#123: Christina Flach - More Than Makeup

Christina Flach is a makeup artist and the CEO and founder of Pretty Girl Makeup. Her celebrity clientele includes Condeleeza Rice, Hilary Swank, Isiah Washington, Melissa McCarthy, Rita Moreno, Renee Zellweger, Tyler Florence and more. She has worked with high end brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, has been featured in campaigns for Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue , and Bloomingdales, and has been featured in magazines including Vogue, Time, People, and Elle. In addition, Christina also writes articles about the best tips, tricks, and hacks in makeup and is featured as a beauty expert on California Live on NBC. 

In addition to her career, she is a devoted single mother of four, philanthropist, actively raising funds and awareness for Sepsis. She also started the Beau Friedman outdoor classroom at the Edna McGuire school in Mill Valley, California, raising money for the Baby Beau and Ken Flach educational funds at the Northern Light School in Oakland California. 

Christina uses her platform to promote the importance of feeling beautiful from the inside out. She inspires women to be the best version of themselves and how to overcome life's greatest obstacles. 

Connect with Christina Flach: 

-Website: https://www.prettygirlmakeup.com 

-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Christinaflachmakeup/ 

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Transcript

Commitment Beats “I Tried”

SPEAKER_04 0:48

I think that being open to things, you know, you just don't realize there's so many different possibilities out there. And to think, you know, pe so many people are afraid of failure. And to me, the only failures in life are not, I don't like saying trying, because I've omitted that word from my vocabulary, because I think it gives you wiggle room to say, oh, well, I tried, didn't work out. So I think if you set a goal and go forward with that goal, it will happen. But when we say, oh, well, I tried, it and then it doesn't, well, that's because there was that wiggle room of not really doing it. I think when you really decide you want to do something and focus on it, it will happen.

SPEAKER_00 1:25

Welcome to Tales of Leadership. Our mission is simple to develop a better leader by arming you with the tools required to lead with purpose, integrity, and accountability. This podcast is designed to do one thing: help develop a more purposeful and accountable leader, what I like to call a path. Leaders who are in the arena, making tough decisions, lifting others up, and choosing people over their own egos.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

Through real stories and conversations with leaders who have walked that path. Powerful leadership lessons, you'll gain the wisdom needed to tackle any obstacle this world can throw.

SPEAKER_00 2:00

If you're ready to step into the arena and become the leader your team, your family, and your community needs, you're in the right place. This is Tells of Leadership.

Mission Of Tales Of Leadership

SPEAKER_00 2:17

All right, team, welcome back to the Tells of Leadership Podcast. I'm your host, Josh McMillian, an active duty army officer, an army leadership coach, and the founder of McMillian Leadership Coaching. And I'm on a mission to create a better leader, what I like to call a purposeful, accountable leader. My vision is simple. I want to end toxic leadership by promoting transformational stories and skills. And today I'm bringing you a transformational leader, Christina Flack. She's a celebrity makeup artist whose clientele range from Condoleez Rice to Hillary Swank. She's worked for major high-end brands to include Gucci Louis Vuitton. She's been featured in uh Saks Fifth Avenue to Bloomingdales, and she's been on major TV shows to include NBC and California Live. And in addition to that, she is also a devoted single mother of four and a philanthropist. She uses her platform to help promote beauty within to inspire other women. And I absolutely love that. She is a purposeful, accountable leader. And you can go to McMillan Leadership Coaching and you can download a full article to this episode, which summarizes the main points from this episode. Let's go ahead and bring on Christina. Christina, welcome to the Tells of Leadership Podcast. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_04 3:41

I am great. How are you? Thanks for having me on your show. I like your music or intro music. It's good.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

I always do that intro music just to kind of get like focused and zoned in. I always call it getting switched on just in the right mindset.

SPEAKER_04 3:55

Yes, it's great.

SPEAKER_00 3:57

Yeah, so honor and a privilege to have you on. And I'm really interested to jump into your story because you have a very interesting and inspiring story. But the first, before we even start, we'll just take the time. If you could quickly introduce yourself to anyone who's listening.

SPEAKER_04 4:15

My name is Christina Flack. I am a celebrity makeup artist. I am the creator and CEO of Pretty Girl Makeup. I am beauty expert on California Live on NBC.

