Many women listening may be wondering whether it's too late for them to make a change. What would you say to the woman who's thinking about trying something new, whatever it may be, but worries she's too old, too comfortable, or too afraid? Yeah, I think there are so many people that fall into that category, you know, like we talked about at the beginning.
There's so many of us out there that think, like, it's too late for us to rewrite a new story or reinvent ourselves. So I would say don't be afraid. Find that group of... that network of support people that are going to encourage you, and just do it
Welcome to RenewHer, a podcast for women over 50 ready to reignite their energy and explore what's next. I'm Genell Lemley, brain fitness coach. Here, you'll hear real stories from women taking on new challenges after 50, along with brain health tips to boost focus, energy, and the mindset to move forward with confidence. Let's dive into today's episode.
Welcome back to the RenewHer podcast, where we talk about renewing your body, your brain, and your life, and where we explore what it really looks like to begin again. Today's guest is someone who truly embodies that message. I met Judy Tierney about two, three years ago or so through a mastermind group we both belong to, and it's been inspiring to watch her continue to reinvent herself.
When we first met, after a successful corporate career and years of running her own marketing and communications consulting business, Judy had built a thriving business as a realtor, real estate coach, and investor, helping women build confidence and build wealth through real estate, and then she pivoted again.
That's one of the things I admire most about Judy. She has never been afraid to begin a new chapter. Rather than settling into what she already had built, she's now pursuing a lifelong passion by co-founding a boutique travel company. I wanted to invite Judy onto the podcast because I think her story is such a powerful reminder that we're never finished growing.
Whether you're changing careers, pursuing a dream you've carried for years, or simply listening to that quiet voice telling you there's something more, Judy's journey reminds us that it's never too late to write a new chapter. So let me tell you a little bit more about Judy by reading her official bio.
So Judy Tierney is the co-founder of Be There Excursions, a boutique travel company she launched with her longtime friend, Christine Licardi. Together, they create immersive small group adventures for women who want to experience destinations beyond the typical tourist path. In their 20s, Judy and Christine left corporate America to spend more than a year traveling around the world.
Over the years, their adventures took them to all seven continents and forever changed the way they viewed travel. For Judy, it sparked a lifelong passion for connecting with local people, cultures, and traditions to create experiences that go beyond the guidebooks. Today, Judy combines decades of business and travel experience to create thoroughly curated adventures that take the stress out of travel and make it easy for women to experience the world with confidence.
Her favorite part is watching strangers become friends while discovering places in a way most travelers never do. Based in Austin, Texas, Judy believes the best trips don't just change where you go, they change how you see the world. So Judy, welcome to the RenewHer podcast. I'm so excited to have you here.
Thank you so much, Genell. I'm so excited to be here. I love what you're doing with this podcast. I love how your theme is about reinvention. I think so many of us Over 50 or over 60, as in my case, feel like they've already written their stories, but there's just so much out there ahead for all of us. And so I just absolutely love what you're doing.
Great. Thank you. All right, so let's get started. Okay. All right. In the book you co-authored with the mastermind group you were in- Yes ... you wrote about what an enormous influence your parents had on who you've become. Mm-hmm. They encouraged curiosity, adventure, independence, and taking calculated risks. So tell us a little bit about your childhood, and how did those values shape your life?
Yeah, so my parents have always... Their priority for all six of the kids, I'm the youngest of six, was always about education and trying new things. And so we never had fancy clothes or cars or any of the stuff. But if we wanted to try something new or invest in a, like a new activity or try something new, that was really what they focused on and emphasized as we were growing up.
When I was 15, we always did car trips, you know, to different places around the country when we were kids, all six of us, plus my parents piled into the station wagon. But when I was 15, everyone else was out of the household, and my parents brought me to London for the first time. So that was my first international trip, and I absolutely fell in love with England and with just the whole idea of seeing other cultures and places.
And then fast-forward about, I don't know, 10, 12 years later, when I was working in corporate America and decided I was gonna quit my job and travel for a year- While everyone else was saying, "What do you mean you're going to quit traveling? What are you going to do when you get back? This is going to interfere with your career," all of the stuff.
My parents were my biggest cheerleaders, and they were so excited about what I was going to do and just encouraged me along the way, and it was fantastic. How fabulous is that? Mm-hmm. I mean, to have your parents support you- Yes ... when you're like, "I'm, I'm quitting my job. I'm gonna go- Yeah ... explore the world."
