Episodes

In this episode of Dr. B Show, Dr. B welcomes and interviews Robert Ferra, an experienced underwriter and partner at People First Investment Group, to share his journey from the world of real estate to helping small businesses and back to real estate. He emphasizes the importance of education and critical thinking in his success. Robert also discusses the unique selling proposition of People First Investment Group, which focuses on helping motivated sellers save their homes and providing financing solutions. He highlights the significance of math and understanding market trends in real estate investing. Robert predicts an increase in foreclosures due to various factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation. He advises new investors to educate themselves, build a strong team, and be prepared before entering the real estate market. KEY TAKEAWAYS Education and critical thinking are essential for success in the real estate industry. People First Investment Group stands out by prov…

In this first episode of Dr. B Show Season 5, Dr. B welcomes and interviews Veena Jetti, the founder of Vive Funds, a large multifamily owner-operator company. With over a decade of experience in real estate investing, Veena has successfully bought and sold assets worth nearly a billion dollars. She is also the creator of the free Facebook community, Mastering Multifamily with Veena Jetti, where she provides mentorship and education to aspiring investors. Veena shares her journey in real estate investing and offers valuable insights for new investors. She emphasizes the importance of education and building a strong network. Veena also highlights the significance of choosing the right partners and mentors to navigate the complexities of the industry. She stresses the need for integrity, community, and continuous learning in order to succeed in real estate. KEY TAKEAWAYS Multifamily properties offer the best of both residential and commercial real estate, providing a scalable and sta…

HIGHER EDUCATION WAS NEVER A MATTER OF PRICE Dr. B is back with another inspiring episode as he welcomes Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, the President of the Community College of Aurora. As a community college graduate, Dr. Mordecai shares his experience in his studies up to the point when he gained his doctorate and became president of the institution. He also talks about why he chose to study in a community college, his current job, and how to make higher education transformative, without the need of paying a high price. HIGHLIGHTS DR. MORDECAI: THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE DEGREE “The sacrifices that it took to find my space, find my purpose, find myself, that was the hardest degree, the most transformative degree I would say of that was my doctorate because I really, rather than pursuing the letters in the title, I pursued the understanding of how do I take this information, to equip me to be able to make the most impact and I was truly transformed during that experience.” You can learn more …

HIGHER CALLING AND HIGHER MISSION IN HIGHER EDUCATION Dr. B welcomes Fleriser Bello in today’s episode and they had a conversation about Fleriser’s work in elevating brands, motivating and educating Latino youth, and amplifying the voices of LatinX professionals. Fleriser is the founder and CEO of Bellas Fashionistas. She works to bridge opportunities for scholarships, internships, and pre-college programs to Latino youth in order to help them reach their full potential. She also emphasizes the importance of personal and professional development and identifying one's life purpose in order to be able to walk authentically as themselves. Learn more about Fleriser in this latest episode of The Dr. B Show HIGHLIGHTS FLERISER: LEVERAGING YOUR NETWORK “We build this network that entrusts us to be able to host different positions and open the doors to the next opportunity.” FLERISER: WHAT CAN BE DONE MORE FOR DIVERSITY “It's hard to reach the top. But it's not impossible. I think that if w…

HIGHER CALLING AND HIGHER MISSION IN HIGHER EDUCATION Dr. B welcomes Dr. Michelle Campbell, the Vice President For Institutional Advancement at Middlesex College. Michelle shares her story of how she got into volunteerism and higher education. She explains why volunteerism is important for someone’s career, and how she unraveled her passion for higher education. She also discusses the challenges and main tasks of her role. Find out more about Michelle in this latest episode of The Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS DR. MICHELLE: WHY VOLUNTEERISM IS IMPORTANT TO HER CAREER “It opens doors, it provides a space for networking from a different lens than you know, going to a business event and networking in that space. I also think I truly believe in giving back and being part of a community beyond just what you do nine to five or, or whatnot.” You can learn more about Michelle in the link/s below. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-campbell-ed-d-a4613229/ Middelsex College: https://www.…

HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS? Dr. B welcomes Maricielo Solis in today’s episode. Maricielo is the Founder and CEO of BLENDtw, an SEO Content Writing Strategy & Advertising Services & Publisher. She shares her experience in working with some of the biggest names in journalism such as NBC and CNN and is now on the show to educate us with her knowledge on how to leverage blogging as a means of marketing strategy for your business. Find out more about Maricielo in this latest episode of The Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS MARICIELO: IT NEEDS DEDICATION AND SACRIFICE “Entrepreneurship is not something that you go in thinking you're gonna make your first million, like that fast or no, it takes so much dedication, sometimes sacrifices to make something work.” MARICIELO: BELIEVE IN YOUR VISION, PUT IN THE WORK “When you believe in a vision and you're determined to do it, it will happen for you, but you just have to put in the work.” MARICIELO: BLOGGING AND COMMUNITY AS PART OF STRATEGY “Blogging, or jus…

