From the Short Stack to the Long Game: Julia Stewart on Strategic Grit and the Power of Staying Curious

From flipping pancakes to flipping strategy—this episode goes where most interviews don’t. 🎙️

Today on The Business of Joy, I’m joined by Julia Stewart, CEO and Founder of Alurx. You may know the highlights: starting as a 16-year-old server at IHOP, leading one of the largest restaurant acquisitions in history, and launching a bold second act in health tech.

But in this episode, we go deeper. Julia shares untold moments from her journey: what it really takes to reinvent, take risks, and lead with relentless curiosity. Just a few of the many highlight moments:

🍽️ Read the table. What she learned at IHOP when she was 16 years old still applies in boardrooms today—it starts with reading the table, trust, and connection.

🛣️ Don’t stay in your lane. Julia didn’t wait for permission to pivot. Sh ...