Yes. Not all, not all parents would maybe feel that way. So I think- Yeah ... that's great that they encouraged you. Yeah. So one thing too is another passion in addition to travel. Well, at the time you may- didn't, didn't know that it would become a passion, but you actually too became a landlord- ... at just 26 years old.
Yeah. Unexpectedly. I did. And so can you talk a little bit about that? Yeah. I mean, that's kind of a big thing at 26. Yeah. Yes. When I graduated, I, I'm from Texas. I'm, was born and bred here. When I got out of school, I moved to New Jersey. To another totally different experience from a cultural perspective. I got a job at AT&T, and I was working.
I was very young. I had my group of friends. I knew that I, you know, wanted to buy a small condo or buy my own place, but New Jersey real estate prices were astronomical compared to where I was from in Texas. So I was trying to figure out, how can I do this? What, you know, coming up with some creative ways.
I found a friend, and he and I decided, well, we'll just buy, combine our resources and buy a place together. So we found a great house, and it was a four-bedroom house with a basement, and we thought, "This will be great. We'll just move in. We'll have all our friends become our roommates so we have plenty of space."
And so without really thinking about it, we soon realized that they were covering our mortgage for us. So that was my first entree into real estate and to, you know, realizing the, you know, whole, that whole idea of passive income. And ultimately, that was one of the things that helped me be able to fund my trip when I decided to, you know, quit my job a few years later and travel.
So that was my foray into becoming a landlord at such a young age. And a good lesson- Yes ... along with it. Yes. Yeah. And, and it's also, you had mentioned that I became a realtor and a real estate coach and investor, which is what I was primarily focusing on before I started this travel business. Mm-hmm. And I'm still very passionate about real estate.
I think it's a great opportunity, you know, especially for women to be able to put... you know, diversify their portfolio, put some money in something other than, you know, stocks and bonds, et cetera, to generate some passive income. I feel like that's a great way for people to, like, diversify and help with their financial freedom.
'Cause, uh, you're still doing your real estate business, maybe not as much, but still dabbling in it a little or? Yeah, that's correct. Mm-hmm. I'm still helping, you know, mostly friends and family and referrals. I'm not proactively seeking new clients, but I definitely am still- Aware of the market. I, you know, keep up with everything, and I do assist with people who, you know, who are close friends and family and that kind of thing.
Great. So as I mentioned earlier, your career has taken some fascinating turns. You've worked in corporate America, you built your own consulting firm, became a realtor, investor, and real estate coach, and now you've launched a travel company. Yep. Looking back, what prompted each of these pivots, and how did you know it was time for something different?
Yeah. I feel like for, you know, I've been fortunate in that all of my pivots have kind of naturally come to me. My first pivot was leaving AT&T and, and traveling. And at the time, I had just... I had the great opportunity to work on the Atlanta Olympics at, for AT&T, so that was a wonderful experience. I was in Atlanta for three months, and I finished that gig, you know, that part of my job, and thought, "Wow, it just- this is the pinnacle of a career.
It can't get any better." So that's what I, I just decided, you know, I really need to do something that's gonna top this or do something even better. And I was young and maybe a little, a little stupid. I don't know. Uh, I don't think so, but you know, I just- Yeah ... I had that travel bug, and I, I wasn't married, you know, no kids.
I thought, "If I'm gonna do this, this is the time." So I left my job, and so that seemed kind of a natural next step for me at the time. And so when you did this, were you... Was it, were you 25 or how old were you approximately? I was 28, yeah. Okay. I was in my late 20s. So yeah, so I was still young, and I'd been working, I don't know, five, six years at that point.
Mm-hmm. I came back, didn't quite know what I was gonna do, but ended up getting a job in San Francisco. I was also working in the sports marketing field in my new job when I got back. It wasn't, it wasn't a, a very... It was a, a little bit of a toxic environment. I had some folks there that I was working with that, you know, it just wasn't very healthy for me.
So for four years, I had a job that looked great on paper, but it was just really crushing me, and ultimately, the company closed its San Francisco office, so that for me was also a natural pivot. You know, there- it was sh- kind of out of my hands, but it was actually a blessing in disguise. While I was trying to, you know, I was figuring out, what am I gonna do next?
