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Speech Transcript (very little editing so not exact)

Time to Shine Today podcast varsity squad. This is Scott Ferguson and we’re at episode 290. With my awesome sauce, high energy just fantastic human being. Rena Friedman Watts and Rena was referred to me by a really good friend of mine, Craig stanlon. He’s like you have to get her on your podcast. She has an awesome podcast called Better called Daddy and her relationship with her father and the lessons and knowledge nuggets, she learned that she turns around and passes and pays it forward, or just above reproach. So I cannot wait to bring you this fantastic discussion. Fantastic fun high energy interview with my really good friend. Rena Freeman watts. Let’s level up decided a pocket first few swatches in stock purchase, and I have a friend Craig Scanlon that said, you have to talk to my friend Rena Friedman Watts and like, All right, cool, I guess but then I got her accolades. And I’m like, holy shit. This woman is on fire. You know, she’s done so much in her personal life. So it’s more like what hasn’t she done? Okay. I mean, she’s interviewed on her awesome awesome podcast better called Daddy. Some big big names. Also, she has worked with like the Jerry Springer show. And let me see Court TV nanny 911 You know, she’s worked in radio, she’s playing mega events. She’s got some serious God given talents for connecting people. And luckily I’ve had the blessings of her connecting me with people and connecting her with people. It’s just fantastic fantastic. lady who is a questioner in a story junkie so I know all you squad out there that you love storage data analytics. So sit back and relax get ready for an awesome awesome ride here in Reno. Thank you so much for coming on. Please introduce yourself the time to shine today podcast varsity squad. But first, what’s your favorite color? And why?

Ooh, favorite color is purple. Ah and ha I think I associated with royalty. It’s a baby. Yes. I believe favorite Grandma loves purple. My daughter loves purple. It’s in the blood.

Yeah, purple is my jam. It’s a mix of blue and red. And you are that I’m sure that you know blue is chill lot’s of luck but there’s a red side to both of us. We have to be we haven’t been grind Swisher, if you worked in the entertainment business, definitely had some red tides like that. So let’s get to the roots of Rena, let’s go back in and talk about the experiences if you have experienced, which I love that. It seems like you don’t live a life of excuses. You know, excuses are just a cop out for not wanting to experience things. And it seems like you’ve experienced a lot. So let’s kind of get to the roots of Rena, if you don’t mind, please.

Yeah, I’ve always been a risk taker. I was just talking about this with another podcaster before I did a recording last night and I was like this came up with I worked on the judge Alec show right after I had three kids in four years, I wanted to inched my way back into the entertainment industry. So I had actually interviewed at the judge Alec show five years prior to working with him. I had been a post production supervisor in LA. And through the Producers Guild of America, I saw an internal job posting and applied for it. They flew me from LA to Texas, they put me up in a suite that you know, I went out to dinner with some people I knew in town, I checked out apartments, I was like, oh, man, you know, going from LA to Houston, I was like, I can totally live it up here. I want to do this. Then they gave me a tape of one of the raw recorded CT TV shows and they were like, Oh, just string it out and let us know how you would edit it. Now the prior post production role I had had was more of like, making sure the deliverables were where they needed to be. It wasn’t actually doing any of the editing, right. So when they’re like, Oh, here’s the raw footage, cut it together. I was like, oh my god, I’m done. I fail. I literally stayed up the whole night. And you know, you know how to start and stop a remote. put together some timecode I had seen the editors do it a bunch of times, but it was a mess. And so I didn’t get it. But then five years later, me and my husband moved from California to Kentucky and my kids were in preschool and I’m on Craigslist looking at the TV and film section. And it says research our court researchers slash stringer for Judge Alex I’m like, Oh my God, you know, it’s like one of those things where like, that’s weird, right? You know, um, so I applied they called me the same day and it was amazing because while my kids were in preschool, I was able to go to all of these courthouses and Kentucky and Indiana and there was a bunch of them and Kentucky and Indiana are so close together. I went to six courthouses. And I got that story junkie thing and me fulfilled where I’m going through hundreds of cases to find the good stories, right? And it reignited my connection with LA. Oh,

so in Kentucky, in Kentucky, nice. Nothing is Kentucky but you don’t think LA Kentucky right? You know, it’s like, la Nashville, but not. Right.

