Spread A Little Love Joy

Joy M. Hutton is a Royal

woman of many talents.

“Last year there was an article that someone wrote about me and they called me a modernday Renaissance woman,” she shares during our Zoom interview. A statement that pretty much encompasses everything this Royal Woman has her hands on.

From her consulting business affectionately named Joy of Consulting, to her growing beauty app, On the Go Glam (OTGG) - that’s ironically titled after one of our signature staples - Hutton is truly living up to the mantra, rocking each hat to #BossChick perfection.

Joy of Consulting is a well-oiled machine that’s been running for the past five years and the On the Go Glam App is on its way to changing how we find our face beaters, hair slayers and stylists in major cities.

While some of us, particularly women, are stressing about being single, no kids, no potential hubby and not having our lives perfectly together at 30 (Don’t complain about your woes to someone 35 and up – to them you’re still a baby.); Hutton, at 38, is unbothered about numbers and societal norms and is enjoying life as it comes at her. As we all should be doing. #DoYou. And be completely unapologetic about it.

This classy, gorgeous Houstonian (by way of Chicago) is truly utilizing every minute in her 24hour schedule, managing to run two successful businesses as an entrepreneur, striving not sinking during a pandemic that crumbled hundreds of Black businesses, plus making moves as Houston’s newest Google coach.

And she still had time to spread a little love joy on OWN’s popular reality dating show, “Ready to Love: Last Resort.”

Produced by FAMU alum Will Packer, the show gathers 21 young, Black singles in one place in hopes they will find love or at least trigger the flame that will lead them there. Hutton took a quick pause from slaying the game, broke out of her shell, took a leap of faith and joined the cast.

Each week, we were treated to a regal treat, watching this melanin beauty capture hearts both on and off screen. Despite dealing with the sudden loss of her younger sister last year, an emotional, transparent moment that was captured during the show, we see this transformative Royal Woman continue to find renewed joy, even in her darkest moments. We cheered from our homes with our wine glasses, hoping this H.R.I.C. (Head Royal Woman In Charge) would finally find her H.R.M. (Head Royal Man). Or kick off the path that will lead her to him.

And although she tells us there is a no ring on her finger…yet…her experience on the show has left her hopeful, open, spreading a little love joy and accepting it in return.

“I tell people all the time, one of the things I had committed to m yself going into 2020 was that I would be comfortable being uncomfortable.”

ROYALTEE: Let’s talk about how you got on the show[”Ready to Love”]. What was your initial reaction?

JH: “When they [the producers] were casting for Houston, people were texting me the flyer, and I was like, ‘I'm not going on a reality show, like absolutely not!’ (laughs) Definitely not a dating show! Then I had three or four casting producers reach out to me, so I was like, fine, maybe I'll entertain a conversation with one of them and see what they're talking about.

ROYALTEE: Did you watch “Ready to Love’’?

JH: I hadn't watched the show prior to me being on it. Once I talked to the casting producers, obviously I was like, let me go watch the show and see what it's about. So, I spoke to one of the casting producers and put my mind at ease about the show.

At that point, I’ve been divorced for three years. I was like, okay, ‘not my ideal way of finding someone, but we're in a pandemic, and I'm not dating anybody, so might as well give it a try.’ I had a lot of anxiety leading up to it because you're putting your life in front of everybody, for however long. I had zero expectations because I don't know who these people are. I just kind of went into the show not over thinking, which is something I'm definitely guilty of. And I'm just going to be myself and be open to the process and see what happens.

ROYALTEE: Let’s talk about your journey on the show, filming during a pandemic. What was that like? JH: We [the cast] like to call it summer camp, like summer camp for adults. Normally the show is filmed in the city that you are from, so it was supposed to be filmed in Houston. But due to the pandemic, we filmed in Georgia, outside of Atlanta at a resort. So, we were all there every day, breakfast, lunch, dinner, seeing these people. It was very interesting. However, I thought that, with us being in that bubble, it makes for connecting with people a little faster than you normally would. We all just kind of bonded on a different level. That probably wouldn't have happened if we were in Houston because you go back to your homes at night.

