Tag: Mentorship

  • Cynthia Ford

    Cynthia Ford

    “Each moment that you’re able to get up again and keep pushing, that’s success.” 

    Cynthia Ford is the Founder and CEO of Cynthia O Writing & Consulting, a South Carolina-based firm specializing in writing services, consulting, and speaking engagements. Her company focuses on three core areas; authoring inspirational literature, providing strategic business consulting, and delivering transformative speaking engagements  

    Interview

    Transcript

    Emma Plutnicki 

    So, to start, what do you do for work? And where are you currently working from?  

    Cynthia Ford 

    Okay, I’m working from home, and as of 2023, I left for my full-time job to work on my own business. So, I own Cynthia O Writing and Consulting, and I have three portions of that business. One, I’m an artist in residence for literature. I’m also an author, and also I help businesses with consulting and writing needs, such as grant writing and other additional writing services.  

    Emma Plutnicki 

    Okay, cool and how long have you been doing that for? Since 2023? 

    Cynthia Ford

    Full time? 2023 you know, I have done some other things part time as I was working full time. And I’ve been doing some social media content management as well, just part time until I launched that. 

    Emma Plutnicki

    Okay, nice and where is home for you?  

    Cynthia Ford

    Mullins. 

    Emma Plutnicki

    Okay, nice. And so, what does a typical day look like for you? What’s expected of you on a daily basis, and what kind of responsibilities do you have?  

    Cynthia Ford

    The day, the typical day, really just doesn’t exist, you know, but I do plan things out ahead of time, you know, on my schedule, times to meet with those who are interested in services. I set certain days for that. I also set time aside for researching, for grant writing. So, I just split it up. You know, I split up my day for the first portion of the day is my time where I’m, you know, I had that moment to myself, whether I’m just outside, meditating, reading, listening to podcasts, or just preparing for the day. And, you know, then I’ll begin to do my social media posts for the businesses that I help with that. And then I’ll begin additional things that I have to do for other businesses, whether it’s the grant writing services I’m consulting and reaching out and networking with other people where I can, you know, spread my services. Um, I also save time for writing, as relates to me being an author, so I have another book that will be coming out, so I set aside specifically time just to make sure that I’m on task when it comes to things I have to publish or networking regarding the books that I’m doing. 

    Emma Plutnicki

    Nice and so the businesses that you consult for, are they, oftentimes, South Carolina based, or are they around the country? 

    Cynthia Ford

    So far, they’ve been only South Carolina based. I’m not opposed to, you know, reaching out to other businesses outside of South Carolina. But so far, yeah. 

    Emma Plutnicki

    How would you describe the like local working professional community in South Carolina. Do you have any experience in other places where South Carolina is particularly, particularly unique, or how is that community here?  

    Cynthia Ford

    Do you mean as far as the business, the different businesses in itself, are they unique, or? 

    Emma Plutnicki 

    Just in general, with like, how the working community is in South Carolina. Is there a lot of collaboration? Is it kind of there are cliques of groups? How is like collaborating with businesses in South Carolina?  

    Cynthia Ford

    I have actually seen both aspects of it. I have seen situations where businesses are able to grow because they have networked with other businesses, you know, provided resources to other constituents and, you know, just information that they needed in order to help push them to the next level. So, I have seen that definitely, yeah, you know how they’ll say sometimes not what you know its who you know. I see a lot of that, you know, you know, from just my experiences, from working with other businesses, yeah. 

    Emma Plutnicki 

    And is there a way, if you’re starting out to kind of break through that or grow your network? 

    Cynthia Ford

    Yes, I would definitely say, attend any type of event, whether it’s virtual or in person. A lot of times there are free events that people can tap into, searching through different places, like Eventbrite or just searching online when there, when there are things that are related to what you’re doing or what you desire to do, but just kind of tapping into that. I’ve also found a lot of resources virtually myself, just through podcasts, you know, YouTube, and I have been able to pour into my business just through those things and connecting and investing in myself, the things that I’ve researched through that. 

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah, of course. And so, you have a lot of things pulling you in different directions. In a creative career like that, it’s hard to kind of know what success looks like. So how would you define personal and professional success in your career? 

