Thirty Minute Mentors Podcast Transcript: Former IHOP CEO Julia Stewart

I recently interviewed former IHOP CEO Julia Stewart on my podcast, Thirty Minute Mentors. Here is a transcript of our interview:

Adam: Our guest today was the leader of two of America's best-known restaurant chains. Julia Stewart was the CEO of IHOP. And upon acquiring Applebee's, spent a decade as the CEO of the parent organization of both IHOP and Applebee's. Julia is also the founder and CEO of the wellness company, Alurx. Julia, thank you for joining us.

Julia: Thrilled to be here.

Adam: Thrilled to have you on. You grew up all over California, and you lived all over the country as a young adult before finding your way to the best city in the country, Los Angeles. Your mom and dad were both teachers. And growing up, there was a strong expectation that you would also be a teacher. Instead, you went into the restaurant business, initially working as a waitress at IHOP when you were a teenager, long before becoming the CEO of IHOP. Can you take listeners back to your early days, what early experiences and lessons shaped your worldview and shaped the trajectory of your success?

Julia: I was born in a small town called Visalia, California, which virtually no one has heard of. I always tell people, that it's smack dab in the middle of the state of California. It's about an hour south of Fresno. When I was born there, it was very much a farming community. I think the population was less than 20,000. Today, it's just shy of half a million. So obviously, that's probably true of everywhere in California. We moved from Visalia, I think when I was four and moved to the Cupertino area, which was before the whole Silicon Valley Tech explosion. So it was just a little town called Cupertino. But I remember then growing up with two teachers, my mother was a physical education teacher, and my father was US history and civics. And early on, a couple of things I recall vividly. One was that there was an expectation that I would be a teacher. That was very much ingrained in me since I was young. The second was that I would take care of myself, and my body and spirit, which means I would exercise, I would eat well, it was just the way I was raised. I think part of that is just who they were. And so they instilled that in me at a very, very young age. And I think, thirdly, and I guess I never thought about it until you asked me but this notion of I was a latchkey kid before, that's what we called it, didn't have a name back then you simply walked home from school, locked yourself in your house, and you stayed there until your parents came home. They couldn't afford a babysitter or the like. And so I remember early on spending a lot of time by myself and dreaming. And I think it became a skill set to dream early and often. Big picture, read and think about the future in a very positive and creative way. Those three things stuck with me, probably for my whole life.

Adam: I love it. And so much of what you shared comes down to how we frame things. You describe yourself as a latchkey kid, and you could have been very negative about that. Why was I left alone? Why didn't I have people around me? Why wasn't I given activities to attend? But instead, you turned it into a positive. It fueled your creativity, your imagination, and your ability to dream.

Julia: I saw the glass always is half full. The ironic thing there is I'm not certain my parents always did. I often felt my parents felt trapped. I think that generation felt trapped in whatever position they were in life. And I do think to a certain degree, I think they both felt that way. And I remember thinking by the time I got to I don't know if it was high school or college. I didn't want to feel trapped. I wanted to be able to explore and do things that both made me proud and pushed me and I pushed myself. So perhaps therein lies a little bit of that environment. You have to think about it for a minute, but I was always very proud of my parents and as my dad often would say to me, almost professorial. But Julia, the best thing in this world is to be a teacher. It's the most noble profession there is. And I believe that. Still do. Still, think of teachers in America as heroes along with police and fire and those who protect us. But I do think growing up, I think I just assumed, until one day, I realized that's not what I want to do. But I do it differently, I still teach, I just don't do it in the same way.

Adam: Really important lesson that you shared, a lesson that you learned early on, both directly from your parents. And by your own experiences, the importance of taking ownership of your life, it's your life, you have one life, it's yours, own it, and do what you want to do. If someone else wants you to do this, and you want to do that, well, it's your life, it's not theirs. At the same time, no one's going to hold your hand through life. No one's going to hold your hand through your career. It's important to find great mentors who can help you. But at the end of the day, it comes down to you. And it comes down to your desire and ability to take control, to take ownership.

Julia: Absolutely.

Adam: You initially worked in marketing, before shifting your focus toward operations. And you spent three years as president of Applebee's, before becoming CEO of IHOP, and ultimately becoming CEO of the parent company of both IHOP and Applebee's. What were the keys to rising within your career? And what can anyone do to rise within their career?

