Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cylenthia Hoyrd. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cylenthia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I was unemployed at the time and took a trip to the Department of Labor. I enrolled in a few workshops and one of those workshops was “How to Secure Grant Funding.” I had been a grant writer for many years doing non-profit work. I thought the session might provide some new insight from the State perspective. During the first workshop I ended up practically teaching the class. Right then and there the department representative asked me to begin teaching the class weekly and in return receive referrals from the agency. My first client from that was a non-profit organization that was seeking funding for counseling which would be provided to neighborhood kids. We met weekly to put together a program plan. I provided funding options to the Board of Directors and we wrote several grant proposals. My first check was for $1,500. It was a God send since at the time my company was my only income. I was even more honored and excited when the Board President reached out to me and asked if I could do their strategic planning to get them organized for the next five years. This really gave me the confidence to continue as a small business owner. After this I received many referrals by word-of-mouth I had to train a write to help me keep up.

I moved to Houston and for the next years continued as an independent contractor, writing grants, bid proposals, loan packages, setting up businesses, setting up business financials, and developing websites. It gave me so much joy to take an owners vision and put it on paper.; to bring it to life. Eight years later in 2017 I left my job and decided to incorporate the Village Resource Group as an LLC. My first dollar earned as a new business was from a referral out-of-state. We worked and built this business from conception to operation. I continue to work with this client and many of my clients are repeat customers who send other business owners and start-ups my way. I feel like a mother giving birth with each new client and I take care of them as if it were my own. I’m in it 100% with them.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

For the most part I have always been an entrepreneur. My first business was selling pickles out of my locker…which was totally against school policy and almost got me suspended. After starting and operating a family business and a partnership with my neighbor I found it easy to get businesses off the ground and grow them to sell. For over 20 years I was an administrator for non-profit and government programs understanding the behind the scenes of RFPs and government contracting. Fast forward to 2017 I decided to take myself back to my roots and start my own business helping other small business owners realize their dreams.

The Village Resource Group works with small business and mid-sized businesses to organize and grow into success. We offer services a la carte and as bundles. Our services include business plans, proposals, strategic planning, loan packaging, and website design. Many times we sit and help businesses strategize around solutions to challenges as well as branding their business for visibility and increased revenue. Our niche is finding the resources and solutions that will help our business owners make informed decisions that make them intentional with their growth. We have clients that are brand new to their industry as well as well established corporations with revenues in the millions. Our customer service is impeccable and the clients return because the can trust that their ideas are safe with me and so are my clients. I give them real and relevant feedback and help them implement the things they want. We serve clients nation-wide and so far in 20 different States and Guam. We have two international clients so far.

I also believe in giving young people a chance to grow and learn. My employees are college students and people trying to re-establish themselves. The world can be extreme and harsh and I try to impart wisdom about business and ethics. It brings me joy to see them advance and take the skills they learn to further their career and even start their own business. My vision is to continue to make business owners successful and prosperous.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The pandemic was a trying time for the whole world. In 2019 I diversified the business from business services to some real-estate including AirBnB arbitrage. It became a lucrative investment and was really beginning to pay off in 2020. I was booked for the whole year and was about to expand to more units. Then the shut-down happened and in the blink of an eye there were cancellations everywhere. I primarily shut down all of the real-estate ventures. I was losing money left and right. I took on some staffing work and then the government released PPE funding.. My customers from years past returned for me to help them. I was busier than ever. I provided PPE and EIDL loan assistance to over fifty small business owners. I was asked to support others with workshops. I started a cross collaboration of business on a social platform called the LeadHer Tour and held virtual conferences hosted by different cities. I did all of this on lock-down from my bedroom. It was one of my most lucrative years and my revenue tripled during the pandemic. That was resilience for me.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

My most important strategy is to “speak up”. My grandmother said “closed mouths don’t get fed”. I put myself into all types of business situations. I attend conferences, workshops, and meetings that put me in the room with other business owners. If someone cannot use my business they know another owner who can use the services. I am always in the mix and meeting new people. I help people while there and then they will eventually remember me and call upon me for one thing or another. It’s important as a business owner to keep growing, changing, staying relevant. You cannot possibly expand if you don’t reach for things and be open to receiving. Sometimes the answer is no and then the answer is maybe later. Most of the time the later does come around and that turns into a business relationship. Relationships are essential and always leaving a good impression is important. When you build trust you build good relationships and lasting business sources.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thevillageresourcegroup.com
• Instagram: @villageresourcegroup
• Facebook: @villageresourceroom
• Linkedin: www.linkedin/cylenthiahoyrd
• Youtube: Villageresourceteam