We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Regina Gerrato a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Regina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Is your team able to work remotely? If so, how have you made it work? What, if any, have been the pitfalls? What have been the non-obvious benefits?

During the pandemic, we needed to make a change to virtual consultations. Before this, I worked with a handful of students out of the California area. Working by zoom was not something new to my company. The change was that I would be working 100 percent virtually. The challenge would be to provide my clients with a personal experience while still working virtually. Since my work focuses on helping students identify a college major and make some important life decisions, there is a counseling component. Students usually take a few months to develop a relationship with a counselor. After cementing this relationship, they can shift their thinking and create a sense of maturity. Working virtually does make this more challenging. While the work was very efficient, it took more time to develop relationships and help students to make important life decisions. I set a goal to keep the quality of the virtual meetings rather than just focusing on the data points and timeline. We would include some getting to know you sessions to build rapport. Including the family in the process also helped to solidify relationships and allow students to grow and realize their hopes and dreams.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Greenhaus College Consulting is an educational consulting service specializing in working with high school students and young adults planning for college and a career path. We help them narrow down their interests through career/personality testing, create a timeline, and find college programs that match their goals. What sets me apart is my specialization in a few areas that include STEM majors, Visual Arts, and working with students with ADD/Learning Issues/Anxiety and Mental health challenges. I am most proud of my students with learning challenges who not only gain acceptance to some of the most competitive colleges but persevere towards their goals despite the challenges they encounter in high school and college. Part of the work I do is to coach my students while they attend their first semester in college. I get to hear about the classes, professors, clubs, activities, and all of the ups and downs of college life. I also enjoy working with engineering students focused on the latest and most significant technology areas. Their excitement is contagious, and I love hearing about their science and engineering projects. Whether a student is seeking admission to a top-flight school or just trying to figure out their major, I enjoy diving into that exploration process with them and breaking down the steps into manageable pieces. The work we do with our high school and college students has a direct impact on their future.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I keep in touch with clients by sending them holiday cards and reaching out to them each year through social media and emails. My students are college age, and they live in a virtual world. I encourage my students to reach out to me and keep me updated on their success transitioning from high school to college. If they have a question about their education, they know who to call. Many of my clients, including students and their families, have referred me to their families and friends. This form of referral is the highest compliment because I know they trust me and value me as an expert in college admissions. In addition to keeping in touch with my students, I also like to stay in touch with their families.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I had dreamed of going back to school and working and eventually starting a business for many years. However, it wasn’t easy to reinvent me after being a stay-at-home mother for over ten years. I first decided to go back to work after my son learned to drive and was in his second year of high school. I began taking post-graduate classes at UC Irvine. I made excellent progress meeting other career professionals and learning more about college and career consulting. I was thriving in school and knew that this was my passion. In addition, I volunteered for a nonprofit and worked with underprivileged high school students.

During my first few months of classes, my father was diagnosed with colon cancer. He was quickly scheduled for surgery, and the prognosis looked good. After returning home, he struggled to eat and keep up his strength. I decided to put aside my school work and plans to open my business and care for my dad for the next few months. The next few months turned into a year. The stress of this took its toll on me, and I could not get back to my studies for a few more months. Finally, my father regained his strength and fully recovered. After being away from my cohort of friends and out of my study mode, it was challenging to motivate myself to go back to school. I finally realized that I could enrich my current skills and serve a broader range of students with a more comprehensive education. I was now ready to return to school and earn my certificate in Educational Consulting. After completing my post-graduate certificate, I began expanding my practice. I learned how better to manage my family responsibilities with my work life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.greenhauscollegeconsulting.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-gerrato-greenhaus-16145a173

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