    Cynthia Ford

    Well, you know success, of course, and like you said, I am pulled in different directions, but when I can accomplish things that I have set out to do, when I’ve set those goals and they’re accomplished. So those moments are success to me. Trying each day is success to me, because I could have a moment where I’m like, okay, you know, I’m really just not feeling this. But then when you get up and you try again, that’s success. You know, you’ve gotten past the mental things that try to hold you back, or you’ve gotten past any type of barriers that are out of your control. You know, found a way to go around it. That’s success. So, each moment that you’re able to get up again and keep pushing, yeah. 

    Emma Plutnicki 

    For sure, did you have any fears when you came into this career? 

    Cynthia Ford

    I did. I actually it took me a couple of years to do it, and I actually desired to start it in 2019, but it’s like I knew that there was something that I wanted to do. I didn’t know how to get there, and didn’t know exactly what it was, but it was a big jump for me, because I was with the Department of Juvenile Justice for 15 years, and so I went to coastal, you know, I started with teaching, and I did some other things, and I worked with DJ J and moved up to kind of direct the position. So, to actually move from that position where you’re settled and everything is good, to launch out to something where you have to start over, that was a huge leap. So I was afraid, and I was okay, well, how am I going to make it financially? I just couldn’t pull those things together. But I began to prepare financially, mentally, and just began to get all those things together before I took the big leap, you know, just make sure that I was, you know, well, I had a well, um, grounded Foundation, and knew that was what I was going to do. 

    Emma Plutnicki

    For sure, and along the way, when you had those fears and faced challenges, was there anybody there to give you advice, either mentors or family? Do you remember any like, the best advice that you received and also the worst advice? 

    Cynthia Ford

    Yes, the worst advice, I think, would come from, you know, when someone would say, well, just leave. Just do it. Don’t just leave. Just do it without being prepared. And there were times when I could, yeah, I could have left when I first thought about it, but I was no way of where I needed to be as far as when prepared. I could have fell on my face financially, but, um, you know, don’t just leave without being prepared. And some people was like, just go. Let’s go. No, don’t just go. But I also received, one of the best advice that I received was someone that told me, just make sure you stay in your lane. You know you don’t have to look on anyone else’s paper when you know exactly what it is you should supposed to be doing, and you’re grounded in that. Just stay in your lane. You don’t have to copy what someone else is doing, or feel like you have to emulate what the other person is doing, do the best of what you are supposed to do.  

    Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, that’s great advice. Very good advice. And so, throughout your career, have you had one project that made a significant impact on you, maybe something that was particularly meaningful, that just kind of resonated with you and kind of stands out as a pinnacle or peak of your career? 

    Cynthia Ford 

    Goodness. Actually, I have a couple, but I would probably say, when I released my second book, Dream Like a Queen. I did that in collaboration with the library, Marion County Library, and it was a tea party, and so I really prepared for that. I bought this gal, and we asked the girls to come out and dress up in their little princess dresses. And we had the library just totally transformed. So, when you went in there, it wasn’t like, oh, just your regular library. It was a magical type thing. And the young ladies were just amazed that we had a station for pictures, a station for painting, arts and crafts. And of course, they got their copy of their book pictures together. So that was, um, you know, huge for me, just to be able to bring literacy to the young people in that format, and for them to see the library in a different way. 

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah, that must have been amazing to witness. It was your project come to life. And just overall, as we’re wrapping up, is there anything else you’d like to add about your career? Any advice, anything of that nature? 

    Cynthia Ford

    Well, as relates to great creativity, I first started and see how large of a spectrum that I can go into, as relates to writing. I just thought about, okay, me as an author, you know, I’ve written, I’ve published four books, but I have a living weight, but not knowing, just the expansion of what I can do, you know, I can. I launched out to different workshops where I can teach children and adults literacy, so you can also turn it into speaking opportunities and coaching opportunities. So, I also thought about I had, you know, take myself back to what I truly love and desire in every career or job in.  I love some aspect of it, and I wasn’t afraid to close the door at a certain point. So, when you get to that point where you want to close the door and launch to something else, do that because we have different purposes in life. And you know, just don’t be afraid to tap into that. And if the door closes and it’s your time to move on, move forward. You know, it’s okay to move forward if where you are is no longer serving you, and that’s what I did. I just moved forward, and I was able to see it unfolded to me to different ways how I can launch my writing services and connect into different areas where I love and that was business that was helping youth and helping the community, but also publishing my book and knowing that I can take that book and do different things, teaching workshops, speaking, so it’s not just that one thing, 

    Emma Plutnicki 

    Yeah, yeah. That’s great advice, and it’s an amazing story about how you, you know, arrange your finances and gain the courage to then quit a job that you know you had well established. So it’s really inspiring, and I love it, and I’m glad that you’re, it’s refreshing to hear that you really enjoy your job now. So thank you so much for sharing. Really appreciate it. 