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A SURVIVOR? In today’s episode, Dr. B welcomes Veronica Romero, Vice President for Business Strategy at Hidden City Corp, to share her ups and downs in her over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Veronica, together with her husband, started their own restaurant and survived the recessions in the past and even the recent pandemic. Stay tuned as Veronica breaks down the strategies and actions they took to survive, only here in the latest episode of The Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS VERONICA: TRUST YOUR GUT, FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WANT “Trust your gut, as human beings, we have that knowledge within us, that we just know when we have a dream, and if you really focus into what you want to do and what you want it to become, you will become the creator of that.” You can learn more about Veronica in the link/s below. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-romero-11061616/ Hidden City Cafe Corp: https://www.hiddencitynyc.com/about If you’re listening to t…

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE SHOWROOM Dr. B welcomes Chris Lora today, as he shares his story about going to college with a very diverse environment and ending up as an educator himself, but later on discovered his new passion and path to success, which is real estate. Chris is now a successful Real Estate Investor and he will be joining Dr. B to educate us about real estate, only here, in the latest episode of The Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS DR. B: SOMETIMES GETTING CORNERED IS GOOD FOR YOU “Sometimes it takes you you know your back against the wall and to realize you know, where you land and what you do.” CHRIS: FAMILY GOALS “I tell people that get into real estate, your investment strategy depends on your goals. Do what is best for your family.” You can learn more about Chris in the link/s below. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-works/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.works/ If you’re listening to the Dr. B Show Podcast, please subscribe, share, and we’re listening…

Dr. B is back and today he welcomes Harleny Vasquez. Harleny is a first-gen Latina born and raised in New York City. She is a licensed social worker with 10 years of experience working with children and families dealing with complex trauma in underserved communities. She is also the CEO and founder of her consulting business, Your Evolved Mind, which helps social workers find jobs using the LinkedIn platform. Find out more about Harleny in this latest episode of The Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS HARLENY: GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY “I've been active on the LinkedIn platform for the past three years, right around the time that I found Your Evolved Mind, and again, me being a connector of people and a network of resources, I always knew that again, I wanted to do more.” HARLENY: REACHING OUT TO DIVERSE TALENT “In my opinion, most recruiters don't take that effort to find talent or at least diverse talent. For me, I go out of my way, I'll reach out, I make it very, (with the social work of m…

Dr. B is back, and today he welcomes Aaron Mendoza, a Call of Duty Gamer and doc’s brother in the WWE fandom. Aaron is a Senior Relationship Manager at Bank of America and a volunteer for Kingsway Church. He will be sharing his experiences and learnings from his current role and his volunteer work, particularly on how it helps the community of small business owners, and how these help develop leadership skills. Find out more in this latest episode of The Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS DR. B: VOLUNTEERING HELPS IN DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS “Volunteering does help with networking but most importantly helps the cause but at the same time helps build your leadership quality and build the skills that normally you wouldn't build outside during your day to day.” AARON: FINANCIAL LITERACY TO EDUCATE BUSINESS OWNERS “I think financial literacy, that word gets thrown out maybe too loosely now, and I think specifically, what that means is it's educating business owners so that they can make sound f…

Dr. B is back with another episode, and today he welcomes Sara Pena, the Director Of External Affairs for PSEG. As the Founder and President of the Boys to Leaders Foundation, Sara stresses the importance of education for people of color, and how it can help them develop their career paths. Sara also talks about how she works to support her community, and how volunteering and giving back is important to her. Find out more about Sara’s empowering movement in this latest episode of The Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS SARA: THE DRIVE TO EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY “I think what drives me and has always driven me has been my passion for my community and helping others that are just like me, I think that drives everything that I that I've done and that I've continued to do. It's always aligned with my values and with things that I strongly believe in which is community and empowering our community.” SARA: EMPOWER EVERYONE BY WORKING TOGETHER “There never has to be one person, NO, why are we giving that…

Kenneth Johnson is the president of East Coast Executives and the founder of the app blkbox. East Coast executives is a diversity recruitment firm that focuses on black and brown talent. Kenneth is here to share his experiences and how he came up with his mission of securing career opportunities for people of color. Find out more in this latest episode of The Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS KENNETH: FINDING HIS MISSION “Saw a story about a gentleman named Kenneth Chenault, who had been named CEO and American Express, and then the article, it had mentioned that he was something like the only the third African American male to be named CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and the light bulb went off, you know what, that's your mission, recruit diversity into companies that some of the higher levels, so or at least I have some impact there.” You can learn more about Kenneth in the link/s below. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kljohnsoninfo/ East Coast Executives: https://www.linkedin.com/company…

