Julia Stewart: Career Strategies for Innovative Women Leaders

Julia Stewart, founder and CEO of Alurx, joins Dr. Nancy for a discussion about her career path, forging a place for herself as a business leader in the hospitality industry, eventually becoming CEO at IHOP, then buying Applebee’s and creating Dine Brands Global. Her story traces what happens when barriers to advancement appear, and the choice is to endure or leave to keep growing. Stewart chose to leave companies that didn’t support her advancement and advises others to find a culture that supports them, values them, and cares about their growth. The culture will help you make a difference or block your way with the glass ceiling.

Founding Alurx is Stewart’s second career. Raised to take care of herself, she watched so many women in the food service business put themselves last, often in the midst of burnout and overwhelm. She had a vision of what would make self-care easy and available, and that led to the development of the Alura AI app, the first voice-activated wellness coach designed to shift health and wellness from reactive to proactive, preventive solutions.

As a female entrepreneur, Stewart faces many of the same barriers as she did while pursuing advancement in corporations. Pointing out that since less than 2% of venture capital goes to women startups, she is again on the leading edge of a pioneering trend, pursuing another CEO path as a woman. Determined not to take no for an answer, Stewart is pursuing a long-held desire to make a difference and build something that will change people’s lives—a personalized wellness coach to adapt to your daily needs. Sign up for the launch this summer, Alura.

About:

Julia Stewart is an entrepreneur and former public-company CEO with extensive experience in creating and building global businesses and brands across hospitality and wellness. She is recognized for increasing sales, profits, and shareholder value through accelerated innovation, high-performance cultures, bold leadership, and results-driven strategies. She is currently the Founder and CEO of Alurx, leading the development of Alura AI, an AI-powered wellness platform designed to deliver science-backed activities that support sustained habit changes and improve health outcomes for individuals and enterprises alike.

Her leadership drove the rejuvenation and growth at companies such as Taco Bell, Applebee’s, and IHOP. Through her strategic vision, IHOP acquired Applebee’s, resulting in the creation of Dine Brands, the world’s largest sit-down restaurant chain

She has also served on numerous public, private, and nonprofit boards, is a sought-after consultant and speaker, and regularly shares insights with executive audiences on how purpose, culture, resilience, and disciplined decision-making drive long-term value creation.

She has received numerous awards recognizing her leadership, innovation, and impact across industries, including being named by Fortune magazine as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in the U.S.