Start-ups are by nature the most dynamic types of business and embrace cultural and societal changes faster than the establishment. DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) is the catalyst of such changes and the cornerstone of Julia Stewart's entrepreneurial venture, the wellness brand, Alurx.
During her forty years in the hospitality industry, she encountered many roadblocks when driving meaningful change. Ultimately, she realized that creating her own business embedded in DEI and adding "wellness for all" to her company's mission were the only way to ensure transformational change. As a female founder, Julia Stewart chose DEI as the fundamental principle and collective mission for her business, and added another essential component, Wellness. At Alurx, it means working with other female founders, partnering with minority businesses and creating opportunities for everyone who joins Alurx. Each team member's development and engagement in the brand is vital. Alurx's mission is to create proactive wellness plans, vetted by its medical council, and to help everyone who ultimately engages with the brand, to live healthier and longer lives. She insists that, "DEI&W is not a slogan—it is a mindset. We breathe it, live it, and work at it together, every day."
She also calls on the healthcare industry to rethink their DEI approach, focus on wellness for team members and customers alike, and to address structural inequalities head on. She explains that committing to DEI&W should go well beyond implementing new HR policies to the standardized list of corporate do's and don'ts with the aim of improving team members' retention and appealing to ethically conscious consumers. DEI&W is about "walking the walk" and working together with other local and national companies to drive change faster.
Julia Stewart and her team are building an all-in-one wellness hub and will launch the Alurx App in early 2023. This powerful new tool will guide people on their personalized wellness journey across all major need states, such as sleep health, skin health and mental health, with the support of the Alurx Medical & Expert Council.