It’s crazy. But the thing is, and this also correlates to Springer, is that the reason I was good at Jerry Springer is because I grew up in Kentucky, I could relate to the guests. I knew what made a good story. Sure. And I knew it in court TV, I knew it in casting, I knew it in interviewing, and it all built on itself, which led me to even what I’m doing today is you know, creating my own show and helping other people create their own show.

Really? Oh, yeah. I love that. So do they come to you with an idea?

Sometimes? Okay. Okay. Yeah, sometimes they’re like, I have an idea or, you know, my, my whole business is around narcissism. You know, I’d like to do a podcast on that. And I’m like, Okay, well check out the other people that are talking about that and start, you know, getting on their shows, first, get some practice and see what topics they’ve had success with, see where the holes are,

thank you do research, oh out of people want to come in and be like, I want to be and then they don’t do the research. And no offense to people like they’ll come and different platforms like pod match and stuff like that. And the like, Hey, I’m great for your show. And I always send back a quick cut and paste to be honest with you, like which one of our episodes resonated with you? And they haven’t frickin listen to one. Right? And it’s like what they want. And I love that you just said do the research, you know, find get on people’s show. So you can be a guest or listen to their show and and do that. So is that kind of your one of your gigs, if you will, where you’re taking people’s ideas and helping them level up to a point.

Exactly. Let’s flesh that out. Like, do you want to be an informational show? Do you want to be an entertaining show? Is there even a market for this? Like, what is your goal and putting it together? Like if you think that you’re going to support yourself off of creating a podcast, let’s get real.

Right. Right. Right. It’s not Yeah, I mean, I’ve been blessed with my show. But it came through grinding the grit, and understanding that grit so monotonous activity. I mean, I edited the first 100 shows myself, you know, luckily, now I had an intern that’s on board that does it for me, but and it’s like, people don’t want to get out there and flex that hustle muscle and stuff. You know, it’s like, I love that. So when you’re starting to work with somebody that has an idea, and they come to Rina, and they know that you can help them level up, is there any secret sauce, if you don’t mind sharing that maybe you help them find their blind spot that that sticking point. So one

thing that I do when people want to start their own show is I really suggest going on other people’s shows that are like in the top 10%, maybe, you know, the people that are still willing to give you a shot. And the thing is, is you know, like you I’ve done over 200 episodes now. So I have a lot of relationships. So sure, you know, I had like a startup founder, connect with me and, and he said, Look, I’m looking to get my business more seen. And you know, I’ve got a big following on LinkedIn, but I need some more exposure. Right. So I was like, Well, I think it’d be really good for you to get on other entrepreneur podcasts or technology podcasts or coding podcast, things in your niche, but also consider things that aren’t in your niche. Because it just takes one person listening who you wouldn’t normally connect with, to have a new conversation. It’s kind of like showing up to a real estate event. If you’re in the finance industry, right? Like go to something completely that you would never do. Right? That’s when you’re gonna meet somebody new,

right? Absolutely. In something that can spark an idea sometimes, because you’re walking in there deer in the headlights, right? You’re like, I don’t know anybody or what they do. But then you said, Man, you have an idea that just sparks I love that you say that. So when you’re maybe starting, we’ll stay kind of in the discovery process, and you’re working with the people that have that idea. Is there any good question that you wish they would ask you but never do?

That’s that’s a great question. So yes, I would say something that I have learned from people that are looking to get on other podcasts is that the reason they’re willing to pay someone to help them do that is because they’re not good at doing that. Sure. Okay. So I’ve even considered offering alongside helping you get on podcasts to coach you through the steps of what that entails. So that goes along with the research like if you’re going to be on somebody’s podcast you need At least listen to one of them, you’re gonna be on. Yeah, if you’re going to be on somebody’s podcast, you need to have your headshot and bio ready, if you’re gonna be on somebody’s podcast, you need to have a mic and lighting. If you’re going to be on somebody’s podcast and you want to look good, it’s again, back to the networking thing, you’re not going on there to sell yourself, you’re going on there to relationship built, you are going on there to make a friend. Right? You’re not walking around with a business card and talking all about what you’re doing in your damn business all day long. Okay.

Right.

Your share experiences? Yes,

yes. I love that. It just be more interested in other people than you are in yourself. You know, in that a lot of people even especially even the people that I coach, you know, they they high level earners and stuff like that. And sometimes there can be that Mimimi mentality and like, bro, step out and be interested in other other people other things and expand because you never know, like what you said, going outside of your niche, right? Like, you never know what’s waiting for you there if you expand. I love love. Love that. So what do you feel that your strengths are in? And how much do you appreciate that?

