Mompreneurs: Joy-Ann Reid Thrives In Her Independent Media Era

The incomparable Joy-Ann Reid is this week’s guest on Mompreneurs. The Emmy-nominated political commentator and television host sat down with Nancy Redd to reflect on life after her MSNBC departure—and to catch us up on her exciting new chapter. The powerhouse journalist shares her story—from being raised by a brilliant mompreneur of her own, to meeting her husband and business partner who’s been instrumental in her journey. Together, they built a life, raised three children, and poured into their dreams. Joy rose through the media world to secure her place in network television, where she built a celebrated career before parting ways with MSNBC earlier this year.

Still, she hasn’t missed a beat. She and her husband—both longtime media pros—launched their own production company, Image Lab Media. Her latest venture, The Joy Reid Show, is already gaining serious traction on YouTube, with more than 300,000 subscribers and counting in just a few months.

‘I Get It From My Mama’

Reid credits her mother as her greatest inspiration. Brilliant, adventurous, and a true news junkie, she made sure her kids cared about the world around them. The six o’clock news was appointment viewing in their household, followed by Nightline and Sunday mornings spent watching The McLaughlin Group and Meet the Press. “We were just news people,” she said.

Her dad, who was from Congo but lived in South Africa during apartheid, also shaped Joy’s views growing up. “My parents were very informed about the world. They were citizens of the world, and they made sure their children were as well.”

Reid’s mother also set a powerful example of resilience and determination. When her parents separated, “she didn’t miss a beat,” Joy said. “She went out, got her PhD, took care of three kids as a single mom.” She balanced multiple jobs—from teaching as a college professor while working as a dietitian. “She just did all the things. She has always been my inspiration and when she was alive, she was my bestie.”

‘Find Time To Do Something That Makes You Happy‘

2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ Presented By Coca-Cola® - Day 3 - Ernest N. Morial Convention Center — Source: Arturo Holmes / Getty

Reid paid her dues as a journalist, cutting her teeth in local TV news, talk radio, digital media, and newspapers. The work was demanding, the pay modest, but she kept pushing forward.

For a time, she juggled multiple jobs and long hours, often pulling double shifts. But when she became pregnant with her third child, the reality hit: with two kids already in daycare and a schedule that left little room to breathe, it was time to explore new opportunities.

At the time, she was running her blog, the Amateur Pundit. “I was just doing it for fun because I had thoughts and feelings about everything that was happening,” she said. She was searching for a new job when the stars aligned. “I wrote to NBC’s Miami affiliate (WTVJ). Just on a wing and a prayer, I sent them my resume and I included my little Amateur Pundit on it. And just by happenstance, the assistant news director happened to be one of my 400 readers. He called me in for an interview and hired me that day to be a digital editor.”

This was a reminder, she said, that what mattered most was quality, not quantity. “It’s not how many people are reading it, it’s who’s reading it.” Making sense of politics and current events on her blog was something she genuinely enjoyed—it was fun, not a hustle. “So I would say, do your best at your day job that’s paying your bills—but also find time to do something that makes you happy, that gives you joy, and develop that as well.”

Ultimately, Reid joined Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, helping him achieve a landmark victory as the first Black president in U.S. history. Suddenly, she and her fellow staffers were propelled into the spotlight. “Everyone wanted to talk to us, everyone wanted to interview us.” New opportunities quickly followed. “Suddenly, I was a pundit on CNBC and then MSNBC.”

‘I Can’t Imagine Having To Be At One Of Those Major Media Companies Right Now’

Reid reflected on MSNBC’s shocking decision to cancel her primetime show, The ReidOut, in February. The announcement came while celebrating two NAACP Image Award wins, bringing anger and disappointment—for Joy, her colleagues, and her fans. It also sparked an outpouring of support for the celebrated journalist, beloved for her unapologetic commentary and commitment to truth and justice.

Now that the dust has settled, she’s well into her next chapter.

She launched her own show, The Joy Reid Show, offering in-depth programming free on YouTube and packaging her content for audiences on TikTok, Instagram, and wherever else people are tuning in. “You want to be able to meet them where they are,” she said. No matter how viewers are receiving her content, one thing won’t change, “I’m giving you trusted, factual, researched information.”

Seeing the state of mainstream media today, Reid’s MSNBC departure turned out to be a blessing in disguise. “I can’t imagine having to be at one of these major media companies right now as they’re all capitulating and falling like dominoes to the current administration. They’re all taking the knee and I would be fired anyway, because I would be resisting doing that. So I’m relieved to not have to deal with the politics of trying to appease the president. I don’t have to do that where I am now.”

With decades in the business and an established brand, Joy is now channeling everything she’s built toward her own venture. “I’m now using all those resources—rather than using them to benefit a corporation, I’m using them to benefit my own corporation, a company that my husband and myself own.”

‘You Have To Have A Brand That’s Portable’

Joy Reid of MSNBC is host of The ReidOut — Joy Reid of MSNBC , the former host of The ReidOut, photographed at the NBC television station in Washington, DC on January 20, 2022. Source: The Washington Post / Getty

She’s cultivated her own brand even while working in mainstream media—a strategy that’s fueled her staying power and offers a key lesson for emerging journalists.

“It’s really important not just to do your job in media, but to build your brand,” she advised. “I always held onto my social media, even though my job didn’t really like it … because you have to have a brand that’s portable. The brand you’re building at work belongs to you. So if you decide to go out and become a mompreneur and become your own person, you’re taking your brand along with you.”

Today, she’s forging ahead with The Joy Reid Show, hosting thought-provoking discussions with powerhouse guests like former Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

Reid continues to pursue her passion and leverage her expertise to enrich the wider discourse, stand up for justice, and speak truth to power. In this chapter, she’s charting her own course, ever adapting to the constantly evolving media landscape.

“You have to be adaptable if you’re gonna be in the media business. Just understand that it keeps changing.”

Catch New Episodes Of Mompreneurs Every Week

Welcome to Season 4 of Mompreneurs—where we spotlight brilliant Black women who are building their businesses and raising their families with strength and style. Join host and New York Times bestselling author Nancy Redd as these inspiring mompreneurs share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every Monday on MadameNoire’s YouTube channel or listen to the podcast online on the Urban One Podcast Network.

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