“You’re not burned out because of your job. You’re burned out because you’re doing someone else’s job.”

That line stood out to me when I sat down with Monica Rothgery, former COO of KFC and one of the most joyful, no-BS leaders I know. Monica was the first woman in the US to hold that position and the first member of the LBGTQ community to get to the C-suite at YUM!

For the fiftieth episode of the Business of Joy, we talked about:

✨ What the Army didn’t prepare her for at Taco Bell

🎧 Why she wears a headset during her keynotes and what it says about who she leads for

🌏 How she led a turnaround in Thailand, despite no global ops background nor language skills

⚠️ What “compressed productivity” is, and how it’s quietly suffocating innovation in your org

🔥 The radical clarity that comes from asking: “What’s mine to do?”

Whether you’re running a business, mentoring new talent, or working the frontlines yourself, Monica’s perspective and insights will change how you think.

#BusinessOfJoy #LeadershipDevelopment #FrontlineLeaders #Restaurants #WomenInLeadership

🧠 “I knew right away I wasn’t going to be happy just executing someone else’s plan.” -Mark Brezinski

That mindset shaped decades of restaurant innovation, from the King Solomon Burger at age 16, to concepting Velvet Taco, Pei Wei, Tin Star, EatZi’s, and more.

This week’s episode of the Business of Joy features Mark Brezinski, restaurant conceptor, consultant, & author of Food Fight!


In our conversation on The Business of Joy, we talk about:


🍴 His surprising first jobs (and first off menu item)


🧭 The equation he teaches young leaders: 1/3 of your time controls the other 2/3

⭐️ Why BBQ is the perfect fast casual North Star


📉 The personal bankruptcy that taught him more than any success ever did


📚 What his book revealed to friends who thought they knew him


🔥 Why “authentically good” matters more than “authentic” or “good” alone

Check out Oak'd BBQ: https://www.instagram.com/oakdbbq/?hl=en

#businessofjoy #RestaurantIndustry #HospitalityLeadership #BrandBuilding #RestaurantInnovation

What’s the mistake too many young leaders make?

🚫 Skipping steps. 🚫 Skipping the struggle.

This week’s episode of The Business of Joy podcast features Andrew K. Smith, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Savory Fund!

From cleaning kennels at 14 to co-founding a $500M fund, his story is a playbook for gritty, joyful leadership.

We talked about:

💸 The truth about today’s fundraising climate—and where opportunity still lives

🔄 What legacy brands can learn from emerging ones

🌟 “Don’t be a know-it-all. Be a learn-it-all.”

🌱 How restaurants (and leaders) can be the light others lean toward

💡 Why he believes positivity breeds success

What struck me most? His ability to dream big and stay grounded.

🎧 One of my favorite conversations yet. Packed with perspective, wisdom, and unforgettable one-liners.

And BTW—we even talk favorite bands and music. So cool.

Here were two of the bands that Andrew mentioned:

Zola Blood: https://www.youtube.com/@ZOLABLOOD/videos

Washed Out: https://www.youtube.com/@realwashedout/videos