The Future of Work is Non-Binary with Elena Joy Thurston - S3:E5

Welcome back to Finding Fearless! This week we have Elena Joy Thurston on to talk about her experience as a queer woman and how she has helped create a more inclusive world. 


Elena Joy Thurston is an LGBTQ+ speaker and founder of the nonprofit Pride and Joy Foundation. A Mormon mom of four who not only lost her marriage but also her church and her community when she came out as a lesbian. Elena recently launched the Pride and Joy Publishing Company, which is the only publisher of solely LGBTQ+ empowerment and business books. 

Here are three facts from Elena that she wants listeners to know:

1. We can find a way to make authenticity work for us. (“After my divorce, I applied to 166 jobs and got one interview. I started my own company and now I'm an HR consultant.”)
2. “I thought I was broken or something was wrong with me—which just wasn’t true.”
3. “Anyone can be susceptible to things like Conversion Therapy. Even privileged, college-educated, suburban moms.”


If you loved listening to Elena as much as we did, you can follow her on Instagram and visit the Pride and Joy Foundation, Pride and Joy Publishing Company, and Queers in The Country. 

Finding Fearless is an exploration of human-centric leadership and a celebration of ambition, releasing every other week on Wednesdays, 6AM PST. If you liked the show, please rate, review, and share! You can also visit our website to learn more about how to become a sponsor of Finding Fearless!

Finding Fearless is produced by Fearless Foundry, a creative consultancy focused on advancing ambitious humans from around the globe to amplify their impact through branding, marketing, and business development. You can contact us at [email protected] if you are interested in our services and can follow us on all social media @fearlessfoundry.

Season 4 music is by Premium Beats. All audio is recorded and owned by Fearless Foundry.