Former Fortune 200 Executive, Chris Holter, on the Importance of Welcoming Personal Transformation when Launching your Own Business

Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:

Hello – I am Chris – A former global fortune 200 Executive turned lifestyle entrepreneur, trusted advisor, international speaker, and executive coach. I founded Chris Holter Consulting in 2020. I know firsthand what it is like to be building a business, the challenges you face, and how conscious leadership can be a game changer. I work with leaders around the world and am often called their secret ingredient in helping achieve their mission. I am an ACC ICF credentialed coach, which means I believe in the power of coaching. I have multiple certifications in positive psychology, a MBA in Leadership, and am pursuing a Masters in Conscious Leadership. I believe that life is about creating yourself, and it starts by focusing on your values, talents, passion, and conscious leadership.

What excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?

I am excited to be surrounded by interesting and amazing women doing incredible things!

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I had massive success and wanted to find a new way to positively help leaders achieve their big goals and dreams.

What was your background before starting your own business?

I worked my way up from a front desk agent to the first International VP of Revenue Strategy with Marriott International. I went on to build out the footprint in the Caribbean, and Latin America Division for over 20 years trailblazing global growth and maximizing top line revenues building the portfolio into a multi-billion dollar organization across 35 countries and 18 brands.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

No, I was always very creative in my thinking and in corporate would be considered an intrapreneur.

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out, and did it go as planned?

I am not sure I had a rich or deep strategy. I started chronicling my growth and transformation on Facebook which helped me grow the business by word of mouth.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way and what did you learn from it?

I think you need to believe in yourself and hold the vision you have for your company no matter what. There are so many people that want to tell you what to do and you have to do what matters most to you.

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

Last year, I received a Global GIVA Leadership Award for Global Thought Leader, which was great – I made it! I am in my second dream job. The real reward comes from every client that can change their life for the better in working with me. It is always exciting and makes me smile.

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

Yes, hard work does not equate to success. You can build a business in a way that is authentic and easy without pushing. It is about having fun, being perfectly imperfect, and seeing the future and believing in it.

What’s a piece of advice you can share that you wish you’d known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?

Transformation is constant – you are always changing and growing which is a lot of fun.

What have you achieved recently that you’d like to celebrate with our community?

Well, I am writing a book on leadership! My goal is to find a way to impact a million people positively and make the world a better place for all to thrive.

What’s next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

Next, I am taking a one-month sabbatical and spending a month in Italy. I can’t wait to see how that opens up more growth, and next year will be all about the book and launching my program around the book. I also have plans to publish the book in Spanish as a way to honor all my friends in Latin America and make leadership books more accessible for all.

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