LET'S GO WITH JULIO

How do you earn a CEO's trust — and what do you see when you finally get in the room? That’s what we’re exploring today on the show with my former Lyft colleague Sean Berry.

Sean spent many years as an executive assistant to C-suite leaders, including the CEO of Lyft. That means he’s spent years behind the scenes — managing calendars, sitting in high-stakes meetings, reading the room so the room could keep moving. He saw leadership up close, under pressure. He knows what’s up, and he’s got a lot of wisdom to share with us about:

• Maintaining calm and building trust
• What executives are actually like behind closed doors
• The importance of triage and decoding urgency
• Preparing for high-stakes meetings
• The delicate balance between growing in your career and keeping your ego in check
• What Sean is learning now that the adrenaline has slowed down

No matter where you sit on the org chart, you’ll leave with practical takeaways about how to show up effectively when it matters most.

Share this with your team or a friend. Subscribe to the show, write us a review, or send us some love in the comments!

Find Sean at https://www.linkedin.com/in/swberry/

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

What if trans identity can actually teach all of us what we really need right now: radical self-knowledge?

In this episode, I sit down with Chazzie Grosshandler, 19-year-old college sophomore, co-founder of The GenderCool Project, public speaker, and lifelong advocate. She came out to her family as transgender at nine years old, and was featured on the Today Show at eleven.

I first learned about GenderCool at an Out & Equal Summit, and what they shared gave me a deep respect and better understanding of the trans community, especially the courage of trans youth.

We talk about:

• What it felt like to come out to her family and then again on national television
• Why being trans is the least interesting thing about her
• The pattern of people who start out open-hearted and then harden into outrage
• GenderCool, its origins, and why representation at the highest levels matters
• Faith, intersectionality, and how stepping into yourself brings you closer to something bigger
• Chazzie’s advice for transgender youth and their parents

Chazzie’s story is an invitation to embrace who we truly are and see ourselves as more than our labels.

Find Chazzie and GenderCool:

https://gendercool.org/

https://www.instagram.com/chazziegendercool/

https://www.instagram.com/gendercool/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chazziegrosshandler/

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

One year ago, I published Braving Big Tech — a five-part audio docu-series about getting hired and fired by Apple, Google, Tumblr, and Airbnb. It took 14 months, nearly 100 pages of writing, and 15 interviews with the people who were there — including managers that hired me, and one who fired me. 

Today, on the one-year anniversary, I’m answering the most common questions people ask me, like:

• Did you deserve to get fired?
• What did numbing actually look like? 
• What hasn’t healed yet?
• What do you say to someone whose job is killing them slowly?

This episode is honest, real and intended to help you get clear on how you’re braving big tech right now. Because let’s be real: we’re all trying to figure out how to navigate these times with a calm head and courageous heart.

Listen and learn more about Braving Big Tech:

https://bravingbigtech.com/

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify 

Listen on YouTube

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

What does it look like to lead a life that's fully integrated — not split between who you are and what you do?

In this episode, I sit down with Nick Deutsch — elementary school teacher, musician, and the artist behind You Are The One, this season’s theme song.

Only 1 in 10 elementary school teachers in America are male, and Nick is one of them. He is one of our undervalued leaders raising the next generation. In this conversation, he offers wisdom from the classroom, the music room, and from a life genuinely examined.

We talk about:

• What kids are honest about that adults have learned to hide
• Why music reaches places words and logic can't
• Carl Jung, the unconscious, and why self-awareness changes everything
• The "disease to please" — and how niceness can become a cage
• Losing his mother at 26, and what grief taught him about life
• What it means to love yourself — not as a cliché, but as a real, daily practice

If you've ever "smiled on the outside while something inside was being torn apart" — this episode is for you.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

⁠Nick’s Music⁠

Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeves

The Loving Parent Guidebook

Listen to Braving Big Tech

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

I’m curious: where in your life are you leading from your head… but not your heart?

