What I really got out of working with Joya is the confidence. Before, I'd let let my work speak for itself and be quiet in meetings, but I watched other people take credit. I got frustrated because I do need the recognition to keep motivated. Now I speak for my work and get recognized as the subject matter expert. I wasn’t just “prepping for TED.” I stepped into a new level of executive presence.

In an effort to connect with fellow alumni, I attended an inspiring workshop by Joya for our upcoming college reunion. Joya offered a thoughtfully designed flow, making the session interactive. She posed challenging questions to participants, asking us to face our fears about seeing old friends and to reframe the stories we tell ourselves. She also peppered in her own personal anecdotes, lending a relatable touch to the materials. Although I am unable to attend the reunion, I still found the session helpful and thought provoking. I’ve come away with the inspiration and confidence to bring my authentic self into both professional and personal settings. Thank you, Joya!

As a leader of Women in Tech at Stanford Healthcare, I have a front row seat on what women leaders in digital are struggling with. How do I share my brand in 15 seconds or less? How do I socialize it when I'm in front of different audiences? How do I even create a personal brand and know that it's working? and most importantly, Why do I even need a personal brand? Joya hosted a workshop Dec 3rd (from Paris!) for a 100 leaders and shared exercises to help answer these questions. It was fast paced. Actionable. It helped our students think critically about what sets them apart in a competitive workplace where their narratives will be written for them, if they don't write it first.

As a leader of Women in Tech at Stanford, I have a front row seat on what women leaders in technology facing fields are struggling with. How do I share my brand in 15 seconds or less? How do I socialize it when I'm in front of different audiences? How do I even create a personal brand and know that it's working? and most importantly, Why do I even need a personal brand? I asked Joya to host a workshop Dec 3rd. She shared exercises to help answer these questions. It was fast paced. Actionable. It helped our students think critically about what sets them apart in a competitive workplace where their narratives will be written for them, if they don't write it first.

Joya's expertise and the supportive network she has built have been game-changers for me. In 2024, I learned how to dial into my “ikigai,” the intersection of what I stand for, what I am good at, what the world needs and what I can be paid for. Over the year, I learned how to weave my strengths and passions into my work —both short term and long term. My membership reminded me: I am not alone in this journey. I met women leaders from different industries and walks of life. Yet, we are all dealing with the same issues. Shesuite offered up community for me. The monthly roundtables were my “think out loud time” Joya writes a ton of content. Her posts and newsletters, post discussion, would drive the learnings home for me. She has a tool in her arsenal for every issue we posed - and now we have these tools for a lifetime. Thank you Joya.

"As a member of Stanford WIT+, we initially struggled to grasp the concept of creating a personal brand and why it was so important. The workshop completely transformed our understanding. It provided us with practical tools and insights on building a brand that reflects our career goals, aligns with the environments we want to thrive in, and is driven by our passions. The session was eye-opening and empowering, giving our community the confidence to present ourselves authentically and strategically in our professional journeys. We're so grateful for this invaluable experience!”

As the Director of Events and Experience at Bucknell, I’m always looking for ways to help our alumni feel more connected to the University and each other, especially as they prepare to come back for Reunion. I’ve heard from alumni who say they’re hesitant to return because they haven’t kept in touch with classmates and worry it might feel awkward. And I get it. So often we want to do things like attend a Reunion or reach out to someone we haven’t spoken to in 15 years but we don’t always have the tools or even the mindset, to make that move. That’s why I was excited when Joya proposed this session as a way to help alumni get Reunion-ready. I appreciated the work she put into her presentation. It was clear she had thoughtfully designed every minute. She made it interactive, got the audience involved, and kept the energy up throughout. In just 30 action-packed minutes, she shared tools that helped shift our thinking. She guided us to reflect on the stories we tell ourselves, those quiet narratives that often hold us back and gave us practical, approachable conversation starters. But the biggest thing I took away, is our everyday lives are enough. The things we do, think about, read, or experience daily can all be great entry points for conversation anytime, anywhere. I am thankful I was able to work with her. Thanks and please let me know if you would like me to condense it. Thank you for working with us!

So often we want to do things, like attend a reunion or engage someone we haven't spoken to in 15 years, but we don't have the mindset to reach out confidently. Joya offered an action packed 30 minutes of tools that helped our college reunion audience. She invited us to dig deep, and understand what stories we might be telling ourselves. Now we are prepared to initiate conversations with confidence and interest. My takeaway is that these tips can be fodder for a personal or professional conversation. Thank you, Joya, for sharing your expertise and practical insights with us!

