Mick Unplugged - Christine Curran: From Model to Media Mogul

Episode Date: April 7, 2025

Christine Curran is a dynamic force in the world of entertainment and entrepreneurship. Known for her visionary approach, Christine transitioned from modeling to media mogul status, founding the Dining Empire and producing celebrated shows like Dining Divas and Destination Divas. With a keen focus on empowering women globally, she leads initiatives that uplift and inspire, all while navigating the challenges and triumphs of leadership. Passionate about storytelling and impacting lives, Christine has also ventured into innovative projects such as the Women Empowerment Token, uniting crypto with empowerment. A devoted mother and a beacon of resilience, she continues to break barriers and redefine success on her own terms. Takeaways: Leadership and accountability are crucial for personal and professional growth, as Christine underscores the importance of being transparent and supportive to allow team members to thrive. Christine's journey from modeling to creating a media empire demonstrates the power of recognizing opportunities and taking bold steps toward entrepreneurship. Embracing a routine that balances work with personal mental health practices like meditation and nature walks can significantly aid in managing stress and maintaining productivity. Sound Bites: "Food and travel are the two things AI can't take away from the human experience." "Accountability is the gateway to a successful company." "Just get started. Work every day towards an end goal, and you will reach that goal." Quote by Mick: "I love everything about that. You know, when people ask me about the legacy that I want to leave behind, I always say it's the impact that I make through my kids, through my nieces, my nephews, my family, my close circle." Connect & Discover Christine: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinecurrantv/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ChristineCurran Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealchristinecurran Website: https://christinecurran.com/ Website: https://www.diningempire.com/en TV: https://diningdivas.tv/ FOLLOW MICK ON:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mickunplugged/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mickunplugged  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickhunt/Website: https://www.mickhuntofficial.com                                                              Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being a leader is really important how you navigate through that with personality types and things that are happening in people's personal lives too. And so trying to find that healthy balance where it's about helping them grow and be the best version of themselves. Welcome to Mick Unplugged, the number one podcast for self-improvement, leadership, and relentless growth. No fluff, no filters, just heart-hitting truths, unstoppable strategies, and the mindset shifts that separate the best from the rest.

Ready to break limits? Let's go! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Mick Unplugged and today's guest is a powerhouse. She's an unstoppable force in entertainment, entrepreneurship, and empowerment. She's the visionary behind the Dining Emp, producing hit shows like Dining Divas and Destination Divas. A former model, turned media mogul. She's shaking up the industry and championing women worldwide. She's bold, she's brilliant, and she's breaking barriers at every turn.

I'd love to introduce you to my friend, the amazing Christine Curran. Christine, how you doing today, dear? Well, that was quite the intro. I'm doing fabulous. Thank you. Let's get it Florida's finest. So Christine on Mc unplugged we like to talk about your because that thing that's deeper than your why and I know you being multi-talented multi-dimensional there's got to be a purpose behind doing what you do so if I were to say Christine

what's your because what would that answer be? Yeah, you know, it obviously starts with yourself, right? Your first. And the first has always been, you know, my daughter and being able to provide a wonderful lifestyle for her as a single mom. And that turned into then helping other women and wanting to see other women be able to thrive and survive. And now it's become really a global movement and just how many lives can we impact and that's really my because right now and it's what's transformed into my because, from starting to just seeing what I can do and how I can change lives

and it's just me and my team are just really passionate about that and so we're really excited for what we're building and what the future holds. I love everything about that. When people ask me about the legacy that I want to leave behind, I always say it's the impact that I make through my kids, through my nieces, my nephews, my family, my close circle. And I hear a lot of you in that as well, right? You know, following you, huge fan of yours for a long time, you talk a lot about

impact and in making that impact. So I wanna applaud you for not just saying that those are the things you wanna do, but actually putting the action behind it. So thank you, Krista. Thank you, thanks. Absolutely, so let's go, I don't wanna say the beginning, but let's go model turn media mogul, right?

What was the inspiration behind saying, you know what, this modeling stuff is cute, but there's a bigger purpose for me. What led to that move? Yeah, I mean, modeling was something I did part-time when I was in college, and I realized that I could actually make more money doing that than having a full-time job working for someone else. So I never worked for anybody.

