We recently connected with Cynthia Facundo and have shared our conversation below.

Cynthia, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

I had just quit my Job. I just walked out which I had never done. The manager had some very dysfunctional managerial skills. Loved to bully the employees of the company, even the owner was scared. So a friend of mine said start your own company, you have been wanting too. So I filed the LLC paperwork the same night. She made an add in craigslist the next morning, and 2 hours later I had a call. We met at a Harley Davidson motorcycle shop. We talked and before I knew it he handed over a box of receipts and invoices. I couldn’t believe it. I had my first client. And I still have the same client today.

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.

I have always liked music. I played the trumpet in the symphonic band, marching band and jazz band. I even got small music scholarship. But I decided not to take that path. Wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I knew I was interested in business and helping people. Then one day a friend of mine came to me and asked me to take an accounting class with him at the local community college. We joined together, he dropped and I continued on, Working in the field of accounting since I was 18. I decided to get my degree. I also had a dream of opening my own business. One evening I was doin homework and the name “The Bookkeeping Key” came to me, so now it was born. Took me about 4 years to start it, thanks to that horrible manager, I should probably thank her.

I set out to build a company that cares about its clients. Some have become my friends. I still have my very first client. I believe that people want to be seen and heard. My company is about finding the pain points and then making a plan to relieve them. I also believe in teaching clients to see the story that their business is telling them with numbers. I had someone tell me once, numbers are scary. So I try to make them less scary.

I am most proud of the relationships that I have cultivated with my clients. I believe in a hands on approach and my team does the same.

The journey of the entrepreneur is not an easy one. Its about mindset, perseverance and the ability to get back up when you are knocked down. We want a business owner to know we are there to help and ease their fears, show them their story with numbers.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I started my business in 2009. It started well and I was very excited. 2011, who would have know that year would almost break me down. In March of 2018, my business partner unexpectedly passed away. She was someone that made me feel like I could do this journey. Then in August of 2011 my mother passed away. I had always been close to my mother and not a day went by that I didn’t talk with her. Now she was gone. The two people that gave me the most strength. I honestly thought many times about throwing in the towel. I was lucky I had a family and friends that stood by me, and I never gave up. Through the tears I continued on. We all have our battles to fight, you just cant give up.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Authenticity. I think that is what my reputation is about. People can see when you are not real. When they meet me they can see I am authentic and that I can relate. I have probably been through some of the same business journey. When they feel you are real then you connect. And that connection is what it is about. I truly care.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bookkeepingkey.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookkeeping_key_pllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookkeepingkey/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bookkeeping-key-pllc
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bookkeeping-key-spring

Image Credits
Courtesy of The Bookkeeping Key and NAWBO Houston