Julia: Well, I'll tell you a story that some people think is funny, some people think is incredibly courageous. But I had been, as you said, in marketing, gosh, for I don't know, 14-18 years, loved it, enjoyed it, was good at it. But I believed at the time, that no one was going to make me CEO. And by then, I knew I wanted to be a CEO. And I didn't think anybody would make me CEO because I didn't have P&L experience. I'm the generation where people would shake their finger at me and say, you people in marketing, you spend money, you don't make money. That's not true. But back then there was a little bit of the stigma that went with, you're in marketing. So I made the conscious decision that I wanted to go into operations, I wanted to make a career shift because I wanted the P&L experience. But nobody would hire me. People said, well, you're a great marketer, you need to stay where you are. And I went to the CEO of my own company, who said, "I can't possibly put you in operations, you must stay in marketing, you make us a lot of money that way." And so I kept saying, "No, I, really, really want to go, and I'm gonna go if you don't put me into operations," and he wouldn't do it. And so I had read in the restaurant industry, just like any other industry, there's a trade publication, are just called Nation's Restaurant News. And so I had read this article, that Taco Bell, of all places, was looking for what they called Advanced Management recruits, people who came from different walks of life, and they would teach you operations. I thought that's as good as it gets. And so I called up the executive recruiter who I knew was looking and she said, you don't have the qualifications. And quite candidly, we're just not thinking of marketing people. A true story about the same time I was going to Chicago to accept an award on behalf of the company, where I and the team worked on this great creative television campaign, and it had won best in its category. And I was accepting the award. So I got to the event, which is at some hotel somewhere in Chicago, and someone said to me, gosh, did you hear John Martin, the CEO of Taco Bell is going to be at the event, he's coming with his marketing person to accept the award. So it was one of those cocktail hours, and then you go into dinner. So I quietly found the person who was in charge of the dinner and said, "Can you show me where I'm sitting?" And so the woman showed me where I was sitting, and I quietly looked for John's name tag, and I switched seats. So I could sit next to him. And that is exactly what happened. I took that poor man's ear off. I got a call from the executive recruiter who said, "Did you meet John he's insistent that we interview you." I'm like, "Well, you know how those things go." Next thing you know, I got the job. And I became what was then an advanced manager recruit, you start at the bottom. So I was an assistant general manager of a Taco Bell, very proud of that work and the success that I and the team had, and then went on to district manager, regional, I mean, I just kept climbing the chain. Now, I must tell you, that when I was there, for the first couple of days, that manager came to me and he said, I think you've got real talent. There's a possibility you could go places here because I was an old assistant restaurant General Manager. They didn't know any better. So anyway, the rest they say is history and I spent it years at Taco Bell, just shy of 10 years. Eventually, I was running the entire country for a franchise, loved it. And I probably would have stayed indefinitely. Truly, Adam, I loved it. I love the brand, I love the people. But John got sideways and did not become the CEO of what was then young, the three brands that spun off of Pepsi. And so he left when you lose your mentor in a large corporation like that, it can sometimes be not deadly, but certainly curtailing. And in my case, I didn't feel like there was going to be the support for me to stay, they've never had a woman CEO. And so I made the decision when the executive recruiter called me to take a call, which was to be president of Applebee's. And so that's how I got there. So a little bit of courage, a little bit of spunk, a little bit of creativity. But I guess the point to be made, and all of that is when people would say, oh, you're going from marketing to ops, that's not going to work. I always remember saying to people, so let me get this right. Do you think I run a team of 30 people in the marketing department and I can't do that in operations? Good managers and good leaders are good managers and good leaders, no matter where they are, and no matter what they're doing. So I never quite understood the analogy. But obviously, I demonstrated capability.

Adam: So many great lessons in that story that we'd love to unpack. First things first, there's one way to frame that story, which is, wow, I was interested in working at Taco Bell. And what do you know, I'm at this dinner, the CEO of Taco Bell is there. Can you believe my luck? And the reality is that when we look at people who have reached the pinnacle of success, we can look at things like that and say, oh, they were so lucky. But when you break it down, you have to make your luck, which is exactly what you did. Great, the CEO of Taco Bell is at the event, but you're the one who figured out how to cultivate a relationship with him at the event. You weren't seated next to him. But you switched the name tags around and, and found yourself seated next to him. You put yourself out there, as you said, it was a combination of courage, creativity, and spunk. And that's what made it happen for you.

