Hoda Kotb on wellness company Joy 101 and starting over at 60
A week before Hoda Kotb debuts her wellness company, Joy 101, she's in a haze of unrelenting meetings to secure sponsors, experts and more employees.
'It's stuff you don't think about. 'Who's going to do the frequently asked questions?'' Kotb, 60, says. 'All this stuff that goes into websites and apps and events.'
Ahead of her company's launch on May 28 she was 'nervous' but 'ready.'
'I'm hopeful, and I'm also proud that we did something,' she says. 'We're not just talking about it. Something's going to be put out into the world. Is it going to be perfect? I doubt it, but it's going to be really good.'
Kotb departed her 'Today' anchor chair on Jan. 10, the same day she bid adieu to 'Today with Hoda & Jenna,' culminations of her decades-long NBC career which began in 1998 at 'Dateline.' Craig Melvin replaced Kotb on NBC's morning news program while Jenna Bush Hager has entertained a revolving door of celebrity guests on 'Today with Jenna & Friends.'
Kotb revealed in an interview at the start of a wellness weekend she hosted with 'Today' in October that a whisper nudged her to leave her former posts. 'In different forms, it was saying, 'You're an adventurer,'' she said, adding that she also longed for more time with daughters, Haley Joy, 8, and Hope Catherine, 6. 'It was saying, 'What's this next chapter? It was (asking), have you done it all?''
Kotb first mentioned a desire to get into the wellness space when we'd connected in March of 2024 to talk about her children's book, 'Hope is a Rainbow.'
'I am dreaming about one day starting a kind of, sort of wellness, mind, body, spirit movement sort of thing,' she said timidly with a smile. She'd recently began a breath work practice and had an emotional breakthrough in her office the day prior.
'I laid on the ground with a breath works person on Zoom, and I was blubbering, after five minutes,' she said. 'It's just like a release.'
TV host Hoda Kotb gets real about motherhood, mornings and moving on
Veteran TV host and author Hoda Kotb is one of USA TODAY's 2025 Women of the Year.
After the first session daughter Haley noticed a shift and told Kotb, 'You seem different.' Kotb says, 'They were calling me 'Calm Mom' and laughing.'
Kotb says she routinely mediates in the morning and again around 2 p.m. before picking her kids up from school in her cherished minivan. She says she's gained perspective and feels more energized.
'I always was one to exercise my stress away, and that works, to a point,' Kotb says. 'But when you wake up again, the next day, there it is again. 'I got to outrun this. If I don't run, all my stress is going to come get me.' You're constantly like on the run from your stress. And then you're realizing, like, 'Well, what is it? Let's try to unload the stress.''
Hoda Kotb's journey to Joy 101: 'You can be a beginner again at 60'
An insatiable curiosity about wellness and a desire to share all she's learned motivated Kotb to start Joy 101, which offers an app and events that aim to enhance the lives of its users, with a tailor-made program. Users can preorder the app, which goes live on June 11 and costs $16.99 for a monthly subscription or $99 for the year.
'Everybody seems really tired, and everybody seems like they've got more than they can carry and there's too much on their plate and it's like, 'Not one more thing!'' Kotb says. 'That's what I even found myself (saying), like, 'There's no more room. I'm tapped out. There's not room to pile one more thing on.' This is designed to take things off your plate.'
Hoda Kotb returns to host 'Today' with Jenna Bush Hager: What to know
On the app, Kotb provides a daily dose of her optimism and wisdom and greets users with a 21-day course, in which she shares life lessons. Kotb has also curated additional research-backed classes and wellness sessions focused on topics like brain health, breath work, mindfulness, personal growth and sleep. Membership includes two livestreams per month with Kotb and her trusted wellness experts. The first occurs on June 11 with Savannah Guthrie and Bush Hager. Users are also given early access to retreats and events, which Kotb says she's really leaning into.
During October's regenerative weekend Kotb shared with attendees that before diving into wellness, she 'felt like I was carrying around a heavy backpack for so long and didn't know it.' During her journey, 'the backpack got emptied and I started feeling lighter and better.' At 60, she said, 'I feel better today than I have in decades.'
Kotb says the biggest revelation she's realized 'is that you can be a beginner again at 60.'
'It taught me that the learning process is unending, and it showed me that anyone who says they're stuck in their ways is because they're choosing to be stuck in their ways,' Kotb says. 'You can evolve; you can change. You can see the world totally differently. You could try something brand new and risky. You can say goodbye to something that was the safest and most extraordinary career in the world.'
Ready to make a change? 'Stop worrying about the odds'
Maybe that feels jarring to anyone who fears change or the unknown. Kotb grew up 'in a home of optimism,' as she put it in 2024. 'When I was playing a basketball game, and we were down 5 points with 15 seconds, (my mom) believed that it was possible to win, and therefore I believed.'