Oh, that’s sweet. I have found because I took like these, you know, strengths, test things that my strength is winning people over. And so I try to help people learn how I do that. Like, you know, I’ve even given people LinkedIn tutorials, like a one on one, I don’t do it so much anymore. Because, you know, I’m not doing one on ones as much like, I think maybe I should do that in a group setting. I’ve done it a little bit in a group setting, but how I operate online, like if I’m getting ready to interview and here’s an example Stephen Covey, right, right. Go search all the other people who have interviewed him go search the people that have written this guy, do recommendations, connect all of those people and say, oh, you know what? I’m a fan of him. And I’m a fan of Scott Miller. They’ve both been on my show, you know, I see that you’ve interviewed him? Is there anything that you wish you would have asked him? I’ll shout you out during my episode? You know, is there anything that like afterwards? Or like, Darn, I should have asked, or is there anything that would have been a curveball, you know, you if you’re going to interview someone know who their people are, because then they’re going to be interested in your episode. And if you’re going to interview on someone show, know who their people are, and start getting in that circle. Because if you want the episode engaged, and you want to be a part of that person’s community,

you they love, yes, do the research man in it, and do it in a fun way. You know, some people look at researching, oh my gosh, they think scientists and boring, it’s like, do you measure the people that you can just get to know and in be able to help? And then in turn, people are reciprocal, right? I mean, they want to reciprocate back to you. And if you show that, especially if someone’s that, like you said, at that level that you’re trying to get to, you know, treat them with the respect, one that they deserve, you know, whether you like them or not, you know, treat them with respect. I mean, I respect the hell out of like John Lee Dumas and Pat Flynn and, and stuff like that. And I built relationships with them just by showing the respect, you know, which included investing in their podcasters paradise or something like that, that helped me level up and I love that you said that. So, Reena, who What do you think your biggest limitation is?

Oh, I know it. It’s time management.

Okay. What are you doing to level up that?

Oh, my gosh, I have a big time struggle with giving myself enough time to do things in a calm, relaxed, easygoing way, because I want to say yes to everything, but let me tell you, you know, saying yes, and being available and pushing myself has enabled so many opportunities. So I have a I have a hard time striking the balance. But look, I would have never gotten an opportunity at Springer, if I wasn’t willing at that time to work 80 to 100 hours a week, I took a job there right out of college. I was an intern. I was so hungry. I literally slept on somebody’s couch for two months until I went from intern to associate producer then. And as an associate producer, I was grinding I mean, sometimes 14 days straight, with no break my days were running together. And that is what it took to become a producer after one season. Right? And then, you know, with nanny a 911. I applied to that guy for an entire year through the Producers Guild. And then when I got the interview, he said, Can you start tonight at seven and work till seven in the morning, so much of it is you know, luck and timing and hustle. I mean, it is a really you set

yourself up for the opportunity. So the grind, you know, with the grit and the passion shines through, right? I mean, it’s like you’re doing what you love in the service of people that love what you do, right? I mean, that’s

what you’re here for. Yesterday interviewing judge Alex, who I worked for, you know, 2005 to like 2007 or something, you know, that was such a long play. I contacted him a year ago, telling him some of the guests that I was starting to have on my podcast, I was like, hey, it’d be so fun and reconnect with you, you know, you’ve made an impact on my life. He never was on LinkedIn, you know, and he’s got hundreds of 1000 followers everywhere else. So I just didn’t think he would respond on those other channels, but I should have tried the other channels. Anyway, he writes me back. And, you know, he was like, let me know when works for you. So when you get somebody like that, who’s very hard to reach, boom, you better respond immediately. And then he was like, hey, you know what time works? Well, for you, I told him 11. And he was like, How about two then he was like, how about one? How about 130? I gave him my number. If anything changes, you know, call me calls me anonymously. If you don’t get the anonymous call, then you don’t get them, you know? And he’s like, Are you available then? Are you available that are you available? Then? Yes, yes. And yes. Right. You want hard to reach people you have to move things around you do to make it work.

So I was with me and Tony Robbins, man. It was it you know, I mean, I his right hand person is Jane Joel. And I went to high school literally used to sit next to her in class and, you know, I leverage that she’s like, for you better be flexible. Bottom line, man and get it going. So you know. Okay, so have you seen the movie Back to the Future? Yeah. Okay, let’s get that DeLorean with Marty McFly. Let’s go back to the double Deuce the 22 year old me what kind of knowledge nuggets would you drop on her to maybe not so much changed things Reena but maybe help her level up last year shorten the learning curve just a little bit.