I went straight from college into modeling, acting, and interviewing celebrities. And I started getting asked to book other women like, Hey, do you have any friends? I need more promo models, I need more this. And I'm like, well, if I'm going to do that, I might as well get paid for doing that. Right. So I created my own company right out of college called Fort Lickordale Entertainment. And I booked over 800 women in 13 years for all kinds of things from fashion shows and music videos and promo jobs and entertainment. So it was very successful.

I had my very famous Jell-O shot girls that we had people fly in from LA and shoot TV shows about us. And I did almost a million dollars in cash in my twenties doing that. And it was just a really great, I helped a lot of college girls, a lot of single moms, and it was great for me as a single mom and it was a really great

lucrative experience in my 20s but from there I just realized what do I want to do? Like the girls are getting younger, I'm getting older, I don't want to book models forever and you know I don't want to model myself forever so I was like I really like production, I like storytelling, I like to be able to just kind of get into an audience's mind and head and be able to like inspire them or you know persuade them for something. And so it was really about storytelling for brands and inspirational storytelling was what I really was passionate about. Amazing, amazing. I know that you do a lot right to empower women and speaking of

right to empower women and speaking of the the women's empowerment token right so WEMP talk to us about that like where did that come from you know how has that evolved and what are some of the cool things you're doing in that realm so the women empowerment token was started during covid when all the restaurants were shut down I couldn't film dining divas and we were everyone was jumping into all these different things PPE crypto just all the restaurants were shut down, I couldn't film dining divas and we were, everyone was jumping into all these different things, PPE, crypto, just all the entrepreneurs were trying to figure out what's next, right? And so we jumped into that and I created the token with my partner, Jared Knowles. The token did really, really well, like did 1800%.

It was just, it was a wild experience, but like all people jumping into crypto, we didn't know a lot about it. So we've learned a lot of lessons throughout that. We're actually working on a revamp of that to partner up with our Diva network, which is on blockchain. So that is very, it's in pause mode right now. We're on building on the sidelines for that right now. But I will definitely circle back with you on what we plan on doing with that here in the near future, because it's an exciting project and it's something I think we were a little early to,

but we're definitely gonna be revamping that and bringing it back, so stay tuned. I like it. So you hinted just a bit ago, I teased it in the opener, the dining divas and the dining empire, right? So it's been described as like diners drive-ins and dives meet sex in the city, right? So for those that don't know about it yet,

one amazing, the entire empire is wild and cool and so informative, but how'd you come up with that unique just blend of show style, show format? Yeah, I mean, I wanted to, I was tired of watching women fight on TV, so I wanted to create a show that brought women together. And what's a better way to bring people together than over a meal, right?

So food brings people together, and right now in today's age, food and travel are the two things AI can't take away from the human experience. So I really wanted to tap into that industry of food and travel, but I wanted to be more modern and hip because I feel like that's really lacking in the food travel space. You've got the Food Network, which the average viewer is 65, and you've got Travel Channel that's only showing 5% travel shows now.

They're doing all these ghost stories and I just felt like there was no network that was really catering to like the young business professionals that are traveling the world, working remote, like living the best life, loving food and travel and just that lifestyle. So I wanted to create a network that really encompassed that and that's where the Dining Empire was born and the Dining Divas is you know the flagship show that we've been doing for seven years. So I built the network around the show because at the time we were on CW and then we were on WeTV and then we were on Travel Channel but working with these networks they were not easy to work with and I felt like

there was just a lack of support from the network so I was like I'm gonna build my own network. That's what we done. And now we just got a partnership with FUBU, the For Us Bias Network. And that's really just, you know, we're catapulting. We're actually on set right now with one of the new shows, The Decor Devo with Perla Leachie. She's been traveling the world for 40 years, working with Sultans and in Dubai and doing all kinds of amazing projects. So when you say interior design on a whole nother level, this is Perla. So I'm really excited about that show. We've got the wine divas, we've got dining dudes coming, we have the Lahama TV boys in

Miami. These guys are like very awesome urban chef and a production guy that are just awesome foodies running around Miami with some of the coolest people. So we're really bringing that hip, modern food travel type of style. So do we have room on the network for podcasters that can grill, smoke meat and drink bourbon? Because if so, please sign me up. That sounds like a fun show.