Leadership Without Micromanaging

SPEAKER_04 4:25

I'm a mother of five. I'm a philanthropist. And um, I think that is all my titles.

SPEAKER_00 4:34

You have so many awesome different backgrounds, especially working with a lot of amazing people. And all of this was kind of just like self-starting. I think you started your journey in like 1995, officially. Yes, a long time ago. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Before we start, I would love to hear your definition of how you define leadership in your own terms.

SPEAKER_04 4:57

Oh, that's an interesting question. So I think leadership is something that you know is is obviously leading people to be the best versions of themselves, but also helping people for them, like guiding them and letting them be the best versions of them. So I think like when you have a team that works for and with you, that you want to give them the freedom to do things that, you know, obviously, like for example, I hire someone to do social media for me. I'm not gonna sit and micromanage them. I think it's super important to let people do their jobs and give them the freedom and the confidence to do what they do best and focus on what I do best, which is, for example, not social media.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

You and I share that. Uh I absolutely despise social media, but I understand that I have to do it. Uh, but I agree with you a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_04 5:57

Yes, yes. So I think it's about inspiring. I think leadership is um for us to inspire others.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

That's exactly how I sum it up, and it's one word, and it it's to inspire other people. And and I love that nugget that you've already dropped. In the military, we call it mission command, but it's giving someone a clear task and a purpose uh with uh an end state of what they need to do and allowing them to get to that end state and not micromanaging. And that's really hard, I think, as a leader to do. So that's amazing definition.

SPEAKER_04 6:33

I think um, you know, giving control I you know, controlling people, it's so funny. People think they have so much control of their lives. They really don't. We don't really have a lot of control, you know, the universe has their own deal. And um, I think it's when people try to control everything, they really lose control. So I think, you know, a control is a word that people need to be very careful with because I think it is uh misused.

SPEAKER_00 7:01

There's a a saying that we always have uh in the military is that the enemy gets a vote or Murphy will strike, whatever can go wrong will go wrong. Uh and every plan is great until you actually start and then everything falls apart. And that is about my MO in life. I start something and it goes completely off of what it was supposed to do, and then I figure out a way.

SPEAKER_04 7:24

Yeah, it's interesting. I read a book called We Plan and God Laughs. And it's kind of that like, you know, we may have this idea in our head of a plan, but the universe and God have another plan. And um sometimes I think, you know, I don't believe in failures. I feel that they're lessons. And so I think that, you know, if we think we're going down this this path and we're so sure that it's to the right, the universe might think it's to the left. And I think it's just being open to the possibilities of of other options. I did never expect to be a

Let Go Of Control And Fear

SPEAKER_04 8:00

beauty expert um on television because I'm so accustomed to being behind the camera, not in front of it. And so it was, you know, that opportunity was put in front of me and and it it worked out. It's given me confidence because in an area of life that I never expected to be journeying down, but it's uh it's been a great thing. So I think that you know, being open to different possibilities of things that life has in store for us. I think that's a much better way to live life. Because you don't know you love doing something until, you know, you I was telling my daughter this the other day. I said, you know, you didn't know you loved strawberry ice cream until you had strawberry ice cream, right? So you know, I think you know, you don't know until you try. So it's just I think it's super important to be open to things.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

There's a a proverb that I always kind of go back to, and it's that you can make your own plans, but the Lord basically determines your steps. And all that means you have to be open to where life will take you. And the opportunities, I think, is a critical piece there that that you're saying too is that life is going to give you opportunities unless you're willing to actually go do and take action, you'll never get them again.

SPEAKER_04 9:11

It's true. And it's just, I think that being open to things, you know, you just don't realize there's so many different possibilities out there. And to think, you know, so many people are afraid of failure. And to me, the only failures in life are not, I don't like saying trying because I've omitted that word from my vocabulary, because I think it gives you wiggle room to say, oh, well, I tried, didn't work out. So I think if you set a goal and go forward with that goal, it will happen. But when we say, oh, well, I tried it and then it doesn't, well, that's because there was that wiggle room of not really doing it. I think when you really decide you want to do something and focus on it, it will happen.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

Yeah, no, I I a hundred percent wholeheartedly agree with you. I I failure, and I always try to talk to my kids about this. Failure is a negative mindset. And when you use the word failure, you're admitting to yourself that you have now quit. And quitting is the true failure. As long as we continue to do and pivot and learn from our problems and begin to grow incrementally upon that, we're always becoming better and better, a better version of ourselves.

