We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Cindy Banton recently and have shared our conversation below.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Dr. Cindy Banton, Founder, and CEO of AVID Consulting, LLC. I founded the firm after jumping ship from Corporate America after 25 years. During my time in Corporate America, I experienced the best and worst it offered. The experiences were the catalysts for my passion and commitment to workplace reform. My mission is two-fold; first, I provide organizations with solutions that solve challenges that hinder workforce performance. Second, I work collaboratively with organizations to create work environments where employees are happy, engaged, and thrive.
The problems I solve for my clients are not unique per se; however, our solutions are unique. We provide our clients with practical, common sense, innovative solutions that are results-driven and measurable. Our primary solutions offering includes training services, professional development consulting, leadership development and coaching, change management strategy development, and equity, diversity, and inclusion strategy development.
What sets us apart from other organizational development consulting firms is our ability to develop authentic, genuine, collaborative partnerships with our clients. We position ourselves as an extension of their organization, whereas we are invested in their success. Our goal with every client engagement is to “exceed” our client’s expectations, not just “meet” them.
I am most proud and grateful for our success in starting our firm. We started from humble grassroots to the successful small business we are today. I am also proud and thankful for the wonderful long-term relationships we established with our clients and the praise and recognition they give us for the work we do for them.
Two main things I want our existing and prospective clients to know about us is we care about people. One of the foundational values of our firm is human beings are our priority and greatest asset. We work diligently to ensure every individual we encounter is seen, heard, and belongs. Additionally, we know each client’s needs and journey to success are different. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution to organizational challenges or initiatives. For this reason, we apply our vast experience and expertise to customize our solutions to meet each client’s specific needs.
Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?
My favorite sales story is about the first time I bid on a government contract. It was my second year in business, and I decided to pursue government entities to solidify my client base. I had extensive experience with proposal writing in Corporate America, so this path seemed natural to me… not to mention that government contracts can be long-term and a highly lucrative source of revenue.
The project engagement was to provide soft-skills training in support of a nationwide workforce readiness program. I prepared the proposal with great care and accuracy and submitted it. What seemed like eons later, I received notification that my firm was selected to move on to the next evaluation phase, an in-person presentation of our proposed training program. I was elated and terrified by the news.
Presentation day had finally arrived! The presentations were scheduled in 30-minute increments, which resulted in vendors congregating in the same waiting area. I felt confident, calm, and prepared until I looked up and saw the incumbent vendor “team” enter the waiting room. The incumbent vendor is a highly prominent, sizeable educational institution in our state. My heart sank deep into my stomach. I immediately got inside my head with the negative self-talk… “Oh, crap!!! This is a David vs. Goliath situation. These guys are gonna crush you! You’ll never win.” After grappling with my feelings of insecurity, I changed my perspective. My thoughts transitioned to… “Go in there and do your VERY best. If it doesn’t work out, be proud and celebrate the fact that you made it this far on your first try. More importantly, you now have experience with the process.
I did my presentation in a room with 30 people in attendance. As I surveyed the room, I saw solemn faces and a couple of head-nodders. Upon the conclusion of my presentation, they asked a few questions, and I was done. I left feeling good about the presentation and decided to release any feelings of anxiety and “go with the flow.”
Four months passed, and no contract award had been announced. I checked the solicitation website weekly to see if the award had been made. I realized that I was probably out of the running at this point. Lo and behold! on June 1, 2017, I received the infamous “Award Letter.” It was one of the best days of my life! My firm was finally on the map. This was a truly remarkable accomplishment. What’s even more impressive is my contract expires in May 2022. I bid on it again, and I won! Life is good.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Like most businesses, we had to quickly pivot our business operations when the pandemic hit. In March of 2020, I began my daily routine. I arrived at my office and started reading my emails. I had many emails from my clients informing me that all projects are currently on hold due to the pandemic until they can “figure things out.” All of a sudden, I couldn’t breathe. No projects meant no revenue. My firm was officially on life support. I had to quickly develop a plan to resuscitate it – STAT!
The situation was devastating for us because we were on track for 2020 to be our most profitable year ever. Rather than wait for my clients to “figure it out,” I pulled our team together for an emergency meeting. Our one task was to review every active project engagement and determine creative, innovative ways to deliver the product or service virtually without sacrificing quality.
Once we had our ideas together, we presented our proposed plans to our clients to help them “figure it out” proactively. Our approach worked beautifully! We were able to maintain five of seven projects without missing a beat. I believe acting quickly, fearlessly, and keeping the people we serve at the forefront of all we do, saved our firm during that difficult time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.avidconsultingaz.com
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/drcindybanton