Sarah Benvenuti
How long have you been location independent?
4 years
Tell us a little about your business/career/project
Benvenuti Arts is a consulting firm, supporting small and mighty performing arts nonprofits and individual artists in their work. We focus on providing fundraising and management planning, services, and professional development that works for small organizations and is focused on their unique needs.
Tell us about your most boast-worthy accomplishment
Oh gosh! I think just making this business a reality. As someone who had worked in the field for a decade, I saw how big organizations were overserved by funding and professional services, but small orgs had to piece things together. I love that I can help them do what they do better, and that a little work with me goes such a long way. I don't feed them best practices or some formulaic advice - I really try to find solutions for their challenges that make the most of their minimal time and resources.
What's one thing you want more people to know about what you do?
Nonprofits are SUPPOSED to profit! The only thing this word means is that profits don't go to shareholders- they go back into the mission. This misunderstanding, means so many nonprofits work on such a thin budget margin because they are afraid to build a financial reserve, but you MUST do this to be safe and healthy! I love working with clients on this - budgeting and planning - even though mostly they come to me for fundraising.
What do you love most about location independent life?
I love being a resident of the world! I so enjoy being in a city for a month or two and leaning about it as a local. I love meeting people I'd never meet if I stayed in one place. Being very NYC-centric in my work, I ESPECIALLY love getting out of that intensity. It makes me love NYC more. But mostly, I love that I get to see my friends and family so frequently because I can be where they are when they need me.
What are your biggest challenges in your business?
I work all the time. I enjoy it, but it's easy to get sucked in and forget to take breaks.
What's the most valuable thing you've taken away from your female friendships and women-led communities?
That other people's success build us all! I never feel that hostile competition in women-led communities that I'm a part of. It feels like we push and support each other to be better, but we also take so much joy in each others' successes. I love seeing other women succeed, and when I can feel like my support helped in some way, that only makes it all the sweeter.