Liz Bentley: Winner of the 2024 Great Companies International Women Entrepreneur Award

Name: Liz Bentley

Business Name: Liz Bentley Associates

Location: New York , USA

Establishment (Year): 2012

Category: Training & Coaching

Profession/ Specialty: Leadership Development and Executive Coaching

Website: www.lizbentley.com

Social Media: LinkedIn

Company Details

Liz Bentley Associates is a training and coaching company that helps individuals, teams, and organizations achieve peak performance and cultivate a positive culture through leadership development programs and executive coaching. Their services include:

• Coaching: Individual, group, and team coaching

• Consulting: Pre-hire, CEO and Board consulting

• Seminars: DiSC, feedback, leadership + management, and women-focused topics

• Facilitations and Retreats: Facilitating workshops and team retreats

• Surveys: Leadership and company-wide surveys

• Coaching Assessments: 360 Feedback and DiSC assessments (Epic-Wiley Sapphire award recipient)

• Speaking Engagements: Keynotes, speaking series, and women-focused presentations

Unique Selling Proposition

Liz Bentley differentiates her coaching approach through three key areas of expertise:

1. Human Behavior: With over 20,000 hours of coaching experience and extensive studies in psychology (including a BA from University of Virginia and graduate classes at Harvard), Liz has a deep understanding of human behavior, including current trends, personality patterns, subconscious programming, and the impact of early experiences on success.

2. Business Acumen: Years of experience in corporate America have equipped Liz with a strong understanding of the business landscape, departmental interactions, and political dynamics.

3. Sports Performance Model: Drawing on her experience as a 2-sport D1 athlete, Liz instills principles of teamwork, competition, practice, and skill development in her clients to help them achieve their goals and reach their full potential.

Challenges Faced

Building any successful venture requires overcoming challenges. For Liz, the biggest transition was leaving her stay-at-home mom role to launch her coaching business, especially with three young children and a relatively unknown industry. Nonetheless, she persevered, building her client base one by one. While facing setbacks and victories along the way, she never lost faith and credits her success to the support of her professional and personal network.

Advice for Women Entrepreneurs

Liz offers candid advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs:

• Expect Difficulty: Be prepared for challenges and setbacks. Grit and resilience are crucial for navigating inevitable obstacles.

• Be Decisive: Don't dwell on failures; learn, move on, and keep pushing forward.

• Embrace Versatility: While leveraging your strengths, be willing to learn and handle diverse tasks as an entrepreneur.

• Build a Strong Team: Surround yourself with talented and dedicated individuals who share your vision and values.