Hoda Kotb's favorite question is 'tell me more.' Now she shares what's next.
Her breast cancer diagnosis in 2007 minimized things that previously felt scary or overwhelming, and she didn't allow rejection or criticism to hijack her hope. 'I was constantly rejected,' she previously said. 'The guys didn't like me; I didn't get the job. It didn't crush me. I didn't feel devastated. I was like, 'Ohh that's how it goes but also something, I think, good will happen.'
'Stop worrying about the odds,' Kotb says. 'Stop worrying about all that stuff, because if you think about the odds, you'll do nothing, ever.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
37 minutes ago
- CNN
Searching For Spain: Marbella - Eva Longoria Searching For Spain - Podcast on CNN Podcasts
Searching For Spain: Marbella Eva Longoria Searching For Spain 47 mins After making Marbella her home, Eva Longoria celebrates with family and friends, enjoying the city's vibrant dishes and local flavours.
Forbes
6 hours ago
- Forbes
From Mop To Musical: Lorin Latarro Finds The Heart In ‘Joy'
Betsy Wolfe plays the title role in the new musical Joy Lorin Latarro was on her way to the first rehearsal for the musical Joy when her seven-year-old daughter came down with a fever. Between arranging babysitters and calling the doctor, she was also preparing to direct the show and bring a musical to life. For Latarro, that kind of whirlwind morning felt uncannily like the opening scene of the show—Joy Mangano trying to get her family out the door before heading off to make her dreams take flight. 'All the mothers in our rehearsal room would laugh at how familiar the choreographed chaos is,' says Latarro. 'It's a chaotic but also deeply satisfying.' Lorin Latarro That mix of chaos and purpose drew Latarro to Joy, A True New Musical. The story centers on the real-life inventor and entrepreneur whose unstoppable tenacity transformed her life—and the lives of those around her. After reading Mangano's book and speaking with her on the phone, Latarro was deeply moved by the story of the single mother and inventor who turned a mop into a multimillion-dollar empire. Directing the show now playing at the Laura Pels Theater wasn't just about telling the story of a woman who created a self-wringing mop. It was about showing the strength it takes to build something from nothing—especially when no one believes in you at first. Latarro, who began her career as a Broadway dancer in 14 shows and ultimately became a director/choreographer, was drawn to the honesty of the story. She found inspiration from the complicated family dynamics, the financial pressures, the vulnerability and resilience it takes to keep going. Betsy Wolfe in the title role leads the talented cast which includes Jill Abramovitz, Honor Blue Savage, Adam Grupper, Brandon Espinoza, Paul Whitty, Charl Brown, Jaygee Macapugay, and Gabriela Carrillo. Joy is a story about believing in yourself, even when the odds say otherwise. Also, Latarro hopes that audiences see Joy and feel empowered to take charge of their lives. 'My hope is audiences walk out of the theater and finally listen to their inner voice and begin a new project, idea, or business,' she says. 'Or they push forward through whatever obstacles are currently in their way toward their goal, whether that goal is personal or business related.' Jeryl Brunner: Can you share more about how you got inspired to direct Joy? Lorin Latarro: I met with Ken Davenport, who is a prolific producer and one of the writers of Joy, along with AnnMarie Milazzo. I also read Joy's book, then spoke to Joy on the phone and fell head over heels in love with her determination, grit, kindness, and exuberance. Brunner: Joy is about much more than inventing a mop. It explores family, ambition, and perseverance. How did you build that journey onstage?Latarro: Joy's onstage family is imperfect, as is every family, in their own way. Joy manages to love them and keep them together, even through the messiness of their mistakes and shortcomings. Through Joy's determination, she shifts a generationally learned behavior for her daughter, which is not an easy thing to What was one of the messiest or most magical rehearsal moments you will never forget?Latarro: We all wanted to pour liquid onstage so the audience could see the mops actually work. It's notoriously difficult onstage to deal with watery substances because actors can slip, and it's messy to clean up. We tried many different substances for the various things that we spill onstage, including orange slushies, motor oil, and chocolate syrup. We ended up with an oobleck-type substance. After much messy trial and error, we were all happy we found a solution! Brunner: You are a choreographer and a director. How does each skill fulfill you?Latarro: Choreographing is more surgical. When choreographing, you live inside bars of music, and no matter the libretto, you can structure a song and dance number well. Each song is almost its own little musical with its own beginning, middle, and end. Alternatively, directing is like shooting an arrow through Jell-O. You can be fully prepared and have all these ideas walking in the room, but it all changes based on writers, actors, and collaborators, and 'what works' as you read down a scene. Directing feels more irised