SPEAKER_04 11:14

Definitely. I completely agree with you.

unknown 11:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:17

So I would love to hear kind of where did your journey start?

SPEAKER_04 11:21

Where did it start? Well, when I was a young girl, I just started working on my friends and family, and and particularly my mother. She had been diagnosed with stage four brain cancer, and she was going out with my dad one night, and I just said, Oh, let me do your makeup for you. And she had very few makeup products and I had very few skills at the time, but I managed to make her look and feel like her old self. And it really stuck with me, and it still does to this day when I work with my clients, how I make them feel is super important because they're getting in front of a camera and I need to make sure that they look fantastic, but that they're also in a good state of mind so that they can, the camera doesn't lie. So if you're sad or in a bad mood or you have a headache or something, you know, the camera notices that. So a lot of my job is making sure my clients feel as good on the outside as they look on the look on good on the inside as they do on the outside. And so um that stuck with me. And so I started just working on different people and I worked with photographers, and then I, you know, was very blessed to get agents that represent me. And I started working on different celebrities, and I have three agents now, and uh then I created my line, Pretty Girl. I'm working on a new line called I'm too busy and a new TV show called I'm Too Busy. I trademarked uh I'm too busy with the skincare and makeup. So I'm looking for investors right now to um because my American Express card can only go up so much. So that's can only take so much. So that's what I'm working on right now.

SPEAKER_00 12:56

When you started Pretty Girl Makeup, I think it was in 1999 when you when you founded that company.

SPEAKER_04 13:03

Uh-huh. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 13:05

When you started that and now to where you're at now, uh what was the growth or the process in that business? So I'm assuming when

A Mother’s Illness Sparks A Calling

SPEAKER_00 13:14

you first started, you were doing most of the work yourself, and then you had to like slowly bring and hire people on. Walk me through that of the hiring process and growing your business.

SPEAKER_04 13:24

Well, it's like you know, you start doing it all yourself, and then you realize, you know, I'm wasting so much time doing things that I'm not, you know, well equipped to handle. So you need to find someone that can do social media, marketing, you know, sales and everything. And so, you know, going through the process of hiring people is is a challenge in itself because you think like you think everyone has your work ethic and your drive and your focus, and they don't. And they don't have the, you know, it's my company and I will work seven days a week and as many hours in a day as I have to do. And not everyone has that. So it it I remember at the beginning hiring people that, you know, talked a good show, but they didn't really, they couldn't execute. So then I ended up working harder again. So it was a lot of hiring the wrong people. And so I think it's really important to take the time to not just hire the first person that appears. Um I think it's really important to take the time to get to know the person, see how long that they've been doing what they're doing. Do they love it? Are they, you know, what is their work ethic like? How long have they been at previous jobs? And what and what did I always ask people, so what did you learn from that last uh job that you had? What what did you learn? And if, you know, whenever I get an answer of that it was everyone else's fault, any problems, I I know right then that we're not going to be a good fit. I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong or if I don't know how to do something. And if I have people that are constantly pointing fingers and blaming, it's just it's not even worth having them on my team.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

I a hundred percent wholeheartedly agree. And I think in the military, we always have this concept of being a problem-solving

Hiring, Culture Fit, And Listening

SPEAKER_00 15:08

organization. And we go back to what you talked about before of empowering your team down at the lowest level. What really that means is that when you give someone a task and a purpose within their scope or their sphere of influence in the business, you have to believe that they're going to make the right decisions in the best interest of the organization. And culturally, that's one of the hardest things to do is to hire based on a culture of everyone working uh tandem together towards a shared vision. That's that is really, really hard to do. And I love the concept of what you just shared of really it's tactical patience. Don't hire the first person who comes and says all the right things because maybe their words aren't aligned with their deeds, but practice some tactical patience and find the right person that fits culturally.

