We’re in the middle of a pandemic--is now the time to say yes to new things and take some risks? Barbara Rea thinks so!
Barbara Rea joins Greg Bell for an intimate discussion on growing a career starting at age 12, to being adopted and how that shaped Barbara’s optimism, and what she would say to people who have imposter syndrome.
Don’t miss this incredible discussion with the seasoned real estate leader, Barbara Rea.
Episode Highlights:
00:56 - Barbara’s Bamboo Story
05:23 - Where Barbara got her work ethic to work and make money
08:06 - Barbara’s Bamboo Circle
10:51 - How Barbara handles hard feedback
12:37 - How to be assertive
16:27 - How Barbara got into real estate
20:00 - What challenges Barbara experienced in her career and how she overcame them
23:27 - Advice to Barbara’s 15-year-old self
25:23 - Why right now is the best time to say yes to everything
27:46 - Where Barbara’s optimism comes from
29:40 - How being adopted has made Barbara the person she is today
33:44 - Advice for people with imposter syndrome
Guest at a Glance
Barbara Rea is a seasoned real estate professional with a demonstrated track record of leading and inspiring teams to improve operational productivity and profitability. Having successfully climbed the corporate ladder for 20 years, Barbara Rea earned her spot in the C-suite as one of the few women in her field. As a Chief Operating Officer for a private equity real estate firm, Barbara Rea played a critical role in raising $750 million in institutional equity, creating a profitable operating platform and hired more than 100 employees to build the business. While under her leadership, the firm grew to be on the 2019 Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Businesses, as well as Orange County Business Journal’s Best Places to work. She has been featured in many publications and is a frequent speaker at industry events to share her lessons learned to help others grow their businesses successfully.
Barbara ventured out on her own in 2020, creating Rea Advisory Group, and is currently working with growing businesses to determine how to maximize profitability and create enterprise value through corporate brand building and culture creation to inspire high performing teams.
Additionally, Barbara is currently working on her debut business biography which is scheduled to release in in the Spring of 2021. She resides in Newport Beach, California with her husband, two sons and golden retriever.
Notable Quotes
“If you give something some attention, nurture it, you got to wait a little, it doesn't all happen right away.”
“If you're struggling academically when you're younger, it really doesn't always dictate what you're going to do or be.”
“Only people that really care about you give you that kind of tough and real feedback.”
Greg: “If you go to lunch with somebody and you finish the lunch and you go to the bathroom, you see some green thing on your teeth, it's like, that wasn't a friend you were having lunch with.”
“If you've got a seat at the table, Be present, let them know you're actually there.”
“I follow people that I'm really inspired by and I want to learn more about, and actually I think that's just a great way to feed your brain.”
“I think you get really branded in a space if you stay too long.”
“As vocal as you are, and as sharp as you are, and the value that you add, sometimes you have to leave a company or a position to go get a little bit more credibility.”
“If you have an opportunity to do something, step up, raise your hand step into it. Say yes.”
“One door closes another opens and I think you got to look at your business that way.”
“If I start thinking of myself as less than I'll certainly start showing up that way.”
Transcript
Greg Bell: [00:00:00] [00:00:00]Welcome to the Water the Bamboo podcast. I'm Greg Bell. Today's guest got her worker's permit at the age of 12 and has been hustling and grinding to be a successful real estate advisor and career advisor. You don't want to miss this incredible Water the Bamboo story. Welcome to the show. Barbara Rea.
[00:00:32] You have an interesting story, you know, humble beginnings. And now you're doing all this really cool stuff in real estate and marketing and all that. You're a speaker. You do all that. So I want to highlight those things, but what we want to keep in [00:00:45] mind is somebody listening that. I don't know, they want to Water Their Bamboo too. They want to be you. Yeah. So help them out with your career path and those kinds of things. But. You know the story of Water the Bamboo, right. It takes years.
[00:00:59] Barbara Rea: [00:00:59] I do. I love that. I think it's such a great analogy on life. I mean, it's just so true. Yeah. I love it.
[00:01:07]Greg Bell: [00:01:07] When I looked at your background and we connected what I was so like, I was just blown away. I go, wow, here, this person is she's has these humble beginnings. And she's doing this really cool things in a space not a lot of women are in, you know, from finance to real estate and those kinds of things. But I want you to kind of tell the audience, your, your bamboo story, if you will.
[00:01:30] [00:01:29] Barbara Rea: [00:01:29] Yeah, sure. Thanks. I appreciate you having me on. So, first of all, the concept of Water the Bamboo is really interesting to me because I think it's just such a great metaphor for life.
[00:01:40] If you give something some attention, nurture it, you got to wait a little, it doesn't all happen right away. I think people talk about overnight success takes 10 years. So, It's so true when you, you hear that, but it's, it really is. These things take time. It looks from the outside sometimes like it happens really quick or how did people get where they're at, but it takes time.
