Emily Merrell  

Welcome to the 60 degree podcast, the podcast where we grill our guests about the things that make them tick and find out how human connection plays a role in their life. I’m your host, Emily Merrill. Hello, and welcome back to the sixth degree with Emily Merrill, the podcast where we grill our guests about the things that make them tick, and find out how human connection plays a role in their life. I’m your host, Emily, and today I am so thrilled to have Christina Van Buren, founder of femtech Media Group, a production company amplifying innovation and investment in women’s health technology. Christina, welcome to the show. So excited to have you here.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Thank you so much for having me. We’re,

 

Emily Merrell  

the theme of today’s podcast is going to be women’s health technology. And with your background and area of expertise, I know that we have a lot to dig into, and to really unpack this theme a bit deeper. But before we get started, I think you have the most incredible background from the Navy to healthcare to crisis lines, how did you get your start? And, you know, take us way back at the very beginning of who you were, who you are now.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Absolutely. So 10 years ago, what was 2011 I was a brand new mom at 21. And just gotten out of the Navy, and got divorced. It was a lot It was a big year for me. And I was you know, 21 I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life had just been in the Navy. And it was, it was great. You know, it was just fun, honestly, like I never deployed, thankfully. So I just got to do like the cool onshore stuff and made a lot of friends. And then transitioning out of that was really challenging for me, especially becoming a mom, and then you know, my relationship status changing. So I moved from San Diego, California, back to Atlanta, and just kind of started over here. And it’s interesting, when I tell people my background because I started with a I think I was being paid 1125 an hour doing like claims adjusting data entry, creepy boss fluorescent lights, the whole package, you can visualize that beautifully. Yeah, it was just it was like the, you know, epitome of like the dreaded corporate job, except it wasn’t like high pay. It wasn’t there, there were no golden handcuffs, it was just really, really hard. And I was a single mom, and you know, just trying to juggle all of that. It was close to impossible. It was just, you know, I think about a lot like how, you know, people talk about self care when we really need community care. And looking back, at that time in my life, I really needed a community.

 

Emily Merrell  

First time That’s insane. That’s a it’s so incredible that how far you’ve come in 11 years or 10 years, and I can’t wait to hear more. But you know, what drew you to the Navy to begin with? Was that something that had always been on your, your trajectory as something you wanted to accomplish?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Absolutely not, um, my parents, and my school never talked to me about college. So I knew it was an option, kind of that I was never prepared for it. And so when I, you know, graduated, which actually, I dropped out of high school, three months before I was supposed to graduate because my family was moving. And I was like, I’m not going to another school for three months. So I got my GED. And I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I mean, I have like, a vision of what I wanted one day, but it back then, like, I didn’t have the tools that I have not like them even just like the mindset skills to understand what was possible. I just was living like very moment to moment. And I was 18 when I joined the Navy. And it was really just an act of like, almost desperation of like, I can’t I don’t want to get stuck in this tiny little town. If I don’t go now, I don’t know how I’ll leave. And so the Navy really provided that opportunity for me to just, you know, take flight is get out of there, do something different. And yeah, it really was like the catalyst for me. Understanding that, pretty much any life you can imagine could be possible for you.

 

Emily Merrell  

And I think it’s so I’m so happy you shared that because There is you know there are the schools that overly prepare you for college and then there’s the schools that are best of luck to you. And you know we’ll see you on the other side potentially don’t don’t do drugs that that kind of school so you know for someone who isn’t who might be listening in might be in your shoes right now they’re graduating high school they feel as if their future feels so murky and unclear. Do you have any advice for that person?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Yeah, I mean, this is just the beginning right? graduating high school it feels like the biggest step of your life but you’re not even a fully developed like, you know who you’re going to be yet. You can create yourself and that’s the beauty of being a human right is that you’re not stuck with who you currently are. You have the power to just decide who you want to be and how you want to be and how you want to show up in the world. And you just take step after step towards that.