Today we’re joined by Qiana Sanders — a data science leader, classically trained violinist, and proud Black trans woman from Detroit — for a conversation that’s equal parts practical and deeply human.

Qiana says “success is on the other side of service,” and she lives it. We talk about servant leadership as something you do (not something you claim), why “being a leader is a verb,” and the KPI that might matter more than any dashboard: Key Performance Heart Indicators.

You’ll hear us unpack:

• how to “engage the heart” on real teams (especially under pressure)
• how to read what people are not saying — not just what they are saying
• the lost art of one-on-ones
• why so many of us walk around with a “representative” instead of our real selves
• and what it takes to stop shrinking, stop judging, and start living out loud

The invitation for you with this episode:

Wake up and like yourself. Love yourself, actually. Then, lead from there. Thank you all for being here on this journey — let me know what this conversation brings up for you!

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

0:00 Intro: Leading With Integrity, Grace, and Heart

3:34 What is Servant Leadership?

5:11 The Key Performance Heart Indicator

5:30 Knowing Who You Are & Living Out Loud

12:00 Being Naturally of Service

13:33 Everyone’s a Leader in Their Own Way

13:59 Unlocking the Potential of Others

15:19 Humility & Vulnerability Are Inherent in Servant Leadership

16:29 A Leader’s Job is to Engage the Heart

20:43 Having an Orchestral Mindset - What Are You Not Saying

22:18 You’ve Got to Be Excited About You

25:42 Calling People In

27:23 More on the Orchestral Mindset

30:36 Newton’s Third Law

31:10 Building Trust

32:00 Giving & Receiving Real Feedback3

7:00 The Agency to Go Higher

38:57 How to Improve Your One on Ones

44:50 Staying Grounded Through Opposition

48:44 Creating Joy For Yourself & Others

50:22 A Message For Those Transitioning

53:05 Challenging the Idea of Needing to Be Fixed

56:06 Judgment as a Mirror

01:04:24 Showing Up With Grace

01:06:42 Heart Work as an Act of Courage

We’re sitting down with my old Lyft colleague Michael Pelehach. He’s currently the COO of The Adventure Project, a nonprofit tackling extreme poverty through sustainable job creation.

Michael's career journey has in some ways been traditional — from Duke to Northwestern's MBA program to leadership roles at Target and Lyft. But he’s also been called more than once to social impact work.

How do you know when to follow the call?

Michael opens up about the pivotal experiences that shaped his path: witnessing poverty in rural Slovakia as a child, teaching English on a Fulbright grant, and the loss of his mother during the pandemic. We also explore how becoming a father has reshaped his definition of success and the legacy he wants to leave to his kids.

If you’re searching for purpose, navigating a career transition, or wondering how to be both successful and do good in the world, this conversation will leave you feeling inspired — because Michael's story proves you don't have to choose.

The Adventure Project: https://www.theadventureproject.org/

Get in Touch with Michael: [email protected]

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

00:00 Episode Preview

00:45 Intro: Finding Purpose in Out Work

02:56 Meet Michael Pelehach 

05:02 Early Exposure to Travel and Humbling Realizations

09:10 The Pull Toward Social Impact 

18:30 The Courage to Leave Corporate

20:30 Teaching English in Bulgaria

23:00 Realizing What’s Important

28:13 Leaving Lyft for The Adventure Project

37:00 Where Can We Have the Most Impact?

40:45 Reflecting on Returning to Tech

42:48 Sustainable Development Work is Locally Led

47:11 A Broader Definition of Success

48:33 Raising Young Boys to be Compassionate

53:26 Staying Grounded While Juggling the Responsibilities of Fatherhood 

56:24 Leaving a Legacy of Putting Others First

57:22 How to Get Involved with The Adventure Project

58:24 Closing: Compassion and Empathy Are the Answer

Eckhart Tolle's teachings have completely transformed how I live and lead—that’s why today we’re walking you through 5 powerful leadership lessons after my 4-day retreat with Eckhart Tolle at the Omega Institute. This will help you close out 2025 with more presence and what I call "Big Brave Heart" energy. And each lesson comes with a simple yet practical tool that you can use today, right after listening.

