Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Mansour.
Christine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in Naples, FL, went to school at Harvard and studied psychology, economics, and Spanish, and moved out to San Diego to work for a craft brewery called Ballast Point. While I was there, I worked in marketing, doing everything from consumer insights, creative media content creation (videography & photography), & market research. A coworker and I created a mobile customer feedback system through sensory taste tests, and we have since left our jobs to start our company called Taste Endeavors. We work with CPG companies to collect customer feedback in a variety of different spaces, such as bars, tasting rooms, trade shows & conferences.
I’m also a freelance videographer & photographer – I have a knack for translating brand goals into visual media since I’ve been on both sides of the coin. I work with a variety of different companies to create lifestyle content that elevates their brand. In addition to my freelance work, I am a member of the USA Beach Team Handball team – I compete in tournaments around the world representing my country. I’m also creating a podcast series called What is Money Project, where a collaborator and I are exploring the psychology of money, with the goal of understanding what money means to a variety of people (ie celebrities, athletes, CEOs, entrepreneurs, doctors, etc.). We are currently in the process of building our show, in which the intent is to explore the fascinating nature of money and the dynamics that shape its global significance and utility across cultures & societies. We have the belief that while we use money every day, few of us really understand it. I’m also building a 1977 VW bus in which I plan to live out of and travel during the upcoming summer. Last thing… I’m also a surf instructor… so if anyone is looking to learn how to surf, send them my way! Other hobbies include beatboxing, woodworking, and ceramics.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many mornings where I wake up and think what the f*** am I doing with my life. There are days where I find myself at a coffee shop, taking up space and sipping on my tea, bored with nothing to do, but also feeling extremely overwhelmed with all the things I need (or else I think I need) to be doing to be successful. But, even though all the other entrepreneurs are busy looking busy, when I get up to go to the bathroom and take a peek at their screens, half of them are on Facebook, which kinda makes me feel better…
It’s been a wild ride, full of many ups and downs, but I’ve come to realize that through everything, I’m indulging in the struggle, that is, I’m trying my best to enjoy and soak in the process – I firmly believe that if you put your head down & hold yourself accountable, success is inevitable. One of my favorite quotes is from The Prophet: “the deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.” In other words, you can’t fully experience the highs in life if you don’t fully experience the lows.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Taste Endeavors – what should we know?
I specialize in market research and creative media production. I’m very left-brained, but also very right brained. My whole life has been a constant balancing act in regards to using different sides of my brain. For example, I taught ceramics in college, and the night classes I taught always seemed to follow my economics or math courses I was taking. I really enjoy switching back and forth between the two sides, and I think that it shows by the business paths I’m pursuing. I can be that super nerdy geek who loves data for a sales call, but then switch over to being a ‘creative’ for the next client call. It’s been very interesting, to say the least, and I’m looking forward to how these paths will continue to converge.
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
I honestly feel that women have an equal opportunity to succeed in whatever area of business they pursue. I firmly believe that if you put your head down, go to work and do GOOD work, one can succeed, regardless of gender.
I once had an interesting conversation with two of my former roommates (one was a female engineer and the other a male fitness entrepreneur), about female versus male energy in the workplace. My two roommates were discussing when they thought it was best to ‘use’ or leverage certain gender-centric energies, but I brought up an alternative concept – I leverage my own energy and adapt to any scenario. I don’t think about which gender energy to use, which means I don’t act differently around different genders/cohorts – I am myself, and I highly respect myself, and I think that is something that is lost with many people.
This is a long-winded explanation to say that you’ll never catch me wearing a vagina hat at a women’s march – I’m too busy working on personal development and strategizing different ways to make me a better and smarter business person, without worrying about gender roles.
Contact Info:
- Website: freelance site – www.lifesansplans/freelance, business site – www.tasteendeavors.com
- Email: christine@tasteendeavors.com
- Instagram: lifesansplans
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
