We recently had the chance to connect with Sarah Joy and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Sarah, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Honestly, there’s no such thing as a completely normal day for me right now. Every day looks a little different, but what doesn’t change is that I’m showing up — for myself, my team, and my family.
My mornings start with mom mode, making sure my twin boys are set for school. After that, I carve out time for me — usually Hotworx to sweat it out or taking my supplements that help me manage PCOS and thyroid issues. That part of my routine is really important because if I don’t take care of my health, I can’t pour into anyone else.
Once I’m in work mode, it’s a mix of everything: checking in on guests, answering owner questions, visiting properties, or handling turnovers. Some days I’m meeting with NFL clients, production crews, or investors, and other days I’m deep in the operations with my team — making sure nothing falls through the cracks. And let’s be real, sometimes things do happen — the ‘misfortunate events’ of Airbnb — but that’s part of the job and it keeps me sharp.
By the evening, I try to balance being present for my boys with wrapping up work and planning for the next big move with Joy Agency. So my days are definitely full, sometimes a little chaotic, but always rewarding. At the end of the day, I remind myself: consistency is the win. As long as I show up, I’m moving the needle forward.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Sarah Joy — a mom of twin boys, a real estate investor, and the founder of Joy Agency Group. We’re a luxury Airbnb and short-term rental management company, but honestly, I look at us as more than just property managers. What makes Joy Agency special is that we blend hospitality, design, and operations into experiences.
We manage over 40 properties across the U.S., and our clients range from NFL players to TV and film production crews, entertainers, and everyday property owners who just want their homes to perform without all the stress. What’s unique about us is the balance: we bring that polished, luxury edge but we’re also hands-on worker bees. I don’t just sit back — I’m in the trenches with my team, making sure things get done the right way.
My story really comes down to resilience. I’ve built this business while managing PCOS, thyroid issues, being a single mom, and navigating all the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. But that’s what fuels me — I want people to see that your diagnosis, your circumstances, or even your setbacks don’t define you.
Right now, I’m expanding Joy Agency globally — we’re adding properties in places like the Dominican Republic, New Orleans, and even working on a cultural Airbnb experience with the Maasai tribe in Kenya. On top of that, I’m creating digital tools, guides, and lifestyle content to inspire other hosts and entrepreneurs. For me, it’s not just about building a company — it’s about building a legacy of joy, both for my family and for the people we serve.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a kid I thought my worth came from what other people said about me — compliments, trophies, the approval of teachers and family. I believed if I could just get everyone to notice or say I was ‘good enough,’ then I’d be enough. That followed me into adulthood in weird ways: chasing titles, looking for validation, and thinking success had to be loud.
I don’t believe that anymore. What I learned — the hard, messy way — is that worth is quiet and internal. Showing up every day, doing the work nobody sees, being dependable for my team and my family — that’s what matters. I also used to think that my health problems (PCOS, thyroid issues) would limit me — that there were certain things I couldn’t do. I don’t believe that now either. I still have limits and bad days, but I’ve learned to work with them, not be defined by them.
So instead of needing applause, I want a life where my impact is steady and real. I want my boys to see what consistency looks like. I want my team to feel supported. That’s a much better definition of success than the one I carried as a child.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely — more than once. Running a business while raising twin boys, dealing with health stuff like PCOS and thyroid cancer, and carrying family responsibilities will test you in ways you never expect. There were moments — late nights with the bills stacked up, tax problems that felt never-ending, team members not showing up, and days when I was exhausted and wondering if it was all worth it. I remember standing in empty houses after a long day, thinking, maybe I’m just tired of fighting this fight alone.
But those were the exact moments that taught me the difference between quitting and pivoting. I’d call a friend, breathe, and make one small list: the next three things I have to do. I broke the big, scary problems into tiny tasks. I reminded myself who I was doing it for — my boys, my team, and the owners who trusted me with their homes. And I started celebrating the smallest wins again: one booking, one fixed bulb, one thankful text from a guest or cleaner.
What kept me going was remembering that consistency compounds. Showing up when it’s hard became the thing that rebuilt my confidence. The business didn’t get fixed overnight, but those tiny, daily actions added up. And when I felt like I might actually give up, I chose to pivot — to change a process, to ask for help, or to take a day to reset — instead of throwing everything away. That choice to keep showing up is what turned the almost-give-ups into chapters of the story I’m proud to tell.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies in the short-term rental and Airbnb space is that it’s “easy money.” People see the highlight reels — the beautifully staged homes, the bookings rolling in — and think you just throw some furniture in a property, list it, and watch the cash flow. That’s not reality. Behind every 5-star stay is a team, a strategy, and a lot of invisible work.
Another lie is that success comes from being flashy — calling yourself a CEO, flexing luxury cars, or showing off revenue screenshots. Titles and screenshots don’t run a business. Systems do. Consistency does. Taking care of your guests and your team does. The truth is, the people who make this industry work aren’t the loudest ones on Instagram — they’re the worker bees handling turnovers at midnight, dealing with guest emergencies, and managing the details nobody claps for.
And then there’s the lie that hosting is passive. Nothing about this is passive. Properties require constant attention, maintenance, communication, and marketing. If you’re not actively engaged or you don’t have a team who is, your property will suffer.
So the truth I try to show through Joy Agency is this: hospitality is an active, living business. It’s not quick money. It’s not easy. But if you build it with discipline, systems, and a service mindset, it can change lives — for the guests who feel at home, the owners who get financial freedom, and the teams who make a living through it.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I want people to say I showed up — not to be loud about it, but in the quiet, necessary ways. That I was the one who turned up at 6 a.m. to make sure a guest had clean sheets, who picked up the phone at midnight when a heater went out, who celebrated the team wins and covered when someone slipped. I want them to remember me as someone who cared more about the work than the title, who built opportunity for other people and made sure the people on my team could eat, grow, and sleep a little easier because of the work we did together.
I also want my boys to say I taught them how to keep faith in themselves — to keep showing up even when your body or circumstances make it hard. That I modeled resilience: managing health issues, motherhood, and a business and still choosing consistency over comfort. And if clients or partners remember anything, I hope they remember the joy in the little details — how a thoughtful curtain, a warm light, or a quick apology turned a bad day into a memory.
At the end of the day, I want the story to be simple: she worked, she loved, she lifted others, and she built something that mattered. That the legacy wasn’t about a logo or a title, but about people feeling cared for and a team that felt proud to carry the work forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.joysagency.com
- Instagram: @staywithjoyagency
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-agency-76a17b202/
Image Credits
Sarah Joy
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