Founder: Christina Harbridge

As a young woman, Christina Harbridge was so terrified at the thought of public speaking she broke out into a rash when asked to present a simple toast as best man at her friend David’s wedding. She still regrets handing the microphone to Bob instead of speaking for her best friend.

It is not the sort of story one would expect from a woman who has received the McCarty/Ferber Award for meritorious public service; a few accommodations from members of legislature, the Hershey Award for communication; and the Larry Cassidy Legislative Award for lobbying. It is exactly the sort of memory that allows Harbridge to connect with her audience, whether it be the United States House of Representatives or a group of neighborhood mothers learning to advocate for green space. According to Harbridge, the keystone for powerful, convincing communication is the same at every level: Be yourself. It is this fundamental principle upon which Harbridge has based her life and career, transforming the rules of business along the way.

While still a college student, Harbridge faced the reality of becoming sole provider and primary care giver for her father who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. She scanned the help-wanted ads and applied for a collector position, thinking the job would involve handling antiques. The error would reform and revolutionize the collections industry. After a couple of years in the business, she decided she had a mission: to change the way corporate America dealt with debt: To turn a collection call into a sales call. Harbridge created a communications protocol that led to debtors sending thank you letters, and an occasional wedding invitation, along with 3+ times the industry average in payments.

By 2006, when Harbridge sold her agency, Bridgeport Financial Inc. was listed in the top 4% of business revenue in the country and named one of the "Top 100 Fastest Growing Businesses in the Bay Area"—four years in a row—by the San Francisco Business Times.

Described in the press as "the friendly collection company" whose annual percentage collected far exceeded industry standard, Harbridge was invited as an expert to appear on The Maury Povich Show. It proved to be bad television: after an hour in the green room with Harbridge, the debtors and their heretofore adversarial creditors emerged illuminated, lighthearted, and laughing. She was not asked to return to the show, a badge she wears proudly.

As Bridgeport became ever more successful, companies across the country were motivated to mimic Harbridge's progressive, and fundamentally human, communication protocol. Harbridge turned her attention to the medical field; teaching people how to talk to one another improved both the quality of life for patients and the bottom line for her clients. It was only a matter of time before politicians and business leaders from every field began to seek out her refreshing perspective and common sense approach to commerce and Congress. She realized this communication protocol she created could be easily translated to any person or business needing transformative relationship-oriented communication.

While heading Bridgeport Financial, Harbridge served as President of the California Association of Collectors; Public Relations Chair of ACA International; Director of the ACA International; President of the Executives Association of San Francisco; and President of CUBS West Coast Users Group. Her talent for reaching people and teaching them how to communicate far exceeded even her formidable gift for finance. In 2006, citing a much wider world in need of fail-proof communication tools, Harbridge sold Bridgeport Financial, which remains a top earner, and founded Allegory and continued her belief, "The human relationship is the true currency."

Harbridge has presented lectures, keynote addresses, workshops, seminars, and trainings for groups as diverse as the Association for Corporate Growth, Adaptive Business Leaders Organization, the American Red Cross, Environmental Defense, California Pacific Medical Center, and the US House of Representatives.

Harbridge has served on the Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau; Emerge - Women Leaders for a Democratic Future; Rhymix Cultural Center and the National Legislative Committee for ACA International. She has been a board member of the Rotary Club of San Francisco and the Junior Achievement Board, a speaker for ROCK for kids and too many organizations to mention. She is a continuing education instructor for the Bar Association. She is a recent graduate of "Birthing of Giants"—an exclusive three-year business program presented by MIT and sponsored by INC Magazine, for which 60 CEOs are hand selected from around the world. Harbridge has appeared in periodicals and continues to appear on national television and radio as an advocate of consumer rights and an expert in her field.

Harbridge lives in the Bay Area with her mischievous toddler Sebastian James. In her free time, she collaborates on large-scale metal sculpture performance art and getting women into elected office. Her new training company, Allegory, is transforming communication and leadership in delightful and innovative ways.