WHO KNEW BAILING OUT OF YOUR COURSE LEADS YOU TO YOUR PASSION? April Hernandez-Castillo is an actor, speaker, and author who was born and raised in the Bronx. She discussed how walking out of her Chemistry class led her to find her love of acting, and how she has used her platform to inspire others. She also spoke about her goals as a Latina woman in the entertainment industry, and how the pandemic has affected her work. Find out more about April in hits latest episode of the Dr. B Show. HIGHLIGHTS APRIL: EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO PURSUE “Had it not been going to college and having those options, I don't know if I would have become an actor. So once I discovered that I didn't want to do science, I didn't want to do nutrition anymore. Having that option and choice, which is when I'm working with young folks, young adults, I tell them ‘ ‘Is college for everyone? No, but everyone should go to see if this is for you. Or maybe a trade school, either way, getting educate…

Entrepreneurship can be a very lonely road, and that path is often rocky. But to succeed, you must believe in your own vision first. This episode of the Dr. B Podcast features restaurateur Lizeth Morales, president and CEO of El Gordo Restaurants in Jersey City. Lizeth talks about her own journey to entrepreneurship, her 5-year vision for her business, and why as an entrepreneur, you need to be your own biggest cheerleader. HIGHLIGHTS Family history and origin of the El Gordo Restaurants Feedback is key in management success Community is everything Entrepreneurs need to learn how to delegate Lizeth's 5-year vision for El Gordo Be your own biggest cheerleader QUOTES Lizeth: "I am very one on one with my team. I always like to share with them the attributes that I see that they're great at, the things that they need to work on and as well I like to give them a space where they can also give me feedback on how I can improve and what tools I can give them so that they can effecti…

We are gifted with the circumstances of our birth. Moving forward, it will be up to us to decide how we will build our lives. This episode of the Dr. B Show features Puerto-Rican-born Celeste Leon, who demonstrated her determination by working her way through college and is now Americas Sales Enablement Lead for KPMG US. Celeste also talks about I AIM, a community she founded that empowers women through eight-week sessions filled with education, mindset discussions, and sisterhood. HIGHLIGHTS It all starts with asking the right questions Job interviews are actually sales meetings It takes a village to heal from trauma Why a positive mindset is everything QUOTES Celeste: "When I speak to universities and to students, I tell them that my biggest advice during college is obviously build your resume right. Do internships. But also the importance of building your interpersonal skills and your confidence is incredibly important. Because when you're gonna go and interview, you're sel…

This episode of the Dr. B Show features Jaliyla Fraser, CEO and Founder of Fraser’s Mathematics Solutions. Jaliyla talks about her life as a former Supervisor of Mathematics in the East Orange School District in New Jersey, where she wrote the curriculum and ensured that teachers had the necessary resources to perform their duties. However, out of love for working directly with children, Jaliyla decided to establish her current company to, in her words, “create pipelines of students that aren't afraid of math.” Jaliyla details the different strategies that they are using to make math fun for kids, and why it’s crucial to also be working with parents at home. She also goes into how they navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and why going back to the pre-pandemic setup is yet another challenge that she is eager to resolve. HIGHLIGHTS It all started with wanting to work with kids Pivoting from the challenges of COVID-19 From Common Core to NJSLS How to make math fun fo…

This episode of the Dr. B Show features Paulina Lopez, the CEO and founder of Business of We. Paulina talks about how she earned her stripes in the financial sector, how she navigated the male-dominated construction industry, and her thoughts on the phenomenon today known as "The Great Resignation". Additionally, Paulina also shares some practical tips for those who want to take a leap of faith and become entrepreneurs. HIGHLIGHTS Navigating a male-dominated construction industry Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart What is up with the Great Resignation? Things to ponder before you make the jump QUOTES Paulina: "Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. It's not for the faint of heart. It requires skills. I always share how important it is to do your work and really understand how you have to build your confidence. You have to build your leadership and you have to build your network." Paulina: "You don't have to commute to work anymore. They realized that that's where t…

In this episode of the Dr. B Show Podcast, Dr. B talks to the Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate, Luis Sanchez-Santana. Having signed up at 17, Luis learned the ropes of leadership from his military training and continues to apply those skills in real estate and as training officer in the New Jersey Army National Guard. Luis also talks about the main reasons why many Americans nowadays are having a difficult time purchasing property, and why he thinks the currently volatile real estate market will stabilize itself eventually. HIGHLIGHTS An army man in real estate How being a soldier helped Luis become a leader The market will eventually correct itself Why people are finding it difficult to purchase homes Monitor your credit two years before purchasing property Attend a first-time homebuyer's seminar as soon as you can There's no one-size fits all profile for clients QUOTES Luis: "I went through different stages of leadership, but every stage taught me somethi…

