LET'S GO WITH JULIO

Julio G. Alvarez
  • 4.8 (30)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Hi, I’m Julio. After 15 years leading teams at Apple, Google, Tumblr, Airbnb and Lyft — I’m now a coach on a mission to educate, inspire and empower you to unlock your best, most authentic self as a leader. Through conversations, interviews, practical advice, and live coaching, we’ll cover topics like career changes, personal growth, tackling failure, building community, brave leadership, and creating a life you genuinely love. You can expect real talk, laughs, and lots of love as I help you navigate life’s tough questions with a calm head and courageous heart. To learn more or submit a question or topic you’d like to hear covered in the show, visit letsgowithjulio.com/podcast Tune in, buckle up and get ready to bring out your best. Let’s go!

  1. APR 28

    The Voice in Your Head: How Do You Stop Believing It's You?

    There's a voice in your head that is constantly riding you, yes or no? It reminds you all the time: You're not enough. You're not far enough along. You should be working harder. This is the #1 thing I see slowing leaders down — and the thing I still struggle with too. So I made this episode for me just as much as I made it for you. Something I could come back to every time I need to ground myself and get steady around this voice. Something I could hand to a client and say, here, listen to this. It might help. Here's what we're answering: Where does this voice come from? Why do you still listen to it? And how do you shift your relationship with it without trying to silence it (because you're already trying that and how's that working out)? I'll walk you through the practices that changed things for me — the 30-minute noticing exercise, the "ouch" practice, and how to find the love buried underneath the criticism. These are real, practical tools that can be practiced over and over, like building a muscle. And they work. Come back to this episode each time you need to remember: You are not the voice. You are the one who notices. You are the observer! Let's go there, baby. Let’s talk about THAT 🙏🏽 Share this with your team or a friend. Subscribe to the show, write us a review, or send us some love in the comments! 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

    29 min

  2. APR 14

    How Do You Earn Trust at the Highest Level? | Sean Berry

    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 trustWhat executives are actually like behind closed doorsThe importance of triage and decoding urgencyPreparing for high-stakes meetingsThe delicate balance between growing in your career and keeping your ego in checkWhat Sean is learning now that the adrenaline has slowed downNo 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

    56 min

  3. MAR 31

    What Does It Take to Actually Know Yourself? | Chazzie Grosshandler

    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 televisionWhy being trans is the least interesting thing about herThe pattern of people who start out open-hearted and then harden into outrageGenderCool, its origins, and why representation at the highest levels mattersFaith, intersectionality, and how stepping into yourself brings you closer to something biggerChazzie’s advice for transgender youth and their parentsChazzie’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

    56 min

  4. MAR 16

    Braving Big Tech: One Year Later (Q&A)

    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

    42 min

  5. MAR 3

    On Self-Love, Grief, and Living Whole with Nick Deutsch

    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 hideWhy music reaches places words and logic can'tCarl Jung, the unconscious, and why self-awareness changes everythingThe "disease to please" — and how niceness can become a cageLosing his mother at 26, and what grief taught him about lifeWhat it means to love yourself — not as a cliché, but as a real, daily practiceIf 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

    1h 10m

  6. FEB 17

    Engaging Our Hearts with Qiana Sanders

    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 sayingthe lost art of one-on-oneswhy so many of us walk around with a “representative” instead of our real selvesand what it takes to stop shrinking, stop judging, and start living out loudThe 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

    1h 12m

  7. JAN 27

    Compassion as Your Compass with Michael Pelehach

    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: michael.pelehach@theadventureproject.org 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

    1 hr

  8. 12/02/2025

    Leadership Lessons from Eckhart Tolle

    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 coachWhat can happen if you see your biggest challenge as a portal for growthWhy 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

    32 min
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Trailer

4.8
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

Hi, I’m Julio. After 15 years leading teams at Apple, Google, Tumblr, Airbnb and Lyft — I’m now a coach on a mission to educate, inspire and empower you to unlock your best, most authentic self as a leader. Through conversations, interviews, practical advice, and live coaching, we’ll cover topics like career changes, personal growth, tackling failure, building community, brave leadership, and creating a life you genuinely love. You can expect real talk, laughs, and lots of love as I help you navigate life’s tough questions with a calm head and courageous heart. To learn more or submit a question or topic you’d like to hear covered in the show, visit letsgowithjulio.com/podcast Tune in, buckle up and get ready to bring out your best. Let’s go!

Information

  • Creator
    Julio G. Alvarez
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Julio G. Alvarez
  • Show Website
    LET'S GO WITH JULIO

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