[00:02:02] You gotta Water that Bamboo. So I love the analogy. So a little bit about, you know, my background and, and how I, I got where I am. I grew up in Pennsylvania. Kind of a small, smaller town [00:02:15] and really didn't have a ton of, you know, education aspirations, which I know sounds really bad, but I think it's good for other people to know that if you're struggling academically when you're younger, it really doesn't always dictate what you're going to do or be.
[00:02:31]I was focused on a lot of other things. I liked sports. I really liked the boys. And was just kind of distracted by all of those things rather than education. And I know it's funny now because it's so competitive for kids to get into schools these days. But I think it was a lot less competitive back then.
[00:02:49] I was a swimmer. I had a swimming scholarship but it took me a little while to kind of figure out what I wanted to do. And I even questioned going to college. But I had nothing else going on really. So I thought, [00:03:00] well, might as well get some exercise and swim. And and I got to school and I actually got into a groove and I was really excited about it.
[00:03:07] I remember doing the math on how much my classes cost. And if I skipped a class, how much that, how much money it would be, it was a couple hundred. I was like, Whoa. I mean, someone thinks I'm worth a couple hundred dollars to go to this class. Like I better listen.
[00:03:26] And I remember that was just meaningful to me and I never missed a class. And I started getting really focused on school. And I think part of that was I found topics I was interested in and I majored in marketing communications and I liked to talk which might come across. But I think that has served me [00:03:45] well is just focusing on being a good communicator. And ultimately I think marketing is... it's everything. I look at the things I've done in my career or how I've worked with people. And it's really all about marketing yourself and branding yourself and having some confidence in that. That's marketing. And sometimes it's doing that before, you know, that it's real, right?
[00:04:09] So you gotta, you gotta kind of just take a little gamble on yourself and go, I think I can do this, and start really working towards something.
[00:04:17] Greg Bell: [00:04:17] Let me interrupt you for a moment because I just think it's sort of like, I want to hear your process. I mean, you, you go to school and you're not really sure about it, but you're there at Drexel right? And you go, and then something [00:04:30] clicked. Was it just really looking at the cost of school? Were there people in your life?
[00:04:33] Barbara Rea: [00:04:33] It wasn't just that, I mean, I'm that drove me for sure. But no, Drexel is a really unique school. It's experiential and it's a five-year program. And they basically align you and set you up for a career path.
[00:04:49] So you go to school for six months and then you work for six months, which motivated me because I was like, I want to make money. You know, I want to figure this out so I can, you know, go do things. And so part of your first six months of school is figuring out, okay, getting your resume, set up, interview skills, and then you go and you interview against basically people in your class and I'm competitive so I liked that competing for like the job right. And so, for [00:05:15] me, it was great because I remember going to my first co-op and it was at a fortune 500 company. And I just got really jazzed about being in an office and cause I just didn't know a lot of people that worked in an office environment.
[00:05:28]I didn't come from a family that anyone worked in an office and, and I just didn't have that in my realm, people didn't do that where I grew up. There's this, you know, a lot of blue collar workers. And to me that was like exciting. Like I got to get dressed up and go to an office and make money.
[00:05:44] Right. So I was like, okay, cool I have a path here to make money. And you know, before that I worked every job ever, I mean, I waitressed, I taught swim lessons. I was a lifeguard I roofed with my dad.
[00:05:56]Greg Bell: [00:05:56] Sort of that grind coming up. But what, and that was sort of [00:06:00] why I I'm so curious about that a lot, because you say you're competitive. You know, I get the sports part, I was an athlete. But there was interesting part in that where you've grown up sort of grinding and sort of trying to make money. And what was that about?
[00:06:13] Barbara Rea: [00:06:13] I don't know. It's funny. I got my, well, maybe I do. I got my work permit when I was 12 which is kind of crazy.
[00:06:21] So I have a nine year old right now. I can't imagine in three years, he's like going to work somewhere and could be a contributor to society. But I swam and I was at the pool all day and I thought I can probably make some money while I'm here. And they said, look when you're 12, if you got a work permit, you could.
[00:06:40] And so, you know, my mom took me down to the city. I got a work permit [00:06:45] and I made $2 and something cents an hour. So I was crushing it. I love looking at my social security statement from that year. It's like, Oh my God. I mean, I made like a thousand dollars and I'm like, that's a lot of hours for my hourly rate.
[00:07:02]But I was 12 and I remember doing it one because I was like, what else am I going to be doing at the pool all day, other than eating Snickers which is something I would have been doing. And I liked it and I liked the idea of making some money because then I'd have a little cash in my pocket to, I don't know, get a milkshake or go to the movies with my friends or just do something or get a new shirt, something like that, that maybe, you know, my parents wouldn't be thrilled to give me money to just kind of spend on something [00:07:30] like that.
[00:07:30] Greg Bell: [00:07:30] So Barbara is a little entrepreneur really, right?
