Take 5 with Christina Fulford

No matter the stakes, CHRISTINA FULFORD goes for the crown.

From the decision to continue growing her family after a scary brush with postpartum depression to becoming a general contractor as a nursing mother of four, Fulford isn’t daunted by difficult experiences when it comes to achieving her goals. This year, after years of assuming she missed her opportunity to compete in pageants by getting married and starting a family at a young age, Fulford added one more title to her growing list of accolades and achievements: pageant participant.

She feels strong and confident today, but Fulford remembers the dark days when she woke up and hid in her closet to cry after her second child was born. Fulford felt unworthy of being a mother to her newborn and nearly two-year-old child, and she recalls endlessly experimenting with diet and supplements, exercise, and anything else she could think of to fix her pervasive worries. “I tried everything, from cleaning up my diet to exercising more to crying in a closet and praying,” she says. Fulford found a network of support and reassurance from a therapist, who described her experience as something normal that happens to a lot of women.

After overcoming postpartum depression, Fulford is now an ambassador for 4th Trimester Mission, a local nonprofit that provides resources and support for women in the critical three-month period after giving birth. It was during this pivotal time after her fourth child was born that Fulford began preparing to pursue another big goal: becoming a licensed general contractor and starting her own construction company. After six months of studying textbooks during daily breaks from taking care of her children, Fulford recalls sitting for the five-and-a-half hours long exam as a nursing mother. “I had to step out, eat a banana and pump, then go back into that exam,” she says, noting that time spent pumping was time lost on the exam. “It was incredibly hard as a new mother. Not only is it the hardest test I’ve ever taken, but it was incredibly hard at that time.” She sees her experience as evidence of women’s potential to juggle family, work, and personal growth. “I just want to make that a testimony to women, that we really can do anything,” she says.

At the helm of Fulford Construction Group, which launched in 2021, Fulford enjoys working with women who are building or remodeling their homes, something she first experienced when she and her husband built their own home in 2012. “Building our own house, I was able to make those decisions for myself and understand why things are the way they are. I really liked that about it. Since we were able to build our own house, I wanted to give that power back to women to make their own decisions about their homes,” Fulford says.

Fulford lists her ability to communicate effectively with clients as something that sets her apart as a female in the male-dominated construction industry. She recalls a customer who recently chose to hire Fulford Construction over other general contractors for a kitchen remodel.  “I think that’s something that’s lacking in the industry because a lot of men in the field don’t communicate, they don’t give customers an expectation,” Fulford says. “Things do get held up. Things happen; for instance, a start date may change. Communicate that to somebody. Let them know.”

Participating in pageants is Fulford’s latest leap into the unknown. The prospect of representing North Carolina had always appealed to her, but after having children at a young age, she assumed she had missed her chance. “I had a misconception that you have to be under 25, unmarried, no kids,” she says. “I was pregnant with my oldest at 23, so I thought that was out the window.” When a friend told her about the married division for adult pageants, she saw her chance and took it. This year, she was selected to represent the Port City as Mrs. Wilmington America in May’s Mrs. North Carolina America competition. Fulford may not have won the title in her first pageant, but she recalls hearing her three-year-old daughter shouting her name as she walked across the stage. “That is what I eat up. That’s what I love,” she says.

This month, Fulford is heading back to the stage, where she’ll compete for the title of Mrs. North Carolina Earth. She sees pageants as a way to meet new people and grow as a person, surrounded by other talented, smart, beautiful women. “I say there’s no loss in pageantry because I always gain friendships and experiences,” she says. “It’s important to have hobbies and as a mom, I lost a lot of my hobbies. This is something fun I can do.”

In fact, that’s what Fulford hopes other women take away from her story. “I hope it inspires women to do whatever’s on their heart. Don’t let being a mom hold you back. Don’t let age hold you back. Just go for it,” she says.

Take 5 with Christina Fulford

How and when did you first get involved with pageant competitions? “I was introduced (to) this particular pageant system by my friend, but I have been interested in participating in a pageant and representing my state ever since I was nominated for homecoming queen in high school. Having a successful business, a loving family, and a ton of support, now is just the perfect time to be able to live this dream in my life.”

What are some things you’ve personally taken away from the experiences? “I have gained self-worth, confidence, so much personal growth, and lifelong friendships.”

How did you get to work in the construction field? “My husband, Justin, is the owner of Fulford Heating & Cooling, so we already have a lot of relationships with other subcontractors and builders. I worked with him a little bit in the industry, and we actually built our first house together in 2012 so I already had an understanding of what this industry requires. After my fourth baby, I decided to take the exam to become a licensed general contractor so that I can empower women to have confidence in making decisions for their home.”

Why is representing the 4th Trimester Mission group important to you? “I personally experience postpartum depression, and I understand how dark and lonely that can feel. It is my mission to help 120 women over this next year and eventually make 4th Trimester Mission a nationwide brand so that we can provide true healing and support, like mental health counseling, to new moms so that they can be better and feel better during motherhood.”

Confidence is important to you at work and on stage – what are your tips for others for projecting confidence in what they do as well? “Be confident in who you are! I am a firm believer that we are each created to be unique and exactly who we should be. An action step to increase confidence is to do something that you have always wanted to do, even if it feels a little scary. Reach for a big goal and work hard until you achieve it!”

To view more of photographer Terah Hoobler’s work, go to terahhoobler.com.

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