Julia Rock

Introduction and Roots in Brooklyn and Barbados

Taryell Simmons: Welcome ladies and gentlemen to another episode of Rise Urbanation. I have Julia Rock in the building. You get down with Run-D.M.C., right?

Julia Rock: Absolutely. I am from New York, so obviously.

Taryell Simmons: I am from New York as well, born in upstate Rochester, New York, but mostly raised in D.C. What part of New York do you rep?

Julia Rock: I am from Brownsville, Brooklyn. If you do not know where Brownsville is, listen to any Jay-Z or Biggie song.

Taryell Simmons: You all have the greats from there.

Julia Rock: Jay-Z from Marcy, Biggie from Bed-Stuy. We have everybody.

Taryell Simmons: For those who do not know Julia, who is Julia Rock?

Julia Rock: I am a servant of the Lord. I believe my purpose here is to serve Him, and through Him serve others. I am a daughter, the youngest of three, and my family is from the island of Barbados. I grew up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and have hopped around the United States for school and work. At the end of the day, I am someone who loves helping people live better lives.

Taryell Simmons: I love that. For a Barbadian girl, if I am coming over for dinner, what is on the menu?

Julia Rock: Our national fish is flying fish, so we would fry up flying fish, make rice and peas, and prepare cou-cou, which is like mashed potatoes made with cornmeal. For dessert, sweet bread or ice cream. To drink, mauby made from syrup. When we were kids, we would mix mauby syrup with water for a refreshing drink.

Taryell Simmons: That sounds great. I grew up in D.C. experiencing Jamaican, Trinidadian, Grenadian, and Nigerian food, but I have not had the flavor of Barbados yet.

Julia Rock: You now have an invitation. Barbados has good food on lock.

Grounding Principles and Making Tough Decisions

Taryell Simmons: When you are busy developing others and running your business, Rock Career Development, what grounds you when you have to make a tough decision?

Julia Rock: Knowing that it may not be the right decision and being okay with that. Decisions are made to be imperfect because we are not perfect people. If I am making the decision with integrity, thinking it through, and using the best information possible, I am at peace. I also pray a lot for God's guidance. If I try to make decisions on my own strength, I will mess up.

Taryell Simmons: That reminds me of Proverbs: trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Julia Rock: And in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Amen.

The Power of Discernment in Collaboration

Taryell Simmons: What have you learned from past experiences when collaborating with others?

Julia Rock: It is critical to ensure people are in alignment with your direction. When growing a business, there is a temptation to collaborate with everyone to get your name out there. But all money is not good money. You have to vet partners and exercise discernment. When you find people on the same wavelength, you feel the alignment. Discernment helps you identify good versus bad intentions.

Taryell Simmons: Once you get in alignment, things flow much more easily.

Overcoming Weaknesses and Identifying Strengths

Taryell Simmons: As a career and leadership coach, how do you help someone overcome perceived weaknesses to reach their highest potential?

Julia Rock: I guide clients through a SWOT analysis to examine why they perceive something as a weakness, as we are often our own worst critics. If it is a technical hard skill, we look at training, courses, or coaching. If it is a soft skill, we build it like a muscle through practice and unpacking past experiences that may have created hurdles.

Taryell Simmons: What is one goal you want to accomplish, and what obstacle must you overcome?

Julia Rock: I want to expand the speaking side of my business to impact large audiences. The obstacle is self-promotion. I tell my clients that it is not bragging if it is facts, but I sometimes struggle with my natural inclination toward humility and fear of saying too much.

Taryell Simmons: It is often hardest to take the advice we give to others. Thank you for that vulnerability.

Julia Rock: It is important for entrepreneurs to share the messiness behind the process so others know they do not have to be perfect to start.

The Dangers of Playing It Safe and Seeking Support

Taryell Simmons: What is the disadvantage of playing it safe?

Julia Rock: You rob the world of what you are meant to share. Playing it safe keeps you from taking the necessary risks to reach your full potential. Growth happens outside of your comfort zone.

Taryell Simmons: Who does a coach go to when they need motivation and support?

Julia Rock: Every coach needs a coach. In my day job, I have mentors and sponsors; in my business, I have a coach. Coaches need someone to provide reassurance, guidance, or a push when their tank is empty.

Learning Styles and Assessing Strengths

Taryell Simmons: What is your favorite way to learn and why?

Julia Rock: I am a visual learner. I absorb information best when ideas are drawn out on whiteboards, screens, or books, which allows me to visualize concepts clearly.

Taryell Simmons: If someone does not know their personal strengths, what steps can they take?

Julia Rock: Conduct an external audit. Look at what colleagues, friends, and family consistently approach you for. If people always ask you to break down complex issues into actionable steps, your strength is problem-solving.

Career Coaching Origins and Athlete Transitions

Taryell Simmons: How did you get started with Rock Career Development?

Julia Rock: I learned career skills at my university career center and helped friends and family with resumes and interviews for free. After coaching a friend to his first six-figure salary, he encouraged me to turn my expertise into a business.

Taryell Simmons: Why do you focus on career transitions for athletes?

Julia Rock: After helping a former client's brother transition out of sports, I realized athletes face a significant gap when leaving athletics. They possess strong discipline and drive, but they often lack resume writing, interviewing, and job search experience.

Transferable Skills and Personal Branding

Taryell Simmons: How do you help athletes translate their athletic experience into corporate careers?

Julia Rock: Athletes already possess crucial soft skills like leadership, teamwork, strategy, and resilience. While companies can teach technical skills, soft skills are harder to develop. We help them define what they want to be known for and craft a clear narrative around their transferable strengths.

Taryell Simmons: What mistakes have you made in business that you are still learning from?

Julia Rock: First, conducting thorough due diligence before entering business partnerships rather than relying solely on good intentions. Second, attempting to do everything myself without delegating, which led to burnout before I hired support.

Taryell Simmons: What is the difference between confidence and cockiness?

Julia Rock: Confidence is knowing who you are and being secure in your value. Cockiness is using that confidence intentionally to make others feel uncomfortable.

Career Pathways, Industry Trends, and Emerging Opportunities

Taryell Simmons: What was your first job after college?

Julia Rock: I was a business process technician at JPMorgan Chase in Wilmington, Delaware, earning $46,000 designing direct mail credit card offers.

Taryell Simmons: What advice do you have for aspiring career coaches and professionals?

Julia Rock: Prove your concept by doing the work first, seek mentorship from others, and study industry trends. For example, trade careers in plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, and welding are experiencing massive demand and high compensation due to infrastructure needs.

Taryell Simmons: What does the future look like for career advancement for professionals of color?

Julia Rock: The future is bright. More professionals are demanding equity, breaking barriers, and creating new opportunities. We also need to guide students early in high school and college toward viable career pathways.

Milestones, Current Projects, and Closing Wisdom

Taryell Simmons: What career milestones are you most proud of?

Julia Rock: Securing my first four-figure coaching client and being featured in Fortune magazine, fulfilling a long-standing personal goal.

Taryell Simmons: What projects are you working on, and where can listeners find you?

Julia Rock: I co-authored the book The Six Figure Athlete and am releasing Athlete to Entrepreneur. I also run the Ball to Boardroom 60-day athlete transition program and deliver university workshops. Listeners can connect with me on social media @thejuliarock and @rockcareer.

Taryell Simmons: Any final words of wisdom?

Julia Rock: Do not dim your light. Whatever fear or imposter syndrome you experience, let your light shine.