So even at 22. That was that was while I was at Jerry Springer. I was a workaholic. I had zero balance. And I was super self absorbed. Yeah, you know, I wanted to live in a big city. I wanted to be successful. I was willing to outwork the people around me if I could give her advice, I would say, try to build those around you because they can help you don’t see them as competition. Don’t see them not so much as assets. Sure. You know, when I became a producer at 21 years old, I mean, this is crazy. I went from zero to 80k in one year. I essentially said, knock on my door when you have a story. Otherwise, I’m gonna book the stories brief the stories write the script and produce the show alone. Wow. Okay. And you can only do that for so long. And, you know, I didn’t even know the term burnout at the time, but I definitely experienced that obviously. Right.

Right. Absolutely. That balance. Like I eat with my coaching clients, I believe in balance, I believe in harmony, because balance is zero. Like harmony, I attested to like a jazz band, like your guitars, your personnel, the drums is your relationships. The horns are your money. And but if one of those frickin things is out of tune, it can throw off everything. So that’s what I’m seeing. Is that with you? Is that you? Like you stood on shoulders of giants to get where you’re going. But maybe you kind of shrugged some people off on the way up, maybe slow down and to help help other people build up Correct. Right here and that kind of right.

Oh, 100% and, you know, after now interviewing some very successful people, they are so calm. They are so humble. Yeah, they are so relaxed. Right? And I think it’s kind of like martial arts. Right? When you have that muscle memory. Yep. And you know how to do it. Where it’s in flow, right?

It’s not forced, right? Yeah. Love that love booth. When you flip somebody

over? Yes. Yeah. And I want to get to the point of being relaxed and calm and still able to shine at my highest level. I love it.

And you are. So read up. How do you want your dash remember that little line in between your incarnation date, your expiration date, your life date your death day? Hopefully it’s a long ways down that little line. How do you want Rena stash remember?

You know, I talk a lot about legacy on my show. And I will say after interviewing over 200 people, it is really about shifting from yourself to others. That is when I think growth begins. Truthfully, and Gary Vee says it too, like kindness always wins in the end does. And I’m getting ready to sell my house. We were talking about this right before. And, you know, I just told my block that we were potentially going to move and then I had 10 people blow up my phone and one girl said to me, What can I do to get you not to show your house To the other people, and I gave her a number and she said, I’ll pay that in cash. I am honoring that, right? Because I know if you honor that and not show your house to other people, you know what, maybe it will fall through with the inspections. But I’m keeping my word and then on the other end, or maybe somewhere down the road, that always comes back does

always I mean, I’m not so much karma guy, but it is true. It’s flow, like you’ve mentioned before it’s flow and in things will come back because one, you’re open to reciprocation, too because a lot of people will give and that reciprocate or be open to the reciprocation. And I love that you are. So then, what do you think people misunderstand the most about Rena?

You know, I’ve actually had a couple people tell me that they were like, intimidated by me because I can be intense. So I would say that they mean, that’s how I most misunderstood is that like, even though I can be intense, it’s really from like, a passion level. It’s not from like, a don’t come talk to me level like I am approachable, right? Yeah. So

you are, you’re fun and like, sometimes I have my hat on to, you know, where you’re just like, let’s go, you know, there’s no time for any shenanigans. But that, that, that I have people especially down here where I live in South Florida and Palm Beach. Like there’s shells that you have to break through with a lot of people because they have their guard up. Because a lot of people here have ankles, they’re trying to work, it’s a sunny place for shady people if you you know what I’m saying? So it’s like you and I, I break through it by just asking questions, you know, high level questions to them. And I love that and I know that you had to also working in the entertainment business. It’s like what you ask better makes sense. I love that.

So yeah, Judge Alex was really saying that to like when he moved from Houston to LA for his show. Everyone’s a producer everyone wants to do but they also want to put that knife right in your back in our, in the entertainment industry and in business in general. You better have your contracts in place, you better be able to self edit, right? And you better be ready for the grind.

Right? And like you said, shift I love that you love use the word shift because a lot of people now use pivot, you know, and I just believe Martin Chippa maybe we could call it ship it cool, right? And do that. So it’s just kind of funny with you, you know, being Jewish, and I said that I said that they just laugh their ass off. I love it. I love it. What keeps you up at night?

