing your life for your business).

We explore what becomes possible when you stop diluting your energy and instead channel it where it matters most. Paige's approach to "charging what you're worth" isn't what you might expect—and it challenges the core of how many of us price our services.

In a world that profits from your divided attention, this conversation about Paige's way of joy first working is a cheerful little act of defiance. What might become possible in your business when you stop chasing every opportunity and start focusing on what truly brings you joy?

Listen on joyfirstworld.com >

More from Paige:

Paige's Website: https://www.paigebrunton.com/

Paige's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PaigeBrunton

More about Paige's Free Bootcamp: https://jnicholesmith--paigebrunton.thrivecart.com/checkout/62de7e23c3706/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about Founders Circle:

https://go.joyfirstworld.com/JFFC

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

• Joy vs. Evil
• Finding Winter Joy with Colour and Ayurveda
• 10 Joy Recipes for the New Year

Visit the Previous Podcast:

Joy Colour Impact & Dogs: (on iTunes) & (on spofity)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Dr. Lynne Maureen Hurdle, Justin Nai'im Hurdle-Price and I for a deep, thought-provoking conversation about how colour intertwines with identity, race, culture, and self-expression.Together, we unravel some of the unspoken truths about how colour impacts our lives, from the emotions it evokes to the stories it tells about who we are.

But here’s where it gets really interesting—how do we navigate colour when it’s tied to something as complex as race or cultural programming? What does it mean to embrace blackness and whiteness in a world that doesn’t often celebrate diversity? And why do some of us hesitate to wear bold colours - why are we so afraid of standing out?

This is not one of our typical discussions about colour psychology. It’s a raw, honest exploration of why colour matters on a much deeper level, especially for people of colour who are constantly having to navigate predominantly white spaces. In this episode we dig in to unspoken rules, fears, and societal pressures—but also how breaking through these obstacles can lead to more freedom, more joy, and a stronger connection to who we really are.

You’ll hear us dive into how colour can ground us, comfort us, or even hold us back. We challenge ideas like “I don’t see colour” and perhaps most importantly, we celebrate how diversity and individuality enrich our lives. Are you ready to see colour in a whole new way?

Let’s explore together.

Links for Dr.Lynne:

Website

On the Matter of Race

Dealing with Whiteness Episodes (from previous podcast: Joy, Colour, Impact and Dogs)

• Introduction to Dealing with Whiteness
• Unpacking the Myth of Perfectionism
• Why is the Pet Industry so White?
• Truth about the word "Woke"
• Talking to your Kids about Racism

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Laura and I are diving in to a delicious conversation about 'eating the rainbow'. We're exploring the ways food gives us clues about its goodness (as well as discussing the 'bad foods'). If you're feeling drawn to eating more wholesome, real foods... modifying what you feed your body... improving your gut health, or losing weight... or if you're simply interested in learning more about what we eat - you're going to LOVE this episode.

We're going to go 'colour by colour' through the rainbow of food available to us, what to eat more of, and what to avoid, based on its phytochemicals (the stuff that gives fruit and veg its colour).

Recent related episode with Dr.Janna Scharfenberg (touching-on Ayurvedic nutrition)

https://joyfirstworld.com/blogs/joy-first-podcast/finding-winter-joy-with-colour-ayurveda-episode-7

Learn more about Laura and her practice:

visit www.lauralacey.com

To receive weekly tips from Laura about nutrition and menopause subscribe to the Menopause Musings Newsletter:

https://www.lauralacey.com/newsletter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Takeaways:

• Pick one of 10 simple recipes for joy first living and working
• Inspo for a 'word of the year' that leads to the type of change and growth you want most
• How to ditch the one thought pattern that is enemy #1 of growth
• The fastest route to greater intimacy and trust
• My #1 non-negotiable to improve and maintain my mental health.
• Top tips for how to reject societal 'shoulds' that kill joy
• What to measure on the way to success
• The most effective tool we've found in 20 yrs for increasing productivity and consistency
• The contagious way your joy can help everyone around you

Links:

Join our Joy Focus Planning Circle

Join our next Live round of Colour Joy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Janna shares her unique approach to well-being, a blending of the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with modern medicine. We talk about the importance of balance—how to navigate lower-energy seasons with grace, and why slowing down and creating space for self-reflection can be the very thing our bodies and minds need.