I’ve always thought of Dior as catering to the “ladies who lunch” set and to see generations of designs that appeal beyond that usual haute couture audience (and there were dresses I’d kill to wear), was quite a pleasant surprise.  Van Cleef tapped into recognizing the necessary work of art, and quite frankly comforted me as I work to research my Substack posts and my book. It was fun too in seeing which tasks came more naturally to me and the others that required work. Both had their own rewards.  The photos are a visual reminder of the beauty of the women and our experiences together in Paris. 

My biggest takeaway: International travel is what I imagine time travel to be. I'm transported to another dimension that allows me to look more objectively at myself, my goals and more fully imagine new possibilities

I was expecting to have breakthroughs, but I was surprised at how much confidence I gained through the experiences and the relationships I forged.

I learned that my vulnerable stories are worth sharing, and I will be more intentional about bringing my whole self into my work life.

I also reconnected with the joy of creative pursuits and plan to find space in my professional and personal life to appreciate beauty for the sheer pleasure of it.

My biggest takeaway from Joya's "Deep Writing and Reflection Retreat" was that location can stoke creativity. Inspiration can be found outside of my comfort zone. Courage can be ignited with when you reserve time alone.

What was I expecting: Joya's brand and logistics planning is so on point. I knew the retreat would be a carefully crafted experience, complete with unique elements and class.

What surprised me: I enjoyed the private tour of the Galerie Dior much more than I expected; I'm not a fashionista, nor am I a brand name dropper - but his life, overcoming challenges, short tenure (he was creative director for only 10 years, dying at 52), branding, craftsmanship, legacy - all helped me realize what a gift my daily life is.

What did I learn about myself: I've not lost who I am. She's still there. Despite the hurdles, caretaking, daily demands. She just needed a nudge, some good Paris chocolates, and a reminder.

What will I take back into life: My journey looks different than most. Both in my leadership and in my personal struggles, but that's okay.   I don't have to conform to some 'canned role' of what leadership looks like.  The lesson about fashion and icons. Each Creative Director that succeeded Dior was a rebel in his or her own right - taking their vision, blending it with the legacy of Dior. They weren't afraid. They overcame obstacles.

February 8th, we were hosting a panel of smart professionals from the architectural, hospitality and commercial industries for our clients, vendors and team in New York City. The key to success of any panel is an able moderator. Joya was that moderator. She connected with each panelist ahead of event day. She established talking points specific to each panelist's zone of genius. On event day, she kept the conversation moving in a way that was engaging and informative for everyone who attended. She recalled specific details from the panelists preliminary calls that flowed into the discussions as well as engaging with questions from our audience. We were so lucky to have her.

It was a lovely evening of deep discussions with very accomplished women, feeling motivated more than ever! Thank you, Joya!

Such a fantastic evening and such a treat to be with a table full of inspiring and successful business women. Job well done by our host, Joya Dass.

The biggest outcome of my attending your event in Connecticut was stepping out of my comfort zone.

I drove from New Hampshire. I booked a bed and breakfast nearby the night before. I went to dinner by myself and met all kinds of interesting people. I met up with all of you for the Grace Trail walk the next day.

It was a truly wonderful 2 days for me. I plan on practicing getting out of my comfort zone regularly- weekly if not daily. Thank you!

Joya's mastermind dinner was a thought-provoking and galvanizing event. She brought together a diverse and fascinating group of women and she skillfully lead the conversation to invite curiosity, inspire courage, and to help the women at the table find much-needed clarity. I left the dinner with a renewed focus on my "one word" ("courage") and with an enormous appreciation for Joya's leadership.

You are SO INVESTED in me. It's truly empowering to be around you.

You are amazing and you've changed me for the better.

Every Thursday, I get on my mastermind call with Joya Dass and other high-level entrepreneurs. Every time we come together, we share wins and crowdsource solutions on our current challenges as women in business. If there's time, we explore a thoughtful question and consider what connections might be useful. Joya is very generous with her network with her members. This week, my win was simple. I'm always doing a lot of BIG things such that the small things can sometimes take a while to actually get done. Feeling increasingly averse to social media, I have renewed my focus on building my personal, opt-in email list, sharing much of the high-level content I put out through there. HIGH VALUE ONLY. So my win. This week, I finally got this sharable opt-in page built. YES! As always, I hope everything I share brings high value to you.

This is what I realize from being a part of your membership the last few years: I need to stop feeling guilty about taking care of myself first. At your last event, I was in a room with 7 or 8 women who said it out loud. Everyone was professionally successful, juggling work, home life and self care. So it's a good group to take advice from. It was nice to hear that sentiment echoed back to me.