We're gonna have to explore that together. I am down. I think the people actually want that. You know, my alter ego is called Smoke Aesthetic Jones. I'll smoke anything on the smoker. Just throwing it out there. Oh snap! Well then we might have to create a new show for that. Let's go. Let's go. I got some friends that like to do it as well too. So, you know, I love love again, been a huge follower of the Dining Divas for a while and I just love the authenticity of

it. Right? Because you're right, like the everyday person that's working eight to 530, eight to six and then coming home and it's like, where's that escape? To me, this gives so much cool things because on the show you're talking about everyday life. You're talking about challenges that people are going through and it makes it so relatable and it doesn't feel like, again nothing against any shows right? Like one of my best friends is Robert Irvine who has I think one of the best shows in Restaurant Impossible. That's coming back by the way but unlike other shows other shows, it's not competition driven.

It doesn't seem like, oh my god, there's a frantic countdown and we got to do this. It's like, no, let's cook and chat. Love that. Yeah, the stress of the shows, it's definitely a more positive impact and inspiration focused because we have all these great people that come join us. And Irvine was on our show once also. But all these great people that come join us and Irvine was on our show once also,

but all these great people that come on that are founders, CEOs and it's like you learn from them over a meal and so you get their authentic self because a lot of times when you're doing business interviews or with a microphone or it's just, they have a different type of energy versus when you get them sitting and they're relaxed or having a glass of wine and they're dining with you and then they forget the cameras are there and then

you really get their authentic self on camera so it's really nice and it's really it's really making people comfortable to talk authentically too. Absolutely so question I've always wanted to ask you since I'm here live with you Can Christine cook? You know I think I can cook but you know that there's always a beg to differ on that right? My daughter might say otherwise but listen that's why my boyfriend he cooks you know so I'm like I don't have to cook I get fed at work I get fed at home I get fed everywhere you know so I like to dine I like to be I feel like I work so hard that cooking is such a, it's a workload for me, you know? Where some people enjoy it and it's therapeutic.

For me, I really like the dining experience. Nah, absolutely, absolutely. So, you know, one of the things that I love are the Christine Curran Chronicles, right? Yes. Yeah, because I would say you never know what you're gonna get, but you know what you're gonna get, right? Right? Right? Because I would say you never know what you're gonna get, but you know what you're gonna get, right? You're gonna get authentic Christine Curran every time.

Right? Right? But one of your recent ones hit on a topic that I love, and you talked about accountability and why accountability is so important. So for those that didn't hear that chronicle, that didn't get that deep dive, I'd love for you to share a little bit about accountability from a personal growth standpoint and then also from a leadership standpoint because you are a brilliant leader as well.

Oh, I super appreciate that. Leadership is challenging in some ways because, well, for me, because I am the CEO of the company, but I am the youngest person. I mean, I only have like maybe a few people that are younger than me in my company. So majority of people are 10, 20 years my senior. And you know, so being a leader is really important how you navigate through that with personality types and, you know, things that are happening in people's personal lives too And so trying to find that healthy balance of how to be a leader versus a boss You know, I was a boss in my first company when I booked all the models

I had all these young women working for me and it was just like this is what you do that it at a versus leadership Now where it's about helping them, you know grow and be the best version of themselves without my guidance, more of just me supporting them. But when it comes to accountability, it's very important to always be accountable for your actions, your words, how you make people feel, just how they show up. Accountability is the gateway to a successful company because if you can't be accountable as a leader, you can't expect your team to be accountable, right?

Or you either. So I always find it fascinating when people wanna always push off blame on other people and never be accountable for their own actions and words. And so sometimes I'll take time and I'll sit back and be like, well, how did that come off or how did that maybe take myself out of my shoes and say how does somebody else feel for that sit the way I came to them or the way I spoke to them or the way that I handled this particular situation so I like to be

accountable for my actions I think it's really important part of personal growth no totally agree so for the listener or viewer right now that's like, okay, I need better accountability. Let's just do it from a leader perspective. What are some steps? What are some action items that that leader can do to, I don't want to say have a culture of accountability, but to start putting accountability principles in place? Well, you know, I have my Monday calls with my corporate team and you know always just being very transparent with things on where I'm coming from maybe how I'm feeling about a certain situation like just those

kind of things help with accountability because then they can be more understanding of maybe where your stress levels are at or why you're very focused on something and maybe not as personable that day like instead of like oh how's your mom doing and I'm like hey listen I really need to you know and so when they're understanding where you're at that week then you know it makes for an easier transition for just the flow of energy so everybody's kind of on the same page and they're like okay I understand where my leader's at this week so we can all be accountable for what what does she need support in? Because I can tell maybe she's a little stressed this week or maybe she feels like a lot of pressure. What can I do to help

relieve some of that? You know, and so there is a really about being, you know, transparent with each other and just being really open because that really helps lead into the right final results. I love that. I love that so much. And so for you with all the different hats that you wear, right? How do you juggle your balance in your personal mental health with all the things you have? That is a great.