SPEAKER_04 15:58

That's true. And I also think it's important, like with you know, when you're hiring, let's just using social media as an example. You know, I give, I will send images because I am still a working makeup artist and I have, you know, a lot of clients and I do a lot of photo shoots. Like I will send them to the to Avery, who is in charge of my social media, and I just let her run with it because and I'm also I have an open door. If someone has an idea, I want people to be able to feel comfortable and confident enough to come to me and tell me an idea they have. And, you know, I'm I'm more than happy to give people credit and and you know, try different people's ideas. So I think that's really important as well, to be open to listening. Listening is sometimes a really a challenge for some people. They are not willing or able to listen. And I think uh I think that's a skill. I think maybe being a mother and a makeup artist all these years, I listen to a lot of people. I can, for example, I have clients that you really have to listen to your clients because especially some of my celebrities, they have a certain look that they're comfortable with. And I can't go and even though technically it may be right what I'm gonna do to make their makeup look different, if they're not comfortable with it, it'll distract them when they're in front of a camera. So it's super important that I listen to my clients. And my it doesn't matter what I think, it matters how they feel. And if they don't feel comfortable in front of the camera looking the way I've fixed, you know, done their makeup, it's they I'll never get hired again. So I know that I'm one of my skills is that I really listen to my clients and make them feel like when they get in front of the camera that they're feeling confident and happy, whether it be men or women.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

I really think that kind of sums into like building trust. Uh and trust is so hard to build with people. And I think it comes through frequency and crucibles events, uh, going through shared hardship, you can build trust or being with someone over a long period of time. And exactly what you just said, another another amazing nugget of just listening to people and listening without an agenda, if that makes sense. Just listening to what what is the problems that you're having today and how can I serve you to make it better?

SPEAKER_04 18:21

Right. I think I think when people, you know, sometimes you don't need to react and you don't need to comment. Sometimes when people come to you and they have an idea or want to share something, it's like, okay, I'm gonna listen. I will, like, for example, with my makeup clients, the especially the women, if I might give them an idea of how I think they might look better, but if they're not willing to do it at that moment, I just am like, okay, we'll just do I'll do what you want. So I've had um, I've had Tyler Florence as a celebrity chef and he's been my client for 16 years now.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_04 18:53

And yeah, and so yesterday we were shooting a dish commercial for uh for Food Network for his TV show, The Great Food Truck Race, and then for Dish, and then we did a Well Spargo commercial. But I think the the reason why he and I are really compatible is that I know I can read his mood. I can read all my clients' moods. So if he's wants to chat, we chat. If he wants to laugh, we laugh. If he wants some quiet and just focus, I just let him be. And I don't, I don't, you know, it's about him, it's not about me. And so I think it's really important if you can learn that in any job. Read the room, read the people around you, see what they, you know, what do they need? What do they need you to do and be okay with it? It doesn't, you know, I don't always have to have my way. I don't have to, it doesn't need to be the way I think it should be. It needs to be what the client wants. And I think if people can learn that, they're going to be much more successful in their career, whatever it is.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

I love that. It all comes down to, I think, emotional intelligence. As you, as you started off in your business and kind of where you are now, has there been a common thread or one of the different essential parts of being an effective leader that you have maintained or that you've grown out of just to where you're at now and the level of success that you're having?

SPEAKER_04 20:14

I think of just, you know, being open and listening to different ideas, trying new things, especially in the makeup in the beauty industry. It is so competitive and is constantly changing. So just knowing that everything's going to be changing all the time because people don't typically like, I mean, I have heard, I have listened to so many people saying, I don't like change. I don't like doing the well, change is inevitable. It is constant. That is one thing in life that I can guarantee, you know, you know, there's going to be change and you have to be okay with it and not get so attached. I don't, I don't get attached to the things that are changing. They just change and it'll change again. So I just try to, you know, when I get hired for a job for being a makeup artist, I'm very grateful to be there. And I just, I get there on time. I'm I'm always positive. I'll help everyone, you know, whoever's there, the camera guy, the, you know, the sound guy or whatever. I just, we're all a team and you know, we need to work together. And I don't, you know, I'm not a pain in the ass. I am super positive and I work really hard and I do a really good job. So I get hired back because I'm not, I don't have a big ego and I'm not difficult to work with. And I know there are a lot of people that want to know what time we're gonna be done. Like, you know, yesterday we were outside and it was 49 degrees and it was free. I mean, that doesn't sound really cold, but it was really cold. Um, and you know, it was raining on and off, and I'm standing there and I'm like, I just am thinking, you know, every minute feels like an hour, you know, because it's so cold out. And you just have to make the best of it, you know. Tyler and I will make jokes like, oh, here we go, more weird weather, you know.

