The Real Reel

Episode 181: Are you ready to find your purpose in life? Do you have a passion you’ve been itching to turn into a business but just can’t seem to take the leap? No matter where you are in life, this episode has something for you. Tune in for the ultimate power hour as Natalie sits down with esteemed song writer, life coach, and hit podcast host, Cathy Heller. From a broken childhood and barely getting by, to making 6 figures and landing her songs on hit TV series like Grey’s Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars, Cathy shares about her journey finding success through the most difficult seasons of her life. This episode is guaranteed to leave you feeling inspired and might just help you find the confidence to take a chance, because let’s face it, not going for it would be boring.     Today’s episode dives into:  The importance of finding beauty in being uncomfortable  How her pain and struggle led her to discover her life's ultimate purpose   The reasons why people are afraid to start their own businesses and how to face those fears head on  How our egos encourage us to stay boring  Why we are addicted to feeling like crap    Tips and tricks for feeling good  Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow Cathy @cathy.heller and check out her podcast & book at www.cathyheller.com    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 180: Born in Cuba, raised in New York, and now based in Miami, today’s guest is an absolute powerhouse and visionary in the fashion industry. This week, Natalie welcomes the founder and designer of luxury lifestyle brand Peace Love World, Alina Villasante. Alina embodies the American dream and shares her experience pivoting from an aviation business into fashion. Natalie and Alina discuss everything from business strategies to finding yourself to facing your fears to leading with optimism. Talk about an inspirational interview!  Today’s episode dives into:     How Alina got her clothing line into the hands of some of the biggest celebrities including Pharell, Oprah, and the Kardashians  How to network effectively and build authentic business relationships     What the first year was truly like, the challenges she faced, and the evolution of the brand    What to look for in a strategic business partnership     The importance of focusing on joy, passion, and gifts   Alina’s vision for the future of Peace Love World   Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow Alina @peacelovealina and Peace Love World @peaceloveworld.   Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: SHOPIFY – Go to shopify.com/realreel to start your FREE trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 179: Natalie is back on the mic solo this week to catch up on her trip to New York last week, and of course, she has a flight story for you all. She shares the real reel behind her posts at NY Fashion Week and why she just wasn’t feeling it this year—maybe it had something to do with the influencer Olympics she witnessed... She also has a bone to pick with New York elevators, subways, and Ubers. Thankfully, she had some great opportunities to network and even got to meet one of her idols. Tune in to learn who!  Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.   Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: SHOPIFY – Go to shopify.com/realreel to start your FREE trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 178: You are all Natalie’s therapist this week as she opens up about her recent break up with Kian and enters a new season of singleness. This is a super vulnerable episode where Natalie shares how heartbreak is manifesting in herself and which healing strategies have helped her most. She also talks about her dating history, the lessons she’s learned from previous relationships, and what not to do after a break up. We hope sharing her journey can help others going through something similar and we ask that you respect both Natalie and Kian by giving them space to heal. Tissues highly recommended for today’s episode.  Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.   Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Check out these deals just for you: SHOPIFY – Go to shopify.com/realreel to start your FREE trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 177: We know how much you all love episodes about money, so we are grabbing an oldie but a goodie from the vault to refresh your financial memory. Natalie is joined by financial expert and NYT Bestselling Author Rachel Cruze to discuss common money mistakes, what your relationship with money says about you, and the importance of saving and budgeting. Tune in to learn how to create freedom through budgeting and why money is neither good nor bad.   Today’s episode dives into:   Why it’s so important to budget and how to create a realistic budget for yourself   How to begin saving and how much you should be saving no matter your income   The biggest money mistake people make    How much you need to in an emergency fund and why you need one   How to overcome a difficult relationship with money     Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow Rachel @rachelcruze and find her books at rachelcruze.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 176: If you’ve been following The Real Reel for a while, you know that Natalie has been on quite the journey with her skin. We are in for a real treat as Natalie welcomes skincare experts Danielle Gronich (owner of the acclaimed San Diego Acne Clinic) and Kayleigh Christina (Holistic Nutritionist) to the podcast. After bonding over a mutual passion for holistic skin health and whole-body wellness, Danielle and Kayleigh decided to partner in 2017 to create CLEARSTEM Skincare. These three skincare junkies share tips and tricks for clear skin and bust common acne myths so you can wake up with clearer, brighter skin.   