We touch on the magic of Ayurvedic nutrition, and which spices and foods have healing properties and how mindful choices in what we eat can profoundly influence our mood, energy, and happiness.

If the winter months have you feeling a little low, this conversation is a warm and nourishing invitation to embrace the season, build rituals that support your well-being, and tap into the small, intentional changes that can help you feel lighter, more grounded, and more connected to your joy.

In this episode, we explore:

• What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and how does it impact us?
• What role can colour play in our well-being during winter.
• Highlights of Ayurvedic philosophy
• Does colour matter on your plate?
• What activities should we be pursuing in winter?
• How should we navigate low-energy phases?
• What sort of rituals can help us fell good this winter?

This episode reminds us that the quieter, slower months can be a gift—a chance to nourish yourself, reconnect with your body, and create more ease and joy in the season ahead.

Let’s keep the conversation going. Please share your thoughts, rituals, or winter wins with me on Instagram at @JoyFirstWorld. I’d love to hear how you’re finding light and colour this season!

Here's where you can find Dr. Janna: Instagram | Website

• Dr. Janna believes in Creating Fast, Living Slow
• She is a serial entrepreneur, passionate investor in the health sector and on a great mission to not only make our world healthy, but above all to redefine and live high performance and leadership.
• She has been able to support hundreds of people in following their heart's calling with the Ayurveda Lifestyle Coaching training
• Her offers and training courses are the most cutting-edge in the German-speaking online training market
• She has had the pleasure of being able to support thousands of people on their way to a simply healthy life and, above all, a healthy working environment

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a nutshell, my opinion on about glorifying this delicious shade of brown is: yes please, especially if it takes us further away from our obsession with grey.

This topic gets me super fired-up because grey is powerful trend that most people think is fabulous, but is actually just not good for us. Neutral is not as aspirational as we make it out to be: grey-white-beige spaces are not the recipe for a joy first life.

In this episode we'll explore:

• Where our obsession with neutral colours comes from
• The shadow side of neutral - and the darker places it can lead
• The connections between our fears and our reliance on white, black and grey
• The role picking a lane, and taking a stand play in a strong and authentic brand
• How taking risks and embracing colour (your colours) can lead to more joy and self-expression.

Episode links:

Take the Quiz: https://jnicholesmith.com/quiz/

Find your Colour Joy: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/colour-joy-course

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Christmas approaches, I reflect on how the holidays often amplify both joy and stress and why it's so important to redefine traditions in ways that feel authentic to you.

If you don’t celebrate Christmas, that’s completely okay—this season is still an opportunity to find joy in your own way, and creating personal rituals can be just as meaningful.

I also share some emerging trends, like the rise of pink Christmas decor, which brings a sense of emotional warmth to celebrations, and how you can use colour psychology to align your holiday aesthetics with your personality type.

For example, Seaside types often lean toward muted and serene decor, Fireside types embrace warmth and texture, and Starshine types prefer minimalism and clean designs.

By understanding your unique preferences, you can create a more personal, joyful holiday atmosphere that aligns with who you are.

Throughout our time together, I talk about how joy can be found in the little things—from sharing food and music to creating moments of connection.

It’s not about perfection; it’s about presence. This season is a chance to focus on what truly matters, embrace self-expression, and celebrate in a way that feels true to you.

Whether you’re reimagining Christmas traditions or carving out space for a quieter, more intentional holiday, I hope this episode inspires you to rediscover joy and make this season uniquely yours.

I’d love to see how you’re bringing joy to your holidays.

Share your moments with me on social by tagging @JoyFirstWorld and using #joyfirstworld

Links:

Freebie: https://joyfirstworld.com/#free

Explore Colour Joy: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/colour-joy-course

Take the Quiz: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where is joy's role in the face of adversity, particularly in the context of political and social turmoil? I want to acknowledge that this episode might feel 'too soon', but I hope you come back to it when you're ready. While it may seem inappropriate to focus on joy during difficult times, it is precisely when we need it the most.

In this episode I outline how joy can serve as a form of resistance and healing, and I provide several practical steps and rituals for cultivating joy in our lives, including how to use color as a tool for self-care.

I also invite you to join us for our #joyfriday joy activation on black friday - links below.