 

Emily Merrell  

I think that’s a great piece of advice for the overachiever, the underachiever and for defining that their whole success is made in their this 18 year of their life because I know I was God we all for so self important eight at 18, we thought we had shit figured out and we knew what we want, you know, even if we didn’t know what we wanted, we were like so cocky to ask for help, or whatnot. And now I’m like, I don’t know how to do anything. Can you teach me? Anything? Please? Someone. So I think that’s a fun, a fun, fun thing that time and age gives you so Okay, so you have your dog. It’s a daughter, you have a daughter? Can you have your daughter at 21 years old, your relationship ends your time at the Navy comes to an end? Well, you’re at this really crappy 1125 an hour job, which reminds me of the Rugrats. If you’ve ever remembered in our childhood, then playing adult was like them pushing paper in a horrible warehouse that reminds me of that image. It was kind of like that, yes. Yeah, that’s that’s what it looks like in me. So clearly, you’re not in that place anymore. niagra, the director of marketing at an insana healthcare communications agency, you’re have so much experience in health care, from, you know, leading projects with Blue Shield of California manifest met x, elation, health, so on and so forth. And now you’re also a founder. So in these 10 years, what the heck happened, because clearly something had to shift. A lot shifted.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

I mean, I’ve always been a really self aware person. I did not have an easy childhood, or really even a great childhood, it was pretty rough. Um, you know, with the caveat that I have a lot of privilege, because I am white. I didn’t earn it. But you know, given that I still had a lot of, I would say more like emotional barriers to overcome. I was really, it’s a cure, I really felt like I didn’t have a place in the world. I remember one time someone was like, Oh, hey, Christina. And I was shocked that they recognized me. I was like, I did not think somebody would recognize me. And I mean, this is so weird, but like that is it was like a genuine surprise. And looking back on that I was thinking about that the other day, and I was like, it just shows that I really felt like unanchored.

 

Emily Merrell  

Yeah and kind of like an invisible even to the outside world. You know, you go through life either being seen or not seen and a few you know, if you feel like you’re not being seen by those around you, you’re surprised when all of a sudden someone says Hey, what’s up?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Exactly. And you know, I think about this a lot. I think about my path a lot, my journey a lot, which is my daughter’s name, also journey.

 

Emily Merrell  

I love that.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

I didn’t know where it was going. No idea. And I remember every step of the way, being like panicked. I was like, I don’t know what I want to do with my life. Remember, I told my mom that at 13 I was like, I’ve done nothing with my life. Just like routine so that’s okay. But it just, you know, I it shows that I have like this inherent drive to to be more do more, which comes with its own set of problems, but it is a motivator. And I think the biggest shift is, so it’s really an interesting story. I met this woman, Megan. I don’t remember how we met or what the context was. But we have coffee. And then we like, went and got lunch a couple weeks later, and she handed me the book The secret. She said, I think you should read this. I never heard from her again. Never saw her Like, literally, I don’t remember her last name, I’ve no idea who she is basically. But I read the book, and I’d never even considered that I could change my mindset. And suddenly, I was like, so aware, like, of the way things would just be in my mind and then happened in real life. And I started, like, you know, just playing around testing, like, if I put my attention on something I want, does that have the same effect, and it was just little stuff. But it did. And I mean, I swear by all of that, like, some people are like, Oh, it’s woo, woo, whatever. But, you know, it’s just like the concept of what you put out in the world, you get back. And that was, I mean, that was what kicked off so much of my personal development, and just my growth as a person, my willingness to look inward and heal the trauma that I had been through. And, you know, recognize that, like I said earlier, who I was, was not who I was always destined to be that I could become whoever I wanted, I think,

 