SPEAKER_00 21:55

Today's show sponsor comes from 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company. They are a philanthropic award-winning craft distillery located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. For being a listener of Tales of Leadership, you'll get 10% off on any order using the promo code PandoCommando when you place an order at 10thwhiskey.com. Both of those are in the show notes, so you'll be able to find them. 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company honor heroes and they craft a legacy. I've commanded two organizations in the 10th Mountain, and both of which are very deeply impactful to me. This is a company that I stand behind. And if you're looking for a great bottle of bourbon, look no further at 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company. Back to the show. I uh so I'm I'm weirdo. Wake up really, really early in the morning because I have this morning routine that I follow, and I always go do a cold plunge at at least two minutes.

SPEAKER_04 22:54

You're one of those. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 22:56

Every day.

SPEAKER_04 22:57

Good for you.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

And the water temperature this morning was I think it was like 48 degrees.

SPEAKER_04 23:02

So it was you, you, you get you understand my pain. It's so cool. You know, I have I'm very disciplined as well. And I wake up every morning, and whether I'm on a chute or I'm at home in my office working, you know, I wake up, I dry brush every day, I wake up and have water, a glass of water with lemon juice or vinegar, you know, I have tea. I, you know, I I I drip make a green juice every day. I bring it on set or I make it or have it at home. So I I I think that part of you know, being disciplined is incredibly important. Incredibly important. And um, you know, self care is very important. I think you, and I'm sure that you can attest to this as well, that you're a better. version of you. You can give

Discipline, Routines, And Self-Care

SPEAKER_04 23:47

more to your team, your family, everyone involved when you've taken the time to do your cold plunge, that you've had your, you know, your coffee or your tea and you know, do the things that make you feel good. It's like you're filling up your tank and then you can share that with other. And I think self-care, you know, I speak about this a lot. Self-care is not selfish. It's actually the most generous thing you can do to everyone around you.

SPEAKER_00 24:11

You're speaking to my soul.

SPEAKER_04 24:13

Right? Yeah. And I think that, you know, it's also incredible for your kids because my kids see my work ethic. They see that I work really hard. They see that I, you know, I don't drink very often, you know, I'm a glass of wine now again, or you know, I'm just I've set an example which has been more profound than any lecture that I can give. My daughter Rose told me a few years ago, she's like, mom, your lectures on drugs and alcohol and pretty much everything were lame. And I thought they were award winning, quite frankly. But uh she said that, you know, the way I treat people, you know, that I'm kind, that I work really hard, that all the different things that I do um are are more impactful than any lecture that I can give on anything.

SPEAKER_00 24:58

There are so many things that I really want to unpack there. And I'll start off with this one. I I think that everyone is a leader. And I see leadership as uh ubiquitous regardless of of where you fall within life and because you have to learn to lead yourself first before you need a team or a company, an organization, your family, a community, it doesn't matter, you have to learn to be disciplined. I call it being a rad leader, routine accountable and disciplined in your actions. And having strong routines, I I think make you selfless, not selfish, because I see it as a battery. If I take my two hours every morning, I do my workout, I read um I don't know if you're familiar with the miracle morning, but I do the savers routine every morning.

SPEAKER_04 25:43

Oh I don't tell me about that. What is that?

SPEAKER_00 25:45

Okay. You got me excited. Uh so silence uh affirmation visualization exercise reading and scribing uh or journaling. And I try to do that every single morning. I wake up my silence is through the pain and punishment of the cold plunge. It's really like a form of meditation. And then I'll sit I'll do prayer afterwards I'll go to the gym I'll work out for an hour, an hour and a half, and then I'll come back and I'll read and then towards the end of the day I'll I'll like to journal uh for about 30 minutes on stuff that it's passionate about me. But that has served me so well. And it leads into another one of the points that you just said my kids my daughter has seen what I've been doing in terms of my routines and how disciplined I am and now she has started doing those things. She picks up and reads books every single night and she has her own journals. She's created uh DJ's life a book series and she's created like three or four of these little books and it's all spurred from just watching me and it it warms my heart.