That's a great question. Now. I recently I just had an injury and I and I do I think it does come a lot from stress. Before this new year started, I had really good routines of what I was doing, taking my walks on the beach, doing my gratitudes in the morning. I listen to, when I go to bed every night, I listen to frequency music, right, for if I need healing, if I'm not feeling well, I put on healing frequencies.

If I need abundance or I need positive frequencies, whatever it is that I'm really suffering or needing at that time, I'll put on it. I go to sleep with that all through the night. So I have all these little things that I do, and I always go to the gym. I love to work out. Working out is so great for the mind. And I just, when this New Year started, it was so wild, chaotic, all positive, but just so much was happening that I, all my schedule, all my things got messed up.

And I feel like that's why my injury happened. Like I woke up one morning about 10 days ago and just had severe pain all the way down my arm and I've had to go to the hospital and I've done holistic doctors and shamans and like biohacking and all of these things, right? And I really do think it's from that. So I think that having a routine for your stress levels and when you're a high-performing CEO and you have a lot of people and a lot of energies

around you, controlling those energies through like meditation, frequency, your gratitudes in the morning, praying, taking silent time for yourself throughout the day, getting out in nature and walking, I mean, so, so helpful, honestly. That's awesome, that's awesome. So Christine, for the female entrepreneur, that's either, you know, multi-million dollar business,

or for that person that's like, eh, I wanna get started. I heard Christine say earlier, you know, she didn't wanna work for anyone, so she kinda took control of her destiny. For that person, what are some tips that you have for them that's like, take control of your destiny? I mean, I think every successful person

says the same thing, just get started. I mean, you have to just start. You know, there's levels to it and everyone's journey is different. Some get started really fast and it just goes really positive and some people it's a rocky up and down and they fail five times before anything starts to take off for them. No matter what it is, if you are always working consistently every day putting some type of effort towards an end goal, you will reach that goal. I don't know when, it could be 30 days, it could be three years, but you will reach that

goal. And what I've learned, because all I've done is work for myself and all of my things are entertainment projects, that I come up with an idea and then I actually have to go out and execute that idea and monetize that idea. And what I've learned for me personally is that sometimes these ideas come and I don't actually execute them for two to three years on average for the majority of these projects because of the size of the projects. And based on what I have workload wise on my plate.

So I say just get started and work every day towards it, baby steps until you can get there. If you can go faster, if you have the finances and the resources to go faster, go faster. But I work seven days a week. I don't feel like I work seven days a week. I take a couple hours for my kid, I take a couple hours for my boyfriend, I go to lunch with my mom, but then I'm back to work. I wake up and I'm doing two or three hours of work and then I'm taking a couple hours for something else and back to work. So, you know, work as you feel. Work when the creative flow is there for you because that is very important. There's no schedule for an entrepreneur.

It's like when you are really in the zone, you should definitely take advantage of that and put out that effort. I love it. So get started, right? That's the big key. And then one of my pillars, I love get started. And then my second pillar is keep going because you're going to get obstacles.

If it were as easy as it was when you built that business plan or that business idea, everybody on this planet would be billionaires, right? Facts. Big, big. You're going to get some challenges. You're going to have to make big decisions or bold decisions. Talk about the power of keep going

or the power of resiliency and what that's meant for you. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, like I was saying, with the creative flow, you have to do things as they're coming to you. So sometimes I wake up at 3 o'clock in the morning and I work. Whenever something comes to me and I'm feeling inspired, that's a really big part of entrepreneurship

because you are your boss. You know what I mean? There's no one telling you, okay, you have to be there at nine and you get off at five. So you can work as many years, little hours as you want, but it's really about what you're putting behind those hours. If you're feeling tired and you can't perform, there's some days I'm like, I just can't edit anymore. I can't think. My brain's not on anymore. I'm tired. So I just stop it. There's no set time.