out than choreography, and a more holistic experience of the show and its dramaturgical needs. Directing is deeply satisfying in a new way. Communication is key so everyone is stylistically creating the same show. Brunner: How did you know that Betsy Wolfe was your Joy?Latarro: Betsy and I had the pleasure of working together on Waitress. I am a big fan. She's incredibly smart and has genius comic timing. Betsy is also a great leader in the room who works hard and always has a smile on her face. She loves the work. Her vocal chops are truly astonishing too! Brunner: You have directed revivals, brand-new musicals, and now a show based on a living inventor. What tells you a project is worth the time and energy?Latarro: If I am moved by a story, I want to work on it. I don't want to get pigeonholed doing the same thing over and over. It was one of the reasons I wanted to collaborate with choreographer Josh Bergasse on Joy. I wanted to focus completely on directing and feel the collaborative experience from another point of view. Also, I like all kinds of styles of musical theater. Sometimes I spend time inside dark shows like Tommy or Assassins, sometimes comedies like Heart of Rock and Roll, and sometimes I love finding new ways into revivals like Into the Woods. At the end of the day, I believe great theater makes people feel big feelings. I look for shows that have a lot of heart and soul. Theatre can change minds and open hearts. Brunner: When you begin dreaming up a scene, what is your starting point?Latarro: I always start by reading the script and lyrics without listening to the songs. I don't want to be seduced by the music before I experience the story. Then once I understand the story, I go back and reread the script with the interpolated song demos. Then I listen to the music over and over again. Brunner: What kind of creative environment do you try to cultivate?Latarro: I love the art of collaboration. It excites me endlessly. I like being in a room with people who also love the work. I am into the 'yes and' mentality. Someone has an idea, and we work on it until it grows and grows. I work hard because if I'm going to be away from my family, then I'm going to make it count. From left: Jill Abramovitz, Honor Blue Savage, Brandon Espinoza, Jaygee Macapugay, Brandon Espinoza, ... More and Adam Grupper
Buzz Feed
8 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
poeticlion578
You Exist! Welcome to BuzzFeed! Have 100 points. That is a lot of points. Earned Jul 24, 2025 First Post You made your first post! Is it glorious? Is it terrible? Who cares, you made one! Great job. Earned 4 minutes ago Homepage Hero Your post got promoted to the homepage of BuzzFeed Dot Com, the website! Our team of writers loved it so much that with a little spit and polish, they put it right up on the fridge. Right where everyone can see it! Not yet earned Challenge Winner Your creativity and hard work shone through and you won a freakin' Community Challenge! Congratulations, pard'ner. Not yet earned List Legend When everyone else zigged, you zagged. When everyone took the low road, you took the high road. When everyone posted nothing but quizzes, you're out here posting lists. Hero. Here's your trophy. Not yet earned Lord of Lists We knew you were a whiz at making lists before, but now you've made THREE lists?! You're truly everything we aspire to be, and one day we hope to be half the genius you are. Not yet earned 100k Views A hundo thow views. Nice. Not yet earned 250k Views A quarter of a million views! You really have the posts with the mosts. Views, that is. Not yet earned 500k Views Five hundred thousand views on your posts. That's incredible! Statistically, you're excelling yourself. We asked a data scientist and he said it's true! Not yet earned 1m Views A cool milzo. These are rare. Like a beautiful statue which isn't covered in bird poo. Not yet earned Could You BE Making Any More Posts? We can't seem to 'PIVOT' away from your incredible posts, and we never want you to 'go on a break' from creating these posts we love so much. Anyway, congrats on getting 5 Friends posts promoted! Not yet earned You Don't Need To Calm Down We promise that we'll never find another like you. Ya know, someone else who has gotten 5 Taylor Swift posts promoted to the homepage. Not yet earned Best of 2022 Thanks to your ingenuity and knowledge of all things internet, you showed everyone up and are in the top 1% of BuzzFeed Community creators in 2022! From quizzes to lists, you can do it all — and now you have a trophy to show off and prove you're one of the best of the year. Not yet earned Fairest Of Them All Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who has had 5 Disney posts promoted to the BuzzFeed homepage? It's you, obviously! We don't have any attractive heroes coming to save you, but here's a trophy, which is just as good — trust us. Not yet earned Golden Genius You ain't no snitch, but you do know everything about the Harry Potter universe. Since you got 5 posts promoted to the homepage, here's a lil' Quidditch gift for ya. Not yet earned Slime Time You soaked up episodes of SpongeBob, got Odd with the Fairies, and mentally spent a lot of time at Good Burger. You were and are a Nick kid through and through, but we don't need to tell you that