We had the good fortune of connecting with Reina Kendall and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Reina, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Great question! I would say there are three attributes that I consider crucial: authenticity, resilience (via emotional intelligence) and consistency. These three habitual elements are vital components in all areas of success. When it comes to business and in life, it seems, in my experience that there will always be outside factors aiming to challenge these attributes and it’s up to us to look from within to combat them. Personally, I take authenticity very seriously. No matter the circumstances or the company I’m in, I am always my authentic self because authenticity is a way of respecting yourself and others. It’s also a gateway to building trust which is important in business and in life. Resilience, on the other hand, also comes from within but it tends to be more of a learned behavior. Resilience is a tough one to maintain at times because of the intensity of the outside noise and it’s centered around your emotions. As a Model, I find my resilience is tested the most when I’m in “model mode.”‘ I don’t mind competition. I actually welcome it! However, when any sort of bullying comes into play that can from time to time test my resilience but I power through. As for consistency. I cannot stress this enough. Consistency is your golden ticket. It is crucial in all of our relationships. With consistency comes loyalty, trust, increased wealth, respect and so much more.
Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Philanthropy and in my case, giving back is a big part of who I am. Up until about five years ago, there was a period of many years where my medical health was in danger as a result of many ailments that stemmed from depression. My health suffered so significantly that on two separate occasions I was informed that I was probably not going to make it much longer. The details on this period I am very open about and can share at length another time. In response to your question, my experiences are what drive me to give back as much as I can and I do. Specifically, I love being apart of my community. I enjoy being knowledgeable, resourceful and offering to help in anyway that I can. Part of this is taking the time to educate myself by being proactive in asking questions. Some people welcome my inquiries but those who have been burned in the past are skeptical. I had a recent encounter where I kept reaching out to the head of a major project. All I wanted was to connect and educate myself a little further but I couldn’t reach him . I couldn’t understand it and then I realized he was so used to people asking for handouts or with an agenda that he didn’t believe that anyone would have an active interest without a plot in the background. I had to explain verbatim that I was simply curious and I was willing to help if there were anything he needed. It was pretty comical but it built trust . This happens often where I’ll say “let me know if there’s anything I can help you with” and people look at me like I’m speaking a foreign language. Truth is, their response motivates me to want to help even more !
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of my favorite things about Palm Beach Island itself is that no matter how modernized it becomes, it has maintained a small town/neighborhood feel through and through meaning that you’ll often find local Palm Beach restaurant and shop owners know our name and we know theirs. It’s this level of comfort which explains why as a community, we tend to go to the same spots all of the time. With that said, if I were entertaining a guest for a couple days, I would plan to take them to some of mu regular spots within these parameters: .
COFFEE: Chikmonk and Johan Joe’s are great choices any time of day.
Sant Ambroeus is a terrific for an afternoon tea, coffee, dessert and/ or gelato.
BREAKFAST: A timeless favorite is Green’s Luncheonette and the other newer modern diner, Surf Side
LUNCH: my mother and I like Belle & Maxwell’s or Le Bilboquet or the Seafood Bar at the Breakers Hotel. I also like Agora in Northwood.
Other fun eateries to checkout is Carmine’s Market in Jupiter
Piccolo Mondi off Worth Avenue
*My FAV self serve frozen yogurt shop is located in Boynton Beach called DIY*
Or Treehouse at the Canopy for Sunset drinks
DINNER: Tough call but Florie’s in the Four Seasons, Trevini, Bice, Cafe Boulud, La Sirina, Sant Ambroeus, Renato’s, Meat Market, Swifty’s, Buccan, Felice, PLANTA and Cafe Europe,
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my godmother, Jo Ann Ross.
Instagram: @reinakendallpublicrelations @reinasraves (model bookings) *my accounts are Private so please request me!!
Image Credits
Neil London ; Antoinette Wilks ; Kaunis Hetki ; Jim Kosinski