Episode 261: Nat's turning 28!! On this special birthday episode, Nat reflects on turning 28 and shares 28 life lessons she's learned along the way. She gets candid about everything, from the importance of female friendships to the impact of faith and embracing independence. Nat also touches on personal growth, overcoming challenges, the power of contentment, and so much more. This episode is an emotional and grateful look at her journey so far and the blessings that come with growing older! Tha...
Apr 15, 2024•35 min•Ep. 261
Episode 260: This week, Nat sits down with Rella’s co-founder and developer, Connor Boyce! Nat and Connor dig deep into Connor’s background, talking about how he went from graduating with an electrical engineering degree to becoming a self-taught software engineer. Connor explains how he never really saw himself working in electrical engineering and instead decided to start his own software consulting company. This decision led him to meet Natalie and start Rella, and, well, the rest is history!...
Apr 08, 2024•41 min•Ep. 260
Episode 259: This week, Nat is back with another solo episode! She starts the pod off with the realization that she’s been in Miami for (almost) the entire month of March, which is the longest stretch she has been home in months. Then, she dives right into the topic for today: staying motivated! We’ve all been there, and it’s totally normal to have periods of your life where you are not motivated. Luckily, Nat walks us through tips and tricks she uses to stay motivated, such as consuming content...
Apr 01, 2024•32 min
Episode 258: Nat is back with another solo episode! She starts off the pod with a realization that she’s been in Miami for (almost) the entire month of March, which is the longest stretch she has been home in months. Then, she dives right into the topic for today: staying motivated! We’ve all been there; it’s totally normal to have periods of your life when you are not feeling it. Luckily, Nat walks us through tips and tricks she uses to stay motivated, such as consuming content, recognizing thi...
Mar 25, 2024•39 min•Ep. 258
Episode 257: Feeling Hungry? You've come to the right place. This week, Nat's sitting down with George Arango, the creative force behind Mr. Eats 305, a food blog that's become a staple in Miami's dining scene and beyond. George gets candid about how his passion for Miami's cuisine transformed Mr. Eats 305 from a simple idea into a full-time career. With the introduction of Instagram Reels, George's platform exploded, allowing him to transition from a law school graduate to a celebrated food blo...
Mar 18, 2024•51 min•Ep. 257
Episode 256: In this week's episode, Nat chats with Bachelor alumni Susie Evans! Susie, a multi-faceted creative, shares her eclectic background, from her Virginia roots and global adventures to launching her own photography business. Her entry into the The Bachelor world was as unexpected as it was transformative, offering her a platform that propelled her into a career of content creation. Beyond the glitz, Susie opens up about her experience on reality TV, the mental health toll it can take, ...
Mar 11, 2024•53 min•Ep. 256
Episode 255: On this week's episode, Natalie sits down with Caitlin Jaymes, a celebrity stylist and wardrobe organizer based in L.A. With a lifelong passion for fashion, Caitlin opens up about how her early love for style and organization morphed into a vibrant career. She shares details of her path to success, from unpaid gigs to styling high-profile clients like Madison Beer and Harry Jowsey, highlighting the crucial role of networking, seizing every opportunity, and the importance of embracin...
Mar 04, 2024•52 min•Ep. 255
Episode 254: During her trip to LA, Nat had the opportunity to sit down with Steven Vigilante, the first employee and head of growth at OLIPOP, a digestive health drink now widespread and well known across the United States. After spending three years at a venture fund in San Francisco, Steven was drawn to the startup's mission of offering a healthier soda alternative and knew he had to be part of it. He details his transition from investing to the beverage industry, highlighting the importance ...
Feb 26, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 254
Episode 253: Coming at you live from Newport Beach, California, Nat is back and switching things up with a Q&A sesh! Before diving into all of your burning questions, Nat gets into her latest travel escapades and details the chaos of lost luggage and an unexpected shopping spree thanks to Alaska Airlines. She then gets into the questions and starts off by addressing why she's seemingly always racing against time at airports, her secret to balancing content creation with Rella, and the art of...
Feb 21, 2024•42 min•Ep. 253
Episode 252: After numerous scheduling attempts, Natalie is over the moon to finally be sitting down with one of her inspirations in the founder space, Amanda Goetz, the founder of House of Wise CBD, to explore the complexities of womanhood and entrepreneurship. Amanda opens up about her humble upbringing in small town Illinois and her journey to becoming a first-generation college graduate and trailblazing business owner. They discuss the boxes women are put in by society, Amanda’s personal evo...
