Christina Haxton, founder and president of Sustainable Leadership, Inc. will present the keynote speech at the 4th Annual Southwest Colorado Women's Small Business Conference in Durango on Friday, July 12, at the Doubletree Hotel in Durango. This year's theme is "Women Redefining Business."

A professional speaker, author and executive consultant, Haxton will present on, "Professional Intimacy: The Key to Being a Sustainable Leader." She contributed a chapter with this title in the book, The Character Based Leader, which is a collection of compelling perspectives on the importance of character in the leadership equation.

Haxton believes, "We should stop pretending we're not human. Authenticity, emotions and honest communication are the things that really inspire trust. The old rules of how to be in the business world are outdated and outmoded - especially for women."

Haxton coined the term "professional intimacy" while working on her master's thesis.

"Those terms were a little edgy, back then, but I needed to tell the truth. Professional intimacy is what is needed if you are going to have a successful business partnership. Expressing genuine caring in a professional way engenders trust and inspires loyalty."

In her counseling and coaching practice, Haxton emphasizes that leaders need to be authentic. "It is in relationship that we learn and grow. It's in conversations that we create reality. These have lasting effects and ripple effects on other people.

"Relating to colleagues and co-workers is about Who you are and How you show up. If your actions are incongruous with Who you are it causes stress and burn out."

Haxton will explain how a business owner can be a woman and a leader who is confident, authentic and respected by others. Sustainable leaders must attain clarity of focus, a deeper knowledge of what motivates and inspires them and others, and possess the powerful interpersonal communication skills needed to engage and motivate their team.

Puja Parsons, owner of Growing Spaces in Pagosa Springs, recommended Haxton as the keynote speaker. Parsons said, "As a Colorado Company to Watch, I had the opportunity to participate in an online webinar conducted by Christina. I was amazed at her communication abilities of listening, engaging and responding. She teaches practical strategies for people who are going too fast.

"I'm sure the presentation with be interactive, action oriented and will include practical action steps. She helps leaders and managers identify where we are coming from. I found her seminar, 21 Ways to Eliminate Leadership Stress, very helpful."

Haxton will elaborate on her topic in a breakout session titled, "What Your Brain Wishes You Knew About Stress: Myths and Solutions for Busy CEO's." The presentation will provide practical strategies to manage, reduce, eliminate and even leverage stress for peak performance. Attendees will learn tools to quickly increase personal and professional effectiveness.

The daylong event will include consecutive blocks of educational break-out sessions on topics such as: funding your business, developing your core business strategy, solving your own problems through brainstorming, and marketing/sales/social media.

Victoria FittsMilgrim, of True Life Coaching & Retreats, will conduct a session called "Clearing a Path to Freedom by Claiming your Power with Money."

Some women business owners struggle in their relationship to money. "We want more, we want to do more - grow our businesses, take vacations, send our kids to good schools but we are at a loss of how to create the extra income.

"If we're not in control of our money, then it is controlling us, and this causes stress," she said.

For more information or to register for the event, go to: www.coloradosbdc.org.