  • Carla Angus

    Carla Angus

    “A carrot in boiling water softens, an egg in boiling water hardens, but a coffee bean in boiling water changes the water around it.”

    Carla Angus runs a consulting business, Transforming Minds, and serves as the Director of Community Engagement at ArtFields Junior. She is originally from Lake City, SC, but now lives with her family in Florence, SC. Carla also directs Dramatic Coffee Beans, a youth development organization that uses performing arts to help children make positive choices. 

    Interview

    Transcript

    Sara Sobota

    Can you please do us the favor of introducing yourself, spell out your name and tell us where you’re from.

    Carla Angus

    well, my name is Carla Angus and a C, A, R, L, A, and then last name, Angus, A, N, G, U, S. I’m originally from Lake City, South Carolina, right here and but I currently live in Florence, South Carolina with my husband and two children.

    Sara Sobota

    Okay, what do you do for work? And where are you currently working from?

    Carla Angus

    I have a consulting business called Transforming minds. I am I was a principal, believe it or not, in education, and I was fortunate to have this opportunity with the art fields team. I came on when it was when we didn’t even have a name. So I guess I’m the old head. And so I started here as an employee as well as a contractor, and from that point, I’ve continued to have the pleasure and the honor of continuing to work in the role as a contractor. So right now, as far as title, most people refer to me as the director of community engagement and art fields Junior my main responsibilities at this time

    Sara Sobota

    okay, great, great.

    Carla Angus

    The other thing I have is I am director over dramatic coffee beans, which is youth development organization. It is geared towards helping kids make positive choices during difficult times, and we use the performing arts to help kids express themselves and deal with different issues. So that is my passion. That is my something that I, you know, I consider myself a youth advocate. So that’s my my heart.

    Sara Sobota

    Okay, that program, dramatic coffee, means I’ve, I’ve read a couple articles about it, is it? Is it in Lake City, Florence area? Or where does it live?

    Carla Angus

    In Lake City, it’s open to all students who can get here. But I would say, if I had to say a target area, we do, Florence County, Williamsburg County, and we want to advance out to Clarendon County this year. Okay,

    Sara Sobota

    wow, that’s great. When was dramatic coffee beans founded?

    Carla Angus

    we started brewing in 2011

    Sara Sobota

    explain briefly what coffee beans has to do with Children’s Advocacy.

    Carla Angus

    you know, I heard this story a while back, and I’ll be very brief with it, but it said in life, you can deal with your trials and tribulations as a carrot to egg or a coffee bean, and as a carrot, you start off hard and strong, and you know what you want to do, and you know, but as soon as you get in that boiling water, which is in common tribulations of life, you get soft and you get weak, you know, kind of like that diet. You’re like, Oh, I’m going to start my diet day. And somebody brings a donut, and you say, I’ll eat it and start tomorrow. But then you also can be like an egg, which is very fluid on the inside and golden, it seems at peace, but as soon as it hits that boiling water, it gets hard and stiff. And I know you don’t know anybody like that, Sarah, you know, but they seem good until they’re not getting their way and they get an attitude. But then that coffee bean, as soon as it hits the boiling water, and letting, instead of letting the water change it, it changes the water. And so we encourage all our young people that when they’re dealing with different things in society, to not the society impact them in a negative way, but for them instead, to impact society in a positive way. So all our kids that be coffee beans, but not just a coffee bean, but a dramatic that’s amazing. That’s kind of the story behind it.

    Sara Sobota

    Okay, great, great. What background do you have that helped you land the roles that you have?