since you've already Figured It Out, haven't you? (We could go on forever, don't test us.) Not yet earned K-Pop Konnoisseur You know every dance, you know every word, and let's be real, no one can make you budge about your bias. Congrats on getting your K-Pop post promoted to the front page of BuzzFeed — here's a trophy! Not yet earned Totally Stylin' Oh baby, you're ~golden~, and we're gonna give you a (Watermelon Sugar) high by handing you your very own Harry Styles trophy, just for writing a post about him. Not yet earned Animal Lover From reptiles to fluffy felines and tiny rats to giant whales, your love of animals knows no bounds. Your animal-themed post was promoted. Thanks for making the world a more cuddly place. Meow. Not yet earned XOXO Roses are red, / Poems are quoted. / You wrote about love, / and your post was promoted! Not yet earned Sucker For Love You love all things about love, and we can't blame you. We can't give you a little kiss, so here's a trophy for getting 5 posts promoted instead. Not yet earned Snacks on Snacks on Snacks All you do is think about food, obviously, or else you wouldn't have made a post about it. We don't blame you, and actually applaud you. We'd give you a feast, but we don't feel like it. So here's a trophy. Not yet earned Food Fanatic You're really ~hungry~ for more trophies, aren't you? No? Then why do you make so many food posts?! We're actually not mad, just impressed. Here's another one, and we hope it's as satisfying as your next droolworthy meal. Not yet earned Up, Up, And Away For you, the thought of packing a bag and exploring a new place is unlike any other. Whether you're dreaming of stomping through the rainforest or hitting up the city that's been on your bucket list for years, travel is something you can't deny loving, so we'll do the best we can and give you a trophy since you've expressed your love for it in a post. Not yet earned Super Stan You know the thrilling feeling of staying up 'til a new song release at midnight and everyone trusts you to make the perfect playlist for every occasion and mood. Let's face it, you're just a master of all things music, so here's a trophy since you wrote a post about it! Not yet earned Cinema Savvy You've been to countless midnight showings and have spent half of your life savings on theater popcorn — but hey, baby, that's a small price to pay to be a true film fanatic. You made a movie-themed post, we loved it, here's a trophy! Not yet earned Film Fiend When it comes to movies, you're addicted. From comedy to horror and musicals to documentaries, you've seem 'em all. Since you made three posts about movies, we're giving you a trophy to celebrate your expertise. Not yet earned Know-It-All You love testing everyone on their knowledge of pop culture, school you are a true trivia master, and no one can deny that! Sometimes it's okay to show off, so here's a lil' something for ya. Not yet earned Master of Knowledge You made three trivia quizzes, and we loved them so much that we had to promote them to the front page of BuzzFeed! There's no doubt that during the next trivia night, we call dibs on being your partner. Not yet earned In The Stars Let's be real: Whenever you meet someone, you check your zodiac compatibility. Smart, honestly. Whether you're a total Gemini, fiery Aries, emotional Pisces, or anything in-between, you know the importance of star signs. And that's why you're getting a trophy because we liked your post about it. Not yet earned Nerdy for Nostalgia Nostalgia just hits different, okay? From 'I Love Lucy' to 'Fresh Prince' to 'Lizzie McGuire,' you're all about living in the past — and that's totally rad in our book. Not yet earned Heart On Your comment got 10 hearts. Here's a trophy to commemorate the foundation of your little fan club! Not yet earned Hearty Animal Can you feel the love tonight? You got 50 hearts on one comment. Have another hit of serotonin to celebrate!!! Not yet earned Heartthrob ONE HUNDRED HEARTS!! I almost feel bad for you, because you're going to be chasing this feeling forever. Check out this awesome trophy you just earned! Not yet earned There's No Place Like Home You clicked your heels and visited home — the home PAGE, that is — every day for five straight days. We've loved seeing your shining face, so please enjoy this trophy that expresses our excitement. Not yet earned Habitual Homepager Don't think we haven't noticed you visiting the homepage for the last 10 days in a row! Whether you were finding out which Disney character you are, sifting through TV show recommendations, or catching up on the news, we love you loving us. Not yet earned You Live Here Now You've visited the homepage 15 full days in a row! At this point, we've made up the BuzzFeed guest room for you and even added some touches to make it more personal. After all, with the amount of times you've visited, you pretty much live here now. Not yet earned Pin There, Done That You pinned a quiz result to your profile, and now everyone knows that you are in fact like your favorite TV character or that you've discovered a new personality trait about yourself. Maybe we guessed your age correctly, or we were so off in guessing that you weren't even mad — you were impressed. Either way, now the world knows your result, so here's a trophy!