Julia: I believe that. Sometime later, I told him the truth. And he said, Honestly, by the time you joined the organization who cared, you were so much full of life and so willing to put yourself out there. I remember early on, I think maybe I had been in the job as the regional vice president of an entire area on the West Coast to be specific. And I remember going to John, it was one of our infrequent lunches, or whatever, I didn't report directly to him. And I remember saying, look, I've got this kooky idea. But I don't want to in any way jeopardize anything. Can I just tell you what it is? And I remember telling him I wanted to start breakfast, which is kind of ironic. And I wanted to do it late at night, which is kind of ironic, because of course, both those things are mainstays today. And he looked at me, I'll never forget. And he said, "Julia, you can't screw up this company, testing something and going for it. Go for it. I'm proud of you." And I remember thinking, okay, that's just enough encouragement to set me on my way. And, you know, it was a resolute. I mean, I had what I needed. It wasn't like a command. And there were consequences. And I had to demonstrate a return on invested capital, not only to the company but to the franchisees. But I think it was just that a little bit of support, and acknowledgment is all I needed. And I think that grows as time carries on, and we all make mistakes. But it's what you do with both the successes and the failures that demonstrates where you go from there. And I certainly had my failures, but I certainly had far more success at Taco Bell. And that's when I knew I had what it takes. I have to find the right place at the right time with the right culture.

Adam: I love that line. You can't screw up this company testing something.

Julia: Those were his exact words. Now, God rest his soul. He's no longer with us. But I kept thinking I wanted to shake him and say, see, they're now using late night and breakfast throughout the Taco Bell System. And it all started back in the wee early hours of us trying to be something unique and different. But interestingly enough, I think as I grew in my career to your earlier question, those opportunities to make a choice became more frequent and easier. I do think as you climb that ladder, whether it's corporate America and entrepreneur, or somewhere in between, or a nonprofit, I think as you get more opportunities to test the boundaries, in at least my experience, it becomes just a little bit easier each time.

Adam: Have confidence in yourself. Be willing to put yourself out there. Be willing to push yourself, be willing to take chances. It's important as you're rising within your career, and it's equally important as a leader how you innovate, be willing to take chances be willing to test, be willing to make mistakes, understand that you're not going to screw up the company by testing something.

Julia: I would never be where I am today had I not taken that quantum. Well, people saw it as a quantum leap and a huge risk. I'm not sure I ever saw it quite the same way. But going from marketing to operations, I remember people coming to visit me, people I knew in the industry coming to visit me at the restaurant laughing at me that there I was in my little uniform, with the big keychain walking around the Taco Bell, people thought I was nuts. And I'm thinking there's a calculated risk, where I feel confident in the outcome. So it's funny how that works, isn't it?

Adam: It is. And you have a very strong sense of self, you have a very deep comfort in your skin so that when you're standing there, and people are laughing at you and ridiculing you and telling you you're out of your mind for doing this and not following the traditional path, you're not second guessing yourself. How can anyone get to that place?