You know we are living through strange times—answering Slack on the toilet, doomscrolling three wars, watching layoff rumors circulate—all while being expected to lead ourselves, our families, and our teams.

The challenge is: most leadership training teaches us roadmaps and dashboards, not empathy, emotional regulation, or how to have hard conversations.

That’s why I made this episode for you, because the wisdom to overcome feeling underwater or directionless or stressed is within reach if you slow down enough to listen. Really listen.

What You'll Learn:

• How to shift from your inner critic to your inner coach
• What can happen if you see your biggest challenge as a portal for growth
• Why presence is the new IQ in the age of AI

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

Braving Big Tech

Omega Institute

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Kim Scott Radical Candor

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

0:00 Introduction: Leadership in Strange Times

1:55 My Story: Lack of Support Before Getting Fired

3:37 Rock Bottom and Waking Up

4:57 Finding Eckhart Tolle Through Oprah

5:38 Eckhart Tolle at Omega Institute

6:32 Intro to the Five Lessons

7:13 Lesson One: You Are Not the Critic in Your Head

11:59 A Practice for Lesson One

13:23 Lesson Two: Don’t Get Infected by the Insanity

15:59 A Practice for Lesson Two

17:22 Lesson Three: You Are More Than This Role, This Year

19:34 A Practice for Lesson Three

20:43 Lesson Four: Your Hardest Thing is a Portal, Not a Problem

22:47 A Practice for Lesson Four

24:06 Lesson Five: Presence Is the New IQ in the Age of AI

27:08 A Practice for Lesson Five

28:08 Accelerating Our Awakening

30:03 Invitation to Experiment with the Lessons

We often see leadership as a title you hold at work, but today, we're talking with Sue Rae about the leadership you exercise over your personal sanctuary. You know the saying: clean house, clean mind.

I worked with Sue at Google NYC, where she was an elite Executive Assistant—a master of organizing at the highest level. But her own success came at a cost. She reached a point where she was running on fumes just to go to work.

Sue had the courage to listen to the whispers and step away from her role at Google to start Sorted by Sue, a professional organizing business. Today, she works with executives, entrepreneurs, and rockstar public figures.

You'll hear her story of transformation, the system she uses to go from chaos to calm, and the one simple thing you can do today to start treating your home like the powerful sanctuary you deserve.

You ready? Let's go!

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Find Sue: ⁠https://www.sortedbysue.com/⁠

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

00:00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:02:01 How Julio and Sue Met at Google

00:04:40 The Intensity of Being an Executive Assistant at Google

00:07:43 The Breaking Point

00:10:15 Asking for a Sabbatical

00:10:58 Coping Mechanisms

00:18:28 How Sue Spent Her Sabbatical in Asia

00:19:41 The Inspiration Behind Sorted by Sue

00:22:35 Taking the Leap: Leaving Google to Start Sorted by Sue

00:32:50 What Do People’s Spaces Say About Them?

00:35:12 Leap and the Net Will Appear

00:37:33 How Does the Disorganization Make You Feel?

