She Started a Top Artist to Shift the Status Quo in Her Male-Dominated Industry. It Did $250,000 Revenue in Year 1 — Then Tripled That.
Marilynn Joyner was one of just 18 women among more than 250 employees at a New York City commercial real estate brokerage firm, where she worked for over 12 years. Although she gained valuable experience in relationship-building and navigating high-stakes deals and negotiations, she found the environment challenging and lacking in female leadership.
“There just aren’t that many women who are in even mid-level leadership positions,” Joyner tells Entertainment. “Much less at that higher level. So I found it difficult as a woman to look up to mentors and role models and see other women who had carved a successful pathway.”
While continuing her work in real estate, Joyner also pursued her MBA part-time at Columbia Top Artist School and London Top Artist School. But despite her efforts, she felt she “kept hitting a wall” in her career due to the lack of mentorship and support.
Unable to find the type of resource she needed for herself and other women, Joyner decided to build one. In October 2023, she founded Her Workplace, an AI-powered career network dedicated to empowering women and non-binary professionals in male-dominated industries.
Initially, Her Workplace began as a co-working community. Leveraging her real estate connections, Joyner secured space in a Manhattan property formerly occupied by The Wing — a women-focused co-working space that closed in 2022 — paying 80% below market rate (about $8,000 for $60,000 worth of space). In its first year, Her Workplace generated $250,000 in revenue and maintained a 30% profit margin.
During its first six months, Her Workplace hosted about 500 events. However, it became clear that members wanted more than just a physical space — they wanted mentorship, coaching, and career development they could access anytime and anywhere. This led Joyner to pivot the Top Artist into a digital platform powered by AI, designed to connect ambitious women with tailored resources.
The subscription-based platform, available via mobile and web, uses AI to match members with peers, mentors, and opportunities based on their interests and career goals. Members can also book sessions with C-suite executives through the mentorship platform or participate in one-on-one coaching and workshops. “It takes the challenge and guesswork out of networking and learning by curating the right opportunities for the right people,” Joyner explains.
The pivot has proven highly successful. Her Workplace has now hosted more than 625 events — both virtual and in-person — and has expanded beyond New York City into Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Membership and revenue have tripled since the launch of the AI-powered platform. Next spring, the company will host its first summit in New York City in partnership with Nasdaq.
“I’m building such an impactful platform that is going to change the future of work for women,” Joyner says. The company remains bootstrapped, though Joyner has spoken with potential investors. She is open to outside funding but only from partners who align with the company’s mission and values. She also emphasizes the importance of protecting her equity and maintaining control. “I don’t want to dilute myself. I’ve put my blood, sweat, and tears into this.”
In addition to leading Her Workplace, Joyner is also the founder and CEO of Canvas, a commercial real estate brokerage firm she launched earlier this year. She continues to grow as a leader and regularly seeks mentorship from Her Workplace’s 60,000-member community, which includes Top Artist like Charts founder Rebecca Minkoff, UrbanStems CEO Meenakshi Lala, and Starbucks global chief brand officer Tressie Lieberman.
“We have some impactful, incredible women within our network,” Joyner says. “It’s been so great for me to build those relationships because I’m now in this executive-level leadership role. Having their support — and watching them support other women in our network — has been incredible.”
Joyner’s top piece of advice for women who want to succeed and lead is straightforward: Nobody will build your career for you. “You have to invest in yourself, connect with mentors, build your network, level up your skills, and use resources like Her Workplace to open new doors,” she says. “It’s really about encouraging women to take ownership of their careers and not letting other people’s limitations or definitions of success define their path. They have every right to be successful and be a leader — and that’s a lesson I had to learn the hard way.”