Emily Merrell  

Oh my gosh, I’m so happy, you brought up the secret and you brought up like the mindset shift, I was actually just leading a group program right before this, and I had all the girls go through a visualization, writing down their desires, and then like really writing down their desires with feeling and taste and all of the details through it. And yes, I think, oh, gosh, I wish there was that we could be like on a, with a megaphone right now just to the world to tell them how important it is, and how how important it starts with mindset. And we all can be victims, we all have our things that we could be a victim of, I think we’ve all been a victim in some way, shape, or form. But that reframe of realizing like life isn’t happening to you, you have to happen to life. And there’s action involved as well. So from getting that dream job, or that dream partner, or, you know, getting a house of your desire is like you’re not going to just be sitting on the couch watching Gilmore Girls, and the pizza guy delivers all of that for you. It has to be a little bit more active. So the secret happens is girl Megan, who Megan if you know who you are, and you’re somehow stumbled upon this, because this is the how small the world will be. How what was the next step that you took in terms of taking action? And how did you get into healthcare? It feels like such a separation from where you were.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Yeah, so I walked out of my corporate job, literally walked out is like crying in the parking lot before I had to go in, walked in, sat at my computer, and I was like, I cannot fucking do this for one more day. And I got out I went to my boss’s office, and I was like, I quit. Just real. Like nonchalantly quit this. I’m done. And he’s looked at me and said, If you walk out that door, you will not have a job here. And I was like, Yes.

 

Emily Merrell  

Sorry, I’m walking out if you don’t

 

Christina Vanvuren  

want a job here. And he was just like, you’re gonna fail. You don’t know what you’re doing, like, just really negative. And I just remember feeling like, okay, let’s wait and see. And I went home, and I paced around my apartment and ate cold Chinese food. I just like literally that’s it. I remember that. So clearly, I was like, just ate leftover Chinese food, like, Oh, hey, like, it’s fine. Everything’s fine. Just quit your job with no money. I have a child like, what are you gonna do? But I was like, You know what, I want to be a writer. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and I’m good at it. And I actually it’s funny that I ended up in healthcare. I was telling a client this earlier I was like, I’m like, really into like, interoperability. Now. It’s social determinants of health, but I wanted to be a fashion writer. Well, I loved it. I like have that dream of moving to New York and just showing up at a magazine and like getting the internship I’m like, that doesn’t exist anymore. That was, like, early 90s not a thing anymore. Like now apply online. But, you know, in my head, that was the dream. And then I did I got an assignment for bussel, which no longer exists. I just said,

 

Emily Merrell  

I bet it does. Die. Maybe it was something

 

Christina Vanvuren  

else. I forget. There was one that is like not a daily candy. Maybe. No, it was one like bustle, like the personal essays and stuff.

 

Emily Merrell  

But not catalog like, Oh, yeah.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

But I wrote it was like an assigned piece. And it was something like five ways to wear your scrunchie this spring, and I was like, Oh, I can care about this. And not to say I will say I don’t think that fashion writing is like that. I think that was my one experience with it. And I was like, I’m never gonna make any money doing this or it’s going to be a very uphill battle. So I was, you know, I was just thinking like, well, what, what could I do? And so I started, I don’t know how it came to me. But I just googled, like companies getting funding, like startups getting funding. And I came across digital health. And I made a list of every single digital health company on a market map in 2015. And stock their LinkedIn found I was emailing people left and right. Hi, I’m a freelance writer, can I write for you? And 2015 was like, digital health was really just taking off. And nobody was doing digital health brightening. Nobody was like, in on the ground floor, and people were like, Oh, my God, yeah. Nobody asked me for like proof that I could write. Nobody asked like, what college did you go to? what degree do you have? How are you qualified. And that kind of was like, it was great, because I didn’t have any of that. So you know, gladly didn’t ask. And it gave me a chance to prove myself by doing the work. But a lot of it too, was just an inherent understanding that like, how you connect with people matters. And so, you know, everybody gets those salesy emails that are from people, they’re from real people, but they’re like, Hi, I’m so and so here’s a list of things I can do for you. Are you interested? Well, now, because, no, I have no interest in pursuing something that feels so transactional. So I would look up like, you know, what the company was doing, like press releases, and then I google the founder, and like, look at their Facebook and like, and be like, Oh, you know, I saw that you were featured in such and such article, I really liked that quote you said about and it was just intense research. I mean, I worked 16 hours a day,

