Brittany Fugate
Brittany Fugate is a technology executive and entrepreneur in the managed IT and cybersecurity industry. In 2008, she founded Cenetric Network Services, building it into a nationally recognized firm serving organizations across the United States. Following its acquisition by Corporate Technologies, she now serves as General Manager of the Kansas City market, leading regional strategy, client growth, and operational performance.
A self-taught business leader, Brittany built her career on resilience, disciplined execution, and strategic risk-taking. She has been recognized as a Top 10 Small Business leader by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and has received honors including CRN Women of the Channel Power 80, Enterprising Woman of the Year, and Kansas City Business Journal Women of Influence. She was also named a finalist for CRN CEO of the Year and a national finalist for NAWBO’s Business Woman of the Year.
Brittany serves on the board of The Love Fund for Children in Kansas City and remains committed to mentoring emerging leaders and supporting initiatives that strengthen families and communities.
Outside of work, she values time with her family, ambitious travel plans, and the occasional competitive board game.
• SBA WOSB
• Woman Business Owner of the Year Finalist
• Love Fund for Children
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Go Red for Women
• Love Fund for Children
What do you attribute your success to?
I think back on the really dark times - when I was evicted from my house because I couldn't pay the rent, when my car was repossessed and I was living out of my car and taking sales meetings - and I ask myself what kept me going. I think it's a combination of things. It's natural for me to wake up and say, today's a new day, and we're gonna put a smile on our face and make the best of it, one foot in front of the other. But the other side of it is there was something in me that was just driving me to continue. I don't know, I just couldn't let go of it. Friends and family were like, Brittany, maybe it's time to get a real job. And I just, I don't know, something told me no, keep going. So I did.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to establish a mentor as early as possible. Mentors can be found in many places, and most people genuinely want to offer guidance and support.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think the biggest one is to get a mentor established as soon as possible, and I think part of the success that I had in business was just that. I know it's a big ask for somebody that doesn't really know anybody in the business world to go up and ask somebody to mentor them, but the advice that I would give on that is that mentors are generally found in just about everybody that has something to offer for us to learn, and the vast majority of people want to help and want to support. If somebody would come up to me, I would be more than happy to mentor them, absolutely.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is the extremely low rate of profitable exits for women-owned technology businesses. At the same time, there’s a significant opportunity to create visibility, representation, and supportive platforms for women in business—through mentorship, networks, and initiatives that can help change these outcomes.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide me in both my work and personal life are mentorship, perseverance, supporting other women, and giving back to the community.