Episode 201: After over 25 successful years in the beauty business, there’s no denying that Korres skincare has withstood the test of time. From a small pharmacy in Greece to the shelves of Sephora and beyond, the evolution of this established brand is worth talking about, and today, Natalie has the privilege of doing just that when she sits down with their founder, Lena Korres. The two dive into the controversial topic of "clean beauty," the personal nature of skincare, how Korres stands out fr...
Feb 20, 2023•45 min•Ep. 201
Episode 200: It is no secret that being in your 20s is a wild ride, with so much unknown and no clear roadmap of what’s to come next. After a long-awaited trip back to Honduras to visit family, Nat’s feeling sentimental about this decade thus far and reflecting on all she’s learned in her 26 years. On this episode, it’s just Nat and the microphone, as she shares everything she wishes she would’ve known before entering this phase of her life including all the things nobody tells you but you inevi...
Feb 13, 2023•34 min•Ep. 200
Episode 199: If you typically find yourself shopping at any of the major grocery stores like Whole Foods, Publix, Walmart, or Costco (just to name a few), it's highly likely that you're already very familiar with Kevin’s Natural Foods. After almost a decade of business, there’s no denying the name they’ve made for themselves and the reliable reputation they’ve cultivated... and on today’s episode, Natalie has the honor of connecting with Kevin himself! As a co-founder and COO, Kevin McCray has d...
Feb 06, 2023•47 min•Ep. 199
Episode 198: Natalie is no stranger to the world of content creation. With nearly a decade under her belt as a social media personality, she’s experienced the natural ebbs and flows of the business. From the phases of rapid growth to more slow and steady progression, she’s seen and experienced it all. In this episode, after a year of feeling slightly removed from her online presence, Nat’s candidly sharing where she truly stands with social media, the goals she has for this year, and her detaile...
Jan 30, 2023•35 min•Ep. 198
Episode 197: Are you curious about gut health but have no idea where to start? If the answer is yes, you’ve come to the right place. This week, Natalie is interviewing Supergut founder and CEO, Marc Washington, to discuss what the recent hype about the gut microbiome is really all about in a way that’s digestible (no pun intended) and easy to understand. Marc gets candid about the personal tragedy that led him to create Supergut, the importance of finding your "north star" as an entrepreneur, hi...
Jan 23, 2023•53 min•Ep. 197
Episode 196: New Year, new goals? Let’s get into it. Nat’s shaking things up this week with a fitting and timely live recording of Rella’s most recent webinar to discuss all things goal setting alongside a robust panel of ladies! In this special episode, she’s joined by TikTok star and podcast host Sarah Baus, Busy Blooming founder Tess Barclay, and Rella’s very own Head of Product, Natacha Bomparte. The ladies get candid about goal setting, the struggle of maintaining goals, tips to hold themse...
Jan 16, 2023•55 min•Ep. 196
Episode 195: As the Head of Product and Community at Rella, there’s no denying that today’s guest is an integral part of Natalie’s everyday life. On this episode, Natalie is joined by her right-hand gal, Natacha Bomparte, to touch base after the holidays and start the year off on a productive note. After spending more time together than they do with most people in their lives, it is no surprise that their working relationship has evolved into a beautiful friendship that has further transitioned ...
Jan 09, 2023•43 min•Ep. 195
Episode 194: Hello 2023! There’s no denying that it’s been a whirlwind year for Natalie. With plenty of growth, unexpected change, success, and tons of learning, Nat is kicking off the New Year in a real (reel) way with a special solo episode to reflect on 2022, sharing some of her personal and professional intentions for the year ahead. Tune in as she dives into a detailed recap of the past year's highs and lows, from the break-up to officially launching Rella to the incredible friendships she'...
Jan 02, 2023•34 min•Ep. 194
Episode 193: From the snowy streets of Salt Lake City to the bright lights of Hollywood and back, today’s guest has one heck of a story to tell. Natalie has the honor of speaking with Lindsay Arnold, a So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars alum, to learn about her journey as a professional dancer turned mom, influencer, fitness instructor, and business owner. Lindsay’s sharing how her passion for movement landed her the career of her dreams, her first-hand experience on reality T...
Dec 26, 2022•49 min•Ep. 193
Episode 192: What if you could turn your biggest insecurity into your greatest strength? On today’s episode, Natalie has the pleasure of connecting with SUPERDRIP founder and CEO, Brett Mirman to find out how she did just that. After struggling her whole life with a chronic skin condition called hyperhidrosis, Brett ultimately found a way to channel her frustration into the product and community of her dreams. The two leave no stone unturned as they dive into the complexities of running your own...
Dec 19, 2022•52 min•Ep. 192
Episode 191: Nat is back on the mic this week for a short but very sweet solo episode. In the midst of her recovery from Art Basal, she’s sitting down to spill the tea on her experiences this year and diving deep into everything 2022 has taught her. From trusting the timing of your life to valuing friendship through each season to listening to your body and finding peace, this was definitely the year of realizing things for Nat (IYKYK), and she’s not holding back as she spreads the wisdom. She a...
