We were lucky to catch up with Christina Romano recently and have shared our conversation below.
Christina , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
When I think about the source of my resilience I think back to my early childhood which was filled with chaos, stress, and grief. At a very early age my father suddenly passed away which started a downward spiral of financial instability and endless trials for my family. The years that followed left my mother and sister working several jobs each to try and provide for us while we tried to navigate our intense grief due to the loss of my father. During this time I developed very thick skin and realized early on that life doesn’t always work out but the only choice is to move forward. The tragedy of losing our father and the years that followed intensified my sisters drug and alcohol addiction which became a constant conflict between her and my mother. This only worsened our home life and made it a constant source of anxiety and stress. After ten years of trying to convince my sister to get professional help she went out one day and never came home. She overdosed when I was fifteen and in my second year of high school. This is the part of my life that took it from “tough” to unbearable. She was my best friend, second mom, and my whole world and didn’t think I would ever recover. My mother and I spend the years that followed in depression, losing several apartments in the process while I decided drinking would be my primary coping mechanism. It took almost a decade of hard work, therapy, and a lot of self reflection to make peace with that loss.
In my 30’s my husband and I spent most of our time moving and traveling due to his job in the Navy. Leaving our home town helped me discover a new type of adaptability and confidence about myself. These new and exciting challenges paired with a good therapist started a process of discovery which identified some of untapped determination and strength I had built up through the years. I was living abroad in Spain, thoroughly enjoying life when when tragedy struck again. My mother had gone missing due to what we thought was the start of dementia. I got on a plane and came home to try to find her and take her for testing and to find her a new place to live. At the emergency room we discovered she had brain cancer that had metastasized from her lung. I spent the 7 months that followed as her primary caregiver and watched her lose her brain functions one by one. This was by far the darkest time of my life and after her passing last year (the day before Christmas Eve) I all but gave up. My husband and I were back in our hometown with no idea how to proceed. I took a few months to feel sorry for myself but made a decision that I couldn’t let my story end there. Although the quote is slightly cliche “I didn’t come this far to only come this far.” Every single day is a struggle, every day I have to choose between unraveling or pushing through. The lesson I took from all of this mess is that our choice is simple, we can use our pain to fuel our ambitions or use it as an excuse to give up.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My family’s relocation allowed me to make a change to my professional path, and reinstate my real estate license. I’ve joined The Coppola Group, a real estate team that services New Jersey, New York, and next year South Carolina. One of the reasons I rejoined Keller Williams Realty West Monmouth is because it is the office my mother worked for many years. She felt strongly that I should put all of my effort into this business and that it had endless potential if I put in the time. I’m determined to build my brand as both a commercial and residential agent, and eventually in real estate investing/management. I recently launched a new instagram page @christinaromanorealty and am working on a new website. Later in 2024, I’ll be rebranding my makeup business CRG Skincare and Beauty to include hair/makeup staffing services for events, weddings, and photo shoots. My ultimate goal is to change the narrative that has dominated most of my life and leave my family with a legacy of positivity and success.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Over the years I have worked in several industries and the most important skills I learned were in sales and customer service. Knowledge in both these areas can be helpful in so many different situations. Even when you don’t realize you’re selling, you are! Whether it’s to convince co-workers to adopt a new policy or even for an interview for the job, sales skills play a huge role in any business. In regards to customer service, that should be at the top of mind in any division of a company. Keeping the customers you have is more affordable than finding new ones. My advice to anyone starting out in a sales role would be to utilize every training/continuing education that is available. Ask during interviews if the company has additional resources to stay current on changing trends. One of the reasons I chose to work for Keller Williams is their willingness to continually educate their employees. The classes, seminars, and online training is endless. You’re never done learning regardless of successful you are.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My husband Sam has been my biggest supporter for the past decade. He encourages me when I feel like I’ve reached my limit, but he also has no problem calling me out. It was because of him I took the steps to finish my marketing degree last year and recently to retake my real estate exam. He is very ambitious in his own career which motivates me to do the same. The challenges we have been faced with over the years would have broken most people. It’s because of our support of each other personally and professionally that we’ve been able to persevere.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @christinaromanorealty @crgskincareandbeauty
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Motion City Media
