The business advisor who helped Black women get $10m in salary raises in a pandemic

Christy Rutherford is a Harvard Business School alumna and a life coach. At the height of the pandemic when many Black businesses were shutting down due to low patronage and inadequate liquidity, she assisted several women to get millions in salary raises. Christy Rutherford, the business advisor who helped Black women get $10m in salary raises in a pandemic

Rutherford has made a name for herself as a globally recognized leader who helps women in leadership to get unstuck, make more money, have more peace and enjoy more fulfillment in their personal and professional lives, according to a bio.

Also, she is an author, a best-seller with five number one best-selling books on Amazon and a keynote speaker. What is more, Rutherford is also a certified Executive Leadership Coach from Georgetown University.

In the U.S. Coast Guard’s over 225 years of history, she is the 13th African-American woman to achieve the rank of Commander (Lieutenant Colonel equivalent). 

Rutherford came to the aid of several women who were heavily affected by the pandemic in their professional careers. According to Black News, she helped 40 women in leadership to secure a 30 percent pay rise, adding that fifteen women doubled their salaries and nine tripled their salaries. 

“I assist women in leadership with getting promoted – $10M in salary raises in a pandemic,” she has shared on her Instagram page.

“There are tremendous opportunities during times of crisis and uncertainty. It’s a unique window of opportunity for women to level up their careers and close the pay gap, which hasn’t changed in the past 20 years,” she told Black News.

This followed a report by McKinsey that showed that women who got promoted during the pandemic were more burned out than men and also assumed extra responsibilities than men.

“Black women are the most educated and least paid. That math doesn’t add up and it clearly shows that getting advanced degrees is not the path to getting to the next level,” she shared. 

“What’s the secret? Learning how to maintain peace and harmonious relationships during times of chaos and stress. Making their mental and physical health priorities and work 40 hours a week instead of normalizing 80-hour work weeks.”

In a recent interview with Forbes, Rutherford shared how women can get promoted and reach the peak of their careers as well as things they are not doing right.

According to her, most women are generally exhausted and overwhelmed and do not have a clear vision.

“Not having the ability to articulate their value to an organization…not having the ability to articulate where they want to be in five years…not having the ability to articulate why they think they deserve a promotion…not having great habits when it comes to…managing their stress, managing their weight…and building effective relationships…it’s not just one thing,” she told Forbes.

However, she noted that once women are able to do some of the things she usually recommends, they become better leaders, and get promotions and raises that they desire. In addition, “they become better moms, they become better wives, they become better people…one thing that women do is they don’t give themselves permission to take care of themselves.”