When Christina Benty first went into business for herself, she had no idea the scope and scale that her business would have nearly six years later.
“The challenge now is what do I say no to, because there’s so many opportunities coming my way and I absolutely love what I do,” said Benty.
“When you go into business for yourself, you have to be open to the fact that its growth might be beyond your imagination, because it’s certainly been beyond mine.”
READ MORE: Benty left a life of politics to share her passion and experience
Her business, Christina Benty Strategic Leadership Solutions, is a consulting firm that travels to different organizations to help facilitate conversations around functionality and teamwork.
Her goal is to help foster a positive work environment and help organizations raise the bar of excellence in how their staff functions and works together.
Benty specializes working with town councils and local governments, helping governing bodies and staff function harmoniously.
“I’m always evolving and learning from my clients as I go along the way,” said Benty.
“It’s very much co-created work, if I’m moving the needle for them, I’m also moving it for myself. It’s such interesting work and such a learning experience with each opportunity.”
Benty is uniquely qualified for this position. She holds a masters of arts in leadership from Royal Roads University and was also the first female mayor of Golden, serving for 12 years in local government before retiring from public office in 2014.
She earned her masters degree concurrently while serving her final term as mayor.
“I have the lived experience of being an elected official and having walked in their shoes, with the academic experience which helped transform my leadership as I worked towards the degree,” said Benty.
“I realized I could use my experience to benefit other people and help them avoid the same pitfalls I experienced.”
READ MORE: Former mayor to advise would-be West Kootenay politicians
Looking ahead, Benty wants to continue to allow her business to grow so that she, along with the rest of her team, can maximize the amount of time they spend working in what she calls their “zones of genius.”
“I want to continue to have a broader impact while minimizing my travelling schedule,” said Benty.
“I want to hone in one where I can have the greatest impact and continue to surround myself with a strong team.”
For other women who are looking to start their own business or become self-employed, Benty has a few words of advice.
“Know why you’re in business and have a picture of what you want your ideal client to be,” she said.
“Don’t undervalue your services and make sure you’re doing this because you want to. It’s a lot more work than you might imagine.”
Editor’s note: In 2020 it should be no surprise that more and more woman hold positions of power. Whether it’s business, politics, sports or the non-profit sector, woman continue to achieve new milestones. This story is part of a series of stories highlighting four women in Golden who are leaders in their fields. You can read all of their stories in our annual publication called Women in Business in the March 12 issue of The Golden Star.
