Meet Christina Rosas Anastasiou of CRA Consultants in San Fernando Valley

My story is a culmination of hard work, persistence and magic. I’m an original Angeleno and I’m proud of it! LA is the mecca of culture, art, and film. Everyone wants to be a celebrity and this is the place to be! Social media has given quasi celebrities and nobodies the chance to portray a life that has managed to make people believe it’s real. It’s truly fascinating! However, I’m looking forward to the day when we will have icons like Sophia Loren or Marylin Monroe again. As a child, I traveled a lot with my family and was introduced to my Mexican and Greek culture. It made me who I am today! Coming back to the States was a culture shock for me. I was really shy and I had forgotten my English. As an adult, I attended ASU and Scottsdale Community College. I studied political science, theater, dance and film. A school counselor suggested I take an acting class. Eventually, I got into a master Meisner class. I loved it because I got over my shyness. I was going to become a lawyer. I worked at a law firm from the age of nineteen to twenty two. I decided it wasn’t for me after all. I sought out local agencies and wanted to be in a film. I grew up watching movies and TV and loved the magic of it all. My brothers and I were latchkey kids – the TV was our babysitter. I moved to LA in 2005 and founded a company called Viva Luxury. The name is now used by a blogger, who didn’t bother to research the fact that I own the name. I closed the company due to a bad business partner and held many odd jobs after that, including working as a massage therapist. I took courses and got certified. I worked on celebrities and athletes, worked backstage at concerts, worked on sets and hotels. I ended up quitting to travel, but I knew that I would be back doing something in entertainment. I landed back in LA and ended up having to be in New York due to health reasons. Living in New York, turned my health and my life around. It prepared me for the inevitable. In LA, I had an opportunity to work on a public relations project with Rogers and Cowan and Kelton Research. The opportunity had come to me as a referral. I had the chance to travel to publicize healthy eating in schools with First 5 California and a celebrity chef. I was paid well for that opportunity. I had had two part time publicity jobs with the Phoenix Film Festival and the American Film Festival. As soon as I learned what publicity was, I was not afraid to speak to anyone. I wrangled talent, press, directors, and publicists. It really was my training ground in dealing with the entertainment industry.  I ended up befriending publicists who repped many high profile clients. To this day, we are still friends. They are my

confidants and advisors. I found myself becoming the go to publicist for special Hispanic projects and clients. I was a bicoastal publicist by day and fashion and entertainment contributor by night. It was great! Then in 2014, I was invited to work and travel to Juneau, Alaska. While I was there, I was inspired to write two scripts. I joined NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers) and I was able to learn more about the film business and make connections. I still had to find a way to have flexibility and make money. In 2016, I began consulting in the home and solar industry. This year, I’ve spent time in Santa Fe, New México and Juneau, Alaska to scout locations and meet local talent to work with. I’ll be filming my web series and short film there. This year, I also had the chance to work on set on Jane the Virgin and Bob Heart’s Abishola. I’ve met key people who believe in me. All it takes is belief and encouragement by people who are doing it! Everyone else’s opinions and thoughts don’t matter. I’m truly excited right now about where headed creatively. It’s frustrating sometimes finding the right people to work with in LA because everyone is for themselves. I’ve found other markets like New Mexico, Georgia and overseas where my background of being a newcomer is accepted. For now, I’m happy to have the freedom to make my mark in film. I take my inspiration from Ava DuVernay, who was a publicist first before becoming a director full time. I see myself on that same path.

I don’t think anyone has it easy really. For me, it hasn’t been easy! Pursuing a creative endeavor is definitely rewarding to one’s soul! Putting oneself out there is risky, especially on social media. I’ve been the victim of cyber bullying and that was the consequence I experienced  from being on the internet. My businesses have always been online and also offline. If the internet were to be shut down tomorrow, I would be ok. I’ve managed to overcome the roadblocks. It’s important to engage with people that hold the same energy as you and that believe in your dreams. Nothing irritates me more than being around people who talk about themselves all day or who don’t think outside of the box. You can be and try anything you want!  In Hollywood, people get a taste of fame and suddenly think they’re better than you. I treat everyone equal, famous or not. Respect merits respect. I don’t believe in engaging with people who don’t have my best interests. When I stepped away from doing publicity and said I’m going to pursue film, people stopped talking to me, it was weird. I’ve lost bad friends and made new ones who believe in me as an entrepreneur and filmmaker. Having a strong support group is paramount for anyone. You can’t do things alone, it takes a group effort. I stay away from gossip. Gossip creates drama and not only that, it’s annoying! Having been in the influencer and blogger arena, I don’t like hearing about the cattiness of the influencer world. Keep the gossip to yourself and if you have something to say to someone, say it.

CRA Consultants offers branding and marketing for home renovators and solar contractors. In the next month,  we’ll be targeting other industries such as hospitality, restaurants and really, anyone who can franchise their brand. I’m excited to work with a brand based out of India who will be opening in the US. I’m very excited about this project! For homeowners, I find the right contractors for them. I source my leads from various online platforms. We’re also able to bid on projects and manage them as project managers for contractors. I make sure the contractors I work with are licensed and have a good reputation. The same with solar contractors. There are specific steps to going solar and I educate homeowners on what to do. If you’re out there and don’t believe in solar, by the time we’re done talking, I’ll have convinced you! Lol!  I believe in taking time to work closely with people and guiding them step by step, whether it’s a business owner or consumer. I’m hoping to plan a conference for women in the industry in the next year. I’ve met so many wonderful women who are really pushing for renewable energy and energy efficient buildings in California, I’ve been blown away! Celebrities like Amber Valletta and Akon are a few of the ones who are making a difference. It’s such a rewarding experience to know that somehow we’re making a difference with our efforts.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in situations where it was truly luck! I’ve been in places and met certain people at the right time. These next ventures will happen in the same way and I’m honestly, very excited! I don’t play the lottery or gamble, but if I did, I would probably win big. Lol! I’ve taken really hard losses financially and personally. The next thing I know, here comes something or someone out of nowhere to recoup my losses. I believe the universe truly has it’s eye on me. I’m very grateful for that. I have to take a step back and look at the place I call home and stay in a place of gratitude. Los Angeles is the place of diversity and opportunity.