[00:07:33] Barbara Rea: [00:07:33] I mean, I hustled hard. I remember in the summers I would teach swim lessons, lifeguard on the lunch break and then at night I would waitress. So yeah, I was always, I was just like, you know, running around trying to figure it out.
[00:07:47] And so I think when I got to college and I realized I could like work in an office and make more money and I didn't have to work like three jobs and that seemed interesting for sure.
[00:07:56] Greg Bell: [00:07:56] Right. Right.
[00:07:57]Barbara Rea: [00:07:57] But the grind was still there. I mean, I worked really hard and and my, I have throughout my whole career, I mean, I asked my husband, he'll tell you, I mean, I just have been grinding, constantly learning and I'm still doing that right now because yeah you know, I think the foundation, like the work ethic was a [00:08:15] foundation that was set for me early on. My dad worked crazy hard. He would wake up at like five in the morning to go to his job site. He was like a superintendent for construction job sites and he, sometimes they were, you know, an hour and a half or two hours away and he'd get up crazy early and come home late.
[00:08:33] You know, he worked really hard for our family and I think a lot of that rubbed off on me.
[00:08:38]Greg Bell: [00:08:38] one of the things I talk about with Water the Bamboo, and it sounds like you've already alluded to it. You have sort of like a Bamboo Circle, your mom's sort of encouraging you, you know, 12 years old to get a permit. Your dad's showing you the hard work getting up and, who is in your Bamboo Circle now? I mean like, you know, you have this remarkable career going and one of [00:09:00] the things I like to bust for people is the myth of the singular genius. Who's in that circle for you now and what do they provide?
[00:09:07]Barbara Rea: [00:09:07] I have a couple different groups, like, some are more formulaic like I'm part of Vistage and that's how you and I connected. So one thing for me is, you know, constantly learning and growing and, and getting perspective. And I know when you're in a role or a job it's really easy to lose focus and just singularly focus on the job at hand, the company at hand.
[00:09:31] And I knew that was a problem for me because I was, really grinding and doing well in my work, but I had no perspective. So I, I paused and started talking to some really great [00:09:45] people that I respect and they suggested get engaged with Vistage. And I love that because it's people from different industries.
[00:09:53] And so you really learn how to take feedback. It's humbling for one, if you've been in Vistage, you get a lot of feedback from other leaders and CEOs, but you also get to give it, and it's just a really safe place to, to share problems and gain perspective because a lot of the problems you start learning are really the same for everyone. Everyone has issues with, you know, a growing company, whether it's staff, people, technology, culture you know, all those things are kind of universal, which makes you recognize just getting perspective from a different industry is great because they're all having it in just a little bit of a different way.
[00:10:29] So [00:10:30] Vistage has been really a great Bamboo Circle for me, but I've kind of created my own like mini little Vistige too, with some of the people I've worked with for a really long time. I've got several different little circles and nooks, but I spent a lot of time connecting with some friends that I really value.
[00:10:47] In fact I have a woman that I've worked with for about 20 years and she's a business owner, entrepreneur, and she's talking about creating a circle. You know, she, myself, and about four other women, where we are basically our own little mini Vistage and we hold each other accountable for our goals because she and I do that regularly.
[00:11:06] Greg Bell: [00:11:06] One of the things that's really interesting that you were just saying there though, sort of this idea of giving and getting feedback. I always think about feedback is so, [00:11:15] so important because it's the, you know, it's the true breakfast of champions, but have you ever gotten feedback where it was just so painful though?
[00:11:24] Like, like, Oh, just and how do you handle hard feedback? I'll just ask you that.
[00:11:29] Barbara Rea: [00:11:29] Oh, I mean, that's probably the truest feedback, right? If it's, if it's hitting you somewhere that deep, there's probably a reason you're having that kind of feeling. Yes, I have received that and actually it took me a little while to kind of digest it and it was spot on.
[00:11:46] It was spot on. But the thing that was interesting, I got feedback about, you know, I was enabling some bad behavior, and it was in the workplace. And I [00:12:00] think it changed my perspective on how I showed up instead of being maybe forgiving on certain things, they being tougher. And. It really helped give me the confidence like that is true.
[00:12:15] That is true. You don't get to smile at a bad joke. You actually stop the meeting. And Just getting that kind of feedback, changed the kind of leader I became and allowed me to stand up for things that were really not right. And I'm really proud of getting that feedback and then how it changed me.
[00:12:33]And I think it changed me in a way that helped me grow really as a leader and who I want to be. So I am really grateful for that. I just remember getting that feedback and it wasn't too long [00:12:45] ago and it was powerful and only people that really care about you give you that kind of tough and real feedback.
[00:12:52] That's love, you know, that is love. If someone wants you to grow, that's pretty special.
[00:12:58] Greg Bell: [00:12:58] I know. I always tell people, if you go to lunch with somebody and you finish the lunch and you go to the bathroom, you see some green thing on your teeth it's like that wasn't a friend you were having lunch with.
