Serena speaks with Betsy Pepine, a best-selling author, speaker, and founder of Pepine Realty, one of the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the USA. Betsy shares her journey from being the “black sheep” in a family of physicians to building a thriving real estate empire — and how embracing her introversion became a superpower rather than a setback.
She also opens up about breaking free from family expectations, the courage to choose authenticity over approval, and how her philosophy of “who, not how” helps her lead and scale as an introverted CEO.
Key Takeaways
Betsy explores how invisible “boxes” — from family, gender, and culture — shape who we think we’re supposed to be, and how freeing ourselves from them can open the door to real purpose and joy.
Discover how reading Quiet by Susan Cain helped Betsy see introversion not as a weakness, but as a strength rooted in self-awareness and energy management.
Betsy shares how honoring her need for downtime has made her a more effective leader — and how setting clear boundaries gives permission for her team to do the same.
Learn how a layoff and a divorce became the catalysts that propelled Betsy into entrepreneurship and eventually toward national recognition in the real estate industry.
Contrary to popular belief, introverts can thrive in sales. Betsy explains how empathy, deep listening, and genuine connection are what make clients trust and return.
Betsy shares her “Who, Not How” philosophy — focusing on what you do best and delegating what drains your energy. For early-stage entrepreneurs, she offers creative ways to build support, from bartering to joining mastermind groups.
Memorable Quotes
“When you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else. If I said yes to being a physician, I was saying no to me.” — Betsy Pepine
“Introverts are not less than — we just derive energy from within.” — Betsy Pepine
“If we’re not going to stand up for ourselves, how can we expect others to?” — Betsy Pepine
“Embrace where you are on the spectrum — honor it, and set boundaries so you can operate at your best.” — Betsy Pepine
Connect with Betsy Pepine
Website: betsypepine.com
Social Media: @betsypepine on all major platforms
Book: Breaking Boxes — available via her website
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This episode was edited by Aura House Productions
