Episode 119: Entrepreneur extraordinaire, DJ, and designer Emily Duong is back for another inspirational conversation about quitting your 9 to 5 and the tools you need to actually pull it off. From Parkinson’s Law to the 80:20 rule to work life “balance,” Emily and Natalie share insights, stories, and a few aha moments that pushed them both to take the leap into entrepreneurship. The two have also struck up a friendship that has led them to late nights in fancy Miami clubs networking up a storm and chasing down Kevin O’Leary so they could pitch to him — great minds do think alike. Today’s episode also covers what it’s like to face adversity as a young entrepreneur and how that shapes initiative, plus how we can eliminate the Sunday Scaries once and for all. Be prepared to see another side of Natalie as she shares behind-the-reel stories you don’t want to miss.  
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 Emily on Instagram @emilyeduong and her podcast @whatfulfillsyoupod. 
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Eliminating the Sunday Scaries and Full-Time Networking with Emily Duong

Let’s face it, we are all living in a digital age where we're constantly bombarded with comparisons and perfect highlight reels. Enter the Real Reel Podcast—a one-stop shop for some genuine, unfiltered realness. Join your host, influencer, YouTuber, and entrepreneur, Natalie Barbu, as she dives headfirst into the raw reality of adulthood. No more filters; Natalie’s on a mission to uncover the real struggles and triumphs that come with navigating the dating scene, relationships, friendships, finances, business, and everything in between. Tune in for some Reel talk every Monday as Natalie engages in raw and authentic conversations with Real people, including entrepreneurs, reality stars, content creators, and anyone who fits the "real deal" bill. Say goodbye to the Instagram facade, and let's embrace the beautiful (and almost always messy) journey of adulthood and growth together because, let’s be real, nobody really knows what they’re doing.

Personal Journals

Society & Culture

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

Entrepreneurship

Self-Improvement

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:
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Family Euro Trip & Eras Tour Stockholm Recap!

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 @lvlupvc

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.
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From Childhood Ventures to Investing in Billion Dollar Companies with Aaron Golbin and Jacob Ringel

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

What It’s Really like Being an NBA Wife with Marley Smith

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

Stop the Comparison Cycle and Find Contentment

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

Eliminating the Sunday Scaries and Full-Time Networking with Emily Duong

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