We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christina Zaccarine a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Christina, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My family are certified workaholics. My mother’s family owns an imported Italian food store. Starting at the age of 7, I was taken to work weekends and summer breaks from school. While I was there, I was taught how to hustle and make sure that people are taken care of in a timely manner with a friendly smile and earnest care for their satisfaction. When I wasn’t there, I was occasionally helping at my father’s restaurant in the Little Italy section of Cleveland.
Working all through high school and college, I graduated in 1991 and immediately began full time employment in the insurance industry while establishing side hustles in both family entertainment (I was a professional clown for over 6 years) and the direct sales industry.
These side jobs were enjoyable and I didn’t consider them “work”. You could say that my “hobbies” have always been money making opportunities. So that work ethic, engrained at such an early age, even bled into the time that most people would devote to purely relaxing activities. It’s just part of my make up; I can’t help myself.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I wear many hats on a day to day basis. I am a devoted wife of 30 years to my Husband, Alan. I am a loving mother to our 21 year old son, Alexander. I am a dedicated daughter and caregiver to my 90 year old mother, Sarah. I am also blessed with beautiful in-laws, extended family and many friends. I take NOTHING for granted. I relish all of these responsibilities to my family and friends. I put my faith at the helm, asking God for daily strength and guidance to do the best I can for all of them.
I am overwhelmingly appreciative of the support that my Husband, Son and Mother have given me throughout the years. Without their love and flexibility, I could not have dedicated myself to this endeavor.
After spending well over 25 years in the direct sales business, I found my true calling and passion about 10 years ago when I decided begin practicing Reiki. I’ve had a fascination with the spiritual realm since I was a very young child. I have had many spiritual experiences my whole life. So, the decision to take my life in the direction of light-work seemed natural. I started my Reiki journey, overlapping with my direct sales career, with full knowledge that direct sales would eventually come to pass and my devotion to light-work could take full focus.
I am so grateful for having found a home for my Reiki practice at Salty Salt Cave inChardon, OH! The people and energy there is the perfect incubator for positive interaction and results with my clients. Because of this fertile space, I have been given the freedom to expand my offerings to include Animal Reiki, Angel Card Readings, Psychometry Readings, Essential Oil Detox Treatments, Angel Symbol Treatments and Chakra Cleansing. I also participate in regularly occurring events in the Salt Cave working with other practitioners such as sound baths and massage. My ideas are always welcome, and the collaboration with the other practitioners is as rewarding for me as it is for our clients!
There is no better feeling than receiving feedback from a client expressing how much one of my treatments or attendance at an event helped them. That is what light-work is all about, helping others feel balanced, energized and peaceful. My practice is the ultimate “hobby” with pay-off – not about the money. It’s all about the blessings I feel after engaging with every client. It’s feeling grateful for every repeat guest and their referrals to friends and family. My network of clients has exploded since my practice took root at Salty! I am overwhelmed with gratitude that my journey has led me there.
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?
First quality would be the ability to work well with people – all kinds of people. You have to know how to engage with anyone you may encounter and make them feel appreciated. No mater what their background or belief system, for whatever time you spend together, take a genuine interest in them and show them respect. Making people feel important is as simple as listening to them when they speak, call them by their name and smile. You never know when your kindness may be the thing they desperately need to lift their spirits.
Secondly, stay a student. That was a powerful motto I learned in my years in the sales industry, and it’s great because it’s applicable no matter what your line of work. Never stop learning and growing because not only will it enhance you professionally, but it makes you interesting! Who doesn’t love engaging with an interesting person?
Which brings me to number three: SELL YOURSELF FIRST. My Mother told me this when I started my business and she was right. If you sell yourself first, and people LIKE YOU, then your business dealings will naturally follow. People will seek you out above others because you will value relationships over sales. Follow up to make sure they are satisfied, have customer appreciation events, anything you can do to go beyond the “sale”. Again, it’s about making them feel special, and that is something everyone craves.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
My favorite book that not only helped me professionally, but has been a life changer is Dale Carnegie’s “How To Win Friends and Influence People”. This is the number one book I recommend to anyone looking to work with the public in any capacity, personally or professionally. It’s been around for over 80 years and still holds true, because the principles are so simple! Make people feel appreciated. It is all we really want deep down, and if you do, they will naturally gravitate toward you.
As a Reiki Practitioner, I am intimately working with people on an energetic level. I need them to be able to open up and receive that energy. If they don’t trust me, they won’t open. If they’re not open, they won’t receive any of the benefits that Reiki energy has to offer. So it is imperative that I establish a good report in order to have them relax.
You can apply this idea to any interaction with anyone in your life. We all seek to have peaceful, rewarding relationships so why not learn how to maximize your chances? So many people create this vicious cycle of negativity by projecting negative energy outward, thus attracting it right back. That’s a rough way to go through this level of existence.
This book is a wonderful resources for anyone who wants to improve their business, make new friends or just reset their attitude towards the people they encounter on a daily basis.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.visitsalty.com
- Instagram: christinasreikiconnection
- Facebook: Christina Zaccarine
- Other: Link to book at appointment: saltybooking.as.me