What keeps me up at night? Oh, that’s so good. I really love what I do like you do to perfect my craft that but as much as that makes you successful. It can also help you it can also make you lose sleep because I QA things,

right? I’m safely right. And

and I have learned to let some of it go like I have an editor like you said you have an intern that helps you with editing, I had to give that piece away because I can edit something to death. And a lot of things that I will pick up on other people won’t.

Right. Right. Love it in. It’s it comes to the moniker like sometimes it’s like I saw a movie in 2000 with Ryan Reynolds, Van Wilder where he’s like, you know, don’t take life too seriously, you’ll never make it out alive. I mean, that’s like I started living by that. Because a lot of people so many people will especially in like I like I don’t stay up at night worrying anymore. I’ve gotten past that. But I get I get I asked myself say I don’t do affirmations and neither do my clients that I coach because affirmations you have a seed of doubt Oh, I make money I live in this you have a seed of doubt. So I ask high level questions of myself like how is it that I’m you know, 240 pounds built well and it look great. How is it that I have this money or whatever and because our brains are programmed to solve problems so the thing is, though is I’ll like I’ll have my high level questions and I’m asking myself it’ll keep me up because I’m consciously doing it when you really my coat my own coach is like 30 Ask yourself the questions go to sleep, let subconscious figure it out. Or go take a shower or hop in the ocean and stuff. So that’s what kind of keeps me up at night. I’m seeing that from you. Because I don’t really hear any worry in your voice all he hears drive and go and leveling up and helping others. So I love sisters from different misters I’m telling your brother and sister you know I mean like it’s it you are and then go ahead I cut you off.

I was gonna say those questions too. I feel like if I have those questions, other people have those questions and sometimes I’ll just throw a question on Twitter or sometimes I will schedule it in my Facebook group. And I’ll be like, let’s see what other people think of the questions that I have going on in my mind. It’s just a community builder thing. I started a Facebook group like, a year ago or something, because I was actually working for an influencer. And her whole following was on Facebook. I was like, Oh, I could start a Facebook group too for like, everybody who’s been on my podcast or questions I have, in my mind, and it’s just like, I have like, 690 people in there. And it’s literally everyone I know. And, you know, it’s like, if you have a friend from Twitter, hey, come join my Facebook group. If you have a friend from LinkedIn, or hey, if you have somebody on your podcast, oh, come join,

oh, my not Meg group. Reena.

I’m gonna send you a link. Yeah, you better

you better bounce questions there all the time. And it’s also a really good way to gauge what would be good to cover on your podcast. Because if I get 50 responses to one of my questions that was floating in my mind, I’m like, Oh, well, maybe I should find a guest around that topic.

Right? I do that, like, I’m starting to do the solo podcast again, right? Because my first 30 Were just me monologue getting used to the mic and, and whatnot. And then people were like, for you, we’re having to the monologues. You know, so I’m starting to build the book of those again, so I’ll put like, I been blessed to have built an email list that I’m very intimate with, like over 150,000 subscribers. And I put a question out there that like that, like, what would you guys like to hear about and I got like, 480 emails of like this and this I was like, wow, how engaged is that? That makes you feel feel good that like Frick, man, you’re making a difference? Total stuff. And that’s fantastic. So let’s take out of the equation anything electronic, any you know, any of your iPad or anything like that? And also any of like the air gravity food? What are three things that Reena can’t live without?

Oh my gosh, I wish I wouldn’t say it, but I you saw me guzzling my coffee, right?

I’m right there with you love.

I love it. And I am trying to cut it off past like three or 4pm. But also really good idea. Or my questions won’t stop at night, right? Relationships. I really do. Yeah, yeah. I think that’s why we’re here. You know, why did we experience these things if it’s not to share and help others? Sure. Right, right. Relationships. I mean, my dad, I talked to him every single day. He’s definitely on that list. Yeah. And I’ve gotten into running over the pandemic, I splurged and bought myself a really nice treadmill. Yeah, it for you. I need that. Every run I do. I say this is for my mental health.