Feb 12, 2024•55 min•Ep. 252
Episode 251: Back in Miami after her NYC travels, Nat’s catching us up on life and diving into a topic that’s been on her heart recently. Starting off with some reflection after she helped one of her besties in Miami move and start her next chapter with her partner, Nat’s feeling all the feels about growing up and the reality of this season of her life. She then shifts to the heart and soul of the episode, where she does a deep dive into the essence of confidence! Drawing from her own experience...
Feb 05, 2024•46 min•Ep. 251
Episode 250: Reunited and it feels so good! This week, Nat’s sitting down with Illana Dunn, who we last heard from back in 2021 after she had just been let go from her corporate girly job at Hinge. Fast forward to now, where, as the host of not one but two successful podcasts, "Seeing Other People" and "Life in Progress," she shares insights from her personal and professional life over the last few years. They dive into the challenges and triumphs of Illana’s career shift from Hinge to podcastin...
Jan 29, 2024•53 min•Ep. 250
Episode 249: From the cold and wintry streets of NYC, Nat’s back with a solo episode and diving into her honest feelings about kicking off Rella's next round of fundraising! Cozied up in bed, with BBQ delivery on the way (because obviously), Nat takes a turn into an honest conversation about social media and the very real dangers of comparison. She shares some of her personal coping mechanisms for when she’s trapped in the cycle of comparison and encourages listeners to find contentment in the p...
Jan 22, 2024•29 min•Ep. 249
Episode 248: For the first official guest of 2024, Nat is joined by cybersecurity influencer Caitlin Sarian, aka The Cyber Security Girl. They dive into Caitlin's story of how she took her background in engineering to become a full-blown cybersecurity content creator. She shares insights into her content creation process on platforms like TikTok and expands on her mission to educate people about cybersecurity. The conversation touches on the safety of platforms like TikTok, the responsibility of...
Jan 15, 2024•50 min•Ep. 248
Episode 247: Nat is back with another solo episode to answer all of your questions about 2024 and beyond! From work to dating to social media, she’s ready to share her thoughts on what’s to come. But first, Nat is giving her listeners a front-row seat to a sneaky plan she’s been highly involved in that should come to fruition by the time you’re listening; Nat’s BFF is getting proposed to, and you’ll get to hear how it all went down! Then, Natalie dives into the Q’s. She chats about what her day-...
Jan 08, 2024•38 min•Ep. 247
Episode 246: Nat’s ushering in the new year with a grateful heart, recounting the growth she’s experienced in 2023 and her intentions for the year ahead. In this episode, she shares her upcoming travel plans and, most importantly, the 10 game-changing habits she wants to bring into 2024. From waking up early to saying yes to life, Nat hopes her simple habits will inspire others to join her in making positive lifestyle changes this new year and beyond. Cheers to 2024! Thank you to our sponsors fo...
Jan 01, 2024•33 min•Ep. 246
TW: Suicide, drug overdose Episode 245: 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...
Dec 25, 2023•46 min•Ep. 245
Episode 244: After yet another successful Art Basal in the books, Natalie’s officially in recovery mode and giving us the full rundown on the festivities as she podcasts from the comfort of her bed. She then shifts gears to the heart of the episode, where she shares her own version of the infamous Spotify wrapped. Nat reflects on and gets vulnerable about the year she’s had and catches us up on where she is now as we enter 2024. From healing from the ultimate heartbreak to strengthening her fait...
Dec 18, 2023•31 min•Ep. 244
Episode 243: They say everything happens for a reason, and today’s guest's story is a true representation of that. In this episode, Natalie sits down with Tiffany K. Gullen, a powerhouse in the film industry and co-founder of Creative X Entertainment. Tiffany shares her journey from childhood dreams of acting to becoming a director and entrepreneur. Both Nat and Tiffany reflect on their passion for being on camera, overcoming challenges, and embracing their femininity in male-dominated industrie...
Dec 12, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 243
Episode 242: Are you in need of a little business bootcamp? If you answered yes, you’ve come to the right place! On today’s episode, Natalie is sitting down with a fellow Forbes 30 under 30 founder and Miami local, Juan Camilo Meisel, for a deep dive into Juan's entrepreneurial journey. From his childhood candy-selling escapades in Columbia to founding businesses like the Amazon of South America and becoming one of the earliest members of the Butcher Box team, Juan is spilling all the tea. The c...