SPEAKER_04 26:46

I love that. That's fantastic. I think that's really amazing. I I do the I didn't realize what that was called but I basically do the same things. I do my reading every day I do my meditation I I work out every day I go to yoga or I go to Pilates or I hike um you know play golf. I just I do something and you know I do I I the one thing I need to do a little bit better is the journaling. I'm not as consistent as I should be but all the other things I I do as well. And I think it does make a big difference in life especially with the kids that they see those things.

SPEAKER_00 27:20

Yeah I I 100% and there's a I would love to know out of like your morning routine if there's one thing that you have no fail to do or a self-care tip throughout your entire day what is the one thing that you will never fail to do well for sure the first thing in the morning the water and the lemon juice um the green juice the exercise every day um I mean all the different things I you know I just think they're just so important to exercise every day.

SPEAKER_04 27:49

I think the grasp the gratitude being grateful for the day that I'm given the opportunity to go to work with who I work with or be able to work from home you know I I think gratitude's super important. My kids um we have started two educational funds um at the Northern Light School in Oakland California for underprivileged children and um we've raised you know money for these two the baby bow and the Ken Flack uh educational funds and it's been really great that my kids have all participated my youngest son is a twin his twin passed away on Christmas day 17 years ago and he um he just raised $75,000 playing golf and for the you know and I I you know every year he does he's been doing it for like eight years and I just every year he raises more and more money and I just said Ben I'm so proud of you like I can't even believe what you do and he's like mom I golf today like I got to meet all these great people I go no you raise $75,000 which means seven children are going to be able to go to private school for one year. That changes families that changes lives that changes communities trinkling down to the world and I'm so proud of that of my kids because they don't even realize that it is such a big deal that they do that. And I think it's super important that everyone gives back I think it you know when you go through hardships and you give back and help there's always someone worse off than you. So I think it's really a great thing when you're able to give back to other people because it makes you feel like you know if you're in a bad mood or in a you know have had a hardship and you can help other people it does make you feel better. So I think that's really important.

SPEAKER_00 29:31

I think you're you're dropping straight fire I and I love this too uh pain we all go through it we all experience pain in our lives whether it's uh a friend committing suicide um

Gratitude And Teaching Kids To Give

SPEAKER_00 29:43

or someone that you know it doesn't matter or a husband uh like your husband passing away with sepsis which I would absolutely love to get into we all go through pain points but how we choose to go beyond that separates I think people who have a victim mindset versus a survivor mindset and you chose pain and manifested it into purpose which I absolutely love through some of the philanthropical work that you're you're doing right now and I would love to know when you went through those different traumatic events in your life of your son passing away which I can't even imagine my son passing away um I I don't even want to think about that. And then your husband passing away how did you manifest that pain into purpose?

SPEAKER_04 30:30

Because I have other children that it affects and so they've been affected by you know these things that have happened. And so if I lose it you know if I'm not keeping it together it's going to affect them. So I don't want them to suffer any more than they have had to. So I think that's what keeps me going. But it's also it's a choice happiness is a choice. Um helping others is a choice. I was on this show a long time ago and we were it was I forget what they were saying but it went to the effect of you know we're talking about post-traumatic shock that you know especially you guys in the military deal with all the time and what she said that I had was a post uh traumatic change in me. And um and so it's it's how you choose to handle these different situations uh whether it be you know starting a foundation or you know help I don't know everyone has to figure out what it is that works best

Turning Grief Into Purposeful Action

SPEAKER_04 31:29

for them. But what you know education and nutrition are very important to me. And so for me this was a natural place to put this you know you know difficult times um helping these kids with um an education because I feel that every child should have an incredible education like my children have been blessed with that that genuinely is amazing.

SPEAKER_00 31:54

And we kind of go back to the beginning of this episode of what is leadership it is to inspire and that I think that's exactly what you're doing right now. You're inspiring the next generation to go carry that torch and have that manifesto if you will of every day's a gift don't waste yours. That's kind of like my mantra in life doesn't matter how bad today is I know what a bad day looks like and it's not a bad day. So I every day is a is a gift and I love that mindset and I love what you're doing.

