On Fridays, this millionaire meets people who seek career advice: 'Even random people on LinkedIn'

Self-made millionaire Joey Gonzalez is the executive chairman of Barry’s, an American fitness studio chain from Los Angeles. (Image credit: Joey Gonzalez/Instagram)

A packed executive schedule hasn’t stopped this self‑made millionaire from doing one thing consistently: giving Fridays over to career conversations with strangers. From MBA students and fitness trainers to “random people on LinkedIn,” Joey Gonzalez told Fortune that he deliberately carves out time for strangers because some of the most consequential professional relationships of his career began as unsolicited messages. It's also the way he found his successor.

Gonzalez is the executive chairman of Barry’s, an American fitness studio chain from Los Angeles. He said that he reads every unsolicited message he receives and makes time to respond. “I used to dedicate, and I still do, most of my day on Friday, to anybody who wants to have a conversation around careers, even random people on LinkedIn, who reach out to me,” Gonzalez told the publication. “I would set aside the day to help meet with an MBA student who has questions about my career and how I got here. Or a trainer who’s working somewhere who wants to open up their own place.”

The range of requests is broad: students seeking guidance on business school choices, early‑career professionals looking to grow within a company, and fitness trainers hoping to one day open their own studio.

Cold outreach as a career tool

Gonzalez argues that seeking advice is not an act of desperation but a strategic signal of ambition. Even for professionals not planning an immediate job switch, he believes building relationships inside and outside the workplace can influence promotion decisions and long‑term growth.

His advice is practical rather than lofty. “Take a look around and notice, what are the qualities of the people around you who are growing with the company? What do you see? Ask them: Can I have a coffee?” he suggested.

Why bosses don’t mind the ask

Contrary to fears about appearing intrusive, Gonzalez insists that cold outreach is rarely received negatively. Managers, he told Fortune, generally want to help younger colleagues learn and advance, and they see confident requests for guidance as a positive indicator.

“People are generally really good, and want to help, and you have so much to learn, especially from other individuals who are in your same company," Gonzalez said. "And they’ll appreciate you having that kind of ambition and dialogue.”