From the Short Stack to the Long Game: Julia Stewart on Strategic Grit and the Power of Staying Curious
The Business of Joy by Lisa W. Miller
Episode notes
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 ...