Love it. Have you ever thought about rebounding? What is that trampoline? No. Like this is this is funny. Like, it’s how, when I speak, I have a trampoline on stage. That’s how I start the first two minutes, and I’m giving them an education. Whether I’m speaking about overlapping happiness or not taking life seriously, I always start the first two minutes because a rebounder like you will use when your heart’s beating, and it’s purifying your blood, so your bloods good, but your lymph system where leukemia and cancer and everything starts breathing, there’s no way to flush it out. So like, well, I’m rebounding, I’m telling them, you know, on stage, we like tell them like, listen me, you know, when I’m off of this rebounder, I’m at zero gravity. When I hit it, I’m at four times the gravity, and it springs up and it cleans out your lymph system. And I’ve been doing it now for seven years, and I’ve never felt better. I’m 50 years old, I keep up with the 35 year old guys at the gym or on the jujitsu mats or wrestling mats and keeping up with them. But the best part of arena is that while I’m rebounding, everyone’s going like this, so they’re starting to affirm everything. Because usually there’s a TV behind me with a screen and so they’re going like this while they’re watching me, but it’s a joke, but it’s like the rebounders yeah, like I talked about in almost every podcast like get a rebounder. It will change your life is three minutes

a day. You know what does that too? Is that where you got it?

I got it from him. Are you kidding? Yeah, man. Yeah, it’s like I got it. I’m like wait a minute actually makes sense. Because if flushes out the live, you know in the lifts flushed out, you lose weight, the limbs flushed out you feel great lifts flushed out. You know, you’re you can start your day, like serving people like the first 90 minutes of my day or me nobody else. Like I understand that. It’s harder as a mom. But like for me, it’s 90 minutes it’s mine for journaling.

You need to sponsor this show.

I love it. So what is Reno’s definition of a life well,

it you know, I am going to go back because you were just talking about the affirming and the like, getting what you need from from the audience, kind of with them being right there with you, right? a life well lived is really encouraging others and doing that affirmation for others. You know, I went to a youth performing arts school. And I didn’t get in on the first audition. And I really wanted to go there, like music was in my soul. But I didn’t read all the fine print. And I didn’t know you had to sing in a foreign language and that you had to be able to read

important ships.

They’re saying something off the radio and thought I was in right like a lot of people think raw talent is gonna get them Oprah love it. So my dad went to the head of the music department and said, I will get her music lessons, she’ll learn how to read music. She’ll come back here and singing in Italian Rei give her another go. And that summer, I really worked hard and did that. But I even though I got in, and I was in that program for four years, I never felt like I was accepted because of that first rejection. Now, that changed my senior year when Nicole Scherzinger who’s now you know, she was in the Pussycat Dolls. And she’s been on all these reality shows. I think she’s worth like 300 million. She sat in the front row when I was auditioning for all of the colleges. And she said, Look at me. I am going You’ve earned this. You know, look at me, You’ve earned this. I’m gonna sit in the front row. You’ve got this. I’ve heard you saying, today’s your day to sing out right? And I did it. I focused on her she bought her head she affirmed me love it. God if you can do that, for others, if you can do that, for one or two freakin people, I got a full ride to colleges. That is a life so well lived. And very few people do that for others.

Thank you for saying that. I mean, I make two new year’s resolutions every year. Okay, and it’s been since 2009, which is part of my homeless story. When I lost everything in real estate and basically squatted in a house I had listed from people that moved to Florida when I lived in Michigan, but I make two new year’s resolutions one is make someone smile every day, no matter what their eye when see. So make someone smile every single day. And that gives them the affirmation right? And two is that unless I’ve hurt you disrespected you in any way and assaulted you I give zero F’s about what you think about me. Period, because I live treating people the right way and make someone smile. I love that you set out affirm people, let them know their strengths and how frickin awesome that they are. That’s fantastic. Hey, time to shine today podcast versus while we’re back and I got Rena Freeman Watts and Rita you and I literally have probably one day we’ll talk an hour on each one of these questions. But you got five seconds to answer it with no explanations and they all can be done that way. You’re ready to level up. Let’s level up let’s do it. You know what’s the best leveling up advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t quit go after it.

Love it. Share one of your personal habits that contributes to your success.

No, not holding anything back

of it. Outside of better called Daddy podcasts which we’ll get to in a little bit outside better called Daddy and also time to shine today podcast my shameless plug. What podcasts you go to the level? The dense factor of it. You see me walking down the street like man, Fergie looks like he’s off. He’s in his doldrums a little bit. What book might you hand me to level me up?

Hmm. Trust and inspire by Stephen Covey.

Yes, yes. Your most commonly used emoji when you text her party. All right. Nicknames growing up.

Rena Freak Out America.

Ah, chess checkers or monopoly. Chess. Really? Smarty Pants. Awesome. Love it. Your go to flavor for ice cream.