 

Emily Merrell  

people resonate with you paying attention to them versus the generic and the prey and spray like you were actually investing time and energy into like, understanding the person versus just flippantly emailing everyone. Yeah. And it felt

 

Christina Vanvuren  

good to, like you were saying, taking action is a big part of it, you, you can think you’re, you know, like manifesting all this stuff. And you’re sitting there, it’s like that quote, or that saying that the guys like I have been praying to win the lottery. And then God’s like, Well, did you buy a lottery ticket?

 

Emily Merrell  

on that? I’ve ever heard that one. It’s so obvious,

 

Christina Vanvuren  

but so many people are like, well, I want it. So why isn’t it happening, but that action piece? It’s like inspired action. It’s not just like frantic, throw spaghetti at the wall, do everything you can to make money. It’s like focused, strategic, you know, really mindfully pursuing what you want. And being willing to accept it, when wouldn’t you get it?

 

Emily Merrell  

And to also recognize that because you want something doesn’t mean again, that it’s an Uber, and it’s going to be at your doorstep in two minutes. But it takes time and it takes perseverance. And I’m sure you’ve got just as many noes as you did get yeses. But it was that one yes, that it sounds like that, that opened that wedge your way through a door that helps connect to further things. Is that correct? Absolutely.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

That was just one and then another one, and then another one. And then now I can say more. I’ve worked with these three brands. And oh, we know that I’m like, in now, actually. I mean, what, seven years into my career, I’ve never marketed since I did those original pitches, it’s all referrals. And I pride myself on that, because I don’t need to market because I’ve proven myself. And the reason that I’m like, so proud of that is because I never thought that I would do anything like this. I want it to be a magazine editor and a fashion writer. And I would encourage people to not be super attached to that outcome of their dream or like, like, what their dream looks like in real life because I wanted to, you know, do these things. But my day to day is basically that of an editor and a writer, and I’m doing all the things I’m just not doing it for fashion.

 

Emily Merrell  

And I probably would say that you’re getting paid a lot more I worked in fashion

 

Christina Vanvuren  

a lot more than I was in fashion. 100%

 

Emily Merrell  

Yeah, that dream job. I love how you said that to like someone I always find I was in another call today and people were talking about when you get your dream job and then you’re disappointed by your dream job, which I think happens more often than not, it’s like the dream guy like you you visualize or your dream partnering and they have to be a certain way and then you’re like that person like complete dud. Or the company that you work for the wallet feels so sparkly on the outside. Maybe they don’t embody like what they they preach. And so I mean, we I saw that a lot with like a lot of the women’s organizations, even last year with the wing coming under fire and away and all these, like super hot brands. But really internally, there was a dumpster fire happening and a lot of turmoil. So I love that I love that you were able to take that, that learning and I think it’s such an important lesson for anyone that’s like, but I want to be a fashion editor. Sure, you know, take those same skills that you would have done as a fashion editor and apply it to something parallel probably pays so much

 

Christina Vanvuren  

more. And you know what the thing is, too is, I mean, don’t give up if you if you believe being a fashion editor is what you are put on this earth to do, by all means go after it, but not the sake of your well being not the sake of not being able to pay your rent, put those skills to use somewhere else, you know, yeah, I’m working in healthcare. But now with some tech media and producing events, we kind of knew nobody knows this yet. So you guys get a little insider Intel are going to be publishing some print some books. So that’s, I mean, that’s what I’ve always wanted to do. And it’s, yeah, I’m not talking about clothes. But it’s meaningful to me, it’s fulfilling, you know, and it’s something like, every woman in the world needs access to health care, better access, safer access. And so getting to kind of take my love of fashion and design and look at healthcare through that lens, I get the best of both worlds. But if I had been so stubborn that I could not see what the universe was putting in front of me as the blessing that it was. Who knows, who knows where I’d be still probably in that crappy apartment, maybe back at the crappy job. But you know what, a year later, I had made six figures.