Julia: It's a great question. And I am certain there are many people on the show who are listening who have far bigger, better careers than mine. But I think at the core, you do have to say to yourself, here's my plan. And I've always had a plan. I think since I was in my teens, I think I've mentioned to you before I keep it on my desk, I update it every 5 to 10 years. I live by it. It's very important to me to dream and have a plan. And maybe it needs a little bit of modification or it needs a step back to go two steps forward. But I've always lived that plan very successfully, personally and professionally. And I would tell you, those occasional either the door closes, the answer's no. It doesn't work correctly. It doesn't mean that you fail. It means that you have to do it differently. Going around, I often would coach and mentor people, still do to this day saying, look, the ladder up isn't always symmetrical. Sometimes you have to go to the right. Sometimes you have to go to the left. Sometimes you have to leave your entire industry, sometimes you have to do something completely different to find that place that works for you. Because success is measured the way you measure it, not the way others see it. It's how you see your success. And that comes in many forms. And I think for me, I had very specific visions of what that looked like. And I wouldn't sell my soul for it. But I wanted to find the right culture and fit. And for me when I was contemplating, loved Taco Bell, loved the situation, loved the people, loved the brand, but was very concerned that it was going to be somewhat limited given John's very sudden departure. When I took the executive recruiting call to go to work for Applebee's, I thought I had done a pretty thorough thoughtful job of investigating what would it look like. What was the good, the bad, and the ugly? What were the expectations? How quickly could I deliver? The plan was flawless that I had and I do believe I recruited some of the best talents I've ever worked with. They were fabulous. It was an incredible team and there was no stopping us. And of course, we did exactly what we said we would do. They hadn't had any comparable positive growth in years and we were able to do all that and put the brand back on the map and franchisees were making a lot of money. The stock market was pleased, stockholders were pleased, the shareholders, the board of directors, the franchisees, the employees, everybody was happy. So loaded with all of that great karma for lack of a better term, I went into the then CEO's office and said, "Okay, I've been President for three years, I've turned this business around, thankfully with the help of this incredible team. I'm ready to be the CEO," which is what they have promised when I successfully lead the team, turn it around, and he said no. And I thought he meant half-jokingly, maybe not that day. So of course, took out the graph and showed the incredible turnaround, I realized there may be things you or the Board want me to demonstrate. So let me take out my notepad and feel free to share that with me. I'm always a student, it always goes back to how can I learn. How can I get better? And he said, "No, never." And I had to think about that. I mean, I think it took me aback. And I said, "Is there a reason?" He said, "No, I don't have to have one." So I went home and thought about it came back the next day and said, "I don't think this works for me. I'm doing all the work, but you're not going to give me the title, the acknowledgment, I think we need to call it a day, this doesn't work for me." And I'll never forget his answer, was, "You can't quit. If you quit, the stock will tank. I had to think about that. I mean, that didn't make any sense to me at all. So. So I stayed for a little while we made it work. And the rest they say is history, I have found me, I found IHOP. It was a dream. 20 years ago, it was a real dream to find a place where I felt like I had vetted the culture, vetted the people. And it was fabulous. So I got to IHOP. And then obviously, you told the story about I ended up not for revenge, not for whatever, you know, borrow $2.8 billion for that. But it ended up being the right thing at the right time to make the acquisition and become Dine Brands. But what a story.

Adam: What a story, indeed. Can you go back to that moment in the story? I don't know if it's the climax, because I feel like there are multiple moments of climax in that story. But can you go back to that moment when you're sitting in the office of the CEO and you're told, you're never going to become CEO? How did you feel in that moment? How did you process that? Couldn't have felt good. And how did you ultimately bounce back from that feeling?

Julia: I think it's a gut punch. I think anybody who says otherwise is probably not being truthful. Sure, it's a gut punch. But then, as I learned early on in my life, both personally and professionally, stop, think, and reflect, you don't need to say anything at that moment. And anything you do say probably comes out wrong. So I remember saying I wanted to reflect and I left the office early and just spent the evening reflecting, and came to the conclusion, that there wasn't anything I had done, that I would do differently. The truth of the matter was, for whatever reason, which he never did say, he was not comfortable. I mean, we can all guess what that is. But I didn't want to waste any more time because I felt like that was his problem, not mine, and that I would go on, and that the learnings were incredibly helpful to me to find the right place but to vet it differently. In other words, don't take the assignment unless your CEO puts in writing, all the things that didn't happen as planned. It's an incredible learning and I took it as the glass is half full. I'm almost there. And, four months later, I was made CEO. So it wasn't about the timing so much, it's learning from the things you could do differently, learning from it, and moving on. And frankly, the faster the better. And so when I moved on, it was to be reflective, and then move on, and take learnings from that. But don't use it to be angry, use it to catapult you into the next position. And I coach a lot on this, Adam because I'll talk to a lot of people who are not ready to go interview, who aren't ready for that next assignment. They need more time to reflect, they can't get over their anger. They can't get over the gut punch. That's an important part. And everybody's different. Mine was fairly rapid. Because I was so ready. It was like, gosh, I'm gonna take all this energy and talent and creativity and desire and passion and just go find the right place. And for that, I was very fortunate. And actually, the story I always tell is it was 911. And I was in a hotel room in Southern California, Calabasas, to be exact, and I got a call. I had been interviewing at IHOP. And I got a call from the chairman of the board saying are you safe. And I said I beg your pardon? And he said, "Are you safe?" And I thought that was so amazing. And I said, "Yes, I'm safe. I'm in a hotel room here in Southern California. Where are you?" And he said, "I'm in a Marriott courtyard in Calabasas. Well, there's only one company there and you don't want to go to work for them. You want to come to work for us." And I'm like, "Well, sir, I haven't been offered the position yet." He said, "You will be, let's just get over that. Let's get to it. Let's get you safely home and I'm calling all of the family today to make sure everybody's safe." He called me family. And now I was emotional, to begin with. Because I had just watched the first tower come down. So I was emotional to begin with. But that touched me so deeply that he called me family. I knew that day, whatever it took, I was going to work. It's a true story. And it meant a lot to me. And I guess, partly because of the day and what I was experiencing, and the grief and just the horror and then on top of that, what I had been through, obviously, you can't compare the two, all I've been done is kicked in the gut. But I think when I put all that together, it said to me, if for any reason I am offered this position, I want to work at a place where I'm considered family. And that is, for almost the next 20 years, how I viewed the relationship with the franchisees, with the shareholders, with the board, with everyone. It was a family, a very special place, and it will always have a special place. Now I do coach a lot that not everybody gets to find that kind of gratification and happiness. But I will also tell you, the coaching and the lesson I give to people is to make sure when you go to work, whether it's an entrepreneur, whether it's nonprofit, whether it's big corporate, wherever you go, make sure it's a cultural fit, and I found my home. And it isn't to say that I haven't had success in other companies with other cultures. But when you're going to be the CEO, it matters. I think it matters no matter where you are. But I think it particularly matters with what you're trying to do. What the obligation is, in my case, what the challenge was an understanding of the culture, and that I could work in that environment to make the change that was needed. All that was critical. And fortunately for me, it was a great culture. Still is.