Joya curates a powerful experience with her mastermind dinner by bringing together strong women with diverse backgrounds and experiences. She leads with thought provoking questions resulting in stimulating conversations. I didn't realize how much I was missing being around like minded women, who challenge and support me. The dinner reinvigorated me, and made me realize I need to make it a priority to surround myself with such women. Joya has a huge heart and truly wants to see women succeed and live up to their potential.

The #1 outcome of me attending the dinner has been taking my relationships more seriously. I belong to a closed network group that has a lot of or are connected with my ideal clients yet I wasn't leveraging those relationships. I have begun the practice of introducing 1-2 new connections a week to my network. I have also been thinking about 2 things, making my affiliate system official and let people know about it.

Flew into Boston yesterday to attend a mastermind dinner hosted by Joya Dass! I flew in yesterday afternoon with my assistant had dinner and we flew back in to ATL today. I got to meet some truly phenomenal women and connect in a way that I really enjoyed! I’m grateful and thankful that this is the life I get to live. I am so happy I made the decision to - Say yes to God’s will for my life - Reinvent myself into the powerful woman that I am today This gets to be my reality! Now I’m taking the day off and bingeing the mentalist lol

I flew to Boston last night for dinner! We say things... In jest... In truth... A part of us wants it... A part of us fears we won't get it or can't have it... A part of us fears we won't be able to hold the disappointment of it not happening... There's a part of us that also knows the possibility, The same part knows its a matter of choosing and standing for that choice, no matter what Well, I flew to Boston for dinner last night 🌙 This is one of the things I'd joke around with my friends and family...until the joke became my reality last night I had dinner with 7 other incredible women that I wouldn't have met ordinarily We connected, we each brought forth one of our challenges and we masterminded together to bring about solutions 8 incredible minds, diverse thought processes, backgrounds, experiences lended for such a rich and solution driven discussion. I was reminded of the range of power we women hold and how impactful it is when we tap into it. The space was unmatched, thank you Joya Dass for such an incredible experience.

The Women’s Leadership Academy is truly unique from any other networking group or forum. I not only broadened my professional network,  but I participate in specially curated immersive experiences within the arts, culture, culinary and fine dining spaces.

I am a part of the finance and legal sector of this network. Through my membership, I met like minded, executive women that are ambitious, strong, goal oriented and focused on excelling in their careers. I've gained personally too, including advice and support in being a working mother, work-life balance, and being a woman on Wall Street.

Although I have been to Paris before, Joya put together a very exclusive itinerary where we dined at a Michelin-star restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, had a private shopping experience at Chanel, viewed the paintings of female artists during the impressionist era, and had lunch at the beautiful Le Meurice restaurant. Each event sparked very interesting and controversial conversations. I met women from all different sectors and walks of life. 

It was truly a refreshing experience, both professionally and personally. I look forward to future events!

Your events are about a higher level of networking.

I cherished the fashion, the gastronomic excursions, and the personalized museum experiences. Added to that, you curated a group of high level women achievers. We had a perfect environment to develop deeper relationships and business ideas. 

It was a treat is to get away and look at life from a different perspective. Paris was an ideal location to stimulate creativity and foster collaborative ideas.

The trip to Paris, France with Joya's Women's Leadership Academy was fabulous. Being around successful and like-minded women at several significant sites such as the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower was spectacular. Business life has a tendency to dominate my every day life. This trip was a breath of fresh air, because yes we got away, but we also had quality and thought-provoking conversations. Joya works to stimulate our minds and share our experiences always. I wasn't aware of the Coco Chanel story and the more I listened at our private event at Avenue Montaigne, the more impressed I was with how she was a trailblazer for women. She was strong, bold and overcame the stereotypes of her time. I look forward to the next trip, wherever that might be, and hope we as a strong women’s business group can achieve together milestones we never thought possible.

What I gained from the Paris retreat was the deep discussions about the challenges we face as women leaders and entrepreneurs. I'm in a new role at the same company. I'm thinking actively about my leadership and how to establish myself as an important voice on a new team. The beauty was that the all the members were objective listeners. I had no anxiety about being judged. We had these discussions amidst the most elegant and unique surroundings. We indulged in amazing gastronomic delights and fine wine…and that’s what made the retreat so special.

Joya Dass, Thank you for putting together this immersive women's leadership weekend. Getting away from the routine and being surrounded by women that I admire in one of my favorite city’s was a delight. Allowing myself the time to work on my personal growth & development as well as just letting go of responsibilities for a weekend was exactly what I needed to regroup & refresh.