 

Emily Merrell  

See, you went from 1125 to add in a lot of zeros to that. I’m sure journey felt, or hopefully feels really proud of you, because you’ve your own journey should inspire her journey. We’ll suppose switching gears a bit a bit and just talking about, okay, women’s health care. It is such a big topic. And I think, you know, with the theme of today being women’s health technology, I want to hear a little bit more of femtech Media Group and what it does, but then let’s dive into like women’s health care and how tech plays a role in that.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Absolutely. So femtech media is a production company, we produce events, like I said, some books coming. And are a real thing is like, we’re not so set on like we just do events, or we just do this or that the goal is like, what can we do? What can we create, to amplify fantech and for people who don’t know what FinTech is, thumbtack is specifically women’s health technology. So you know, it can be something like a cervical cancer diagnostic tool, or it could be like to a clinic.

 

Emily Merrell  

I met the founders that Shabbat dinner before they even launched. I know they’re so cool. A brand

 

Christina Vanvuren  

is beautiful. I mean,

 

Emily Merrell  

I remember when they were taught they’re like it’s a chat box. It was like before they’ve even grown to what there are now. It’s like cool, I love like a chat box to talk about the pill. I could talk about this all day. And then now it’s like this household name. That was that was cool. That was a very cool serendipitous conversation.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Well, and that’s what we that’s what the goal is for all of them tech is to, I mean to kind body Maven clinic, these are prime examples of the good that can happen for women, when women’s health care and health tech companies are invested in.

 

Emily Merrell  

Oh, yes. And this is something at six degrees that I’m really passionate to bring in the forefront, to talking about our vaginas a lot more and talking about just things that are feel technically taboo because we haven’t been talked about they haven’t been talked about historically, growing up with most families or with friend groups. We actually did an event called the vagina dialogues an intimate conversation about your intimates. And we had someone from a femme femtech collective I don’t know if you know Nicole and and we had Beatrice for Louis Spada from the honeypot CO and a bunch of other women but i think it’s it’s such an important it’s such an important technology or and just like emerging conversations to be having, because a lot of it is still growing by word of mouth. So let’s start and talk about what are your I mean, I don’t need to pick favorites, but what are the ones that are Exciting you the most right now let some texts that are out there that are really ones to be watching.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Yeah, I do have favorites.

 

Emily Merrell  

Tell us your favorites.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

I really just I admire and I think will go incredibly far his health and her hue. Ashley wisdom started it it’s a telemedicine platform for black women, a revolutionary, right? Black women have different needs than white women often, and that’s not talked about

 

Emily Merrell  

and historically are more afraid, afraid of the doctors, rightfully so.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

And also, you know, they have different reactions to certain medication, there’s there’s this whole spectrum of things within healthcare that like requires a cultural a culturally appropriate approach. And I mean women in health care and health tech more recently. I mean, there’s no research, there’s no data of what data is there is like, kind of bogus, like we’re not really sure if it’s legit or not, because it was like a group of 10 out of a group of 10 women 75% is that like it’s not? there? There’s nothing, you know, that is that’s, you know, that we can rely on to use for innovation that’s changing. It’s changed a lot in the last, you know, decade, but especially the last five years. And I love seeing FinTech companies that are taking on clinical innovation. I think that’s so important. tampon companies great. needed. We need organic tampons. It’s not FinTech, it’s e commerce. unpopular opinion. Someone will be mad when they hear. But it’s ecommerce. Yeah. Unless you’re putting technology in my vagina that I don’t really consider if I’m tech. Yeah. And I think it’s just it’s just a line. And I think some people you know, it could go either way. There’s an argument for both sides. But we’re, I’m really interested and we’re FEM tech media is really focused, is that clinical innovation, that technology driven innovation. So held in her he was a great one. And then oh my gosh, there’s so many fermata is great. Now that I’m like on the spot, I’m like, what, what are the FinTech companies? Again, hold on,

