Welcome to Business Innovators Magazine…Please introduce yourself and a brief thumbnail sketch of your background.
CRW: Hello, my name is Chantal R Wynter, I am an author, speaker, and career coach driven to help women in government, college students, Millennials, and young professionals obtain their first leadership positions and advance their careers once in leadership. My specialty is entry-level advancement because I focus on helping individuals who are new in their careers or at the beginning phase of leadership advance quickly and efficiently. The methods and advice I share are tried and tested and have proven successful in my career and for others. I am also a very ambitious young professional, born and raised in Jamaica, West Indies. I moved to the US at a young age, and that experience has made me very adaptable and driven, which has led to my success today. Determining the key to career advancement has always been embedded in me, and it drives me today. When I am not coaching individuals, I am writing for Careers in Government and have been featured on the League of Women in Government and the Building Minds Forever TV show.
BI: What would you say is the area in business that you are most passionate about and why?
CRW: I am most passionate about helping those who are new in their careers or at the beginning phase of leadership/management, which I am calling entry-level advancement. This is dear to my heart because there are numerous career landmines and pitfalls that without the right guidance can explode a career in shambles. I have been fortunate enough to have mentors, sponsors, and the understanding of how to network which has helped me to avoid career landmines. Therefore, I strive to share my knowledge with as many people as possible.
BI: How are you different than your competitors?
CRW: I am different from my competitors in the fact that I believe in the concept of planting seeds. I teach others the importance of connections and how to effectively plant as many seeds as they can. My business slogan is “plant the seed for your dream, nurture it, and watch it grow”. The concept of planting seeds is one that is powerful, as dreams do not come true overnight. It requires hard work and determination. The concept of planting seeds means planting an idea or concept within others and others can plant ideas or concepts within you. For example, if your dream is to be a division chief, your next step would be to voice this dream to the current division chief or higher. Next, nurture it by showing this individual your capabilities. Finally, repeat this process and remain consistent. The power of planting seeds allows you to reap and harvest in bounties.
I have experienced this throughout my life and in my career. For example, I had someone plant the seed of becoming an author in me. I’ve always admired authors, and I love reading. When this seed was planted, I connected with the idea and started to nurture it by having this person become my mentor. From this seed, I’ve harvested many opportunities such as this interview.
BI: Please tell me about any recent business accomplishments that you are most proud of and why?
CRW: Recently, I was a guest on Building Minds Forever TV Show for my books 10 Key Strategies to Advance Your Career and Women in Government: 10 Key Strategies to Advance Your Career. This was a valuable moment as I was able to express my passion for helping others succeed in their careers. It was also an honor to be interviewed and considered as an individual who is focused on shifting culture and building minds.
Another proud moment was when I was able to coach a young professional who was able to get into a leadership program that was crucial for her career growth and advancement. This program provided a platform for her to interact and network with key individuals in management such as the Director of the Office. These interactions would not have been possible if she was not in the leadership program.
BI: What Leadership qualities in Leaders do you most admire and why?
CRW: The leadership quality in leaders I admire the most is vision. It is inspiring to work with a leader that has a clear vision or foresight. I have found that leaders who have a clear vision are extremely effective and due to this vision are passionate. There is nothing like working for a leader who can motivate others and get buy-in for their vision. This creates a team of individuals who are focused and has clear direction. Integrity is also a huge leadership quality that is necessary especially in today’s world of transparency and the free flow of information.
BI: What has been a key element of your success?
CRW: One key element to my success is drive. I am extremely driven to be successful and offer a quality product in my books, speeches, and career coaching sessions. I believe my word is my bond; therefore, I strive to be the best I can be. I have always had this underlying desire to be the best. It doesn’t matter what I am doing. With this drive and the believe that everything happens for a reason, I’ve always found the strength to push through the hard times and never give up. My drive has led me to be the youngest leader among the current leadership team at work and to be the author of two books. It has also led me to this interview.