Meet Joy Broils | Founder/Owner of Hustle & Ground

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joy Broils and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joy, every day, we talk about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
My idea for Hustle & Ground came about in an unusual way. I was in a car accident in the fall of 2021. I ended up with whiplash and a moderate Traumatic Brain Injury (a double concussion) from that accident and had 7 months of recovery. During that time, the doctor said I had to limit myself to 2 hours of work a day in order to heal. I had to figure out how to pause and unwind almost overnight. As I recovered, I started sharing my story with others and realized how many people have a hard time slowing down and pausing even though it is needed more now than ever before with the increase in stress, anxiety, and burnout. Now I collaborate with many different local small businesses that make amazing products. I curate themed gift boxes to help people find different ways to pause. For example, I have The Self-Care box with lavender linen spray, lotion, bath products, and a watercolor kit. I have The Dude Box because guys just need their own box sometimes. My newest box is The Journey Box inspired by my friend who recently started chemo. She is just starting her cancer journey and I want her to have a box with things to help her heal, but also things to help take her mind off of cancer and treatment. My mission with Hustle & Ground is to help people explore different ways to pause through unique products and themed gift boxes. There are so many different ways to pause, sometimes it takes trying different activities to find the activities that truly help you to unwind, relax and rejuvenate. I hope you join me on this journey!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My career started when I was a commercial real estate attorney in Atlanta. I met my husband at a volunteer activity in Atlanta and a few years later, we moved to Kansas City. Gary grew up in Kansas City and I grew up in Minnesota so it was fun to move back to the Midwest. When we started our family, I made the decision to leave my practice and stay home with our daughter. I started my online retail store shortly after she was born and continued to run that business even as all 3 of our kids started school.

I have learned a number of lessons over my career and I know I will add to my lessons learned in the future. I believe that it is so important to go after your dreams and not give up. There are many times that something will happen and knock you off your path. Get back on your path, change a few things if you need to, and keep moving toward that dream! I have also learned how important it is to be a role model for others. Take the opportunity to be a role model for the younger generation just starting on their journey. We can learn so much from each other!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I LOVE Kansas City! We moved here in 2003 and it’s been so much fun to watch KC evolve into what it is today. My friends would likely fly in sometime in the spring of 2023 (they aren’t fans of cold weather), so the first thing I would have them do is check out all of the handpicked artwork in the new terminal at KCI. Then we would go to the World War I Museum and go up into the Liberty Memorial Tower. Let me preface my dinner pick with the following statement. There is such an incredible food scene in KC! I think most people know how fantastic the barbecue is here, but beyond the barbecue, there are many restauranteurs who are serving amazing food! With that said, I would choose Jack Stack Barbecue in the Freight District for dinner the first night. On Day 2, I would take everyone to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. My friends love art and this museum has phenomenal exhibitions, both permanent and traveling. Plus they would get to see the Shuttlecocks on the front lawn of the Nelson. We would go to Billie’s Grocery for lunch and amazing gluten free or vegan desserts. In the afternoon we would head to the Plaza for shopping. Dinner on Day 2 has to be at Gram & Dun, one of my favorite places to eat on the Plaza. On Day 3, we would head to Overland Park and stop at the Museum at Prairiefire to check out the natural history museum. Lunch on Day 3 would be at Chicken N Pickle and maybe a game of pickleball. If we decided to forego pickleball, I would take everyone to the Overland Park Arboretum and we could wander the trails and take in the beauty of the arboretum. We would round out the evening with a stop at Aubrey Vineyards, a beautiful winery with a peaceful vibe. On Day 4, we would head to the KC Zoo to spend the day with the animals. After a day at the zoo, we would head to 18th and Vine for live jazz at the Blue Room. Day 5 will be full of fun and exercise starting with a tour of Kauffman Garden, followed by shopping in the West Bottoms. With any luck, my friends will have planned their trip to be here over the first Friday of the month, which means we are headed to the Crossroads for first Fridays! We will eat at my favorite food truck Ragusa’s Italian Cafe and later head to Julep for drinks. With a week that has been jam-packed, I will take my friends to the airport and plan for their next trip here because I still have more places to take them in KC!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have 3 different shoutouts! My first shoutout goes to my husband who has always encouraged me to go after my dreams. When I told him about my idea for this company in early 2022, he said go for it, you know how to do this! My second shoutout goes to my kids who help me at vendor events and are my biggest cheering section. My third shoutout goes to all of the amazing small businesses that I collaborate with! Meeting with other small business owners and hearing their stories of how they started their companies has been truly inspirational! As I raise up Hustle & Ground, I can shine a light on all of these small business owners who are making fantastic products and living their own dreams.

Website: https://www.hustleandground.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-broils-2a96952b/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HustleandGround

Image Credits
Jay Williams – Great White Oak Media – for product photos Ashley Broils – Ashley Photos KC – for my head shot