Today’s episode dives into:   The biggest mistakes people make when trying to treat acne  Which ingredients and supplements cause hormonal acne  Ways to take care of your gut health and digestion in order to improve your skin  The reasons birth control causes acne flare-ups and supplements to support your hormones  Top foods to help heal your skin and dietary recommendations for clear skin  Which common skincare ingredients are a must and which are a bust   Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow CLEARSTEM @clearstemskincare. Follow Danielle @danielle.the.acne.guru and Kayleigh @kayleigh.christina.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 175: With the highs, comes the lows, and as founder and CEO of Lokai, Steven Izen says, “Stay humble when you’re on top of the world and hopeful when you hit a low.” This week, Natalie is joined by Steven to discuss the importance of finding your balance and how the shift in mindset from founder to CEO made balance possible for him.   Today’s episode dives into:   What Steven's initial expectations and vision were starting Lokai  How his view of success has changed since starting the business   The differences between starting your first business and your second  The difference between a CEO and a founder   His take on the future of startups and why he invests in startups  What he looks for when investing in startups and founders   Thanks to Steven for setting up a very special deal for Real Reel listeners. Use code "Podcast15" for 15 percent off on any purchases made through lokai.com or elementsdrinks.io.  Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow Steven @stevenizen. Check out Lokai at lokai.com and Elements at elementsofbalance.io.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 174: Curious about NFTs, Web3, crypto, and blockchain? This week, Natalie welcomes the co-founder of Alpha’a and Alphaa.io Manuela Seve, to break down blockchain basics. Manuela is a trailblazer in the tech space and is rethinking ownership via blockchain certification, licensing, and dropshipping. Natalie and Manuela discuss the misconceptions and benefits of NFTs and what the future looks like as blockchain becomes more integrated into everyday life. If you’re scratching your head about these terms and wondering, "what the heck even is an NFT?!", don’t worry, Natalie asks all the questions you’re likely thinking.  Today’s episode dives into:   How NFTs work and how to create your own  Ways to spot an NFT scam  The meaning of Web3 and what it can do for creators   How to get started and succeed in the NFT space   Advice for women wanting to get into the NFT and Web3 space    Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow Manuela @manuseve and Alphaa.io @alphaaio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 173: This week, Natalie had the absolute pleasure of speaking with the creative genius and co-founder of Arrae, Siff Haider. Siff is incredibly passionate about the wellness industry, and after struggling with numerous health issues, she turned to natural remedies as a last resort. Her immune system took a turn for the best, and it sparked the idea of her company, Arrae. Natalie and Siff talk about the challenges Siff faced launching a natural supplement brand and how health struggles many women face can be solved naturally (and with cute packaging too!). If you’ve grown up taking tums and Tylenol (like most millennials), and are looking for alternative holistic options, this is the episode for you!     Today’s episode dives into:   The first steps Siff took to launch her product line  The importance of finding and trusting experts in whatever field you are launching in   What her hero products are and how the company has evolved  Which supplements are important to take and why  Daily tips to combat stress levels    Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.  Follow Siff @siffhaider and visit Arrae at arrae.com. Make sure to check out  The Dream Bigger Podcast.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TW: Suicide, drug overdoseEpisode 172: This week, Natalie is joined on the mic by mental health and self-care advocate Tay Lautner to discuss the importance of prioritizing your well-being. Tay shares the challenges she faced as a Covid nurse, the symptoms she experienced that set alarm bells ringing, and what led her to share her story online. Tay and Natalie discuss their personal experience with therapy and how you don’t have to be at a low point to talk to someone. They also talk about preventative steps you can take to care for your mental health and how self-care is never selfish. Tune in for a relatable, compassionate conversation that will hopefully serve as a reminder that you are not alone in your healing journey.  Today’s episode dives into:   Tay’s backstory and why she became a mental health advocate   How to show up for a partner when they are struggling with their mental health   How Tay and her fiancé Taylor work through disagreements  Tay’s self-care practice and her favorite products to unwind with   Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow Tay @taydome and Lemons by tay @lemonsbytay Check out her website at lemonsbytay.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices