3 Boss A$$ Ladies: Barbara, Kristen & Elizabeth

Short version: these women are everything, and should be treated as so everyday. Not just on IWD.

Long version:

It’s International Women’s Day, so I’d like to dedicate this post to three women I had the pleasure of working with that you may (or may not) know. They are women I am deeply inspired by through each of their own journeys, humble attitudes, and abilities to laugh at themselves.

If you haven’t visited my “Experience” tab, I would encourage you to for a better sense of my time facilitating iHeartMedia Learning Series events with each one of these women.

So, if you don’t already know them, meet Barbara Corcoran, Kristen Hadeed, & Elizabeth Barry. Ladies, if you don’t know each other: go ahead and introduce yourselves.

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3 THINGS I LEARNED FROM BARBARA CORCORAN: Shark Tank Investor & Real Estate Queen

1. You might think Barbara Corcoran and her team would be hard to work with because of her status as a Shark Tank investor and founder of a a $5 billion real estate business. NO. They were an absolute dream to work with, which felt like a reflection of the way Barbara leads her team.

2. I learned that it’s not just a TV act - Barbara is spunky, hilarious & wears a smile from ear-to-ear even behind-the-scenes. We were doing a quick run through of the event a few minutes before, and I told her I had no clue how I’d intro her, but to just roll with it. She was laughing and we just… rolled with it.

3. I learned that quite literally, there is a difference between ambition and destiny. She was ambitious enough to define her own destiny. 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. Damn girl.

She also gave us one special piece of advice: to never forget your own worth, and to always ask for that raise. (especially women!)

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3 THINGS I LEARNED FROM KRISTEN HADEED: Author of Permission to Screw Up & Founder of Student Maid

1. It’s one thing to follow your dreams, but it’s actually possible to follow the one that helps you build an environment where people are happy coming to work. Her people love coming to work, they stick around for years, and some have even turned down dream jobs to join the executive team and build careers at Student Maid.

2. Vulnerability = power. In 2017, she published her first book, Permission To Screw Up, in which she offers an unapologetic account of her biggest mistakes in leadership. She hopes that her vulnerability will give others the courage to open up about their own “perfectly imperfect” moments and proudly embrace them as the tremendous learning opportunities they are.

3. She is hilarious and somehow makes me believe that waking up at 4:00AM is normal and worthwhile. Follow along to see what I’m talking about. IG: @kristenhadeed

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3 THINGS I LEARNED FROM ELIZABETH BARRY: Inspirational Leader | 17X TEDx Speaker | Mindfulness Coach | Entrepreneur | Dreamer | Author | DOER.

1. Turning a problem into an opportunity is a mindset shift. And this is a gift of hers. On January 3rd 2020, Elizabeth faced a tragedy that gave her the choice to trust in her own body of work on spirituality, patience, belief systems and vulnerability. Elizabeth was run over by a twin engine 62-foot speed boat weighing approximately 94,000 lbs as it grazed her skull and neck. At the same time, she was holding hands with her life partner who lost his life as she watched him fly to heaven. She’s a miracle to be alive and she believes that her reason for being saved is to continue to inspire the world. In turn, she wrote Heaven on Eleven, a book that will help you nurture your relationships in the now.

2. You don’t have to pick one thing to excel at… sometimes, your ability to connect with people on a deeper level will open up more doors. She’s been called “refreshingly untraditional”, a “true original” and “a force of nature”. Whether she’s coaching a client, building a brand, speaking at an event, or if you’re reading one of her books, her personality wakes you up to life.

3. Never, ever settle. Keep things fresh. Elizabeth is a published author, speaker, marketer, coach and business advisor. Better question: what can’t she do?

XO Renee

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