Dear Wholegrain Wisdom Community,
What if your founder journey began at six years old, navigating life from an orphanage in Colombia to scaling startups across continents? That’s the reality for Julio Orr, co-founder of CherryOnTop.ai. In this powerful episode of Founder Bible for Resilience, Julio opens up about how early trauma didn’t break him—it built him.
We discuss the signs of creeping burnout, how founders sabotage themselves by ignoring the body, and the non-negotiable habits Julio now follows to stay mentally sharp and emotionally grounded. Whether you're facing your first failed prototype or your fifth investor rejection, Julio's story reminds us: discomfort isn’t the enemy—it’s the teacher.
Key Highlights from Our Conversation:
Discomfort Is Growth, Not Danger
Julio learned at age five that discomfort could be survivable and even valuable. Being placed in an orphanage taught him resilience early. Instead of fearing discomfort, he saw it as a path to transformation. “Most people avoid discomfort. I learned to lean into it."
Reframing the Worst as Opportunity
Rather than framing life challenges as problems, Julio always asks: where is the opportunity here? This mindset shift has helped him transform fear into fuel and obstacles into invitations for personal evolution. Being adopted at six became a miracle, not a curse.
When Anxiety Hits, the Body Knows First
"Before my mind spirals, my body tells me. Bad food, no workouts, sleep disruption—they’re signals." Julio sees these as early indicators, not failures, and uses them as a prompt to re-center before crisis hits.
Your Company Won’t Grow Beyond You
Julio shares how he learned to pause, rest, and reset even when the business demanded more. "If I break, the company breaks." Founders often think more work is the answer, but real growth requires internal recalibration.
A Founder Is an Athlete With No Team
Unlike Olympians, founders have no built-in support system. Julio now crafts his own: peer chats, daily reflection, non-negotiable movement. It’s a proactive system, not a rescue protocol.
A Nomadic Routine That Anchors Him
Whether in Bogotá or Spain, Julio always starts his day by leaving the house. "Movement gives me momentum." He’s learned that geography changes, but anchoring habits create internal stability.
Building a Personal Playbook
Julio’s most important tool? Self-reflection. He reviews past patterns and prepares pre-emptively for future breakdowns. His playbook isn’t just reactive—it’s strategic mental fitness designed to stay one step ahead of stress.
My Personal Reflections:
I loved how Julio could so candidly share his past stories in this interview. This is once more the unbelievable proof of inner work, cleansing of childhood traumas and fueling these experiences for personal growth. I’m so deeply touched by this story as it’s literally the essence of what resilience means.