ROYALTEE: When did you know that you were ready for love in your life again? JH: Even when I first divorced, I wasn't ready to give up on love because I knew that I gave my marriage my all and I wasn't going to shut myself out of any future opportunities. However, I also knew not to jump into something else right away because you have to give yourself time to heal.

And that's from any relationship – whether it's a long-term relationship or marriage, you have to give yourself time to heal and go through a period of reflection. I did date post-divorce, but when I was dating, I also took a break because I realized that I wasn't ready to be dating and to take anybody seriously. By the time “Ready to Love” came around, I was like, OK, I'm ready. I know what I want. I've done the work in terms of therapy, and really taking the time for myself.

“At tha t point, I’ve been divorced for three years. I was like, okay, ‘not my ideal way of finding someone, but we're in a pandemic, and I'm not da ting anybod y, so might as well give it a tr y.”

Outfit: Red All Out High Low Tulle Maxi Dress; Olive Branch Rhinestone earrings by Shop Akira.

Shoes: Feather All Over Heels by Tilted Sole.

Location: Dreamlite Productions Studios; Houston, TX Set Design: KCA Designs

“I ha ve this whole thing about finding Jo y, getting tha t person I was before back. Because some people are empa ths, the y're givers the y just go all in. Most women are like tha t. We put e ver ybod y's needs before ours. But I had to realize tha t I had to take time for m yself and set boundaries.”

#RoyalWomen

“You have to define your own happiness at each stage of your life. You cannot let your happiness be defined by society. With that being said, I don't put pressure on myself that I'm a 38year-old divorcee with no kids. Because when the timing is right, I will have the man divinely ordained for me.”

ROYALTEE: What has your experience been like in the self-love department? JH: Self-love is the number one. One of the things I say about my marriage is that I lost myself. I lost Joy. I have this whole thing about finding Joy, getting that person I was before back. Because some people are empaths, they're givers they just go all in. Most women are like that. We put everybody's needs before ours. But I had to realize that I had to take time for myself and set boundaries. I had to learn how to step back and take time for joy. I think when you go through a relationship that has ended, there's still some healing you have to do, even if it didn't end in a bad way. But you really have to take the steps to get back to where you were before. And so, whether that is, you know, boosting your self-esteem again, lack of self-confidence, fear, all those things. I went through so many different emotions and phases that I had to get myself back together. I was like, OK, you know, enough rolling on the floor and crying. It’s time to get back to joy and take care of Joy.

ROYALTEE: What kind of qualities are important to you in a relationship? JH: First, someone who loves Jesus. That's important. He has to love God. Someone that is family oriented, someone that is rooted in having deep respect for women and loves their family. Someone who loves the women in their family, someone who is committed to doing the work on themselves. No one is 100% whole, no one is 100% healed, but committed to doing the work to get to a healthy place. (CONT’D)

Outfit: Make A Little Love Button Shirt Dress by Shop Akira.

JH: Someone that can make me laugh. Someone that is cultured because I can't have conversations with people who ain't been nowhere. (laughs) Someone educated. I like to have intellectual conversations with people so that's important. Someone that's compassionate. Somebody that has their own life because if you don't have any friends, then you're gonna be all up in my business (laughs). But probably the biggest thing is someone who's a person of integrity. ROYALTEE: What advice would you give to that person who is struggling in their singleness? JH: You have to define your own happiness at each stage of your life. You cannot let your happiness be defined by society. With that being said, I don't put pressure on myself that I'm a 38-year-old divorcee with no kids. (CONT’D) JH: Because when the timing is right, I will have the man divinely ordained for me. So, I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves and we should not do that. I just think we have to love ourselves first. And when you love yourself first that person will come. W hat makes you a Royal Woman?

“What makes me a Royal Woman is that I don't allow anyone to place limitations on my life. I do things pretty much on my own terms and do not let anyone put me in a box, as I don't think any woman should. And so, for me, it is unapologetically going after whatever it is that I want.”

@joyofconsulting @otgglam @startupsistas