Adam: Julia, you shared so much that I want to dive into. But before I touch any of that, I want to ask you, how can anyone understand whether a company that they're considering is a cultural fit?

Julia: Well, I coached my kids, I coach everybody, ask the basic questions, ask them directly, ask them proudly. And if anyone you're interviewing with can't answer them, you have a problem. So my daughter was in an entry-level interview. And I told her the other day, to ask them how do decisions get made. Share the values of the company with me. What is the mission of the company? What's the good, the bad, and the ugly? If they cannot answer that, or they are uncomfortable, then you're probably in the wrong place. And she used those questions in her own words, everybody's got to put it in their language and didn't take a job and ended up not taking the job. Because the HR person said something in the effect of, well, you ought to be just happy that you're here that you're interviewing. I mean, 1,000 people want this job. And I remember my daughter, she said she had to channel me at that very moment. She wasn't sure how to respond. But she said, "Okay, I appreciate that. I acknowledge and recognize that many, many, many people want this job. But it's important to me, that I hitched my wagon to a place where I'm going to thrive and develop and grow and not be a number. And I hope you can understand that I need you to answer the question." And the woman said to her, "Well, I'm just an HR, that's above my paygrade." And she didn't take the job. And she doesn't regret not taking it. And went to a place where the woman took the time to explain to her what the mission and vision of the company were, why it existed, what values they had, and how important they were to my daughter's entry-level job. Think about it. Somebody has the fortitude, and the intelligence and has lived and breathed the culture so much so that she could tell my daughter, about the entry-level position, starting. Here's why the values matter to everything you do. And talked about my daughter, who happened to be my first job as a Photo Retoucher, and how they don't allow you to touch anything on the model, that that's sacred. Whether it's a blemish, whether it's a birthmark, whether it's an abnormality, whether it's a hair on a plate, doesn't matter. You're not allowed. That's their culture, of being honest forthright, and transparent. And she loved, that that woman could explain to her that day, how the culture mattered to her and her job, and the rest, as they say, is history. I love that story. Because the woman could tell her I asked her who was this person and she said she was a recruiter in the HR department now. She said, no, maybe that's her job. And I said, necessarily what that says is volumes about that company that they care enough to go up and down, and all the way around and talk to you about how the culture impacts what you do. And it matters. So I convinced her to negotiate a good deal and take the job.

Adam: So sounds like a great mom.

Julia: On that day, yeah.

Adam: Julia, that takeaway for me from each of the last three stories you shared, which were all great, is the importance of carrying, the last story, the job your daughter took, the recruiter spending the time with your daughter, deeply caring about ensuring that your daughter understands what the company is about, regardless of what level of job she's interviewing for. In the previous company, the HR person did not care, not demonstrating any level of care. And your experience speaking to the then-chairman of IHOP.