And a great friend of mine said, "Oh-" You should do some projects for the company that she was working for on a consulting basis. So I really did that just as an interim step, and then 20, no, 18 years later, I had had a, you know, years-long consulting career. So and then along the way, I bought a, a condo in Austin, and w- my friend, who was a real estate broker, and I just had so much fun looking at condos with him, and I thought, "Well, this could be a really great career as well."
So I got my real estate license while I was still consulting and kinda did both for a little while. And then when COVID hit, and my parents were in poor health, and I really needed to be in Austin, you know, to take care of them and not spend my time traveling, which was what I was doing in the consulting business, I turned to real estate as a full-time job, and I did that for about, you know, all through COVID, 2019 through still today I do a little bit- Mm-hmm
dabble a little bit in real estate. And then two years ago, I-- I've always wanted to do something in travel. That's always been my passion. And a couple of years ago, my friend Christine and I were on a phone call, and she told me she was retiring. She lives in New Jersey, and that she wanted to do something in the travel industry, and I said, "Me too."
And we, you know, a month later, we were meeting in New Jersey hammering out ways that we could start a travel business. That's so fun, especially- Yeah ... when you think that you've, that you had done so much traveling together- Yes ... you know, throughout, throughout those many years, that you're able then to take that passion and, and put it into something to bring to other people- Yeah
to provide them with the same type of experiences you've had and that you have so much loved. Yeah. We had, we did, we took the year off. It was actually 14 months when we were in our 20s. Mm-hmm. We traveled, and then when we came back, she got married to one of our friends in New Jersey. I moved to San Francisco to start my career again, and we kept in touch quite a bit over the years, and we would meet for girls' weekends and trips and whatnot.
So we did continue to stay in touch all throughout the, you know, through the entire time. Took a lot of wonderful trips together, and in 2017 she was turning 50, and she said for her 50th birthday, her husband, her bucket list trip was Antarctica. Mm. And her husband John, who's also a friend of mine, thought that we should go together.
So she left her husband and two daughters for a couple of weeks, and we went to our final two continents, South America and Antarctica together. How exciting. Yeah. I mean, that's a big, big thing- Yeah, yeah ... to be able to, to say that Yeah Yeah ... that was a great trip. So reinvention sounds exciting. Yes. And it can be, but it's rarely easy.
A lot of things that you go through along the way. What fears or obstacles did you face during those transitions? Like, were there moments when you ever you questioned whether you were making the right decision, and kinda how did you work through that? Yeah. Well, you know, as I was going through my career changes just a minute ago, some of the changes and reinventions were my own decisions.
Mm-hmm. And some of them kind of fell out of my hands a little bit, like when my company closed down and I was forced- Right ... to find something. So of course there was a little bit of uncertainty, you know, in those kinds of situations, and I think for me it's always scary to start something new. I do tend to just, like, go out and take the leap anyway.
But I think, you know, I think our brains, and you might have more perspective on this, but I think, you know, our brains are meant to protect us from- Mm-hmm ... uncertainty and- Yes ... so when you're starting something new, whether it's a new business or, you know, traveling or whatever it is, taking on a new physical challenge, whatever the thing, your brain, like, goes into protection mode.
And so I think, like, then the next part of it is as you get into the thing, there's this just you're learning so many new things and discovering so many new opportunities and so forth. So I feel like- For me, the challenges, my, my most current challenge when I started the travel business, you know, I've always worked alone.
I've always kind of been a solo contributor as a realtor and, uh, when I started my own consulting business. So I've always done things my own way, and it was a real challenge and kind of a shock to my system working with another person, even though we knew each other so well. We're like sisters, and we've known each other forever, but we both have very different styles.
And so that was a big challenge for me, just kind of the uncertainty of working with someone else. But I think as you're... You know, the good news for us as we're in our 50s, I think there's... That comes with a little bit of a maturity to be able to work some of those things out. And so that's been helpful for both of us.
But I would say, you know, it's never too late to do something new, and sometimes we're forced to make that decision. Sometimes we- Hmm ... you know, sometimes we just, it's been on our mind for a long time, and we finally get to the point. Yeah, and then sometimes there may be those who think about doing it and want to do something, but it's taking that leap, taking that step, you know, to actually do it.
Yeah. It's hard. And for me, like in my life, I've... Whatever I'm interested in, I try to be involved in that somehow. So when I was consulting, I got my real estate license, and I knew, you know, that someday I might want to dive into real estate. When I was working at my consulting job, I've always known that I'm gonna do something.
I wanted to be involved in the travel industry. I took some classes on travel writing, and I wrote about my trips, and I got published. Hmm. So I think it's always good to, you know, if you do have passions and if you think you may want to be making a change or st- doing, just to somehow get involved in that, whether it's, you know, talking to people who have done it or just taking very small steps.
I think the more experience, the more knowledge that you have, the easier the leap is. 'Cause it's not necessarily to say that you leave one thing, and you flip the switch and start the next one. Right. Some people may do that- Yeah ... but others may want, if you will, more of a transition period- Yeah ... of building up to it so they leave, feel comfortable leaving behind what they've done and moving forward into their next chapter.
I mean, you don't... There's not many people that just start off running a marathon. You know, maybe it's walking- Right ... a mile a day. Mm-hmm. Doing a 5K and then ultimately getting to the point, so. Right. All right. So now, looking back over all these different chapters of your life, what have they taught you about yourself, and what surprised you the most?
That's a good question. I think one, like, a, a big thing that I've learned over the years is to p- if you're passionate about something or you're, you know, in a situation that isn't, that you kind of have an instinct isn't quite right To start planning and making, uh, creating opportunities to go to your next step more quickly.
So I've had a couple of instances where the job that I was in, that I referenced before, that was just a very bad toxic environment for me. It took me four years to get out of that situation and it wasn't my decision in the end. So looking back if I, you know, if I would've left after a year I think that would've been something that might've been good for me.
When I was consulting I loved it. I had such a good time but I spent a lot of time away from home when I should've been I think spending more time with family. So I didn't really make those plans, uh, you know as early as I would've liked to in hindsight. So I think that is something that I've learned through the years and so when I had this opportunity to start this business with Christine I jumped on it.
I mean as soon as she said that I was like, "I wanna do this too." Then we were both like, "Let's do it." And we've, you know, we've had some struggles and challenges and figuring things out and so forth but I think just you know kind of looking ahead is something that I would advise people to do and you know a lot of people get caught up in situations that you know maybe they're ready to reinvent themselves or do something different and- Mm-hmm
just do it. To you know start making a plan. And I think the one thing that surprised me about myself is I mentioned that I'm, have been, uh, working by myself, you know, for years. And starting this new business and working with a partner has been, has been a challenge, but it's been great, like partnering with somebody and compromising on things.
I'm really forcing myself to see things from a different point of view, and I, and I really like it. It's, you know, I always thought, like, "I don't wanna manage another person. I don't-" Right ... all the things. But it's been very, it's been really good having a partner to do things with. Well, that's nice. Yeah.
You can support each other- Yes ... along the way. Yes. The other thing, too, I mean, speaking of support, I think for women, we've got so much. You know, we do it all, right? We take care of the kids. We take care of the parents. We run the family schedule. We work full time. We do all of the stuff. So I think it's real important, too, to have a support network, and just whether it's a group of friends or a close confidant or whatever it is, just kind of realizing that you don't have to do it all yourself.
And I think with the mastermind that you and I met in was a great, you know, resource and a great support network for me as I have been pivoting over the past few years as well. So just having, you know, reaching out and finding that group of people that have your back. Mm-hmm. So important. Mm-hmm. And it's really nice, too.
I mean, it's nice to have the, the virtual ability, but it's, was really nice with the mastermind that we actually had occasions- Oh, yeah ... to physically get together, 'cause that's really, I think, where the stronger connection was made- Yeah ... that allowed us to carry forward- Ah, 100% ... many of the friendships. Yes.
Mm-hmm. Exactly. So one of the themes I think sometimes some of us wrestle with is regret. Mm-hmm. If you hadn't made these changes, if you had stayed comfortable- What do you think, I mean, is there anything you think you would regret? Or what has been your, what do you want to say, philosophy or thought about regret?
So my, there are a couple things, like I've referenced before, that I've, you know, I regretted not doing this sooner or that sooner. But in actuality, I think that's just the path- Mm-hmm ... that I was meant to be on because I, like if I wouldn't have stayed here for four years, I wouldn't have gotten to the next pla- You know, you don't never know.
I think life has a way of putting you on the path that you're supposed to be on. So I, I don't really have any regrets in my past or my career decisions. So let's say, has regret, the thought about regretting something- Oh ... caused you to move forward with something- Oh, got it. Yeah ... that is if I don't start this travel company- Yes.
Yeah ... am I going to regret it 20 years from now? Yes. Yeah. 100%. Something along those lines. Yeah. 100%. And I've always, I mean, I think I, I even shared, you know I shared with the mastermind when I started with, when we were all together. I was very heavily into real estate at that time. Mm-hmm. And I mentioned, I think in our first meeting where we all got together, I really want to do something travel-related.
Um- I remember that, actually. Yeah. So I was trying to kind of force how can I fit real estate and travel together- Mm-hmm ... and I didn't ever really come up with any great solutions on that. So when I had the opportunity to start this tour business, I knew that, I mean, it just was like, yes, I've got to do this.
This is what I've been thinking about. I love real estate, but that's, but I love travel more, and I can make real estate the side business and travel the primary business. So I knew that if I didn't jump on it, I would regret it. Mm-hmm. So I just went forward without even a thought. That's one thing. Like passion sometimes will pull you along- Yes
if you will. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I get that it's not always easy. You know, people have other- things going on, but I think if you just kind of keep your eye on what it is that you're passionate about and find opportunities, even if you don't, like, change jobs and leave one career and start a career in your passion, you can still do things that are, you know, part of what you love.
'Cause for you, I think it's my understanding, you really didn't have to start another business. It's more like you chose to pursue something that brings you joy. Yes. Would that be an accurate statement? I- yes. I didn't have to start another business, and, you know, actually, I feel quite lucky because I was able to start another business without the fin- I don't have kids.
I don't have the responsibilities that a lot of other women have from a financial perspective or, you know, now from a time perspective. So I feel fortunate that I was able to kind of take the jump and do what I wanted to do, and, and I didn't have to feel responsible that I'm not meeting other obligations or requirements.
Mm-hmm. So for me, that was a really good... And I t-totally recognize that not everyone has that, so I do feel really fortunate. Yeah, like, the reason people move forward with something new is different from person to person. Yeah. It might be pass- it might be they're just trying to get out of a toxic environment- Right, right, right
and looking, you know, for something new. Many of our friends are moving into retirement, and sometimes it can be tempting. Right. Oh, t- yeah. For sure. Right? But there's still, there's still that something- Yeah, yeah ... that kind of wants to keep moving forward- Yes. 100% ... to explore, to learn more, and, and to see what's out there.
Yeah. Yes, retirement is very tempting sometimes. Well, the good thing s-for me personally is since I'm... I do, I have a lot of friends and family members that are retiring or that are retired, and a lot of them are interested in traveling, so it's great. I've been able to provide some good experiences for some of those people- Mm-hmm
and as a result, go on some trips where I've- Already know people that are part of our group and, you know, I know they're gonna be fun and welcome other people into the group and all of that good stuff. So that's been good. Fabulous. Yeah. Okay. So tell us a little bit about Be There Excursions. What makes your travel experience different from maybe traditional group tours?
And tell us about some of the adventures that you currently offer. So Be There Excursions is a... We're a boutique travel company. We focus and specialize on small group, very ex- experiences for women. So our ideal group size is eight to 10 women, and we look for places, destinations that have a lot of diverse things for women to do.
So like when we plan a trip, we want to have a trip that if it has, you know, great food and wine and outdoor experiences and culture and nature and history. So right now we have three trips that, that are coming up. We have South Africa, Vietnam, and Cambodia, that's one, and Sicily. And we... What makes us a little bit different is that we go out and scout all of these locations.
So we go ahead of time, we stay in all of the hotels, we eat at the restaurants, we go on the safaris, we go to the wineries. We do all of the things so that we know exactly where we're taking our guests. And we like that eight to 10 group size because we feel like it really gives women the opportunity to get to know each other and, you know, really like they're h- able to make friends and relationships that are gonna last, you know, way beyond the trip.
And we've already seen that with the two trip. We've taken... We're very new. We started the company in 2024, summer of 2024, so we're about two years old, and we've, we started by going out and scouting some of the locations. And we've completed a trip to Sicily and a trip to South Africa with customers and with guests.
