Joy Luedtke: Building Resilience, Housing, and Hope as a CEO of Influence

By Joy Luedtke Thursday, June 5, 2025

Joy Luedtke: Building Resilience, Housing, and Hope as a CEO of Influenceidahobusinessreview.comJoy Luedtke, founder and CEO of First Wave Group, has been recognized as a 2025 CEO of Influence by the Idaho Business Review. Her journey from making pizzas in high school to leading ...

Q1 + Q2: What I’m Seeing and What I’m Still Doing

By Joy Luedtke Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Leading From the Back: Part TwoIn my second installment of Leading From the Back, I want to spend a moment in this economy.First, a State of the Union—as I’ve observed it in Q1 and Q2 of 2025I work across four different industries: Development, Real Estate, ...

Shut it Off: How Can I When I’m Never Truly Done?

By Joy Luedtke Friday, December 27, 2024

I'm staring at my ceiling fan again. It's 2 AM and I'm up, half-covered in sheets, mulling over a spreadsheet from yesterday.I am not alone in this.We entrepreneurs have a hard time shutting it off. It might be Christmas, and maybe you had a great revenue year, b...

The Silent Battle: Resilience Versus Fear

By Joy Luedtke Monday, December 9, 2024

Some days being an entrepreneur is a big game of Chicken.Your worst fears come charging toward you, wild and chaotic, like the tractor scene in Foot Loose. They're not singularly powerful—most of them are gangly, awkward thoughts. But all together, they have a way ...

The Lie of Overnight Success

By Joy Luedtke Friday, November 22, 2024

I spent a lot of time trying to get my company "up to snuff" according to "the standard" that I perceived to be what a successful business should be. And I wasted a lot of energy doing that. Because start ups tend to take on a life of their own, and after...

Money Isn’t Everything—But It’s Almost Everything: Finances for the Young Start-Up

By Joy Luedtke Tuesday, November 12, 2024

What if I told you Cash Flow was more important than Profit? Cash flow is more important than profitability in the early stages. It's easy to think that you're doing okay just because you see money in the account. In this blog post, I will clarify the difference...

Grind Through the Failures: The Key to Pushing Your Vision Forward

By Joy Luedtke Tuesday, November 5, 2024

As an entrepreneur, failure isn’t a possibility—it’s a certainty. You’ll fail, repeatedly for years. Here’s the truth: failure feels devastating. When everything starts crumbling, you find yourself thinking, “This isn’t working out. ...

Thriving Under Pressure

By Joy Luedtke Friday, November 1, 2024

As an entrepreneur, high-pressure situations come with your territory.You're going to face unexpected setbacks, tight deadlines, and sudden changes. Here’s how leaders can recognize pressure cues, remain grounded, and make confident choices:1. Recognizing the Signs...

Uncovering The Stars: How to Spot and Empower Top Talent

By Joy Luedtke Wednesday, October 23, 2024

In any team, there are always those standout individuals who rise above. But they are often the most difficult indiviuals to lead. Sound provocative? It is! Here’s how to spot your stars and bring out the best in them.Spotting Your Star Players1. Natural Initiative&nbs...

4 Clear Signs Your Team Is in Trouble

By Joy Luedtke Tuesday, October 1, 2024

In this blog, we’re diving into the common red flags that indicate a team is struggling. The earlier we spot the signs, the quicker we can course correct.Breakdown in Communication or Constant Misunderstandings The primary sign of communication breakdown is that people...