20 Under 40: Betsy Schultz

Owner, PNW Strategies

Age: 34

I’ve never done things the normal way, and my route to becoming an entrepreneur has been circuitous, to say the least. A childhood interest in history led me to start volunteering on political campaigns, which then led to starting PNW Strategies. Politics can be nasty and brutal, but changing this reality begins with how we choose to relate to each other in our community on a daily basis. My goal in representing my clients is to help shift the narrative from harsh, fear-based victimization to collaboration, bridging the gap to discover our shared values as humans.

The Eugene Chamber’s 2016 YP Summit inspired me to become more intentional about actively pursuing entrepreneurship. That year I started a boutique flower farm/florist business, Artis Flora, with a good friend. This business is an entirely new challenge and I am deeply enjoying it. I love offering a product to our community that provides luxurious beauty and an opportunity to pause and enjoy a sense of peace.

There is much about my world that I want to change. Social media constantly exposes us to a level of need in the world that we as individual human beings are incapable of solving. While much of my professional life is built on effecting change – pushing boundaries and changing the status quo – I’m also learning to accept my world and personal limitations. This gives me energy and a deep level of commitment to fully engage in the spaces where I’m uniquely suited to bring this change.