I held the mic, with palms sweating, and thanked my peers for coming. Then I shared the truth:

“I was just with Barbara, and I told her, I had no idea how I’d introduce her. And that I’d figure it out. Usually, I prep for the intros, have a few bullets ready, and take it from there. But I could not figure out how to intro her. So yesterday, I Googled “How to introduce a billionaire”. And that’s when I realized, there’s no way. So here you are… Barbara Corcoran.”

She came out giggling and whispered that that was the best intro she’d ever received. And in that moment and for the time we shared with her, her ability to laugh at herself was a trait I knew I wanted to emulate on my own journey through leadership.

BC talked us through her path from straight D's in high school and college and 20 jobs by the time she turned 23. It was her next job that would make her one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country: She borrowed $1,000 and quit her job as a waitress to start a tiny real estate company in New York City. Over the next 25 years Barbara would parlay that $1,000 loan into a $5 billion real estate business, building the largest and best-known brand in the business.

She had us laughing through it all — and gave us one special piece of advice: to never forget your own worth.