Meet Christa Pharo

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christa Pharo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Christa, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

The ability to take a risk is something that is built over time from life experiences. It comes down to where staying in the same place without growth feels worse than the possibility of failing. Risk-taking isn’t about being fearless, it’s the confidence in believing in yourself to deal with whatever comes after. The ability to self reflect creates the space to act with awareness when presented with making decisions under pressure.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am Christa Pharo, the creator behind @Maneadvocate & @forkindishes. I was born and raised in South Jersey where I still reside with my daughter, Aubrey. Creativity and growth has always been my driving force, along with a strong passion for hair and food/travel from a very young age. I completed Cosmetology school during my high school years. Over the last 22 years, I have worked in every aspect of a salon and even venturing out to work in New York City. 4 years ago, I found my Salon home at Splashes Salon in Tuckerton, NJ. Working beside the most incredible team of women. Along my ventures, after hoarding food content over the years, having my first restaurant invite and an awakening travel experience with my best friend Ashley- @Forkindishes was created while Ashley started hers @epps_travel_adventures. Within a couple of months, things really took off. Restaurant collaborations and followers started to flood in. Over the last year we both built a wonderful network with friends, restaurants and experiences.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, three qualities that shaped my journey were resilience, self awareness and the willingness to take risks.
•Resilience – I learned how to get back up after setbacks, even when I felt overwhelmed or unsure.
Advice: Don’t expect resilience to be something you’re born with. You build it by showing up, even on the days when you don’t feel ready. Start small. Keep promises to yourself.
•Self-awareness – Understanding my emotions, triggers, and patterns helped me make better decisions and not repeat the same mistakes.
Advice: Slow down enough to reflect. Journal, talk things out, or just sit with your thoughts. Awareness is what turns experiences into growth.
• Willingness to take risks – I learned that progress rarely comes from comfort. Some of my biggest leaps came from moments where I said, “I’m scared, but I’m doing it anyway.”
Advice: Start with low-stakes risks. Take that trip, try something new. Practice being uncomfortable. Build up before you need it for something big.
Success is on the other side of fear.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

I’ve learned that the best approach isn’t choosing between strengths or weaknesses, it’s prioritizing your strengths while still developing the specific weaknesses that hold you back. When you go all-in on what you naturally excel at, you build confidence and momentum. But if you completely ignore the areas where you struggle, those blind spots can limit how far your strengths can take you.

For example, I’m naturally someone who feels things deeply and makes decisions through intuition and empathy. That’s one of my biggest strengths. It makes me thoughtful, connected, and able to read situations well. But there were times when that same sensitivity made me avoid difficult conversations or worry too much about how others felt. I had to learn communication and emotional regulation skills not to become “perfect” but so my sensitivity didn’t work against me.

Focusing on my strengths gave me purpose and confidence, but strengthening that one weakness made me more effective and less overwhelmed. That balance works best for me: I lead with what I’m naturally good at, and I strategically shore up the weaknesses that would otherwise hold me back.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Instagram.com/maneadvocate
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/forkindishes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maneadvocate914
• Other: https://TikTok.com/forkindishes

Image Credits

Hair blow dry picture : @jacqui.walsh.photo