Julia: Yep, I mean, think about it. At all levels, it is all about that. When early on in my career at Taco Bell, I had a manager who said to mutual it, your management style is exhausting, you care way too much. And I remember looking right at him and saying thank you so much. That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Thank you so much. Because in the end, really seriously, the notion of caring too much, okay, well, I'll take that. But I do think, this notion of caring and culture and understanding it, I think, and we talked about this openly, my daughter and I, that generationally, there's this whole generation of people coming out of college, who it's so hard to find a job, it's like, just be lucky, you have one. And that's not the way not only to run your business, but you're not recruiting for the long run if you're talking that way. Those are transactions, they're short-lived. And now there's a whole series of articles that have come out in every publication on demand from the New York Times, whatever, talking about how people are ghosting each other, they're so angry that they've been so mistreated in the interview process. Shame on all of you for treating young people in that vein, with such disregard, you will pay dearly for that loss of great talent because people want to go where they're valued and cared about, and they believe there's a future. I always see people don't get up every morning to be mediocre. They get up every morning because they care and they want to get better and they want to grow. There are varying degrees of that. But surely, you don't think people get up and say, "Well, I'm just going to do the bare minimum to get by," they want to grow, they want to improve. That's what America is all about. That's what this young generation of talent coming out of college or not going to college and trying to find a job either/or, I think it must be difficult if you get up every morning and think America is mediocre. And no one cares what a way to think about the day as opposed to, I'm going to meet every person I meet with the belief that they want to get better, they want to grow, they want to improve, they want to learn. Otherwise, I think it would be a very difficult way to get through the day.

Adam: I'm with you 110%. If you feel like people in your organization don't care, something is broken. Your recruiting process is broken, your hiring process is broken, your management process is broken, your communication is broken. There's something broken that needs to be fixed.

Julia: Correct. I couldn't agree with it. I mean, we're in violent agreement with each other. And unfortunately, that's still going on every day.

Adam: Julia, what can anyone listening to this conversation do to become more successful personally and professionally?

Julia: Well, that's a loaded question. I'm a big believer in the plan. The reflection is important. Take stock of who and why. Oftentimes, when I'm talking to people, Adam, they start by saying I want to be the senior vice president or I want to be the CEO. And when you get them talking to them. That's not really what they want. They want a meaningful position where they get to add value. So it's less about the title. It's more about finding a place where they can grow and develop. I see that more every day. And they struggle to find that position, that job, that company where they can grow and develop. And I tell them, to take their time, and put a thoughtful plan together, maybe some milestones, maybe some deadlines for themselves. Everybody's situation is different. Most people can't quit without another job so think it through, work it through, and be very thoughtful about the networking. It's often the case, certainly, I'm living proof. I mean, I'm an entrepreneur today. I didn't get there overnight. I did a whole bunch of informational interviews, not because I wanted somebody to hire me, I wanted to learn what they knew. And I'll be candid with you. I've never had anyone say, "No, Julia, I don't have any time for you. I can't possibly tell you how I became successful, I can't possibly tell you how it works." I've never had anybody say that to me, of course, people are willing to share. I mean, you have to get them to the right place in time. But I think this notion of, can I just borrow a half an hour of your time and get some information from you and learn how you did it, why you did it, I think sometimes we want to jump to, I gotta get another job. And it's got to be by next week. Well, it doesn't work that way. There may be some steps you have to take. Informational interviews are often with friends, associates, associates' parents, associates' friends, somebody knows somebody who knows somebody willing to meet with you. And nowadays because of Zoom, you don't even have to meet in person. Can I just spend 15-20 minutes with you? Surely, people have time for that. I think even as people speak of it, and start talking about it, they learn if they're being thoughtful, and they've got their serious listening hat on. They are learning and taking notes about what worked for that person, what didn't, certain things will resonate with them, certain things won't, being reflective again, what can I learn from that interview that I can take forward either into another interview or my current company? I think sometimes we want the moon in the stars, we want the, as I always like to say, the $20 meal for $5.99. It doesn't work that way. There are small baby steps in between to learn and grow and reflect on what's important. Is it the money? Is that the title? Is it the opportunity to develop and grow? Is it starting something new and afresh? I think that we often forget some of what I'll call basic questions to ask and to think about as we build our plan. And often, the answer isn't a straight arrow. It's zig and zag.

 Adam: Julia, thank you for all the great advice, and thank you for being a part of Thirty Minute Mentors.

Julia: You are so welcome. It was my pleasure. You ask great questions, Adam.


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

Follow Adam on Instagram and Twitter at @adammendler and on LinkedIn and listen and subscribe to Thirty Minute Mentors on your favorite podcasting app.