What does a career look like when it doesn’t follow a straight line—but every chapter adds up to something remarkable?
In this episode, I sit down with Julia Burton, a dynamic and resilient leader who has reinvented herself time and again across hospitality, finance, corporate events, and now higher education. From her earliest job selling hot dogs and waiting tables at the Four Seasons to managing multi-million dollar partnerships at UC Irvine, Julia’s story is proof that grit, humility, and a people-first mindset can open doors in unexpected ways.
Her career journey includes working at The Four Seasons, (an unexpected stop at) Rubio’s, Mattel’s American Girl, Bank of America, Schools First, and beyond. But what’s most striking isn’t just where she’s been—it’s how she’s led with empathy, stayed adaptable through crisis after crisis, continued to learn and evolve, and found meaningful work in every role.
Whether you're early in your career, navigating a pivot, or mentoring others, this episode is filled with life-tested wisdom.
💬 What We Talk About:

Pivoting when life throws you curve balls (and doing it with grace)
Learning business development through rejection, resilience, and relationship-building
Why being strategic and humble matters—especially during career setbacks
The surprising lessons she learned from her earliest jobs
The importance of internal networking in large organizations
Why she tells her team: “I don’t want to work with you for more than 2 years.”

✨ Key Takeaways & Julia-isms:

“Rejection isn’t no. It’s just not right now.”
“Every job is a customer service job if you’re doing it right.”
“Sometimes you’ve got to trade Rodeo Drive suits for khakis and a visor—and own it.”
“If you're not learning, you're not growing. Keep stacking skills.”
“Help your team grow beyond you—your job as a leader is to get them ready for what’s next.”
“Even if you don’t love the job, come in with positivity. It affects the whole team.”

🔎 Listen to this if you are:

A career explorer navigating pivots or crisis moments
A manager wondering how to develop and empower your team
A student or early-career pro unsure how your current job relates to your dream one
Someone looking to build a meaningful career through people, service, and purpose
A job-seeker curious about how to talk about transferable skills

💼 More career stories at theunderswell.com
Music by Lidérc.
Connect with Julia on LinkedIn and learn more about the UC Irvine Alumni Association here.

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