Cookie dough.

Love it. So there’s a sandwich named the freedom and walks what’s on that sandwich

the first thing that comes to mind is like a turkey sub ice.

Oh, I feel like yeah, all the works. So you got access to a time machine you can go for one day. 20 years to the future or 20 years to the past. Where are you going?

I honestly have always wanted to produce one more Jerry Springer show. Probably go back.

Love it. Love it. Love it. Love it. favorite charity an organization like to give your time or money

to? Yeah, that’s a great question. I would say we probably give the most our synagogues.

That’s perfect. Awesome. Good for you. Last question. You can elaborate on this one a little bit. But what’s the best decade in music 60s 70s 80s or 90s 80s? Big hair don’t care. I love it. Love it, love it and do so much family. I graduated 1990 So it was like I had to add like 10 years was the decade of indulgence in fact An answer like everything came in Beastie Boys Run DMC Motley Crue the cure. I mean, like we got invaded from all these different countries with men at work, or Duran Duran, it was just the best, best best time. Love it. Thank you for agreeing with me on that. So let’s talk about better called Daddy a little bit.

Okay. Yeah, my daddy is always who I call he has been my biggest cheerleader. Even starting with getting me into that you performing arts school? I mean, my God, that takes so much nerve. Sure I have. I have gotten a lot of my nerve from my dad. You know, it’s funny growing up. I didn’t appreciate how comfortable he is in his own skin. But now I realized that is such a rarity, and a beautiful thing. And something that I wanted to share with the world. I was like, my dad has that wisdom. You know, he ran a company with his parents for 40 plus years. He’s got entrepreneurship and his blood. He’s managed hundreds of people. Sure he’s been sued. He’s hired people out of jail. He moved from New York to Kentucky. He’s basically like the, you know, Jewish Tony Soprano. I’m like, I can make a show out of that. Yeah. So I wanted to use my creativity and work on my craft of interviewing people connecting with people community building. And then for the final thought, the Jerry Springer at the end. It’s my daddy.

I love it. I love it. And so is he, where does he live now?

So he has a place in Florida and his regular residences in Kentucky still.

Oh, beautiful, beautiful. And so you still go back to him as a confidant and you maybe are stuck on something.

I talked to my dad. I think it might drag my husband at the wall. But pretty much every day. Sometimes my husband’s like, okay, that is too much excitement. Call your dad.

Right? No, I love it. I love that. And so what what makes him stand out? Like what is I mean, you’ve explained your affection to him. I love to hear that your voice and seeing your face. But like what makes him like, stand out other than being your dad and your maker, your Creator, if you will, but what is it about him?

Yeah, he is the best encourager. Okay, which is something firmer, a firmer the whole world needs. I hope that I can carry that on. And he’s a believer. And yeah, his faith is strong. He’s super loyal to his parents. And he flies to take care of his mom every two weeks. He, you know, took care of his three sisters and three daughters. He’s just such a loyal guy. And I feel like in today’s world, that doesn’t always exist. He’s a good example. He does the right thing. And he’s integral.

I gotta meet this guy. Man. When you come down here, I gotta go down and we’ll we’ll do a show or we’re going to the radio station. Do a fun one. Where I can interview both you guys. That’d be fantastic. So

that would be fun. Yeah.

So let’s do you just featured in a magazine article?

Yes, actually, there was a girl here from Chicago. She just moved to Florida. I should introduce you. It’s called Atari magazine. And she did a magazine around body positivity and women entrepreneurs and confidence. And yeah, I should I brought my daughter to the shoot. So that was really cool. Because even though she didn’t make it into the magazine, we got a bunch of really cool pictures together. That’s just anyone. Oh,

yeah. I want to see Yeah. If you have a link to if there’s a link to it as well. I’d love to throw it in there. Yeah, yeah. How about Little Miss Celia’s book Scarlet, the singer who couldn’t hear music? Let’s talk a little bit about that’s plug your daughter’s book? How old’s your daughter?

She is 1111 years old

squad. You hear that? That’s fantastic. Let’s talk about it.

