We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katherine Beneby. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katherine below.
Katherine, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
From a young age, I was fortunate to have speaking opportunities particularly at church. As I continued my journey, I was invited to speak at my primary and high school graduations. I also spoke at leadership events in university and upon graduation I joined the Maxwell Leadership Team in 2015. As a result, I became a professional speaker, trainer, and coach. Over the years, I have spoken to hundreds of youth and adults about a wide range of topics such as leadership, communication, and teamwork.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a fun-loving person who likes to spend time with family and friends. I enjoy learning new things and going on new adventures. You can never go wrong by offering me a fudge walnut brownie.
I am community minded and support causes involving youth, health and the environment.
I strive to live the way I want to be remembered. My motto is “Living my legacy now”.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities that have been most impactful on my journey are:
- Discovery – I embraced discovery through internships, mentorship and reading. This allowed me to learn more about myself and what I’m good at.
- Courage – In 2021, I shifted my career to a new industry and field. The transition really stretched me but it brought out new skills and abilities.
- Consistency – I’ve had moments where I’ve had to pause and adjust but never gave up on my goals and dreams.
My advice to persons who are early in their journey is not to allow fear to cripple you. I remember when I first started speaking professionally; I had an opportunity to speak to a corporate group. The session was tense and we had difficulty connecting with one another.
This experience made me question whether speaking was for me, so I avoided speaking for months for fear of similar situations. I had a mentor who really encouraged me to get back into it and use it as a learning experience.
Since then, I have continued to refine my craft. If I hadn’t stayed the course, I would not be where I am now almost 10 years later.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents are David & Katherine Beneby and they have been married for 47 years. I am named after my mother who is a retired Educator/Guidance Counselor. I believe my passion for youth work stems from her.
My father, a retired Assistant Comptroller of Customs is direct and results driven. I am not afraid to take the bull by the horns and I definitely think I get that from him.
An impactful encounter with my parents was in eleventh grade. My parents informed me they would no longer attend parent teacher conferences as they wanted me to take responsibility for my development by meeting with my teachers. I truly value taking ownership for my life, so the seeds they planted have certainly blossomed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kbiicommunication.com
- Instagram: kbeneby
- Facebook: Katherine Beneby
- Linkedin: katherinebeneby
