Life and Work with Christina Galioto

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Galioto.

Christina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Ever since I can remember I have wanted to see, taste, experience, and run the entire world! My fascination and lust for travel have only grown throughout the years. Because of my love for nature, animals, and different countries, I went vegan and became focused on making a difference. I want to have a positive impact, I want to educate, to lead by example, and more than anything, to be heard.

It became clear to me at a young age that in order to have true global influence, you have to have power. Power can come from a few different sources, but most often, from money or fame. Fame never interested me. I am a very free-spirited yet in-your-face type of person. To be watched, taunted, and scrutinized all the time would be like clipping my wings and taking my happiness. I have always been much more interested in power from wealth.

Never at any point in my adult life did I make a decision that was not about the money. Hahaha! I started working at the ripe age of 14 when I got signed to Elite Models in NYC. Things happened so fast and by 20, I had experienced things people only see in the movies. Fashion shows in Paris, private jets, photo shoots and filming commercials in exotic locations, friends who happened to be famous rockstars, drugs, paparazzi, backstage- everywhere, and some fat paychecks along the way. I certainly had a few side hustles at any given moment, but modeling was my main source of income until I started my first business. An entertainment company in Miami Beach. I trained and hired dancers and models to perform at clubs all over the city. All of the go-go dancing costumes were couture, the dances were professionally choreographed, we had some incredible makeup artists on staff, and had a blast. It was a success and I ended up selling the company when I moved back to NYC at 25. I know some people in their mid-20’s make way more than I was making, but I consistently made at least 120k a year since I was 19 years old. I was proud of myself and was ready for the next thing.

In NYC, I started a VIP concierge service and what a ride that was. Given my history, you may think nothing could compare to what I had already done, but being a young, female powerhouse was exhilarating. I was delivering on over-the-top requests, chartering 200ft yachts to cruise the Mediterranean, organizing meet-and-greets with famous athletes and musicians, and making more money than I was making before. After a bad breakup at 27, I decided to bring my business to Los Angeles. It took some time to get in the groove but my contacts kept expanding and things fell together nicely. I have actually been offered good money to sell my contact list!

At 29, I sold the business for 6-digits and had fallen in love with a Chinese businessman who was just as motivated, smart, and daring as I was. Together, we galavanted around the world like we owned it, and plotted about how one day we would. We got married, had a beautiful daughter, and recently started the company we have now, called Conscious Capital. It is exactly what it sounds like. An investment firm focusing on conscious pursuits. We back businesses that have a clear plan on how they will better the world in their market. We just recently opened a plant-based restaurant in West Hollywood that we are very excited about.

Which brings me to my passion project, Vegan Gypsy. This is my only pursuit that has not generated income. I do it for the purpose (and for future revenues from my book sales and the tv show I’m producing, haha). Vegan Gypsy is a brand I created to combine things I love that are outside of the business. It merges vegan food, travel, animals, and the arts. Being vegan certainly limits the menu when in foreign countries. There are so many “must-haves” that we cannot have! So, I decided to develop veganized recipes of authentic dishes from around the world. I have been cooking since I was about 20, it’s always been something I’ve enjoyed doing when at home. I am currently in the middle of writing the cookbook and plan to start shopping the finished product to publishers next year.

At this point in my life, after all the years of paper chasing, what matters to me most is giving back what I’ve earned. People say they love nature, but what are you doing for it? Most likely, you’re doing more harm than good. By making conscious choices every day is how we show our love. To the animals, to our bodies, to the Earth, and all the people in it. 🙂

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Has it been a smooth road? HELL NO! I didn’t see this question coming, lol.

There have been countless struggles along the way. Being a young international model was actually very dangerous. I was exposed to drugs, aka the cocaine diet, millionaires with bad intentions, and pressure to be perfect and book the jobs.

Throughout my business ventures, there have been a different set of challenges. One of them was how to gain real respect from men even though I was half their age and beautiful. This was an issue with clients and vendors alike. It was not easy. I was tough, to begin with, but I had to become very stern. A smile from me could indicate something else to them.

Another challenge was accounting and taxes! That required me to dig in and nerd out for numerous days at a time. Everyone needs to learn that at some point, it should be BEFORE you start making money!

My advice is to stay grounded and confident. Sometimes as young women we appear to be more confident than we actually are and because of that, we can be swayed to do things we wouldn’t typically do. Don’t give someone a better rate because they are aggressively haggling you. Don’t go out with an arrogant guy just because he can do something for you or your career, he rarely does in the end. And don’t change your path because you get discouraged. Nothing worth having comes easy.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
My current work is focused on bettering the world.

One way is through investing in businesses that care about the environment, animals, natural health, and reducing waste. The other way is through teaching people to eat with intention and curiosity. To try plant-based food from other countries, to familiarize themselves with flavors that were before unknown.

The key is to encourage others to be more conscious in their everyday choices. A small, insignificant purchase you make at CVS could have been the product of animal abuse and torture, it could have contributed to massive pollution, or the company could be completely immoral and treating it’s employees very badly. It’s up to us, as consumers, to know what we support. Make your choice and take pride in standing for what you believe in.

Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
Without a doubt. I grew up very poor. I watched my mother struggle and hide her tears day after day. I remember telling her, “someday Mama, you’re never gonna have to work again, I will take care of you.”

Much of my drive was fueled by that promise. Never at any time did I doubt my ability to make that happen, and I did.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @christinagalioto

Image Credit:
@bonnienichoalds – leopard jacket headshot, @madelenelisella – red and white stripe headshot

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