Thrive Global x Juli Corlew: Part 2

In May 2019, VP & Managing Partner Juli Corlew had the opportunity to sit down with Yitzi Weiner of Thrive Global, an online publication founded by Ariana Huffington. Here’s part two of that interview.

Juli joined Mainsail in 1999 following a distinguished 16-year career with Marriott which encompassed both operations and finance. She began at the Albuquerque Marriott then continued on through San Francisco, Denver and Tampa, where she was the cluster Controller for multiple Marriott properties. Her international experience as Financial Director took her to Mexico and to South America where she opened the JW Marriott Hotel Quito before returning to the US and Mainsail.

 

Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My father and his siblings came to the United States as immigrants from Malta when they were teenagers. My uncle Paul (my dad’s older brother), thrived in academia and became very successful and highly regarded in his field. I always adored him as he encouraged me to live life to the fullest and have a passion for being kind and hospitable. He was a tremendous mentor to me throughout my life, advising me and encouraging me along the way. We lost him in this world a few years ago, but his memories and counsel will never leave me.

 

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

My husband and I are committed to helping others and our hearts are really with helping women and children — people who are most vulnerable. We both enjoy finding ways to help people be able to help themselves. We are blessed to be able to share what we have with others.

 

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

Never get too big for your britches! I try to stay grounded with my family and my work life. I hope I never feel like I’m above doing menial jobs. I enjoy making breakfast in the office for our corporate team and help make coffee or empty the dishwasher most mornings since I’m in the office early. When I’m on Scrub Island, I enjoy hiking the island, meeting the staff boat in the morning, and welcoming the staff to work or seeing them off at the end of the day. Hanging out in the construction yard or climbing on the construction sites. Those are the things that keep me in touch.

 

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. ?

I’m a big fan of paying it forward — it’s a grassroots effort that brings out the goodness in people. In my perfect “Pollyanna world,” people care for others and help in ways that they can — not because they are told to, but because that is what they are inspired to do. That can apply to workplace, too, inspiring the staff to do good, help each other out, and to be compassionate. It’s contagious!

 

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I truly believe that things happen at the right time and the right way for the right reason. Sometimes it takes years before I can look back and recognize that a difficult situation or disappointment was the best thing that could have happened to me. Life’s stories are so much better than we could have imagined them to be. Trials and tribulations lead to opportunities and growth.

 

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them ?

Condoleeza Rice! She is an amazing woman living in a world of impossible situations and I would love to hear just a few of her stories.

 

Check back in next week to see what advice Juli has to give!