Christy Rutherford Says Self-Care Is A Priority For Corporate Women Who Want Higher Salaries

As organizations dial back their DEI programs amid industry-wide backlash, women’s leadership expert and executive coach Christy Rutherford remains committed to her mission to help Black women receive higher salaries in the corporate world.

Her approach revolves around prioritizing self-care, a crucial factor in her clients’ ability to double and triple their salaries within six months. “The most significant change I get my clients to make…is prioritizing their self-care,” Rutherford told Black Business. “This may not be the popular opinion, but holding high-achieving women accountable to taking care of themselves is no easy feat.”

The Harvard Business School alumna emphasized that women’s actions to secure promotions often render them “unpromotable.” She explained, “Women exhaust themselves from working harder, getting multiple advanced degrees, volunteering for extra projects…When leaders look for people to promote, they overlook the tired and task-laden woman and give the role to a less qualified person who can handle more work.”

Following completing the Program for Leadership Development and three negotiation courses, the leadership coach has spoken to hundreds of clients who say they feel “overworked, underpaid, and underemployed.” However, she found common mistakes among women who seek promotions. “They want to be promoted, but don’t ask,” she said. “And when they ask, they usually say…’What do you think is fair?’”

Rutherford believes such habits will continue to result in salary disappointments for women who give their leaders the power to determine their value.

Her remarkable achievements starkly contrast to the sluggish progress made by companies in their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts despite spending approximately $7.5 billion on related initiatives. Since 2020, the leadership expert has helped her clients secure over $14 million in salary raises, including seven Black women who received seven-figure compensation packages. BLACK ENTERPRISE previously noted that the South Carolina State University alumna helped 40 women leaders see at least a 30% raise since June 2020. Additionally, 15 saw a double or triple increase in their salaries.

Rutherford revealed a goal to get 10,000 women $1 billion in salary raises by 2025.

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