What I Learned About Joy, Leadership, and Profit
You’ve heard that ‘joy is contagious’—but did you know it’s also profitable?
Joy isn’t optional. It’s not a luxury, a reward, or something you get to enjoy after everything falls into place. In Episode 22 of the Joy Inspired Podcast, “Joy Makes You Money (Yes, Really),” Nikki Cruise delivers a bold truth: joy is a leadership strategy that impacts your influence, your team, and even your income.
Building on last week’s insight that “joy is not an extra, but a resource,” Nikki challenges us to rethink how we view joy. If your business feels stuck, your revenue plateaued, or your team seems disengaged, the problem might not be marketing, systems, or strategy—it could be a joy problem. Joy isn’t a fleeting emotion. It’s a spiritual resource to cultivate, protect, and steward—one that transforms how you lead and operate.
Why Joy is More Than a Feeling
Joy isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s magnetic energy. It draws the right people to you—clients, collaborators, and team members aligned with your purpose. It’s a business resource that strengthens culture, reduces turnover, and nurtures creativity and loyalty. And it’s also scientifically and biologically powerful: joy helps regulate your nervous system, reduces stress, and protects your health so you can lead sustainably.
Stress and pressure might keep you busy—but they siphon energy, focus, and even money. Joy restores flow. It’s not indulgent—it’s a leadership responsibility that produces abundance rather than exhaustion. When joy is at the center of your leadership, profitability naturally follows. Your work becomes life-giving not only for you, but for those around you.
How to Activate Joy in Your Business and Life
Nikki shares practical ways to steward joy intentionally:
Speak joy over your finances. Declare God’s provision and alignment with your purpose.
Lead from a place of joy, not pressure. Let your energy and mindset set the tone for your team, your clients, and your work.
Protect your energy. Take moments to rest, reflect, and reconnect spiritually. Joy is a resource you can’t use if you’re depleted.
Celebrate wins, big and small. Even tiny victories in business or life are fuel for your joy and momentum.
Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us:
"But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth..."
Joy is part of that empowerment. It fuels your creativity, clarity, and stamina—helping you generate income with purpose and impact.
Moving Forward With Joy at the Center
Here’s what I want you to take with you today:
Faith that chooses joy. You don’t have to wait for the perfect moment—joy is already available to you.
Fire fueled by joy. Let joy energize your leadership, decisions, and creativity.
Forward motion anchored in joy. Step confidently, knowing joy strengthens and sustains you.
Joy isn’t extra—it’s essential. It’s the energy, the strategy, and the spiritual resource that leads to better culture, better creativity, and yes—better results. Steward it well, and watch the impact ripple across your business, your team, and your life.
Your Joy Activation Challenge:
Speak one scripture over your finances today—try Deuteronomy 8:18.
Identify one area of your business where you’re operating from pressure instead of joy—and make one small shift.
Reflect on a moment this week where joy fueled your leadership, decisions, or creativity.
When you make joy your starting point instead of your reward, everything changes. Your business, your relationships, and even your income will follow.