LINKS:

• Join our joy activation on black friday #joyfriday | joyfriday.org
• Learn how to Colour Joy your Wardrobe

SOURCES:

https://www.headspace.com/articles/election-anxiety

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World (there was also a film)

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/col.21949?undefined=&utm_campaign=color-therapy&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=blog

https://www.thoughtco.com/dalai-lama-world-saved-western-woman-3971297

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/anti-trump-blue-bracelet-trend-1235163151/

https://medium.com/demagsign/the-colors-of-protest-46289d141e2b

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the colours you wear could bring you joy, energy, and confidence every day? In this episode, Nic invites you to reimagine “dopamine dressing”—not just as a fleeting trend, but as a meaningful, joy-first practice. Instead of focusing on fashion, we’re exploring how aligning your wardrobe with your personality type and mood can bring out a new level of self-empowerment and well-being.

Nic dives into the science of colour psychology and the Joy First method, showing us how we can use colour to cultivate a sense of control in our lives. Could a small shift in what you wear each morning lead to a more fulfilling day, or deepen your sense of connection with others?

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• The power of intentional colour choices – Could dressing by colour be a tool for creating daily joy?
• Your colour personality type – How might knowing your type help you rediscover your authentic self?
• The “upward spiral” of joy – What shifts happen when your clothing choices are joy-driven, not on auto-pilot?
• The truth behind colour harmony – How do the colours you wear work together to influence your mood and energy and how do they impact those around you?
• An empowered morning routine – Could getting dressed each day become a moment of joy and purpose?

Nic shares stories of transformation from clients who found new confidence and energy by rethinking their clothing colours. How does this simple ritual help them… could it work for you?

Links:

Explore Colour Joy: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/colour-joy-course

Take the Quiz: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz

Episode Highlights

• 00:00 – Introduction to "Colouring Joy Your Closet"
• 02:36 – Rethinking Dopamine Dressing
• 06:22 – Finding Your Colour Personality Type
• 10:45 – The Impact of Intentional Colours
• 15:33 – Energizing Your Wardrobe
• 20:12 – The "Upward Spiral" of Joy
• 25:44 – Living in Colour Harmony
• 30:18 – Turning Mornings into Joyful Rituals
• 35:50 – Colour and Connection: Sharing Joy

Join us for an episode that shows how choosing colours for yourself can spark joy—not only in your life but in the lives of everyone around you. Let’s explore together how “colouring your closet” might be the most uplifting change you make this year.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Nic explores the importance of finding 'fit' in marketing, and in life. She discusses the lack of nuance in discussions around how to be more happy or how to leverage the insights from positive psychology. She explains how understanding your unique personality type can give you insight into your personal joy profile, which can lead to all kinds of positive shifts.

Nic shares her personal journey of self-acceptance, overcoming body shame and the many ways she had internalized familial and societal pressures to be thin. She reveals her experience, and the experience of her students and clients with the transformative power of applied colour psychology, which is rooted in the connection between personality types and color preference. She let's us in on the ways joy and applied colour psychology can trigger an upward spiral of joy, self-discovery, and acceptance- which becomes contagious - creating exponential positive impact.

You'll discover applied colour psychology's four distinct personality types, which she calls: Sunshine, Seaside, Fireside, and Starshine—and how each is characterized by unique preferences with significant implications for color, design, and professional preferences. She'll delve into how these personality types influence branding, the design choices we make in the spaces we spend the most time in, and our personal expression through the clothes we choose to wear.

Take the quiz to find your unique personality type: https://go.jnicholesmith.com/quiz

In this Episode We'll Explore:

• What Happiness research has overlooked for years
• The essential missing ingredient for truly finding personal happiness.
• Why and how our definitions of joy are different
• What personality type and colour have to do with self-worth.
• What is Applied Color Psychology and how is it unique
• What do our Color preferences have to do with our personality type
• What is an upward spiral and why do you want to be part of one
• A concise explanation of each of the Sunshine, Seaside, Fireside and Starshine personality types

Chapters

02:46 Understanding Fit in Happiness

06:02 Nic's Personal Journey of Self-Acceptance

08:51 The Power of Color Psychology

12:10 Applied Color Psychology Explained

13:36 The Upward Spiral

18:11 Exploring Personality Types and Colors

21:13 Introducing the Four Personality Types

23:58 The Science Behind Color Preferences

37:27 Understanding the Sunshine (Spring) Personality Type

41:09 Exploring the Seaside (Summer) Personality Type

47:57 Diving into the Fireside (Autumn) Personality Type

56:11 Unpacking the Starshine (Winter) Personality Type

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This show starts in the way it means to go in: with science, inspiration and a powerful case for the importance of joy in our individual lives and workplaces, as well as our communities.

