From Silent to Standing Tall: Joi Heyward on Voice, Value & Visibility

In this live episode from Arkestro Optimal ’25 in Houston, Julie is flying solo on the mic while Yvonne is off in New York “doing something important” — which almost certainly involves champagne, brunch, and living her best life. So today, it’s just Julie, a French 75, and a powerhouse conversation with Joi Heyward, Director of Finance and Accounting at Arkestro. Joi pulls back the curtain on her 15+ year journey in accounting and finance — from big companies to startup life — and shares how she went from suffering in silence at her desk to speaking up, advocating for herself, and becoming a visible, trusted leader in tech. She talks about the moment she realized she was part of the problem by not communicating her needs, and how shifting from “I’ll just keep my head down and work” to “I deserve to be heard” changed everything. Julie and Joi dig into what makes startup life so energizing (hello, all-hands-on-deck), why skills are transferable (yes, even for stay-at-home moms re-entering the workforce), and how finding a champion inside your company can make speaking up feel less scary. Joi also shares how Arkestro’s culture gives her space to show up as a woman, a mother, and a leader — not just a title on an org chart. They close with a “cocktail as career” moment where Joi names her journey an Old Fashioned: bold, timeless, better with time, and always in style. The final challenge? Do one thing this week that says, “I know my worth” — and speak up, even if your voice shakes.