00:39:05 Visual Clutter Ends Up Being Mental Clutter

00:40:37 De-Cluttering is an Emotional Exercise

00:47:53 The Role of Grief

00:51:34 Home Therapy for Individuals and Couples

00:55:08 Putting Systems in Place

00:58:07 Real Life Examples of Chaos to Calm

01:10:42 Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

01:12:33 How to Begin Your Organizing Journey

01:14:22 Valuing Experiences Over Stuff

01:16:14 The 30-Minute Junk Drawer Challenge

01:18:03 Final Thoughts: Organizing’s Ripple Effect

01:19:22 Closing and Credits

Inspired by this year’s Out & Equal Workplace Summit, I share five powerful leadership shifts that surfaced while connecting with over 4,000 Fortune 500 leaders. We’ll discuss how to move from apathy to love, from anger to action, from fear to faith, from division to bridge, and from noise to awareness. Each shift comes with practical tools you can implement immediately, including the Big Brave Heart framework. Whether you're navigating team dynamics, personal relationships, or simply trying to show up with more heart, this episode offers both inspiration and actionable strategies for building courageous, heart-led leadership. Perfect for leaders, ERG members, and anyone committed to creating lasting change through self-awareness and brave action.

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

00:00 Welcome Back from Out & Equal

00:53 The Stakes: Why This Moment Matters

02:42 Shift 1: From Apathy to Love

04:30 Why We Drift Into Apathy: Fatigue & Fear

06:34 The Big Brave Heart Tool

07:55 Shift 2: From Anger to Action

08:18 Larry Kramer: Anger Transformed

10:56 Channeling Your Indignation

11:57 Shift 3: From Fear to Faith

12:37 Harvey Milk's Message of Hope

16:00 Shift 4: From Division to Bridge

17:43 Professor Kenji Yoshino: From Cancel Culture to Coaching Culture

19:19 Finding the Bigger Win for Everyone

21:14 Allyship is a Behavior

22:16 Zooming Out: Equality Always Advanced

22:52 Shift 5: From Noise to Awareness

24:01 Why Leaders Need Coaches

24:51 Impact Over Action

25:23 Create Time Where None Exists

26:54 Closing: Gratitude, Queer Magic, & Choosing Courage

If you're a high-performing leader sensing that it’s time for a break, that there has to be a better way—one that doesn't sacrifice your health, relationships, or sense of self—this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we’re going deep with D.J. Johnson, Program Manager for Global Employee Engagement & Experience at Amazon, to talk about his most recent act of courage: taking a sabbatical.

DJ shares the lessons he learned during this time of recalibration, how he discovered who he was beneath the hustle, and his intention to break generational cycles. Together, we explore the meaning of heart-centered leadership and it’s role as the ultimate differentiator in an age where AI is leveling the intellectual playing field.

Key takeaways:

• How to spot the signs that you need to slow down and recalibrate
• The key qualities of heart centered leadership and what to start practicing now
• The difference between intent and impact
• The importance of de-stigmatizing therapy and mental health medication

Ready to start leading from your heart? If this episode resonated with you and you're ready to do the inner work to become a more aligned, effective leader, I offer 1:1 coaching for tech leaders navigating transitions, burnout, and the journey to heart-centered leadership. Visit letsgowithjulio.com to learn more.

Where to find D.J.: LinkedIn

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

00:00 Introduction

02:38 Finding Community in Heart-Centered Leadership

05:50 Are You Willing to Look Inward?

13:16 How D.J. Knew it was Time to Take a Sabbatical

19:29 Spotting the Signs: Know When You're Moving Too Fast

22:52 Exploring Hobbies & Natural Hair Curl Journey

24:25 Body Image & Self-Acceptance

27:56 Pressures to Be Productive During Time Off

29:51 Uplifting Heart Centered Leaders in Tech

34:12 Managers vs. Leaders

35:17 Emotional Intelligence in the Age of AI

38:34 What Is Heart-Centered Leadership?

47:33 Self-Care Tools from D.J.’s Book

50:59 Skills From a First Generation Upbringing

56:36 Intent Does Not Erase Impact

58:21 How Growing Up With Instability Impacts Professional Life

1:00:34 Mental Health: De-stigmatizing Therapy & Medication

01:04:16 Understanding Your Purpose & Living Fully

01:06:52 Forgiveness: The Most Powerful Tool We Can Give Ourselves

01:08:33 Fire Round: Courage, Hope & Accountability

01:10:33 Closing Thoughts: Sharing the Journey