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. She chased the experience she knew she needed.

🔄 Reinvention doesn’t have a retirement age. Her second act isn’t a side project, it’s bold, future-facing, and deeply personal.

🌟 Leadership is about giving people hope. Because you never know when your words will be the ones they remember.

🎁 BONUS:

1️⃣ After the official interview, we kept talking, then decided to hit record again. Don’t miss the 8 extra minutes of never-before-shared stories.

2️⃣ And yes… we’re posting the full video for this one and the full episode! Remember..... 💛 Joy is a choice we make—and a business we build. Keep investing in joy.