[00:13:10]I'm the father of three girls. And one of the things I talk about particularly for women, is how you can be more assertive particularly in, in business settings or in relationships just being assertive, you know, without being aggressive, doing that dance is really an interesting thing.
[00:13:26] It sounds like that's sort of the feedback and the lessons you've learned. Would you talk a [00:13:30] little bit about assertiveness?
[00:13:31]Barbara Rea: [00:13:31] I've been the single female at the table for years. And you know, that's obviously starting to change, but my industry is pretty male dominated.
[00:13:42] And as, as are a lot of industries, actually, it's not that unique, but I know for me, if I have a thought. I got to make sure I express it and I speak at a lot of events and one of the events that I speak out a lot has a diversity and inclusion panel and they always do it. And I really appreciate that.
[00:14:02] And one of the things I shared at that panel was, you know, this group is so great at including females as speakers. Like there's a focus on it and in diversity too, so just pure diversity. And I [00:14:15] really love that, but I noticed that a lot of the female speakers don't speak a lot when they're on a panel, they're quiet. They're the sole one, right? They're the only female. And then they don't speak. And so I spoke to that to say, Hey, women use your opportunity that you have, you have a voice and a lot of people are looking up to you and they want, they're looking up to you to see how a leader acts. How does a female leader act?
[00:14:39] So use your chance. You've gotten where you're at. You've got this seat that is a senior level position. Make sure you use it for good and show people like be a great leader, be a great mentor and use your voice. I've never been shy about using my voice and I think that's, that's benefited me and, you know, right or wrong maybe I, maybe I didn't always have the [00:15:00] right thing to say, but I am very inquisitive. It's served me to be inquisitive because when you come from the question, I think only good things come out of it because you want to learn, you have a thirst for knowledge. But I encourage anyone to ask questions. If you've got a seat at the table, Be present, let them know you're actually there. I think that really makes a big impact. So tell your daughters, keep, keep asking questions. They deserve to be at the table.
[00:15:25]Greg Bell: [00:15:25] I think the combination of that curiosity, but also it sounds like you're just even though like early on, it didn't sound like education was your but now it feels like it is.
[00:15:33] Barbara Rea: [00:15:33] I am constantly learning and, you know, I consult now, which I'm really enjoying because I actually get to learn different asset classes. So, you know, I've been in [00:15:45] retail and home building and industrial, and now I'm consulting for asset classes I never even heard of, you know, and then to me then I'm all in.
[00:15:54] I get to learn all about those different asset classes or different sources of capital and investments. So I'm constantly going to conferences, reading books, and articles and filling my brain. And I'm all over LinkedIn. And my feed, I realized, it's what you create. You know, if you don't want to see someone's updates, like, all right, mute them or disconnect from them. Who's updates do you want, you want Warren Buffett? Cool. Follow him! So I follow people that I'm really inspired by and I want to learn more about, and actually I think [00:16:30] that's just a great way to feed your brain. So yeah, something changed in me for sure.
[00:16:34] When I was younger, it just wasn't a thing. And then all of a sudden something flipped in college and, and now it's just, I'm constantly on a learning and growth path.
[00:16:43]Greg Bell: [00:16:43] Your career is really interesting to a lot of our listeners and interesting to me, for sure.
[00:16:48] But a lot of people aren't, don't really sort of know what, what you do. So you're the CEO of BKM capital, right?
[00:16:53]Barbara Rea: [00:16:53] It was. And then my last corporate job I was a chief operating officer at an investment management firm.
[00:17:00] Greg Bell: [00:17:00] So your, your niche is a real estate, right? So talk a little bit about that and how you got into that.
[00:17:07] Barbara Rea: [00:17:07] Yeah. I mean, some of it's a little bit, a little bit of interest and a little bit of luck. I did grow up around real estate not on the investment management side [00:17:15] at all, but had an interest and love for it. Having, you know, my dad as a superintendent and construction working high rises in the city.
[00:17:23] So I always had kind of an interest there. And my first job out of school was actually in tech, but it was a marketing job and my husband and I decided to move to California right when we were getting married and came out here. He had a job that moved us out here and I had nothing. I was going to work at Starbucks. Like I was like five minutes from working in a Starbucks and being a really bad barista. And I got a call back from a big real estate land owner here in Southern California. And they were starting this [00:18:00] retail properties marketing group and called me in for an interview.
[00:18:04] And I got, I think really lucky. Part of it was, I was driving around and I would write down all the companies I saw on the signs and I'd be like, where do I want to work? Let's just go find out what those companies are all about. I mean, because the internet was like, this is in 2000 and the internet was kind of like, didn't have a lot of great stuff.
[00:18:22] And so I'm like, I'll find out what companies are here by just looking at the signs and it was a good strategy. I think it's still a good strategy actually, if you're young and you're looking for, you know, companies to work at, look, who's got like the biggest real estate footprint and they probably have some openings, right.
