The Real Reel

Episode 271: This week’s solo episode is all about transformation. Nat’s been thinking a lot about that lately as she looks back on how much she’s changed over the course of her twenties and what she wants for the future. For one, she’s no longer a ‘relationship girl’, and that feels good! In fact, it’s allowed her to focus on her career and set more time aside for her personal growth, which she is super proud of. She knows that the right person is out there for her, so for now she’s not rushing it, but she also sometimes can’t help but feel those societal pressures to get married and start a family. She’s been feeling both confident and insecure about her future at the same time, a tough position for anyone to find themselves in. But thankfully, her faith has been a huge source of comfort for her, and she’s come to the realization that letting go of what you can’t control may actually be the best way to brush off the anxieties she’s been feeling lately about work, life, and relationships. It’s sage advice for anyone who’s been feeling weighed down lately and needs a perspective shift as Nat approaches it with a combination of self-love and personal reflection—two things we can probably all agree we need more of!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.This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:EarnIn - Download EarnIn today in the Google play or Apple app store. When you download the EarnIn app type in Real Reel under PODCAST when you sign up – it’ll really help the show. OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 270: Moving to a new city has its challenges, especially if that city is New York! But a new perspective is exactly what Nat’s guest this week, Crystal Tan, needed. Having recently gone through a breakup, Crystal came to NYC from the San Francisco Bay area in search of inspiration as a content creator and also for work as a data analyst at TikTok. Despite outside noise telling her she had to choose one thing or another, Crystal talks about how having two very different interests has been so beneficial for her personally and how one really compliments the other. Nat and Crystal talk about everything, from the pressure of putting out consistent content to the trap of perfectionism to the therapy that comes with doing the things you love. This week’s episode is all about the importance of embracing new opportunities and letting your individuality shine!Find Crystal on Instagram and TikTok at @itscrystaltanThank 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.This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:EarnIn - Download EarnIn today in the Google play or Apple app store. When you download the EarnIn app type in Real Reel under PODCAST when you sign up – it’ll really help the show. OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 269: Let’s get meta and talk social platforms! This week, Nat talks to fellow founder Lillie Sun, whose beta social platform is aiming to shake up the way we share info about ourselves through the sharing of lists. Lillie has always been a ‘list person’ and she talks about how she was always using her notes app to share her lists with friends, and it just wasn’t efficient. Enter her solution: Breezi. Breezi is a social platform that connects people through sharing, liking, and commenting on lists of their favorite songs, foods, first date ideas, cute dog names, etc. The possibilities are endless! Lillie also talks about her journey from Starbucks barista to hustling entrepreneur and, along the way, offers some valuable insights into what’s helped her get to where she is and why she thinks that social media is ripe for a revolution!Find out more about Breezi at getbreezi.com and follow Lillie on socials @lilliesun or her website lilliesun.comThank 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.This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 268: This week, Nat's sitting down with her little sister Chloe for all the tea on what it’s really like to be an NFL girlfriend in the Taylor and Travis era. The sister duo kicks off the episode with insight into their evolving relationship and dynamic as sisters. They also dive into some high school reminiscing, childhood memories, traumatic nicknames, and other shared experiences from growing up in the Barbu household. Chloe then dispels myths, discusses sacrifices, and shares insights into the financial benefits and other perks that come along with the NFL lifestyle. Get ready for all the laughs, a heartwarming sisterly convo, and a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the NFL world.  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 Chloe @chloe_barbu   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 267: Nat's back from Europe and has so much to share! In this solo episode, she takes us through her family's recent adventures overseas, spanning four major cities across four countries in just 10 days. From attending Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Stockholm to tracing her roots in her dad's hometown in Romania, Nat's diving into all the deets from her travels. She shares insights into her family history, uncovering stories of her parents' lives outside the U.S. and reflecting on how this trip has shifted her perspective on life, culture, and language and so much more.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.This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 266: Founders, get ready! This week, Nat sits down with LvlUp Ventures partners Aaron Golbin and Jacob Ringel, two venture capitalists with truly unique and inspiring journeys as entrepreneurs. While Nat offers some savvy comparisons to the content creation space, Aron and Jacob dish the details on what key things they look for in new tech start-ups to join their accelerator program called ‘NextUp by LvlUp’. They also talk openly about their journey to this point (Aaron started his first company at 8 years old!) and how being a start-up founder may actually be the very best way to make you into the best version of yourself. Aaron and Jacob highlight what key personality traits a great founder needs, like determination, resiliency, and remaining humble, which are big reasons for their success (and having great ideas helps too!). You won’t want to miss this masterclass in entrepreneurship from two of the best in the business!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. You can follow LvlUp on Instagram @lvlupvcThis show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 265: This week, Nat welcomes her friend Marley Miller to the pod! Married to NBA player Dru Smith of the Miami Heat, Marley's getting candid about what life is really like as a couple in the busy and competitive world of professional sports. Whether it’s the uncertainty of moving on short notice or navigating an injury, Marley offers honest insights into the ups and downs of this unique career path and shares that the greatest strength of their relationship is being adaptive and embracing change. If you’ve ever wondered what life is like for the partner of an elite athlete, you won’t want to miss this episode!  Follow Marley on Instagram!  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.    This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:   OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 264: Ever feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending comparison trap? It’s always true that the busier your career gets, the bigger the pressure gets, but Nat is here to share 5 helpful tips to keep things in perspective. Whether it’s embracing imperfection, acknowledging a tough week or just being kind to yourself, Nat shares how to stay resilient during the busy times and reminds us that the struggle is just part of the bigger journey. 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:   OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 263: Are you ready to level up your productivity? In previous episodes, Nat has touched on her motivations, her business goals, and where she wants to be, and now she’s diving into how she makes it happen! Nat discusses her 10-step approach and how she’s customized helpful tips from several different inspiring people’s routines, including Amanda Goetz and Grace Beverley. Whether it’s emphasizing the importance of prioritizing tasks that truly move the needle forward, simplifying your daily decisions, or blocking off time for yourself to focus on something important, Nat shares lots of relatable examples from her own successful routine. If you’re looking for some great strategies to boost your productivity while maintaining a healthy work-life balance, this episode is for you!  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:   OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 262: This episode is for the Swifties! Tune in as Natalie discusses how Taylor Swift's new album "The Tortured Poets Department" has inspired her to reflect on the aftermath of her four-year relationship and the painful reality of situationships, which can honestly sting more than actual relationships. Nat opens up about her journey of emotional healing offering advice on moving forward and staying positive while you process, highlighting the importance of feeling your emotions and tips for staying busy. Whether you're going through a break up, are navigating a situationship or have experienced all of the above, this episode is packed with insights and relatability.  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:   OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices