Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have one of my favorite people in Berks County in front of me, and that is Tracy Beaky. Hi, Tracy.
Tracy Beaky: Hi, Toni.
Toni: How are you?
Tracy: I’m great. How are you?
Toni: I’m great. So, Tracy, take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Tracy: I’m Tracy Beaky. There’s a lot I could tell you, but I’ll stick with the basics. I am a learning and development professional with Tompkins VIST Bank. I’m a certified life coach. I have a fantastic family, including a husband and two boys, a sister and nieces, a brother and nieces. I have a great family. I’m very happy to be here.
Toni: Good. Welcome to the Get Inspired! Project.
Tracy: Thank you. This is such a awesome thing.
Toni: Let’s go into the first question. What does inspiration meant to you?
Tracy: Inspiration to me – and this may change, depending on the day; well, not that much – but I think generally inspiration for me means connection and the possibilities that exist in connection. I mean connection between people. I mean connection between people and their world. Mostly, with every connection, it opens up a whole new world of possibility, whether that’s in relationship, whether that’s in philosophy, view, action, any of those things. I see connection and possibility as being very intertwined.
Toni: And that inspires you? The possibility of connection?
Tracy: The possibility of connection or the possibility that comes from connection. I’ve always thought of myself in a way as a connector. Not that I ever would have said, “Hi, I’m Tracy – I’m a connector,” but when I look at the way things happen in my life, I realize that I’m a person who can make connections. I can connect other people, which is always fantastic. Anytime that happens, something grows from that. I’m not sure I’m answering your question necessarily.
Toni: Of course you are.
Tracy: That’s kind of what it is. Whether it’s someone you don’t know … if I were to connect to you … I think the inspiration comes when I say, “Oh my gosh, Toni, you need to meet this person!” or, “Oh my gosh, person, you need to meet Toni,” (and I can't tell you how many people I’ve said that to) and to me, that inspiration is that thing that explodes out of my head and goes, “Oh my gosh! Connect! Connect!”
Toni: Do you know when it happens?
Tracy: Oh, yes. Even talking about it, again with the visuals – and you don’t see my arms here flying around – but yes, that connection is like a “poof” out of my head going, “Oh yes, connect this with that or this person with that person,” and boom, there is something great there.
Toni: So when you are inspired and you know it and you can feel it, whether it’s the possibilities or a true connection or something has occurred to you like that, how do you put that inspired moment into practice here in Berks County?
Tracy: I typically blurt it out. If it is a matter of a connection like that, I will try to make that connection. I want to make that happen. In Berks County, what I love is, if I’m not connected to you yet, chances are in the next five years I will be. I don’t know if it’s just Berks County, but it’s something that over the last couple of years I’ve really started to recognize. Really, we are all connected. There’s so much going on in these different pockets of Berks County, and I know people in these different pockets, so even if I’m the only connecting piece there, it all works together.
Toni: Is there a byproduct that you know of? I’m sure sometimes you know and sometimes you don’t know what happens with the connection, but do you have an example of something that’s happened when you said, “Oh, wait! I have to connect you!”
Tracy: Yes. I’m thinking of one in particular, but I know that there are tons. The one that I’m thinking of in particular is a dear friend of mine was far away and was looking to relocate to the Berks County area again. She’s not from Berks County. Her husband was looking for a really specific type of work. I said, “Oh my God. I know someone who does that.”
She said, “You do?”
I said, “Yes. Let me connect you.”
I think within four months they had relocated to Kutztown, Berks County, through that connection, and that connection blossomed, and then the Kutztown connections – then things started exploding! I’m not saying that I’m a job finder for people, but in that particular case because I knew the person I was speaking to and I knew the person that was that possible connection, I think there’s something to that as well.
If you can connect people, you know enough about that person so that when you make that connection, me personally, I think I’m trying to parlay some of that person into that initially.
Toni: I like that. It’s a facilitation act, too, and that’s what you’re good at as well.
Tracy: I like that.
Toni: Who in Berks County inspires you?
Tracy: Gosh, Toni – you inspire me incredibly.
Toni: Thank you for saying that.
Tracy: It’s not just because you’re the host, but seriously for years you’ve inspired me.
Toni: Thank you.
Tracy: Lots of people inspire me. People who connect. People who live in possibility. People who live in possibility, and in my mind, that brings up a lot of entrepreneurial spirit people. There’s you. There’s Phoebe Canakis of Phoebe’s Pure Food. Amazingly, her world of possibility is endless.
Toni: There is no end; you’re right.
Tracy: Robin from LiliBea’s. Possibility. My sister, Sarah Richter Cosentino of 3 O’Clock Snacks. She’s inspiring. People who just live in that possibility are so fantastic to be around. If I can put myself around them, I feel very lucky and inspired.
Toni: That’s fantastic. I love the way it comes 360 too with you. It’s people that you are connected to that also inspire you, and the possibility of what happens.
What do you want your legacy to be?
Tracy: If I disappeared poof in the air today and people said, “Where’s that Tracy?” I think I would like my legacy to be … I don’t mean to beat this to death, but that there is a giant world of possibility, and we just have to soften ourselves to it and let it come to us. Let it show itself. Let ourselves open up to see really the possibilities that are around us.
In Reading, there’s a lot of revitalization, a lot of re-energizing happening. That is probably being done by super inspirational people who see a possibility. They’re living in possibility. I would like my legacy to stand for the joy in limitless possibility, because I just can't imagine not.
Toni: Tracy, isn't that what you’re doing now?
Tracy: In what way?
Toni: You are living in a world of possibility thinking. So this isn't a question about, “Where did that Tracy go?” Tracy is very present. Tracy is working it now, and that’s your living legacy.
Tracy: That’s my living legacy, yes. It’s possibility.
Toni: I love it. I love the word. I’m happy to have you here, and thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Tracy: Thank you. Thanks for doing the Get Inspired! Project.
Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have one of my favorite people in Berks County in front of me, and that is Tracy Beaky. Hi, Tracy.
Tracy Beaky: Hi, Toni.
Toni: How are you?
Tracy: I’m great. How are you?
Toni: I’m great. So, Tracy, take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Tracy: I’m Tracy Beaky. There’s a lot I could tell you, but I’ll stick with the basics. I am a learning and development professional with Tompkins VIST Bank. I’m a certified life coach. I have a fantastic family, including a husband and two boys, a sister and nieces, a brother and nieces. I have a great family. I’m very happy to be here.
Toni: Good. Welcome to the Get Inspired! Project.
Tracy: Thank you. This is such a awesome thing.
Toni: Let’s go into the first question. What does inspiration meant to you?
Tracy: Inspiration to me – and this may change, depending on the day; well, not that much – but I think generally inspiration for me means connection and the possibilities that exist in connection. I mean connection between people. I mean connection between people and their world. Mostly, with every connection, it opens up a whole new world of possibility, whether that’s in relationship, whether that’s in philosophy, view, action, any of those things. I see connection and possibility as being very intertwined.
Toni: And that inspires you? The possibility of connection?
Tracy: The possibility of connection or the possibility that comes from connection. I’ve always thought of myself in a way as a connector. Not that I ever would have said, “Hi, I’m Tracy – I’m a connector,” but when I look at the way things happen in my life, I realize that I’m a person who can make connections. I can connect other people, which is always fantastic. Anytime that happens, something grows from that. I’m not sure I’m answering your question necessarily.
Toni: Of course you are.
Tracy: That’s kind of what it is. Whether it’s someone you don’t know … if I were to connect to you … I think the inspiration comes when I say, “Oh my gosh, Toni, you need to meet this person!” or, “Oh my gosh, person, you need to meet Toni,” (and I can't tell you how many people I’ve said that to) and to me, that inspiration is that thing that explodes out of my head and goes, “Oh my gosh! Connect! Connect!”
Toni: Do you know when it happens?
Tracy: Oh, yes. Even talking about it, again with the visuals – and you don’t see my arms here flying around – but yes, that connection is like a “poof” out of my head going, “Oh yes, connect this with that or this person with that person,” and boom, there is something great there.
Toni: So when you are inspired and you know it and you can feel it, whether it’s the possibilities or a true connection or something has occurred to you like that, how do you put that inspired moment into practice here in Berks County?
Tracy: I typically blurt it out. If it is a matter of a connection like that, I will try to make that connection. I want to make that happen. In Berks County, what I love is, if I’m not connected to you yet, chances are in the next five years I will be. I don’t know if it’s just Berks County, but it’s something that over the last couple of years I’ve really started to recognize. Really, we are all connected. There’s so much going on in these different pockets of Berks County, and I know people in these different pockets, so even if I’m the only connecting piece there, it all works together.
Toni: Is there a byproduct that you know of? I’m sure sometimes you know and sometimes you don’t know what happens with the connection, but do you have an example of something that’s happened when you said, “Oh, wait! I have to connect you!”
Tracy: Yes. I’m thinking of one in particular, but I know that there are tons. The one that I’m thinking of in particular is a dear friend of mine was far away and was looking to relocate to the Berks County area again. She’s not from Berks County. Her husband was looking for a really specific type of work. I said, “Oh my God. I know someone who does that.”
She said, “You do?”
I said, “Yes. Let me connect you.”
I think within four months they had relocated to Kutztown, Berks County, through that connection, and that connection blossomed, and then the Kutztown connections – then things started exploding! I’m not saying that I’m a job finder for people, but in that particular case because I knew the person I was speaking to and I knew the person that was that possible connection, I think there’s something to that as well.
If you can connect people, you know enough about that person so that when you make that connection, me personally, I think I’m trying to parlay some of that person into that initially.
Toni: I like that. It’s a facilitation act, too, and that’s what you’re good at as well.
Tracy: I like that.
Toni: Who in Berks County inspires you?
Tracy: Gosh, Toni – you inspire me incredibly.
Toni: Thank you for saying that.
Tracy: It’s not just because you’re the host, but seriously for years you’ve inspired me.
Toni: Thank you.
Tracy: Lots of people inspire me. People who connect. People who live in possibility. People who live in possibility, and in my mind, that brings up a lot of entrepreneurial spirit people. There’s you. There’s Phoebe Canakis of Phoebe’s Pure Food. Amazingly, her world of possibility is endless.
Toni: There is no end; you’re right.
Tracy: Robin from LiliBea’s. Possibility. My sister, Sarah Richter Cosentino of 3 O’Clock Snacks. She’s inspiring. People who just live in that possibility are so fantastic to be around. If I can put myself around them, I feel very lucky and inspired.
Toni: That’s fantastic. I love the way it comes 360 too with you. It’s people that you are connected to that also inspire you, and the possibility of what happens.
What do you want your legacy to be?
Tracy: If I disappeared poof in the air today and people said, “Where’s that Tracy?” I think I would like my legacy to be … I don’t mean to beat this to death, but that there is a giant world of possibility, and we just have to soften ourselves to it and let it come to us. Let it show itself. Let ourselves open up to see really the possibilities that are around us.
In Reading, there’s a lot of revitalization, a lot of re-energizing happening. That is probably being done by super inspirational people who see a possibility. They’re living in possibility. I would like my legacy to stand for the joy in limitless possibility, because I just can't imagine not.
Toni: Tracy, isn't that what you’re doing now?
Tracy: In what way?
Toni: You are living in a world of possibility thinking. So this isn't a question about, “Where did that Tracy go?” Tracy is very present. Tracy is working it now, and that’s your living legacy.
Tracy: That’s my living legacy, yes. It’s possibility.
Toni: I love it. I love the word. I’m happy to have you here, and thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Tracy: Thank you. Thanks for doing the Get Inspired! Project.
