What To Know
- Hoda Kotb received a special surprise from her daughters, Haley and Hope, in celebration of Joy 101’s first anniversary.
- Kotb launched her wellness company a few months after her Today exit in January 2025.
- Kotb reflected on what Joy 101 accomplished during its first year via social media.
Hoda Kotb got a special surprise from her kids in honor of her latest career achievement.
Thursday, May 28, marked the first anniversary of the launch of Kotb’s wellness company, Joy 101. In a sweet Instagram video, Kotb’s daughters, Haley and Hope, threw her a surprise celebration for Joy 101’s 1st birthday.
In the Thursday clip, Kotb’s kids lead her down the stairs in her house and into the dining room, which they decorated with balloons. On the table sat a bouquet of yellow roses and a cake which read, “Happy Birthday Joy 101.”
“Wait, Mommy’s not wearing the party hat!” Hope can be heard saying in the video before handing Kotb a festive party hat. The clip goes on to show Kotb, her kids, and two of her friends singing “Happy Birthday,” all while her dog, Waffles, tries to lick the cake.
“That was a good party!” Kotb gushes. Noticing that Waffles got some of the cake’s icing, she quipped, “Oh, my god. That was hilarious.”
Fans congratulated Kotb on her company’s one-year milestone in the post’s comments. “Congratulations!!!! Waffles had a day too!!!!!” one user joked. Another added, “Congrats @hodakotb and @joy101. To many more years of JOY!”
Someone else shared, “Omg this is the sweetest ever. Love ur kids.” A different person posted, “I joined this Joyful community one year ago!! It’s been so Amazing! Thank you Joy101.” A separate commenter stated, “Happy 1st anniversary! Wishing you continued success!”
Kotb left NBC‘s Today after nearly 20 years on the daily morning show in January 2025. Since her Today exit, Kotb has prioritized her role as a parent to her kids, whom she shares with her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman, and released her latest book, Jump and Find Joy, in September 2025.
Shortly after her departure, Kotb returned to Today in May 2025 to celebrate Joy 101’s launch. “You hit a button and automatically curated for you is a special program,” she said of the company’s app on the show at the time. “If you want prayer, it’s on the app. If you want meditation, it’s on the app. If you want help going to sleep, it’s all on there. And so, we’re also gonna have courses. We’re gonna do all kinds of cool things. We’re gonna have retreats. It’s the stuff that we love.”
Kotb reflected on Joy 101’s first-year accomplishments in another Instagram video on Thursday. “We launched at No. 1 in the App Store in Health & Fitness, and we had our very first retreat that sold out so fast that we had out two more in. So, thank you for that, too,” she told fans while sporting a party hat and holding a No. 1 balloon. “We have one of my favorite series, it’s called Joy Rides, where I get to ride around with my favorite celebs and we share secrets. We also have these awesome happiness hours.”
She continued, “You guys, Joy 101 started as a tiny idea with my best friend and my sister, and it turned into a real, legit business. So, I just want to say, from the bottom of my one heart, I love you guys. Thank you for believing in Joy 101. Thank you for going on this joy ride with us. We’re gonna need to get a No. 2 balloon.”
More fans congratulated Kotb, with one person writing underneath the post, “One year of JOY and a lifetime to go!” Another said, “Happy anniversary. Love you and the app is part of my everyday!” Someone else shared, “Happy happy 1st anniversary! Lots of luck! Congratulations!”