SPEAKER_04 32:19

Yeah I think it's it's important and I just you know it's just kind of the way it is and I don't really think about it so much. Um but I you know and believe me I have days and I'm sure you do as well that are challenging and I feel sad or you know it's hard but I just know that like and I think that's why I think the discipline comes in is really helpful of okay the cons being consistent with the discipline is really helpful to me because it's like okay I know in the morning I can control making my bed, uh having my water, the green juice, the tea that you know doing all the things I do that makes me feel good which makes like you know sometimes you need to some days are really hard and you have to okay I'll go do this one thing which will lead to the next thing and then it just gets easier and easier. But some days are you know are kind of prickly and so I you know but then sometimes you know there's some days when I'm just like okay that's it I just need to go to sleep and tomorrow will be a better day. So you know everything seems worse when you're tired too. I think also like if you're if I don't work out if I don't eat well if I don't think of things I'm grateful for and I'm hungry it like the the world seems like it's gonna end. It's the end it's the end of the world.

SPEAKER_00 33:32

You should talk to my wife she's like I turned into a diva if I can't work out or eat what I want and get the sleep that I need I am a totally different person.

SPEAKER_03 33:42

You're a nightmare on Elm Street. Yeah I I get it I love that I think you and I were I think we were siblings in a former life because yeah we have so much similarity I know oh my God your wife would hate me she'd be like you two are too much alike that's hilarious.

SPEAKER_00 34:00

Like oh they're like how is that a female version of you oh my god I would love I I I genuinely believe what you just said gaining momentum in life is one of the the hardest things to do but it's so easy to do at the same time it's controlling with what is in our sphere of influence uh and there was a famous speech I can't remember who this was it was a Navy SEAL an admiral who gave kind of a commitsment speech.

SPEAKER_03 34:26

Oh my God that is my favorite thing ever.

SPEAKER_00 34:29

You know I can't think of you know what I you know what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_04 34:32

It's it's the thing of like your first thing waking up in the morning making your bed making your doing all these things. That is my I was gonna quote that like five minutes ago. I love that I love that guy. It's no because it's everything it's everything. No I tell my kids everything like that my bed is always made I I I'm you know we're all we're we don't even realize what visual people we are you know like having the bed like I work out of my home if I'm not on a chute I have to have my house clean and organized. It just I have hives I can't be even I can't focus on anything if I see clutter or the bed's unmade or there's dishes in the sink. I can't bear it.

SPEAKER_00 35:09

I am the same way I am a visual person and when there's clutter I it it stresses me out to the point of where I can't think I'm thinking about that and I know that I totally get it. And it's all about the little things uh you continue to knock those little targets down those little 50 meter targets it's a win after a win after a win after a win after a win and you just gain momentum and I think that's genuinely how we win at life it's not knocking down those 300 meter targets or the huge elephants in the room. It's the best way that I always think about this is the metaphor is that you have a jar that was like that my my teacup right now and I could try to fit an orange in that teacup the one big goal that I'm trying to accomplish or the one big thing that I need to do it's not going to fit. But I could take the equal amount of Skittles same way each one of those Skittles is a substep or task that I have to do to complete that big task and I keep dropping one in at a time and eventually I've taken down that big goal. And that's really how I kind of think through that.

SPEAKER_04 36:08

No that's I I completely agree. I think it's all those good things and I think it's great that people can hear um I hope this inspires other people to to greatness you know I think you know I don't think being successful or being the best version of you is a bad thing. I think it's great. I think everyone should take pride in themselves self-pride have pride in your appearance your weight um how you look you know your home everything it doesn't you don't have to have you know a a billion dollars you know if you have a a small home you know as long as it's clean and there's love in it and there's a you know beautiful things you can cut some flowers outside or some leaves and you know have a pretty something a candle I mean it's it's all about just having you know taking pride in what you have and how you make people feel I think that's probably one of my superpowers is that I can make people feel really nice and happy and um you know I think you know you can go through life and no one's gonna remember oh she cleaned her house every day but but but when people come into my house how they feel like it smells good there's something cooking or there's a candlelit or you know people it's it's just really important to make people feel comfortable and nice I think. So I know your time is valuable um just a couple more questions before we get our final show segment but I I would really love what would be your best advice that you could give someone who's just starting out on their leadership journey to ask questions to ask other people for their advice I've been really blessed you know to speak with you know Condaleezarce uh Dana Perino I mean all these extraordinary people Maria Barlomo um you know different athletes I I've been really blessed people really want to help others and just you know asking someone a question don't be so uh think that someone's so important or so busy that they that you can't ask for some advice or their knowledge um I think it's really the greatest thing you can do is ask for help because people like I know when people call me and ask advice or want you know some guidance I'm more than happy to help. It's I just think it's part of when you're successful in whatever it is that you're doing that you give back and you help other people you know along the way. I had this amazing opportunity a couple of years ago working with this teenager named Ivy and I was doing like a pro bono like makeup class for her and uh she came over and we talked about like you know she didn't know what foundation to get or eyeshadow. And so I was just showing her. And I just said so like what do you want to be when you get older or what are you going to do this summer? Like what are your goals and like you can I go you can't you know dream bigger than you think because you'd be surprised all these goals that you make. So keep raising your bar all over so anyway a few weeks pass and she called and said can I share something with you and I said my gosh absolutely she said well I felt so good about myself after I met with

