Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Samano.
Hi Christina, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Christina. I started my personal shopping journey at 19 years old when I began working at Neiman Marcus. I spent 14 years there creating client relationships and building my expertise about personal shopping, styling, and brand knowledge. About 3 years ago, I quit there after having my 3rd child and being overwhelmed with motherhood as well as the changing dynamic of the retail industry after Covid. I sent my clients an email saying that I was quitting Neimans, and it had been a pleasure getting to know them their families and helping them for so many years. Days and weeks after leaving my job, I continued to have clients reaching out to me to find them things even though they knew I had quit. I politely reminded them that I no longer worked in the store and recommended them to other sales associates that could assist. Many of them came back to me saying, “They said this is sold out; please find it for me. You always got me everything I was looking for.” I was so flattered that they still wanted my help, but as far as I was concerned, I was done with retail/personal shopping. One lady was so insistent she said she would pay me to find her a bag. I didn’t think anything of it, and I in no way was going to accept her payment nor did I even know how much to charge. I quickly connected her with a store that had what she was looking for, and she made the purchase and sent me a “finder’s fee.” A term I didn’t even know existed. Never would I anticipate my business to turn into what it is today. In just 3 years after starting my own company, I have more than tripled my business of 14 years. I am grateful for God’s plan for me and putting me in a position to continue to do what I love, service my clients, many of whom have become like family to me, all while being able to work from home with my three young children.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My struggle is the pressure I put on myself to make everyone happy. A lot of people think that I am a magician and can actually make an item appear right now and in their hands by tomorrow. Many people come to me with high expectations and are usually in a need-it-now mindset. I love a challenge, but oftentimes, those pieces can take some time to procure.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Christina Samano?
styling • sourcing • shopping
We make all our client’s lives easier by offering styling services where you can send your sizes and wardrobe needs, vacations, or special events you have coming up – we’ll put together a series of looks for you to choose from, including links to all items so you can shop at your own pace and order what you like or we can place the order for you. This part of our business also offers clients closet cleanouts and editing.
Sourcing is the biggest part of the business. Clients love that they can just send us a photo of what “everyone is saying is sold out,” and we do our best to locate the item through our ever-growing network of resources.
Personal shopping – where it all began and what I always want my business to be known for. We can help you with all your shopping needs. Whether it’s your 15-year-olds birthday and you have no idea what to get him or revamping your entire wardrobe. People always tell me that their favorite thing about my Instagram is that they get to see everything, all in one place, from the comfort of their couch. There’s really no need to ever have to go into the store, unless you want to of course! I still do in-store appointments with my local clients, and it’s like I never left Neimans!
I’m proud of what this business has become, and I couldn’t have done it without just taking a chance and trusting God’s plan. What sets me apart is that I’m a private personal shopper, so I source from all stores. There are no limitations to what I can sell or where I can get it from. So, if one store/company is sold out, we move right along to the next and the next. It is a daily challenge, but one by one, each sourced items make me so proud to have built this business. Having an entrepreneur mindset rather than a corporate employee makes me excited for the future and to continue to grow the business further.
What makes you happy?
My family. My kids are hilarious. I have the most loving and supportive husband. I’m so blessed with the best parents and siblings.
My job!!! I love it. My clients – Interacting with them every day. I honestly don’t know what I would do without flooded DMs to wake up to every morning. I love making them happy simply by finding something that makes them feel good about themselves. Retail is not real therapy, but it can make someone happy if they look and feel their best.
I love styling. It’s very calming and therapeutic for me. One of my favorite things to do is putting outfits together either for clients, “OOTD” (outfit of the day) to post on my stories where I include links to shop, or just dressing myself in a cute outfit is something that has always made me happy.
Pricing:
- I charge a flat rate sourcing fee.
- $100 for shoes and accessories
- $200 for handbags and ready-to-wear
- If an item has to be outsourced because it is past season or no longer available in boutiques then the price may vary depending on where we find it from.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @christina.samano
Image Credits
@christina.samano