[00:18:39]So that's when I did, and I actually got a call. I saw Irvine Company's name on everything. So [00:18:45] I reached out to them and sent my resume, and they called me like the next day, and I ended up getting the job. And so, my barista dreams were shattered and my real estate career started. So I worked in a marketing group when I was there for leasing, marketing for retail spaces, so big shopping centers that they have here. And they're beautiful. So, and that's how I got my start was really on the marketing side of real estate. And I've really kind of decided I want to learn all the different asset classes as best as I can.
[00:19:18] And so I would spend a couple of years in each asset class learning that so I could figure out like, all right, keep growing, keep growing. So I went to Home Building for a few years I then went to [00:19:30] a brokerage shop, which was industrial and office mainly they had some retail also, and really took over a lot of the operations as well as marketing.
[00:19:39] And that was, I think, where I got a lot of my management and leadership chops and was able to parlay that into my next gig, which was kind of a starting member of a company that had a really cool concept of being an investment manager, raising third-party capital and creating a fund where we go buy a bunch of real estate, manage it, and get returns for the investors. And so in that process, I learned so much. Investment management was a completely new industry for me. And I think I just went all in on it and got really excited about the learning and the growth. [00:20:15] And it's really created who I am because I have this great knowledge base now that I can go help other people that are wanting to learn and do the same thing.
[00:20:23]Which I think is, you know, a beautiful thing. I started going to all these conferences and you know, now I speak at them and help others, which I think is really kind of fun.
[00:20:32] Greg Bell: [00:20:32] Well, that's really cool to think that back in 2000 now, that's a 20 year career. You've done some pretty remarkable things in that, but one of the things that's interesting one of the concepts in Water the Bamboo is it's messy in the garden, right?
[00:20:47] Not a linear smooth path you know? What kinds of challenges did you face? You know, from the time, you know, obviously the barista job, you know, lattes, right. But in some ways we could say, Oh, she [00:21:00] grew 90 feet and 60 days she's managing all these really cool projects. And, you know, we can sort of look at that, but that's a 20 your span. I imagine there were some huge challenges in that.
[00:21:11] Barbara Rea: [00:21:11] Yeah, I think part of it too, and this is for anyone in any career, I think you get really branded in a space if you stay too long where, and especially when you're younger, it's like people only see you as that junior person in whatever department you're in. You're the young marketing girl, you know, It's really hard to rebrand and change that perspective.
[00:21:34]As vocal as you are, and as sharp as you are, and the value that you add, sometimes you have to leave a company or a position to go get a little bit [00:21:45] more credibility. And, you know, I don't say that so that people like go run out and like leave their job. But I think it's kind of like Vistage, perspective is really important.
[00:21:53]The perspective you have from a certain experience, it's actually valuable somewhere else. And. And you don't really realize your own value until you go out and test the market and see, you know, and they start going, Oh, wow. That's interesting background. Whereas where you're at, it just kind of like expects you to have that.
[00:22:09] And then they haven't really noticed your growth. And I think that's really, that's really true for me. I know, you know, I spent five years at the first company. I was working with here in California and I loved it, but I knew I wasn't going to get the leadership skills and I wanted to manage people and there was a limited number of people that I was going to really manage there. So that was [00:22:30] my thing. I wanted to go find another real estate job, or I could take on a bigger leadership role and develop people. That was where I saw my growth path.
[00:22:39]And so. You know, you have to make some of those like challenging calls because my job was great and they were really good to me and the perks were good and everything was great, but those are the kind of moments where you got to go, but I could stay here forever and just do this forever. And I know I want to grow. And I think I have to change to grow and I have to go put myself in a new environment and that's scary and I get to meet new people and I have to brand myself with them and kind of rebuild all of that respect that I've gained throughout the last few years and get it back and that credibility, but you got to do it.
[00:23:13] So sometimes I think you gotta like make some big [00:23:15] changes that maybe you're a little off your career path or seems like, why would I do that right now when things are good, but I think you have to do that. And that's scary. That's, that's a scary change to make. But you know, for me, I've been just, I've made a lot of changes where even my husband will be like, why did you do that?
[00:23:33] Or why won't you just take that position until you figure out that other thing I'll never do it. I don't compromise on that. And 'because I know where I want to grow and learn.
[00:23:44]Greg Bell: [00:23:44] I thought that it was an interesting comment though, that you made about people not valuing you. Cause I think that happens. It's like, it's hard to be a prophet in your own land in a way, like, I can sort of understand that, but one piece of that I'd like you to sort of address here is with, [00:24:00] with you, you know, you've had all this success, you know, you've had this 20 year career, you know, you think back to your childhood and all that. What piece of advice would you give the 15 year old Barbara?
[00:24:13] Barbara Rea: [00:24:13] Yeah. I think saying yes to everything is important.
[00:24:16] I always read these articles where it's like, say no to this and like, you know, learn how to say no. I think saying yes is really important. And one of the things that always helped me was I loved when I worked with someone or for someone who didn't want to do a task. And they're like, I don't know what this is.