 

Emily Merrell  

no, I need to talk three is perfect. I think and we can, we’ll definitely do a blog post on this. So we can do more of a cohesive roundup and put it in our notes as well. But I think that’s the thing, credible thing again, like health, health and her hue, is that what you said it was called, I’ve never heard of that before. But hopefully then someone hearing this will then be able to share it with someone else. And a lot of them are growing by word of mouth. Because stupidly or foolishly, like, we still focus so much on the Tesla’s and like the self driving cars and the I feel like we see that more of a spotlight on the men creative stuff that’s created by men. So the more we can do to amplify these incredible companies that are coming out, and talk about it, and share it with one another is incredible. And oh my gosh, okay, we wish this podcast episode was like two hours, because we have so much to talk about. And you don’t have that much time to talk about at all. But I just think, you know, as women, articulating and having those conversations with each other about what’s happening and like our bodies and educating and someone had cervical cancer, why did they find out about it? How did they self advocate for it? Do you have any other tips or advice on women to think about when talking about their bodies? And also leveraging technology? Yeah,

 

Christina Vanvuren  

well, one thing I’ll say on the cervical cancer, no, I think it’s like 90% of cervical cancer deaths could have been prevented with an early diagnosis. So taking that information, what I would say, don’t accept what you’re told by your doctor, and I’m not bashing healthcare providers, they are frontline workers critical to the health of our country and women, but they also have not been trained and how to treat women appropriately. And by appropriately I mean, with adequate knowledge of our unique health needs. And so if you go to the doctor and you say, I think something’s wrong here and my symptoms, and your doctor says it’s probably your period or whatever else that is dismissive or that you just don’t feel a satisfactory, you don’t have to take that as the final set. Your body ultimately is your responsibility and so it’s on you to keep pushing and it shouldn’t be so hard It shouldn’t be like that, but it is and you know, women and girls, you know, that are coming into Woman hood can go into the health care system with the knowledge that the health care system was not designed for us. It really wasn’t. And so we’re going to get the care that we need. It has to be us that demands it. I mean, I’ve had to say to doctors, no, I need a full blood panel, I don’t care if I have to pay out of pocket for it, I’m very privileged that I have been able to, you know, at times in my life, just pay for health care. And that’s all. affordability is a whole other podcast app,

 

Emily Merrell  

definitely.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

But you know, for advocating for yourself. Part of it is talking about it with your friends. Mental health is a great example actually, and women are disproportionately affected by mental health, certain mental health conditions. And men are too and a lot of those conditions go undiagnosed, because there’s an even greater stigma when it comes to met males mental men’s mental health, how do you say, Yeah, but you know, it’s a great example. Because in the past, you know, handful of years we’ve seen mental health become a lot less taboo. I mean, there’s still a stigma, by all means, like we’re not out of, you know, out of the woods yet, not one. But because we’ve talked about it. Because we’ve started going, Hey, maybe I’m not the only one. So that’s like the mantra, right? Like, if I am experiencing this, other people have to, and that’s enough to take to run this

 

Emily Merrell  

is set I’m so happy you brought that up just to self on vacation and the doctors and not taking the final world word and that you’re responsible for your body. I want to just remind everyone, you are responsible for your bodies, no one can be a mind reader if there’s pain I got I so second that. And second opinions, I’ve known people that have ended up passing from cervical cancer, I’ve known people that have, you know, had a lump on their, on their breast and the doctor was like, don’t worry about it, and just ended up being breast cancer. And so thank you for sharing that. I think that is just such a good point. And yes, we need to have a whole new podcast on just with our affordable health care, my husband’s Canadian so I always reference how, you know what maternity leave looks like over there. But healthcare, it’s not perfect. But when the pandemic happened, people weren’t as scared about going to go into the hospital or the costs that would ruin their lives for treatment. So, so much there, but unfortunately, we have to start wrapping up the podcast and because you know, you’re incredible, you’re just such an inspiration, I think you’re an inspiration for women everywhere, your inspiration for women at all different periods in their life to from being a new mom to being a young individual and feeling like I have no idea what the hell I want to do with my life, and then also to pivot to change and create meaningful movement and change in your life. I’m so happy that you’re able to be on this podcast. But before we wrap up, I would like to switch gears a bit and to move into six fast questions. So we know a lot about you now, but I want you to tell us an unknown fun fact about you. Oh,