Dec 04, 2023•57 min•Ep. 242
Episode 241: Nat’s home for Thanksgiving, and she'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 sacrific...
Nov 28, 2023•47 min•Ep. 241
Episode 240: This week, Nat’s back with a solo episode to provide the ultimate go-to guide for aspiring content creators of today. With over a decade of creating content under her belt and as someone who has been fortunate enough to turn it into her full-time job, Nat’s spilling the secrets to success. She dives into crucial questions like: What type of content should you create? Should you really niche down? What platform should you focus on? Do views matter? And so much more. She then breaks d...
Nov 20, 2023•43 min•Ep. 240
Episode 239: It’s here! The Real Reel just got a makeover, and Nat's sharing the inside scoop on all the deets of the refreshed vibe. Taking us back to the podcast's roots, she explains the journey from quitting her job to becoming a podcast host, the natural evolution of the show, and her hopes for this new chapter, because this rebrand isn't just about a new look—it's about getting more personal, intentional, and, of course, unfiltered. Nat then introduces a fun new segment, opens up about imp...
Nov 13, 2023•34 min•Ep. 239
Episode 238: This week, Nat’s back in Charlotte for a long-awaited girls trip to show her Miami besties around her hometown. Between their busy itinerary, she’s sitting down (for a second time, gotta love technical difficulties!) with her dear friend Chanelle Van Nguyen to chat about the ins and outs of their whirlwind friendship and her journey as a pro tennis player. They first dive into the hilarious way they met and how incredibly different they are from one another in the best ways. Chanell...
Nov 08, 2023•50 min•Ep. 238
Episode 237: This week, Nat’s back with a solo episode and sharing her whirlwind adventures over the last two weeks. From attending the Forbes 30 Under 30 summit in Ohio (NBD!) to soaking up some much-needed girl time in Dallas with her best friend Giuli and a quick trip to NYC with her sisters, it was a jam-packed trip! While most of her travels were a success, Nat candidly shares the anxiety that came up while she was away and her recent realization about her struggles with control. She reflec...
Oct 30, 2023•43 min•Ep. 237
Episode 236: Reunited and it feels so good! This week, Nat is back in Dallas, joined by her bestie and resident Real Reel podcast guest, Giuli, for a bit of an unintentional therapy sesh. With a strong bond as besties, sisters, and soulmates, they're taking a break from the usual format to play the infamous game "We're Not Really Strangers." Their chill night in includes wine and some deep questions. Together, they dive into different aspects of their lives, exploring difficult moments, self-ref...
Oct 23, 2023•50 min•Ep. 236
Episode 235: Sometimes two really is better than one... At least that's the case for this week's guests! On this episode, Nat’s sitting down with Keaton Milburn and Natalie Braun, the soul sisters and masterminds behind the force of a clothing brand many of us know and love, Twin Flames. They share their unique journey from sorority sisters at ASU to successful entrepreneurs, dishing on the ups and downs of creating a legitimate brand that goes beyond just merchandise. The convo is packed with i...
Oct 16, 2023•49 min•Ep. 235
Episode 234: This week, Nat’s doing her first ever podcast Q&A! We’re entering a new era of The Real Reel, peeps. Stay tuned for more! After a little life update and insight on upcoming travel plans, Nat dives right into a random mix of questions submitted by her audience, covering everything from breaking into content creation without burning out to her personal relationship with faith, staying independent in partnerships, and her hopes for the future. She also chats about handling post-bre...
Oct 09, 2023•32 min•Ep. 234
Trigger Warning: Sexual assault, abuse, human trafficking, and grooming. Episode 233: In one of the most difficult yet powerful episodes of The Real Reel to date, tune in as Natalie connects with the incredibly resilient Alexandra Ford, the founder of "The Laughing Survivor”. Alexandra recounts her life's journey from an almost picture-perfect upbringing in Canada to becoming a victim of sexual abuse and human trafficking. Her story sheds light on the complexities of abuse, addiction, and the ch...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 233
Episode 232: Today’s guest has created the ultimate thrifting empire. On this episode, join Natalie as she connects with Clara Agnes Ault, the mastermind behind Curtsy, a consignment app that began as a dress rental company in the southern university sorority scene and spread across the country. Clara candidly shares Curtsy’s startup journey, from their humble, less-than-pretty beginnings to marketing tricks like fake parking tickets (yes, you read that right!). They chat about the advantages of...
Sep 25, 2023•48 min•Ep. 232