[00:24:33] And I always did it and I loved doing it because I got to learn and I think it's really important that if you have an opportunity to do something, step up, raise your hand step into it. Say [00:24:45] yes. Don't say no, especially when you're young. I think a chance to learn something new, even if you totally botch it is worth it.
[00:24:52]Those lessons are really memorable. Those, those scars stay with you. When you mess something up, you don't forget those lessons. So to me, I would say like if you're young, do internships, work, put yourself out there, talk to grownups.
[00:25:05] I remember. I just didn't really know a lot of it like, and talk to grownups when I was younger. I have younger siblings and they, they did, and they were so much like we have a very large age gap and so they were just so much more mature when they were in high school than I was, because, I mean, they just were more well-rounded they went and saw a lot of different universities before they went there.
[00:25:26] They could talk to grownups. I think that's a really great skill when you're younger [00:25:30] is just to learn what the options are that are out there. Ask a lot of questions. I don't think people realize how many jobs there are in the world. And just really asking a lot of questions when you're younger and figuring those things out.
[00:25:42] And then when you land somewhere, Do all the things. Say yes to everything because you'll gain experience. And frankly, you'll also find out, like I hate doing that. I never want to have a job that does that. Now, you know, you wouldn't have known if you didn't say yes.
[00:25:56] Greg Bell: [00:25:56] well, one of the things that your, this advice you're giving your younger self, honestly, I think everyone can use that now.
[00:26:04] I mean, even if you're an adult, it doesn't matter because you know, with COVID. So many things have changed, right? The whole world is in tumult right now for me, in terms of careers, that [00:26:15] piece of advice of saying yes, exploring, reaching out, asking people who have been there before, it seems like that would work now. Don't you agree?
[00:26:24] Barbara Rea: [00:26:24] Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's what I'm doing right now, as I'm learning about how our company is pivoting with COVID, what does that mean? Real estate is an interesting thing to follow right now, because you know, think of your offices and how much vacancy there is right now. I mean, a lot of them are still paying rent but they're empty, right?
[00:26:43] So people are starting to get creative on what should we do with our office space when we go back to normal, do we need as much? And industrial has new uses because our supply chain is changing because of COVID because people's daily patterns are different and [00:27:00] changing. I think retail is going to change a lot.
[00:27:02] So to me, for what I do, it's really interesting to spend a lot of time learning what other companies are doing right now and how they're responding to COVID, how they're changing their strategy. And there keeps coming nuggets from those things that are interesting to me. And then they add value to a client that I have just because I stayed engaged and learned about what's happening. So, yeah, I think it's really important because things aren't going to be the same after, whenever after is, things won't be the same as they were before. And how we do business is significant. Certainly changing and obviously I'm coming from a real estate perspective, but I would say every businesses is going to be [00:27:45] dramatically impacted and the office environment is going to be dramatically impacted.
[00:27:49] If you're in HR right now, your job is really changing. You know, a lot of the human resource function right now is focused on having a safe work environment, making sure your workers are Tech enabled at their homes so that they can do their job. You've got people that now want to live in a different city and there's tax implications on their payroll, right.
[00:28:11] That no one had to think of before. So there's, there's so many things to be learning about during COVID cause their lives have all changed.
[00:28:19]Greg Bell: [00:28:19] I like how you you, you talked about that. He talked about it in terms of opportunity to not challenge. It was a very interesting, just subtle. Have you always been that optimistic?
[00:28:29] Barbara Rea: [00:28:29] I'm pretty [00:28:30] optimistic. Yes. I don't think I'm like, you know, I like working with people that are optimistic too. I worked with someone before and that I was like, you know, I have to say, that's like divide by three on your goals, but because they were so opportunistic and just, you know, exciting and really glass half full, but yeah, I'm, I'm pretty optimistic just in general, cause I see opportunities. So look, we're all everyone's facing challenges during COVID. I don't want to downplay that for anyone because it's real. My life is a mess at my home front. I've got kids at home and you know, they're in and out of school and it's, it's crazy. It's chaos. So, I mean, that's real, that's happening for all of us. There's people that are, you know, suffering [00:29:15] health wise, I'm grateful and lucky that it hasn't impacted my family. But yeah, I see a lot of opportunities because of COVID and I think there's, you know, anytime there's a big shift in the market or the economy, there's people that really gain from it and find a way to benefit from it.
[00:29:33]You know, I could have started making hand sanitizers and I'd really gained from that. Right? There's just so many new business opportunities and things that you can kind of find ways to create new revenue streams for businesses right now, where they didn't exist before. So one door closes another opens and I think you got to look at your business that way.
[00:29:52]Greg Bell: [00:29:52] I'm like you, super optimistic and look for opportunities, but you know, there are a lot of nega holics out there. Like this is the worst ever. It's like, [00:30:00] well, it will be true if you say that, you know? Yeah, yeah.
[00:30:04] One You know, it, it's interesting you know, in prepping for my interview with you you know, I came up with some questions, but you know, I can't come up with all of them.