In this episode, Nic introduces the idea that joy is a revolutionary act and a powerful tool for personal and societal change. Drawing on insights from various thinkers, her own experiences and those of her clients, plus the research on joy and happiness, she makes a compelling argument for the idea that prioritizing joy can lead to greater resilience, connection, and well-being... and even a longer life. Nic gives us the lowdown on what joy is, and what it isn't, what makes it different from happiness, and how and why applied colour psychology is an easy, addicting, delightful way to cultivate joy in our lives.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why joy is a revolutionary act.
• The role joy can play in the fight against oppression.
• Why choosing to prioritize joy can lead to a more positive impact.
• The qualities of Joy that make it so powerful
• Key differences between Joy and Happiness.
• The relationship between Joy and comfort
• How much of joy is hedonism? Can we prioritize it and still be high-performing & productive?
• One common reason our joy can be incomplete
• Why Colour psychology can be a powerful tool for cultivating joy.
• What we can do with others to enhance our own joy.

Chapters

00:00 The Revolutionary Act of Choosing Joy

03:12 Joy as a Catalyst for Change

08:36 Understanding the Nature of Joy

15:10 What Joy Is Not

20:12 Applied Colour Psychology: A Tool for Joy

SOURCES & RESOURCES:

https://austinchanning.substack.com/p/joy-as-resistance

https://www.rattle.com/from-the-telly-cycle-by-toi-derricotte/

https://aestheticsofjoy.com/joy-is-an-act-of-resistance-how-celebration-sustains-activism-2/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29496453-the-book-of-joy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...Nearly all of which require us to constantly be more, do more, and especially buy more.

On top of that, we are constantly told that our safety is at stake: politicians, newscasters and marketers use fear mongering tactics to fuel flames of outrage and division… Exploiting our fear of rejection, our fear of failure, and our biggest deepest scariest fear, that we’re not enough.

How do we turn things round? 

Maybe it starts with another question: 

What if we weren’t so susceptible to fear? 

What if instead of being fuelled by fear… our lives and businesses could be anchored in joy?

What if bit by bit, we could build an entire world that operates this way? Focusing not on what divides us, but by what connects us… joy.

Welcome to the Joy First podcast, the place for good, hard-working folks who want to live a full and joyful life, and leave the world a better place for the next generation, but don’t know where to start.

If you identify as a perfectionist, a high-achiever, a workaholic, or parent and you want to experience less fear, anxiety and stress… and more joy… but struggle because you are just so busy surviving - you’re in the right place.

Hi, I’m your host J.Nichole Smith, you can call me Nic. 

I am an artist, author, creative consultant and marketing expert who builds profitable brands, products and campaigns that have one job: sell joy. 

I've spent 20 years selling joy for huge brands like Purina, Fosters and Columbia hospitality as well as best-selling authors, tech startups, B corporations and Fortune 500 companies... and a few of my own successful brands as well. Through this work, a Masters in Marketing and decades of talking to real people about the things they love, I’ve developed a unique talent for understanding, capturing, conjuring and selling joy.

For over a decade I've been a mentor to other creatives and female Founders, sharing my insider expertise on colour psychology and the joy first way of living and working.

Here in the Joy First podcast we will explore why and how to put joy first in a world that rewards hustle over happiness.

This show will help us all stay connected to the truth...

Joy isn’t extra

You don’t have to earn joy

Joy is your birth right, your medicine, and your resistance.

In this show you can expect inspirational personal stories, deep-dives into the science of joy and practical how-to’s involving tools like colour psychology. The longer you’re here, the easier and more automatic it will feel for you to notice, prioritise and share joy each day… so that you can step into the kind of living and working that makes you feel good, look great, love better and live longer… Together we CAN co-create a joy first world.

Let's start now!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.