Ask For Help And Lead Kindly

SPEAKER_04 39:18

you that I applied for a study abroad art program in Prague and she's like I got it and I'm going and I like I was so she goes you know you told me that I can do anything I want she's like you changed my life and I'm like I was so shocked to hear this 15 year old say this to me. And I just was so honored. I just thought wow that is like the greatest gift she gave me the greatest gift even though she thinks I gave her the greatest gift.

SPEAKER_01 39:45

Inspiring that's what you I love that that's amazing it's time for our final show segment that I like to call the killer bees these are the same four questions that I ask every guest on the Tales of Leadership podcast be brief be brilliant be present and be gone question one.

SPEAKER_00 40:09

So what do you believe separates a good leader from a great leader? Kindness yeah I think people will work really hard for you if you're kind fully agree question two what is one resource that you could recommend to our listeners?

SPEAKER_04 40:25

Well the internet that's yeah I mean I think the internet I really don't you know you and I spoke about this before we don't really like that but I think if you use it in a way that you know you've there's so much information out there. Like there's so much and there's so many ways of connecting with different people but I also think it's super important to connect with people get off your device speak to you know relationships are so important. You know and following up like for example with my clients and new clients I always like if when my agent calls I always say yes and I always say thank you so much for this opportunity um for this for this job. And I think people really appreciate um that type of thing more than we realize following up and just saying thank you.

SPEAKER_00 41:16

I don't think anyone has given that recommendation yet and I love that recommendation.

SPEAKER_04 41:21

It follows the model of KISS keep it simple that's the motto of my my entire life yeah like for example yesterday yeah Tyler my my chef and I we were doing this commercial for um disc TV and I I when Tyler and I were leaving I just said to the the director I said oh thank you so much for having us today and he said you two are such a pleasure to work with you're so positive you're so you guys like joke around all the time you know you're super professional and it was so and I said oh well thank you because I just think that's how everyone is and he said no everyone's not like that and you two are really um so special because of the way of your both your work ethics so that was nice to hear that's awesome I can just get that from the short interactions that we've had together that you're a positive person.

SPEAKER_00 42:15

All right question three if you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of advice what would it be?

SPEAKER_04 42:21

Oh my God be kinder to myself I beat the crap out of myself when I was younger and and to dream like bigger than I could imagine because my life right now like I couldn't have imagined all these accomplishments that I've had I would never have thought that I would have these different experiences and opportunities.

SPEAKER_00 42:38

So I think being kinder and dreaming bigger I love that too last question how can our listeners find you and how can they add value to your mission?

SPEAKER_04 42:52

Well um you can go to Christinaflack.com to see my portfolio and different uh videos of you know segments on MBC um and then pretty girlmakeup.com and Christinaflack makeup on Instagram and pretty girl makeup is P-R-E-T-T-Y-G-I-R-L-M-K-U-P on Instagram and uh you know if anyone would like to donate to the Northern Light School in Oakland California go to the home page it's uh northernlightschool I think dot org and scroll down and there's a donate page so if anyone would like to do that that would be great uh you could donate to um in honor of baby bo or Ken Flack and that would be great.

SPEAKER_00 43:32

I will make sure that all that is in the show awesome thank you Tina this has been an absolute pleasure to thank you thank you so thank you for having me it's such a pleasure have a great weekend you too thank you thank you thank you bye