Julie Harrish left oil and gas, opened a spin studio, lost it during COVID, went back to the industry, and now leads global sales — all while proving that resilience is a skill you build, not a trait you’re born with.

Today we’re talking about risk, resilience, reinvention, and what happens when your worst-case scenario actually comes true… and you survive it.

Julie Harrish has done just about everything:

• Worked wireline in the Alberta oil fields
• Managed crews offshore in Angola
• Became the only woman on site — repeatedly
• Quit the industry to open a fitness business
• Lost that business during COVID
• Came back stronger and rebuilt her career

And through all of it, she followed one simple rule:

Say yes. Then figure it out.

👩‍🔧 Meet Julie

Julie Harrish is a petroleum engineering technologist and technical sales leader whose career has spanned continents, industries, and some seriously uncomfortable situations.

She started her career in the oil fields of Alberta as a wireline engineer — often the only woman on site — before moving offshore to Angola, where she led crews in high-pressure environments miles from help.

Then she did something most people only talk about.

She walked away from the industry.

Julie sold everything, moved to Toronto, and co-founded a spin studio that later expanded into a yoga business. It ran successfully for five years — until COVID shut it down.

So she pivoted again.

Today, Julie is a Regional Sales Manager in Houston, helping expand reservoir diagnostics and geochemistry services into global markets — and teaching yoga on the side.

Her career is proof that you can start over.
More than once.
And still win.

🔥 What We Talk About

In this episode, we dive into what it really looks like to build confidence in male-dominated industries, especially when you’re the only woman in the room — or on the rig. Julie shares how she learned to speak up, prove herself, and lead in environments where the rules often felt different for her than for her male counterparts. We talk about taking risks before you feel ready, pivoting careers during uncertain times, starting and losing a business, and rebuilding confidence after failure. Julie also reflects on leadership lessons from working offshore in Angola, the resilience that comes from navigating tough environments, and how learning to sit with discomfort — rather than avoid it — can change the trajectory of your career and your life.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Female Dominated Podcast

01:10
Julie Harrish: A Journey Through Male-Dominated Industries

04:36
Pivoting Careers: From Oil and Gas to Entrepreneurship

08:53
Resilience and Adaptability in Challenging Environments

12:56
Navigating Gender Dynamics in the Workplace

16:55
Building Confidence and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

20:35
Asking Questions and Embracing Knowledge Gaps

21:03
Experiences in Angola: Lessons Learned

25:12
The Importance of Risk-Taking

28:28
Navigating Career Pivots

31:07
Yoga and Mindfulness: Finding Balance

34:51
Manifestation and Visualization Techniques

39:05
Embracing Opportunities and Overcoming Fear

Don't forget to head on over to Instagram and follow @Fe_maledominated to join the community.

You can also follow Hannah @stemwithhannah
and Tara @simplysortedstem