Everyone starts as a beginner

Can you help us grow our business? 

It’s a question Bente Roycroft wasn’t expecting to hear — let alone foresee changing the course of her career — when she started her first job writing technical reports for a small environmental consulting firm in Edmonton.

Bente was fresh out of university in 2008, settling into a new city and keen to put her new English literature degree to good use. 

“I remember being paid $20 per report and each report took me six hours to write,” she says, chuckling. “Looking back, it was a terrible return on my time investment.”

But the company, at the time only Bente and its three owners, had just landed a large contract in Fort McMurray and was in desperate need of hiring more people. 

“None of us had experience growing a business,” says Bente. “But everyone is a beginner at some point. So I went for it.”

Bente quickly transitioned from technical writer to business manager, eagerly accepting the everyday challenges of running a start-up, from hiring employees and learning bookkeeping to eventually building strategic plans and company culture.

“It started with Googling everything I could — how to hire people, how to fire people, all the legalities,” says Bente.“But, as we started growing, things like strategy, HR and finance became more relevant. That’s when I decided to pursue my MBA.”

In 2010, Bente began the part-time MBA program at the Alberta School of Business, alongside managing the bustling start-up.

“The flexibility of part-time evening classes was perfect for my schedule,” she says. “And I loved how practical the program was. It wasn’t just theory — I could apply what I learned in the classroom to my everyday work.”

As the company continued to grow, so did Bente’s assurance in her abilities. “Every day was a new set of challenges,” she says. “But with every win, I was gaining more confidence.”

By the end of 2013, Bente had led the company’s growth from 4 to 100 employees in new offices across Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Fort St. John.

However, when the company sold in 2014, Bente was left at a crossroads. Should she continue on this journey in the world of business or return to her days of writing and literature?

“It was a huge shock for me,” she says. “I loved what I was doing and I wasn’t sure how I would pivot. But I knew that being a part of growing a business — building and executing strategic plans — was so fulfilling to me.”

Honing her instincts, Bente decided to move into consulting, sharing what she had learned with businesses across Alberta, including the one she runs today. 

Bente is now the CEO of Accurate Network Services, an Alberta-based IT managed services provider and has overseen its revenue growth from $2M to $10M for the last seven years. Notably, the company was recently celebrated as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed IT Companies.  

Bente, humble in nature, credits her successes to her figure-it-out-as-you-go attitude. 

“Don’t wait until you’re qualified,” she says. “It doesn't matter how much experience you have; just go for it. Stick with your core values and you’ll figure it out.”

She also acknowledges her MBA experience, including the many, many presentations, for playing a part in building her confidence. 

“I was certainly not the most confident person growing up and always very shy,” she says. “But during my MBA, I practiced standing up in front of people and speaking no matter how uncomfortable. It was truly learning a lot of life skills.”

No slowing in sight today, Bente continues to lean into new opportunities, both professionally and personally. 

“At Accurate, we’re diving into the world of marketing and advertising for the first time,” she says. “As for me, I’m also giving my first triathlon a go.”