[00:30:12] So why don't you help me out? What questions should I be asking you?
[00:30:16]Barbara Rea: [00:30:16] Well, I can say one of the things that's been a big driving force in my life is obviously my family. And I know a lot of people say that, but I've got an interesting family dynamic. My mom, my birth mom is living with me and she gave me up for adoption when she was 17. And I think it's probably crafted a lot of who I am. I can't admire or respect her anymore. She made a really tough decision at 17 and she gave me up for [00:30:45] adoption. And in my young twenties, I sought her out and found her. And so we're, you know, very close, great friends. She's actually been living with us the last few months, which has been amazing.
[00:30:58]And I have three younger siblings, they are technically my half siblings, but I just think of them as my siblings. But so we share a mom and different dad, but I think that's probably something that has shaped a lot of my life and probably my optimism. Just even seeking her out and thinking ha you know, if, if I find her great if I don't, that's fine too.
[00:31:20] And if she wants a relationship, that's great. If she doesn't, that's fine too. And it all actually worked out so much better than I could've ever imagined. And I [00:31:30] think, you know, that relationship has made me a lot of who I am too just, it's been a beautiful thing.
[00:31:37] Greg Bell: [00:31:37] Wow. That's wow. I would never gotten to that.
[00:31:41] Barbara Rea: [00:31:41] You weren't expecting you to go there were you? I got really personal.
[00:31:44]Greg Bell: [00:31:44] This whole idea that you know, talk about a Water the Bamboo story. Like, I mean, you are it, like you're adopted, you know, I imagine at some point in your life, there's some struggle with that for you. Was it?
[00:31:56] Barbara Rea: [00:31:56] Yeah. I mean, it's like everything, you know, you just kind of everyone has like identity issues I think when they're growing up, I mean, it's funny, cause you know, now that I have kids of my own, I have two boys, they have the same mom and dad they're being raised in the same house and they're so different. And when I was [00:32:15] younger, I had an older brother. He was adopted also.
[00:32:17] And we were raised by the same parents in the same house, but genetically we were different. Right. And we were totally different. And I thought, Oh, that's cause we're adopted, you know? And now that I have my own family, it's like, no, it's just how it works, you know? But I didn't know that, I didn't have that perspective then. Like, Oh, like, you know, we're so different from each other and we get along great by the way, but we were, we were just really different kids. So, you know, I think I had some identity issues trying to figure out who the heck I was and you know what I was all about. And obviously I sought that out cause I did have some confusion, which is, you know, my brother, when he didn't, he didn't seek that out, he was [00:33:00] fine like not knowing his nationality and, you know, I really wanted to know that kind of stuff. It was like something missing for me. And filling that in really made me complete it really.
[00:33:14] Greg Bell: [00:33:14] That is, I appreciate you sharing that because I have this sort of theory. I, you know, seven and a half billion, maybe 8 billion people on earth.
[00:33:21] I think they're all having this identity crisis at some point, everyone does. Who am I? What am I about? What's my meaning. What's my purpose. That was actually one of the reasons I wrote the book, Water the Bamboo thinking everybody could be a Bamboo Farmer and I started with values. What do you care about, what's your character and all those things.
[00:33:40] But, you know, if you sorta think about it, a lot of us are defining ourselves by our career. You know, you go to a [00:33:45] dinner party, like, well, what do you do? And that's how you define yourself, but it's interesting looking at your own sort of personal identity. But one of the things that I've been asking guests now, and I, this comes up a lot for people that I, you know, I do a lot of keynote speeches at conferences and get emails from people.
[00:34:02] But one of the biggest things that comes up is some people feel like they're imposter, you know, the imposter syndrome? You know, you go into a room, you go into a meeting and you're like, I'm not supposed to be here. I'm, you know, I'm Barbara, I'm this adopted kid and that kind of thing. What advice do you give to people that have the imposter syndrome?
[00:34:21] Barbara Rea: [00:34:21] Who cares, everyone's feeling it. I mean, everyone is feeling that. I mean, maybe not Donald Trump, he seems to be always [00:34:30] like really confident and comfortable, but in any situation, but I think everyone feels that way. And who cares? Don't listen to that voice, listen to the voice that's your cheerleader and champion and says you can do it and you'll figure it out.
[00:34:42]Greg Bell: [00:34:42] Yeah. You know, you're, you're saying that as a person that sort of has figured it out, but I just remember times, and even in my life, you know, I'm serving on some board and I'm getting ready to walk in the room, I'm going, Oh, my word. You know, I'm just like, you know, from Texas, I'm not supposed to be in this room. And then just to say well, I guess I do love what you said. Like everybody's feeling that.