Yeah, so I really, I just I love this little girl. She’s so creative. And through the pandemic, my biggest concern is because I had, you know, an eight and 10 year old at the time, was like, oh, man, I want to get them like a reading and writing tuner just to make sure that they like stay on top of that. Because, you know, I had four kids to manage during a pandemic, which you know, you’re not always 100% on top of. So I hired a reading and writing tutor who you know, with the pandemic, wanted to help children become more confident in reading and writing. She found solace in books as a child and was bullied and wanted to help others come out of their shell through becoming better readers and writers and I just wanted to support another women, woman entrepreneur, so I paid for reading and writing to her for a year. And she’s also an author. And she was like, Sylvia, you should write a book because my daughter like really took to it. She was writing all of these super creative stories. So she collaborated with her reading and writing tutor and came up with this book. And it’s funny because she told the story about a dolphin who loved music but was deaf and I was like, wow, it was really her kind of expressing to the world that you know, maybe she needed Come out of her shell more.

Sure. I love it. I love it and she had the dolphin had a friend that helped when I was telling you off camera about my my best friend from womb to tomb to Nordine. He was that guy that believed in me in middle school in high school that said, my dad’s my best friend, but he was never the affirmer ever, you know, so he was like that hard nose blue collar guy, and I love him. And we talked like your dad, we talked twice a week, you know? So it’s like, we actually we talk. So I love that. That’s that, that she wrote this book. It’s also mystory else. Okay. Very cool. So do me a favor Reena and leave us with one last Knowledge Nugget you want us to take with us internalize and take action.

Yeah, I had a quote growing up that I really liked. It said I was once beautiful, but now I am myself. And my daughter was like, No, now she was like, it needs to be I was once beautiful. And I still am. And I was like,

I love it.

My advice would be, do not throw out the older generations wisdom. And also find wisdom in the generation under you.

Yes, yes.

Let’s be a bridge. Yeah, so much knowledge out there. And you can learn something from everyone around you.

I love that you said that. I love love, love it. Because I mean, I coach on the plus equal minus, I try to do it daily, where you find someone that did it and pick their brain, the people that is equal to you, and share ideas and the people that are like not under you, but that are on their way up share with them. And I love that you say that. So in squad, we got a, we went a little longer. And I don’t care because this conversation was absolutely, just fantastic. And you know, Rena is, you know, she’s a risk taker, she was born and bred with that probably live it was embedded through her father, you know, she is all about wanting you to shine. And if you’re trying to make it in the world, she suggests reaching out no matter what field it is to the top 10% You know of what’s in your niche, but don’t limit it to your niche that you can find ideas and other niches, you know, she is somebody that is a big believer in relationship building and sharing experiences. Don’t hold it to yourself, pay it forward. You know, she loves to win people over and share her own experiences and she’s willing to affirm you and have you level up. And if you pass her I think she probably applaud you the competitive nature we don’t want to but she’s a person that that would she’s actually planting trees now that she’s never going to sit in the shade of and that’s kind of people I love to surround myself with. You know, she wants you to live in more of a state of flow. And if you get stuck, like my good friend Leah Woodford says Kate you’re asking your ask questions. There’s people there that want to help you level up, you know, and she’s gonna tell us you know that that your her daughter said you know, your once beautiful and you still are remember that no matter how much time goes by, embrace yourself, help people that need it. Bounce ideas off people that are equal to you. And then if you are stuck it you’re asking you’re in essence people that are a little bit higher than you. And trust me, you’ll stand on the shoulders of giants and eventually be that giant that people are standing on the shoulders of you. I’m a big believer that mentoring makes you immortal. The more you mentioned, the more immortal you become. Because people will remember you the more you pass on. That’s what Rena does. You know, she levels up her house. She levels up her well. She’s humble yet she’s hungry. You know, she earned her varsity letter here at time to shine today. Thank you so much for coming on read. I love your guts. Okay.

That was such an awesome summary. That is what I want to get better at.

I love it. Wow. Just a pages of notes. I got to so but I love you so much. And we’ll we’ll talk to you very soon. Okay,

that was so good. Thank you.

Bye. Hey, thanks so much for listening to this episode of time to shine today podcast. proudly brought to you by Southern New Jersey real estate real estate excellence who can be reached at 561-249-7266 and online at www dot Sutter in nugent.com. If you’re a business owner or professional who would like to be interviewed on time to shine today, please visit time to shine today.com/guest If you liked this episode, please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, I Heart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts. There’s a link in the show notes to our website. Also there you will see a recommended resources. We hope that you will support our show by supporting them. If you like what you’ve been listening to, it’d be great if you could just give us a five star rating and tell your friends to subscribe while you’re at it. I’m your host Scott Ferguson. And until next time, let’s level up it’s our time to shine.

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