So I just stop and I take a break. And when I feel good, I'm back at it. So it's really you have to be your own cheerleader and your own boss and your own inspiration. And a lot of times following people that inspire you and watching them will help inspire you again because I follow a lot of people on social media, and I just randomly see somebody post something, I'm like, that just motivated me, let me get back to work.

Love it, love it. So going back to the Dining Empire, so aside from my show that's gonna come out, sometimes I know you talked briefly about some of the expansion and cool things are going on, do you wanna tell the audience a little more about the big visions that you have with the Dining Empire? Absolutely. We are just going a million miles an hour and it's such an exciting time right now. So we have the Dining Empire, which is our app, our network, and we have all these new shows under that. So we have

Dining Divas Florida, New York, California, and Texas. We have four chapters. We also have the Destination Divas, which was our travel channel series last year and now going full streaming this year. We're going to be on 15 streaming platforms, including Pluto, Tubi, Peacock, Google TV, Apple TV, and many, many more, For Us Bias Network. And then we have all these new shows. We've got the D Dior Diva with Pearl Elitchi, which is so exciting, the Wine Diva. We have America's Next Bikini Chef, which is going to be a competition show for women living a healthy

lifestyle. Yes, the women will be wearing bikinis with a really cute apron when they serve their dishes, but it's going to be it's really, really awesome. That's going gonna be premiering. We have our very big premiere party coming up March 23rd to the 25th here in Fort Lauderdale. So if you can be in town, definitely show up. We've got lots of influencers, celebrity guests. We're gonna be showing all of the shows

that we shot last year that are gonna be airing this year. Red Carpets, Glitz Glam, all the fun. So it's gonna be airing this year. Red Carpets, Let's Glam, all the fun. So it's going to be a really awesome event. You can find out more about that at events.diningdivastv.com. And then besides all of that fun stuff, right, we also have the Diva Network, which is our self-development mastermind portal. It's a virtual network. It's global. We just launched in Africa, which is super exciting. We've been launched for about two months here in the United States and all over the globe.

I mean, we have members from Germany and Australia and just people everywhere that join in every week. And Adora Evans runs the Diva Network. She is one of our Texas and destination divas. She's been with Napoleon Hill Foundation for 23 years studying under Don King and Dennis Whaley. She's thrown massive events with Les Brown and all kinds of very powerful people. We just did an event in the Exumas with Lisa Nichols for one of our Mastermind episodes that we do every year. So it's really a powerful place to come and have community and meet new people. We've already had people

raise money inside of our network. We had one girl's getting 1.3 million dollars from connections in our network. We have another one that just got an eight thousand dollar contract, a monthly contract, and with money on the back end as well. We've had somebody made five thousand dollars in just a few weeks just referring people into the Diva Network. So there's just so many opportunities if you're trying to expand your business. We have resources, we have community,

we have high level people that come and speak, like Jeff Hoffman just spoke, the billionaire that founded Priceline, like these are people that you spend tens of thousands of dollars to get into a room with and they're right there virtually with you for as low as $97 a month, you can be a member. We also have a free portal so you can come join for free too just to kind of get your feet wet and get a couple of things that way

to a couple nuggets that way. So we love to have anybody around the world that you know is all about positive impact and changing lives and you know good community. Amazing. Amazing. So we'll make sure that we have a link to that in the show notes and descriptions. Christine, where can people find and follow you? Christine Curran, you can find me anywhere on the internet. Yeah, C-U-R-R-A-N, Christine Curran. Yeah, but would love to follow you back and just shoot me a little message that you heard me on Mick Unplugged and I will follow you back. I love it, Christine. I know you're busy. I know you've got a lot going on. I just wanted to thank you for your time today. Always good when I can catch up with friends and ask them if

they can cook when I know the answer. Well it sounds like you're going to be cooking for me is what I heard on the show. I'm on the grill and smoker three days a week. So you just, and I have bourbon every day. So you just let me know. There was a show in what is called Barbecue Boys. I'm just saying. Let's say you know how to get me. You know how to get me.

I'm there. I'm there. Cool. Well, Christine, thank you so much again. For all the listeners and viewers, remember your because is your superpower. Go Amnesia. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Mick Unplugged.

If today hits you hard, then imagine what's next. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and share this with someone who needs it. Most of all, make a plan and take action. Because the next level is already waiting for you. Have a question or insight to share? Send us an email to hello at mcunplugged.com. Until next time, ask yourself how you can step up.