[00:35:04] Barbara Rea: [00:35:04] Everyone is, everyone feels that. So just tell the voice in your head to shut up. And everyone in the room feels that way at some point in their life. And so, yeah. I don't [00:35:15] know. I, I have not listened to that. I remember like being in situations where I'm like, I'm about to go in that room and I was like they're humans. They're just people. Who cares. They're just people. And I really try to not let that go to my head. When I started in the investment management side, I mean, Everyone's got an MBA from Harvard and, you know, just degreed, Ivy league, Ivy league degrees out the wazoo.
[00:35:41] And I'm like, I'm like, and I thought, I think I went to a good school and you know, I love Drexel. I didn't get an MBA cause I, I started doing so well that I'm like, I think I'm getting an MBA in life, you know, but so I don't have like, All of those extra degrees. And I didn't go to an Ivy league school and it's easy. I mean, Drexel's right [00:36:00] next to Penn. So it was really easy to have like an inferiority complex, like, Oh, they go to Penn, I just go to Drexel. But I don't get wrapped up in that. Cause I thought, you know what? I'm figuring it out. And actually I can hold a conversation with these people, why would I ever put myself down?
[00:36:15] Because if I start thinking of myself as less than I'll certainly start showing up that way. So.
[00:36:21]Greg Bell: [00:36:21] Yeah, I love that positivity. That's so critical to Bamboo Farming because most of the things you're looking for are not visible. And I always tell people that the most important soil on earth is your mind.
[00:36:34] What you put in, who you hang out with all those things are important, and that language that one has, your language will determine so much, just your own self-talk super important [00:36:45] to sort of think about. Talking to the audience, I just want you to open up the mic to you. And what do you want to say to the bam Bamboo Nation? Anything at all?
[00:36:53] Barbara Rea: [00:36:53] Yeah, I think, you know, I love the concept of it takes time to get where you want to go and it's all part of the journey. And for people that are listening that are trying to figure out where are you going? There are so few people in the world who actually, you know, when they're five years old know, like what they're going to do. You always hear it with musicians, right? Like when they're famous, like when I was five, I knew I was going to be a famous musician performer, and you're like, what? That's not normal. And I think like we hear stuff like that and we, we have this expectation that we should know where we're [00:37:30] going and it's the journey. I think life is all about this really interesting journey and it you're going to have some turns sometimes that you don't expect, but you know, you just got to, you got to let life take you where you're going and, and realize that most people didn't set out to be, you know, most fortune 500 CEOs probably didn't set out to be such, you know, they, they came there and their dream grew and evolved along the way as they kind of got more and more interested in it in a topic and a subject and their professional growth. And so your shell too, I think it's important to realize that not everyone knows where they're going. No one has like a path to know exactly, there's no right path. It's really, that's why life [00:38:15] is interesting is the whole journey to get where you're going. So it, it all takes time. It all takes time and enjoy the way there it's. That's where the growth is.
[00:38:24] Greg Bell: [00:38:24] That is a beautiful message. What I hear you said probably this entire interview is to start, get going. That's so critical because on the way you'll meet people, you'll see things you'll, you know, sort of the journey of your life and your career or whatever you're trying to do.
[00:38:40]I so appreciate that message. And folks wanting to reach out to you how do they do that? How do they find you?
[00:38:46]Barbara Rea: [00:38:46] I'm really active on LinkedIn. It's Barbara Rea, and I have a website reaadvisorygroup.com. So you can hook up with me on my website or LinkedIn. I'm pretty active on [00:39:00] LinkedIn, but and my email is on my website.
[00:39:02] Greg Bell: [00:39:02] Oh, that's awesome. I just appreciate you willing to jump, jump on here. And as all my guests do you have to now do the what's called the Water the Bamboo oath, okay.
[00:39:11] I raised my band hand. I got a Water the Bamboo band on here. So raise your right hand.
[00:39:16] Barbara Rea: [00:39:16] Okay.
[00:39:18] Greg Bell: [00:39:18] No matter what challenges come my way,
[00:39:20] Barbara Rea: [00:39:20] No matter what challenges come my way.
[00:39:22] Greg Bell: [00:39:22] I will.
[00:39:23] Barbara Rea: [00:39:23] I will
[00:39:24] Greg Bell: [00:39:24] Continue.
[00:39:25] Barbara Rea: [00:39:25] Continue.
[00:39:26] Greg Bell: [00:39:26] To Water the Bamboo.
[00:39:28] Barbara Rea: [00:39:28] To Water the Bamboo.
[00:39:29] Greg Bell: [00:39:29] Oh, you're awesome. Thank you very much.
[00:39:32] Barbara Rea: [00:39:32] Thank you. I appreciate it.
[00:39:34] Greg Bell: [00:39:35] What an amazing story. I loved Barbara's optimism and her outlook on life. I agree with her that saying yes, more often leads to more [00:39:45] doors opening and a chance to learn and grow from new experiences. I hope you enjoy today's episode. If you liked what you heard, please subscribe on Apple podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and also leave a five-star rating and a written review.
[00:40:01]Thanks for joining this episode and look out for the next, in the meantime, keep watering your bamboo.