We’re looking forward to introducing you to Christine Ross. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Christine, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I start my day early — before the chaos kicks in — because I need that quiet time to ground myself. I drink a full glass of water, then step outside to feel the sunlight on my face. That morning light is healing for me — it sets the tone for clarity and energy. After that, I do a 45-minute workout to get my body moving and my head in the right space. If my stepdaughters are with us, I wake them up, we get ready together, talk about our day, and share that moment before we all head in different directions. Then, depending on the schedule, I either head to my home office or to my headquarters at the Sherman Oaks Galleria, where I run Addition Building & Design.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Christine Ross, and I’m a managing partner of Addition Building & Design, a luxury design-build firm based in Los Angeles. We specialize in high-end residential construction — from ground-up hillside estates to full-scale remodels — and we’re known for blending timeless architecture with elevated, modern living. I grew up in this business and have worked hard to bring a strong female presence into what’s traditionally been a male-dominated industry.
What makes our firm different is how deeply involved we are in every phase — from design concept to completion. We take the stress off the client by managing everything under one roof. Right now, we’re working on custom homes in Pacific Palisades, Hollywood Hills, and Encino, and expanding into wellness-forward, energy-efficient design — which is something I’m really passionate about.
Outside of construction, I’m a bit of a modern homesteader at heart — I raise rare French Black Copper Marans, help care for a few majestic Maine Coons, support my boyfriend’s tech and security company, and spend time with my stepdaughters encouraging them to think like entrepreneurs, solve problems creatively, and appreciate the magic in life and art.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
When I was in my early 20s, I got fired from my first job as a hairstylist in Mentor, Ohio — and at the time, I felt lost. Shortly after, I started working for Estée Lauder at Dillard’s, and that’s where I met Cathy White, executive at Estée Lauder. She was everything I aspired to be: successful, smart, funny, elegant — the kind of woman other women wanted to be around, to impress, to be seen by. I looked up to her so much, and all I wanted was for her to be proud of me.
Cathy made me feel like I mattered. She believed in me in ways I hadn’t yet learned to believe in myself. When I missed the mark, she didn’t shame me — she said, “You could’ve made your goal.” She taught me how to write a business plan, how to set and hit goals, and most importantly, how to handle rejection without flinching. One of the most valuable lessons she ever gave me was: “No means next.” That stuck with me — not just in sales, but in life.
She probably doesn’t even know how much she impacted me, but Cathy White was one of those rare women who helped change the trajectory of my life just by seeing me — clearly and completely — when I couldn’t yet see it for myself.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
One of my deepest wounds has been tying my worth to constant achievement. I have a mind that never slows down — call it ADD, call it entrepreneurial energy — but I’m always chasing the next thing. I used to forget my past wins almost immediately because I believed I was only as good as my last sale, my last deal, my last milestone.
That mindset made me feel like a failure every time I wasn’t actively achieving something huge — and it was exhausting. Healing for me has looked like learning to take the emotion out of the chaos, step back, and remember who I am. I’ve had to remind myself: I am successful. I am capable. I’m not behind — I’m building something real.
I still have moments where I forget, but now I pause, breathe, and say: You’ve already done so much. You’re not failing — you’re evolving.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
They’d probably say that I care deeply about building something meaningful — not just in business, but in life. That I’m always striving, always dreaming bigger, but that underneath it all, I just want to feel safe, loved, and proud of what I’ve created.
They’d tell you that I care about beauty — in spaces, in energy, in how people treat each other — and that I pour myself into the people I love. That I’ll fight for my family, my clients, and what I believe in — even when I’m tired, even when it hurts.
They know I want to succeed, not just for myself, but to show that you can be strong, feminine, emotional, and powerful — all at the same time.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I understand how deeply emotional our decisions really are — especially when it comes to our homes. A lot of people approach construction and design as something purely logical or transactional, but for most of my clients, it’s not about square footage or specs — it’s about how they want to feel in their space.
I understand what it means to walk into a room and feel grounded, inspired, or safe. I think about how someone moves through their morning routine — whether the space lifts them up before a big day — or how their bedroom helps them exhale at night. I design not just for how a home looks, but how it lives, how it holds you. That emotional layer is everything — and not everyone sees it, but I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.additionbuildingdesign.com
- Instagram: @christinethecontractor
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinethecontractor?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