Dec 12, 2022•31 min•Ep. 191
Episode 190: Have you ever dreamed of working directly with the people you’ve always looked up to? What about working in an industry you have been passionate about from a young age? Well, today’s guest most definitely has and is here to share how exactly she made those dreams a reality. This week, Natalie is connecting with Crowd Surf co-founder, Cassie Petrey. From a certified Backstreet Boys fangirl to a leading social media and artist management powerhouse, she is living proof that you can tr...
Dec 05, 2022•49 min•Ep. 190
Episode 189: Natalie has a million reasons to be over the moon this week, and is here to spill all the deets on her very own app’s latest achievement. After over 200 "no's", Rella has officially landed a sizeable "yes." NBD. It’s definitely been a journey, one that Nat knows is just getting started, but she is ready to share what she’s learned on the road so far and everything that comes along with the #startup life. From Rella’s origin story to the development process, fundraising advice, mista...
Nov 28, 2022•55 min•Ep. 189
Episode 188: What do your financial health and overall health have in common? It’s a question we don’t often ask ourselves, or generally even consider for that matter. This week, tune in as Natalie seeks some answers with fintech and social entrepreneur, Maia Monell, whose goal is to build a world where everyone has access to financial capability. Maia is sharing some of the wisdom she’s learned from her career in fintech thus far, including the parallels of money and health, her lived experienc...
Nov 21, 2022•51 min•Ep. 188
Episode 187: They say if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Unfortunately, this isn’t the reality for many. More often than not, we stay in careers we hate and end up following the path that we feel we should be on as opposed to the one we actually want to be on. This week, Natalie welcomes intuitive business coach and feminine energy healer Jocelyn Kelly Reid. From a deep hole of debt to a flourishing career, Jocelyn’s story is one to take note of. She shares the life-c...
Nov 14, 2022•51 min•Ep. 187
Episode 186: Do you ever take a moment to reflect back on your life and all the puzzle pieces that fell perfectly into place, leading you to exactly where you belong? This week, Natalie is sitting down with her dear friend and first-ever podcast guest, Ali Velas, to take a trip down memory lane and do just that. Ali updates us on her career path and the positive shifts in her life since the pandemic. The two swap notes on middle school trauma, body hair, and the desperate need for entrepreneuria...
Nov 07, 2022•40 min•Ep. 186
Episode 185: From aspiring tennis pro to world-renowned technologist for Apple and Google, today’s guest has Nat fangirling. On this episode, the founder of Yohana, Yoky Matsuoka, graces the pod and shares her fruitful journey of becoming a leading female in the tech world. She shines a light on the importance of following your personal mission and how having the confidence to fail could lead you to something even greater than you could have ever imagined. If you’re an aspiring female technologi...
Oct 31, 2022•57 min•Ep. 185
Episode 184: Natalie is back on the mic this week for a beloved solo episode and is ready to get real (reel) about navigating life and loneliness. She unpacks why she’s been distant on social media, as well as her latest love affair with a binge-worthy series and how it inspired her to record this episode. She takes us on a friendship journey all the way back to her kindergarten days and opens up about her own struggles with maintaining and building relationships in her 20's. This episode is a r...
Oct 24, 2022•36 min•Ep. 184
Episode 183: Are you ready to enter the mind of a serial entrepreneur? This week, Natalie sits down with MediaKits co-founder, Kieran O’Brien, to pick his brain and take notes on all he’s learned through his entrepreneurial journey thus far. As the founder of five businesses (and counting) before the age of 23, Kieran has all kinds of wisdom, insights, and tools to share, and on today’s episode, he doesn’t gate keep any of it. So, tune in, whip out your note pad, and gear up for invaluable tips ...
Oct 17, 2022•59 min•Ep. 183
Episode 182: Natalie is shaking things up with a fresh new series! Once a month, Nat will be sitting down with one of her best friends for a catch-up because, well, sometimes two really is better than one. DM @nataliebarbu your favorite title of the following options: Reel Talk, Reel Hangs, Reel Friends, or Nat & Co.- Excited to hear your thoughts! For the inaugural episode, Natalie’s kicking things off with her long-time friend since college, Giuli, for some quintessential girl talk. The dy...
Oct 10, 2022•55 min•Ep. 182
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 L...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 181
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 optimis...
Sep 26, 2022•53 min•Ep. 180
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...
Sep 19, 2022•42 min•Ep. 179
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 simil...
Sep 12, 2022•54 min•Ep. 178
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 imp...
Sep 03, 2022•35 min•Ep. 177
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 ...
Aug 29, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 176
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...
Aug 22, 2022•48 min•Ep. 175
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 abou...
Aug 15, 2022•58 min•Ep. 174
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 ma...
Aug 08, 2022•55 min•Ep. 173
TW: Suicide, drug overdose Episode 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 prev...
Aug 01, 2022•53 min•Ep. 172