 

Christina Vanvuren  

yeah, this is a hard one. I feel like I’m such an open book. I don’t know if there’s any unknown facts. I will tell you a fun fact. I’ve moved 39 times in my life.

 

Emily Merrell  

Oh my god, and she’s not even 3932 30 to 39 times by 30 share. That’s a great fun fact. Who would be a dream person you’d want to be connected

 

Christina Vanvuren  

with? No Gosh, I would you know, I would really love the opportunity to sit down with Michelle Obama. I know it’s kind of like a generic ish answer. Like everybody would say michelle obama but I just I really admire her grace and her grit and her passion for advocacy and I would just love to be in her presence.

 

Emily Merrell  

I think I would I would stop in her presence I’m pretty positive

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Oh yeah. fan girl cry Yeah.

 

Emily Merrell  

Oh waiting, becoming and then watching the documentary about her where people were like literally having religious moments. I felt that I actually liked her more after I read becoming like I liked her but then I like loved her. So that was good. Um, what TV show Are you currently watching?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Oh, I’ve spent a lot of time over the last several months watching The Fosters and then good trouble. So good. I actually think one day I might want to foster children because of that show. It was just so impactful.

 

Emily Merrell  

Oh, okay. Good to know. And there’s many seasons right like five seasons, five seasons.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

three seasons of good trouble which is like the spin off that follows the daughters off after college.

 

Emily Merrell  

Okay, that’s good to know that connection.

 

Christina Vanvuren  

I finished it yesterday. So I need some good recommendations because

 

Emily Merrell  

it’s emotion. Have you read? Have you watched the bold type?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Oh, the bold type younger? Yeah, I’ve done all the good ones. Eris.

 

Emily Merrell  

Yeah, I was like you needed something light, like the bold tape or something to counteract it. Okay, what book are you currently reading?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

I just finished Malibu rising. I forget who the author is. It was great. Okay, the lightest beach read on the surface, but it’s very packed with meaning. And I cried, and I laughed during that book. So highly.

 

Emily Merrell  

I’m reading a book right now. And I just wanted to bring it up, because I think you would resonate with it. It’s called outlawed. And it’s about an outlaw of barren like a bunch of outlaws, but they’re all barren women who are outlaws, because if you’re barren, you were a witch. And this was set in like the late 1800s. That is my jam. I’m going to order that right. I think you’ll It’s fun. It’s a fun read. Um, what is your favorite emoji?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

I like the two little pink hearts. That’s like my most used emoji. It’s not like romantic love, but it’s kind of like flirty and fun and like, gets the message across

 

Emily Merrell  

it gets it across. And then my last question for you is who inspired and or give you permission to do the thing that you wanted to do with your life?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

I will say that I did not have any real role models growing up. And I understood at an early age that if I was not going to regret my life, it was up to me to give myself permission and not wait for other people to do it.

 

Emily Merrell  

I think that’s it. You are a great example of someone who took that permission and ran with it. So I’m happy to see it. Well, Christina, thank you so so much for being on today’s show. And for joining us on the sixth degree. It was an absolute pleasure. Where can people find out more about what you’re working on with the FEM tech Media Group?

 

Christina Vanvuren  

Yeah, it’s fin tech media.co. And at FEM tech media on every platform.

 

Emily Merrell  

Fantastic. Well, thank you for joining listeners. Thank you for listening. If you like today’s show, please make sure to subscribe, give us a five star review and share with any friends and we will see you the next time on the sixth degree. Take care