Rapid Response: Leading with your gut, w/Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky

Mental Health

Julie Smolyansky emphasizes the importance of mental health and self-care, especially during challenging times. She shares that maintaining a balance between work and personal life is crucial, and she has implemented various tools at Lifeway Foods to support this 1. Julie believes that women excel in crisis situations and advocates for more women in leadership roles.

It's really important that we help women lead and push them into those positions. I think it's going to be really easy for diversity to kind of fall off the table.

--- Julie Smolyansky

Julie also reflects on her personal experiences, including the loss of her father, to highlight the resilience and adaptability required to navigate crises. She stresses the importance of self-belief and adapting business models based on changing consumer behaviors 2.

   

Self-Care Programs

Julie has initiated several programs at Lifeway Foods to promote self-care among employees. She produced a TV commercial to thank essential workers, highlighting their bravery and dedication during the crisis 3. Julie also created a public service announcement to honor female workers, emphasizing the need to recognize their contributions.

These are really underappreciated people who are doing heroic work, and I think they need all of the encouragement that they can get.

--- Julie Smolyansky

Julie believes that acknowledging and supporting essential workers is vital, especially during challenging times, and aims to inspire others through these initiatives 3.