So we'll be doing those two trips again, as well as Vietnam and Cambodia, which we've just added. So we're, you know, we're really about focusing on... We're not focused on going everywhere and all places, but we're focused on creating really wonderful experiences that we think women are going to enjoy and, you know, be able to make new friends.
And we're, we know that there are women out there who are either, like, too busy, too intimidated, or just have no interest in planning their own trips, so we hope we can work with those women to create a fantastic experience and some really cool destinations. Great. Thanks for sharing. Yeah. And I'll make sure so that everyone knows, I'll be including links to that, uh- Okay
in the show notes. So if everyone's- Yeah ... curious and wants to learn more, they can certainly do that. Okay. That's wonderful. So- Yeah, we're always looking for great women to join our, join our excursions, so that would be great. And like you, I think we talked about this a little bit when we talked before, is it's not one of those trips where you're going from one tourist attraction to another necessarily, but really immersing yourself- Yeah
um, in the experiences. Yes. We, we, yes, consciously create trips where you're not, like, on a big tour bus, drive into the souvenir shop, and getting out and taking a picture and moving on to the next place. We want people to spend time in the place, get to know the, you know, people, get to know the culture, really get to know the location.
So- Mm-hmm ... that's, yeah, that's what we're focused on. All right. So now, as we're starting to wrap up here, many women listening may be wondering whether it's too late for them to make a change. What would you say to the woman who's thinking about trying something new, whatever it may be, but worries she's too old, too comfortable, or too afraid?
Yeah, I think there are so many people that fall into that category, you know, like we talked about at the beginning. I think there's so many of us out there that think, like, it's too late for us to rewrite a new story or reinvent ourselves. So I would say don't, don't be afraid. Find that group of, that network of support people that are going to encourage you, and just do it.
You know, what's the worst that can happen? So yes, I'm a big advocate of trying new things. And as you mentioned earlier, it's starts getting involved maybe, or joining different groups, or starting to get your feet wet, if you will, before you maybe take the leap. Yeah. Yeah, 100%. And I love, again, I love what you're doing on your podcast because I think by exposing people to, exposing your audience to people who have taken risks, you're really helping women kind of have the permission to start something new and to do that reinvention.
So I think it's so wonderful. And I think really what I want to show is, like, ordinary people doing extraordinary things really. All right. So Judy, listening to your story, one thing really stands out to me, and your life reminds us that renewal isn't a one-time event. It's a choice we make over and over again.
Sometimes it means changing careers, sometimes it means pursuing a dream we've carried for decades, and sometimes it simply means giving ourselves permission to become who we're meant to be I love that your story shows us that reinvention doesn't have an expiration date. Whether we're 40, 50, 60, or beyond, we still have the ability to learn, to grow, to take risks, and to create meaningful new chapters.
Thank you so much for sharing your journey so openly, and thank you for reminding all of us that some of life's greatest adventures begin the moment we're willing to say yes to something new. And before we wrap up, what's the best way for listeners to connect with you? When I put it in the show notes, you know, is it on LinkedIn?
Is it email? Or what's the best way for listeners to connect with you and learn more? I think the best way would be to send me an email at Judy, J-U-D-Y, @betherexcursions.com. I would also love people to check out our website, which is betherexcursions.com, and you can find out more about our story, about the trips that we have coming up, and you can sign up for our newsletter and join us on LinkedIn and on Instagram.
Great. So again, I will make sure and include all that information in the show notes so that it's easily accessible. Thank you, Judy, for joining us today, and thank you to everyone listening for spending part of your day with us. If today's conversation encouraged you, inspired you, or made you think differently about what's possible in your own life, I'd love it if you'd share this episode with another woman who might need to hear this message.
Until next time, remember, you are never too old, and it's never too late to renew your body, your brain, and your life. Again, thanks so much, Judy. I greatly appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you for joining me for this episode of RenewHer. If today's conversation sparked something in you, don't let it fade.
Take even a small step toward what's next. If you've found value in what you heard, please subscribe, leave a review, or share this podcast with a woman who's ready to take her next bold step. Together, we're building a community of strong, resilient women navigating what's next with courage and purpose.
Until next time, stay energized and keep embracing what's possible.