In this episode of the Dr. B Show Podcast, Dr. B talks to educator and entrepreneur Randy Gomez. Randy is the CEO and Founder of the Academy of Young Leaders, a proactive learning program that utilizes experiential workshops to provide high-school students with career clarity. Randy talks about the need to expose kids to more career options such as trade schools, as opposed to just going to the 4-year college diploma route. She also talks about her decision to leave her 9 to 5 job at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to become an entrepreneur. HIGHLIGHTS We need more tradespeople Why high school students are often not college-ready Trade schools are making a comeback Turning to entrepreneurship during the pandemic Addressing the pain points of high schools Exposing the kids to more career options How to know if you've got that entrepreneur in you QUOTES Randy: "The whole stigma behind that everyone has to go to a four-year college, it has to stop. Trade schools are amazing. …

In this episode of the Dr. B Show Podcast, Dr. B talks to real estate consultant and entrepreneur Royce Blackwell. Royce talks about the skills that have served him well from selling cars to real estate and eventually in starting his own business. He also talks about the current trends in the real estate industry and gives tips for people who may want to buy and/or sell property in the near future. Spoiler alert: it’s currently a seller’s market, but it may not be for very long. HIGHLIGHTS You always need to plan Always listen to your clients Leave a legacy through real estate Has the residential real estate market peaked already? Why buying real estate can be hard for some people QUOTES Royce: "What helped me most recently is being more organized. Because when you're unorganized, even with your schedule and just in general when you’re starting to get clients, get a CRM so you can organize your business and let the CRM do its job." Royce: "It's a good time to buy if you're rea…

In this episode of the Dr. B Show Podcast, Dr. B is joined by finance executive, author, speaker, consultant, and podcast host, Carolina Veira. Carolina talks about the work that she does for multiple organizations including Hispanic Star, a network that champions the Hispanic community. Carolina talks about the importance of volunteerism, education, and why the Hispanic community needs to continue work for representation today. Hispanics have the right to be heard, but like everybody else, that opportunity needs to be earned, and will not be given. HIGHLIGHTS A professional life steeped in service Hispanics need to be participate and be seen more Volunteerism creates active communities Education opens up a lot of opportunities All about the ¡Hablemos! Podcast QUOTES Carolina: "When we unite and we see what we can be, reflected on other people who have achieved the success that we want for ourselves, then we get stronger as a community." Carolina: "We need to be seen, …

In this episode of the Dr. B Show Podcast, Dr. B welcomes mathematician and founder of the Hispanics Inspiring Students’ Performance and Achievement or HISPA, Dr. Ivonne Diaz Claisse. Dr. Ivonne talks about the need to provide more role models for young people who will validate their dreams. Dr. Ivonne believes in the potential of young people, they just need to be exposed to the different opportunities that are available today at an early age. Through HISPA, Dr. Ivonne hopes to show young people the path to success, and equip them with what they need to get their desired career. HIGHLIGHTS Early dreams and founding HISPA To study mathematics is to become a creative problem solver Developing a love of math through Fibonacci Students need role models to validate their dreams How you can help more students through HISPA QUOTES Dr. Ivonne: "When you study mathematics, I always say, you can take any job. I always say that when you have an analytic mind, you are a problem solver. A…

In this episode of the Dr. B Show Podcast, Dr. B welcomes Erica Sandoval, Founder of Sandoval Collab, President of the National Association of Social Workers - NYC Chapter, host of the Latinx In Social Work Podcast, and author of Latinx in Social Work: Stories that heal, inspire, and connect communities. She shares the realities of Latinx communities with racism and microaggressions and how she empowers them through collaboration and community. Erica discusses limiting beliefs and how giving a voice to Latinx social workers is her way of inspiring others into action as well. HIGHLIGHTS Founding Sandoval Collab amidst the pandemic Authorship gives a voice to Latinx social workers Bridging the gap through community Learn the language of money to enter executive spaces QUOTES Erica: "I've always been working with clients as a clinician and I decided, you know what, why don't I just take a leap of faith and get my clinical license and really start my own practice especially because…

In this episode of the Dr. B Show Podcast, Dr. B welcomes Victoria Jenn Rodriguez, corporate hustler turned serial entrepreneur and Founder of The Female Collaborative. Diversity and inclusion are central topics that can make or break an organization. Victoria helps companies determine their own diversity issues and provide them strategies that have a good chance of impacting work culture and improving the bottom line. Victoria's initiatives like The Women Who Roar Series on IGTV also speak to her advocacy of bringing women together and inspiring them to collaborate. Her goal is to empower women, build their confidence, limit impostor syndrome, and eliminate self-doubt.