Interview by Samantha Cee
This issue we sat down with Cynthia Videau. Cynthia Videau is the Executive Marketing Director and Founder of C.Beyond Marketing Resource Center, LLC. CBMRSC is a 5 – star
reviewed, BBB Accredited, industry leading Marketing-Design Agency located in Alabama specializing in custom web design, marketing and business development. Cynthia is a certified Wix Partner, Expert, and Icon level designer leveraging her skills help elevate, launch and transform brands. Here’s Fashion Gxd Magazine, exclusive interview on the rising brand.
FGM: Its an honor to sit down with you all. Tell us a little about your brand and how you've come to this vastly successful peek in your career .
Answer: Thank you for this opportunity! I’ll tell you, it has not been easy. Having a business was not something I planned on doing until the idea was presented to me. My Bachelor’s Degree is actually in Communication Arts and Business Administration, but I thought I would find a career in marketing and work for a fortune 500 company. I never got the dream job post graduating from college. As a matter of fact, the journey to finding a job in that chosen field proved to be more difficult than expected. After 5 years and 30K in student loan debt, I had to think of something. I started working at a fast-food restaurant and while I was there the opportunity to design a website for my church was presented to me. I happily agreed and soon after was presented with another opportunity to design more websites for a business development agency. It motivated me to turn my talent into a business.
As I continued to create more websites my reputation began to grow. Clients continued to refer us out. I started adding additional services such as graphic design, marketing and business development. I learned that a business needed to not only have a great digital footprint. They needed brand development and strategy. Through offering different services and building business relationships, my agency started to become the preferred company to design websites for finance companies, politicians, beauty brands, real estate investors, schools, authors, ministries and more.
Recently, I was chosen as one of the Top Women In Business for 2021 by Courageous Woman Magazine, Chosen as a 2021 Woman of Black Excellence Honoree and Guest Panelist for Jesus Coffee and Prayer Christian Publishing, and nominated for Female Entrepreneur of the Year by Catalyst in Huntsville, Alabama.
FGM: Who are the clients/what are the projects that you most enjoy working on?
Answer: In my career as a professional web designer, I’ve worked with many amazing brands such as Viese Grease, Dr.Allison911, Devoted Holistics, Hope Business Solutions Group, IGNITE! Alabama, Yunique Smells and many more. I love working on very creatively challenging websites, more specifically websites within the corporate and beauty sector. I love projects that have a story behind them. Companies with a story of success and persistence with a profound mission to help others have always proven to be a good client to work with because they value hard work and understand the value they bring to the lives of their customers.
FGM: How do you feel you make a difference in the world?
Answer: Well, where do I start? When I think about the world, I initially think about my immediate circle of influence and how my choices and journey affects them. Outside of my work life, I am a wife and mother. My husband and son are the two most important people within my world. Their world view and support helps me to continue to build others. I make a difference in the world by helping brands express themselves creatively and strategically. I am a woman who strives to inspire and uplift other women by encouraging them to be confident within their own skin. I remind women all the time that true beauty is more than skin deep. God’s purpose for their life is far deeper than what the eye can see. I make a difference in the world by being dedicated to showing kindness, patience, understanding, love and compassion in an ever-changing world so committed to being self-serving. I believe it’s better to give than to receive.
FGM: Tell us about a time when you showed determination to continue as an entrepreneur 
Answer: When I first started my business in 2014, I did not have anyone to help support me financially and my family lived hours from me. I was not sure how to get a business loan and for many years, I financed my business and used the profits I made to supplement my income. I learned how challenging it was to grow a business without funding or capital.
I wanted to quit entrepreneurship and for a year I took a step back growing my business. During that year, I worked and while working all I could think about was how to make my business viable. How could I make my business an asset instead of a burden?
Fast forward to 2021, were still in business and better than ever! I was and still am determined to be successful and not give up on my dreams.
As an entrepreneur, this journey doesn’t come without learning curves, frustration, happy, and sad days. It's just a part of the process. The reward is not just making the sale, it's becoming comfortable with the process so much that making sales is evitable and predictable.
 FGM: Give me the three best qualities of your brand 
Answer: We are an industry leading with 5 star reviews across the board, BBB Accredited, and known for some of the most stunning, custom web design work.
FGM: Give me an example of when you worked irregular hours?  
Answer: Whew, where do I begin? I’m constantly working around the clock designing and perfecting the function and marketing strategy on a website. Sometimes, I lose track of time. Though I have standard office hours, I will often begin work very early in the morning and end very late at night. As an entrepreneur, it is super important to schedule lunches and breaks. We lose the convenience of this being scheduled for us when we are no longer ‘employees’ of someone else’s organization.
One great example of this was when I was working from home on a project and didn’t even realize the Sun had gone down. I was so committed to the work that I missed the opportunity to take a break.
FGM: Being a entrepreneur is a 24/7 job, how did you get ready for that?   
Answer: It can be hard to prepare for a business. Everyone’s entrepreneurship journey starts differently. I had to build my way into allowing my business to be 24/7. One way of getting ready is by setting daily goals. If you can set daily goals or implement standard operating procedures, it will make growing your business easier. Not having structure in your business will only set you up for failure. Structure provides a sense of direction and really helped me stay on track. Another thing I do is rely heavily on my schedule. As my business has grown, having a schedule that I can stick to helps me manage my company. Whether that schedule is pre scheduling content, only holding meetings at a certain hour, or scheduling personal off days, I use it to my benefit as a great preparation tool.
FGM: How did you acquire the ability to work under pressure to beat meet deadlines as a entrepreneur ?  
Answer: Before starting a business, I worked as an administrative assistant, fast-food cashier, clothing assistant, undergraduate and many more positions that required me to work under pressure. These different life experiences helped me to adapt and be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines. When someone opts to work with us, the deadline and time frame for the project is already factored into the package. This helps our team time manage and deliver a well-crafted project under pressure and within the right amount of time.
FGM: What is your favorite inspirational point, place, to develop new brand developments?
Answer: Honestly, just in my office. I take time to research, sketch and review my client's requests before coming up with a new design or brand development.
FGM: How do you handle stress ?  
Answer:  I handle stress by praying, talking through it, or taking a moment to eliminate things that could be contributing to my stress. With any work, stress will be involved but I also try to take more breaks when I feel things are getting too stressful. Prioritizing things helps with stress also. Everything isn’t important all at the same time.
FGM: What are the three qualities you  feel an entrepreneur must have ?
Answer: Honesty, a genuine love for what they do, and a systematized way to handle company business or inquiries.
FGM:  Where do you see your business in 10 years? How do you plan to get there?
Answer: In 10 years, I see us having a multi-million dollar Marketing – Design Agency. With any business you need a business plan with a marketing strategy built in. We have one. We know how many clients and how any customers we need to service and at what cost to get there. We understand team building. Without the right team, it will be hard to get to where you want to go. With strategy, hard work and the right team, we will get there!
FGM: It was a pleasure speaking with you thank you for joining us 
Answer: Thank you so much for having me. This has been an amazing experience for me.
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