Today we’d like to introduce you to India Pierce.
India , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve spent more years than I’d like to admit succumbing to the pressure to overwork, trying to keep up and survive in jobs that were inefficient, inequitable, and unsupportive. Like so many people, I was caught in a cycle of constantly going and doing, with very little room for rest, reflection, let alone joy.
Even after I started building my own businesses, I carried the same mindset with me. Powering through had become my default setting. Life felt like something happening to me instead of something I was intentionally shaping. I was exhausted. I felt resentful. And I knew something had to change.
One day, I found myself asking: What if I let joy lead me? How would my life look different?
That question sparked something in me. The to-do list that used to control my days started to lose its grip. I didn’t want a life of constantly waiting… waiting until Friday, until summer, or until after the next project to enjoy myself. I wanted to relish in wonder now. I needed a life built on joy.
That question became a turning point.
It led me on an unexpected journey. One that, at first, meant launching another business. I know, I know, if I wanted more joy, why add more to my plate? At the time, I thought I just needed to find little pockets of joy in my life. So I did just that. I created a luxury picnic company, and it truly did bring me joy. I challenged myself to build that business with joy baked into its foundation.
And I learned so much from that experience. One of the most important lessons? The power of the “joyful no.” The more comfortable I got saying no, without guilt or fear of missing out, the more room I made for the things that were truly aligned. And eventually, that same joyful clarity allowed me to say goodbye to the business and sell it. That was another unexpected lesson from letting joy lead: sometimes, it takes you places you never imagined.
I didn’t stop there. I began aligning my consulting work with the vision I had for my personal life. I stopped chasing external markers of success and started cultivating a deeper kind of fulfillment.
I truly believe that we deserve joy in every aspect of our lives, including work. Some people think joy is the reward you earn after the hard work is done. Not me. I believe that choosing joy, intentionally and consistently, is its own kind of liberation.
That belief led me to create The Joy Collaborative. Now, I spend my days helping others reimagine their relationship to work and boldly choose joy. Because work shouldn’t just be about surviving, it should be about thriving.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s rarely ever a completely smooth road, right? Well at least not for me.
You know, the biggest struggle wasn’t a single obstacle, it was the unlearning. I had to slowly unlearn the patterns and habits I was taught about what “success” looks like and how to get there. Even when I was my own boss, those habits came with me.
It’s one thing to talk about joy. It’s another thing to actually practice it when deadlines pile up or you feel pressure to say yes to everything because things are slowing down. That’s been the real work. I had to untangle my relationship to urgency, learning to lead with intention instead of scarcity, and trusting that ease and success can coexist.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Joy Collaborative. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At The Joy Collaborative, we believe work shouldn’t suck the life out of you. You’ll spend over a third of your life working, why not make it joyful?
Joy isn’t just a nice-to-have feeling. We believe joy is the ultimate business strategy. Whether you’re building a business, leading a team, or navigating workplace culture, joy is the key to sustainable success.
We support organizations and leaders in making joy their competitive edge by creating joyful, people-centered cultures where individuals thrive, feel inspired, and bring their best selves to work.
Doing this work has led to me lovingly being called, The Joy Ambassador, because I’m on a mission to help people reimagine their relationship to work and create people-centered cultures where joy isn’t an afterthought. We won’t stop until we’ve inspired people everywhere to boldly chase joy in every part of their lives, including work.
Our core offerings include:
Speaking & Keynotes – Invite The Joy Ambassador to inspire your audience to reimagine work and boldly choose joy. Our talks energize and inspire people to work, live, & lead with joy.
Leadership Development & Coaching – Joyful leaders cultivate joyful cultures. Through 1:1 coaching and our JWP Leaders Program, we teach you how joy can enhance your well-being and impact.
Retreats & Workshops – Rooted in our signature Joyful Workplace Series, our workshops and retreats spark connection and inspire lasting change. We also offer custom retreat facilitation, including board retreats and education. Designed to deepen alignment and joy at every level of your organization.
Strategy & Consulting – We partner with organizations to design people-centered cultures, align their strategy and practices with values, and infuse joy into every layer of their business strategy.
What’s next?
The future of The Joy Collaborative is all about expanding with intention. I’m focused on deepening our impact while staying rooted in what matters most: building joyful workplace cultures where joy isn’t just possible, it’s prioritized.
We’re currently growing our Joyful Workplace Program and launching new cohort-based leadership experiences, including retreats designed specifically for leaders who are ready to lead with joy.
I’m also looking forward to doing more speaking and bringing our message to bigger stages. Because people are hungry for a new way to work, lead, and live. And I want to put joy at the center of that shift.
There are also a few passion projects brewing, some creative collaborations and new resources to help people tap into joy as a daily practice, not just a distant goal. But most of all, I’m just excited to keep doing this work in ways that feel spacious, rooted, and joyful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thejoycollaborative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_thejoyambassador/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/indiapierce
