Benjamin Smith has been an entrepreneur since he was a young boy.

Cutting grass as a youth in Kittanning gave Smith a taste of what it was like to be his own boss.

As a teenager, he started a disc jockey business working at birthday parties and wedding receptions. His work caught on and it led to Smith hiring other DJs to work under him, and assisting in planning weddings.

While he was spinning tunes, Smith started a podcast about video games that turned into a business that he eventually sold.

“I’ve always been an entrepreneur,” Smith said. “I turn things I like into a business.”

His current business, Reclamation Brewing in downtown Butler, started as a hobby.

“We actually made beer for our wedding,” Smith said.

After Thanksgiving, he is planning to open a cigar bar in the lower level of Cornerstone Commons, where the Grand Ballroom is located.

“It was an interest. I’m not quite at the level of aficionado, but I’m pretty knowledgeable,” he said.

Smith is also in the midst of another venture that stems from another interest.

“I’ve always had political interests,” Smith said about his decision to run for election to the Butler mayor’s office on the Republican ballot. “It’s a project. It’s a venture.”

Smith is facing Democratic candidate Jamie Lee Goehring in the election. The mayor’s annual salary is $10,000.

Elected officials, police officers, firefighters and local business owners encouraged him to run, he said.

“A lot of people aren’t happy with the current administration, including me,” Smith said.

He said the first thing he would do if elected would be to study the city’s debt service for at least four to six months, to see if any changes can be made to reduce it.

“I want to assess the situation and see if any improvements can be made,” Smith said.

Smith said he won’t base decisions on “knee jerk” reactions, perception or other people’s opinions.

“I’d rather see for myself,” he said.

Smith said he would study all city departments to see if they are operating efficiently.

He wouldn’t say if he supports hiring or appointing a fire chief. Smith said he would look at the department to determine if it can continue operating without a chief or if a chief is needed.

He said he supports the leadership of the police department, but would study the department to see if changes would be needed to improve productivity.

He has seen enough of the construction of the Marriott Springhill Suites in downtown over the two years to know city government hasn’t been doing enough to make sure it stayed on schedule.

“Council needs to be holding feet to the fire,” Smith said.

The hotel is important for the city and will attract new business and visitors, he said.

He said he would take an active role in enticing businesses to move to the city and conduct monthly workshops to help business owners understand the bureaucracy involved with opening businesses and the mercantile tax abatement program.

“The mayor should be an integral player in the pursuit of new businesses,” Smith said.

He said he would connect prospective business owners with Butler Downtown, Butler County Chamber of Commerce and the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau.

Smith opened Reclamation Brewing not long after relocating to Butler with his family in 2014.

Smith and his wife, Emily, have been married for five years and they have two children, Egan, 4, and Murphy, 2.

He received his master’s degree in education from Geneva College the year he moved to the city and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Penn State in 2010.