    Carla Angus

    I would probably have to say art fields Junior, because when we first came in, this was very much an adult based competition, and we were targeting 12 southeastern states. And being on the team at the time, I was very excited about the possibility of art making a difference in our community, but I just felt that need to involve the youth, because I feel like if you get them when they’re young, maybe they’ll continue as they get older, and so through the out of the out there of having a, you know, a younger base competition with the same expectations as art fields, but just targeting first grade through 12th grade and, you know, fast forward now, years later, is statewide. It has a traveling exhibition. You know, it’s just really grown beyond what I originally thought of it to be, because originally it was just a competition for first grade through students.

    Sara Sobota

    But you’re excited about that? Yeah. I mean, you are the founder. Was it your brainchild to begin with? It sounds like, yeah

    Carla Angus

    yes

    Sara Sobota

    wow, wow. Okay. Can you recommend any specific skills that an aspiring applicant should have to increase their chances of landing a role in your field? And I guess we’re gonna have to have a broad definition of your field.

    Carla Angus

    I would say open minded, flexible, very flexible, quick, on their feet, okay, problem solving. Okay, then I would definitely say a zest of creativity this, you know, and everybody’s creative skills and talents are different, but I think all of that brings about change in something. So for me, I would have to say that I think I’ve got it, flexibility, open minded creativeness, quick on your feet

    Sara Sobota

    yeah, yeah. Okay, awesome.

    Carla Angus

    And communicative,

    Sara Sobota

    okay

    Carla Angus

    And I think that’s when I see open mindedness, being able to dialog with with the diverse amount of people, backgrounds, ages, everything. Because one other part of my role is I work a lot with volunteers, and our volunteers make what we do. And so when I think of volunteers, I’m thinking about individuals that may not be a part of the art world and helping to be, you know, empowered through the arts, instead of intimidated by the arts. Because let’s be real. You know, when you’re looking at to the art and things like that, most of the time is certain clientele that have that opportunity to really engage in the arts. So it can be very intimidating to just the general population. So I think being able to communicate with them in a way that they can appreciate and feel respected, yeah, it helps them feel free to explore. So, you know, so communication is a big one, yeah?

    Sara Sobota

    what are some techniques you use specifically with volunteers, when they show up and are are willing and interested, but feel that sense of, maybe I don’t belong here.

    Carla Angus

    I think giving them a voice and letting them be the ones to tell me what they’re looking for. You know, what they think about things, and then taking what they saying, and then being able to, then drive what I would like for them to get out of what they’re doing, right? You know, so, so definitely hearing what they what they have to say, and how they’re thinking

    Sara Sobota

    Yeah, okay. Are there any other well, you can include art fields, of course. But are there any local organizations, programs or events that you recommend for aspiring creatives in South Carolina?

    Carla Angus

    Well, you know, we have a great little theater here in Lake City. And I think sometimes, because we don’t have the Grand Theater and the grand stage that, you know, we lose people coming to this area, but I think they have a great little the Lake City community theater. And I was a kid in high school, I participated in it, and so I think that that has a lot of room, and when you hear about it, you want to come see it. Yeah? Concert Series here does a wonderful job of doing local concerts and things like that. I think they do a great job. And I’m trying to think locally here, yeah, I think that our chamber is working really hard to come back around and institute some events that can bring forth people I know they have Crossroads music and market that’s coming up. They used to be back in the day, something we call the tobacco festival, okay? And they’re really working hard to engage more and make everyone feel welcome. And so they’ve restructured what that event was in. To something new. So,

    Sara Sobota

    okay, great

    Carla Angus

    at hometown holiday. We have hometown holiday December. So everybody’s got to come to Lake City for hometown holiday.

    Sara Sobota

    Is that Christmas sort of

    Carla Angus

    yes, the first weekend of December.

    Sara Sobota

    Great. What advice do you have for current college students or pre professional adults who are pursuing a career in the creative world?

    Carla Angus

    I would say to definitely take part in creative events. You know why the art fields, art competition and festival? I don’t think there’s anyone from this area that should not have come to that particular event at this point. So definitely, to engage me a part of those things, I say, work with artists from different disciplines, visit the museums and things like that, surround yourself by other creatives, those who are wanting to be creative, I think can help drive you as well as you drive them, you know, good back and forth type of thing, right? Oh, and definitely work with those who are older, who already in it. So you can learn from the learning curves. And I call them learning curves because you hit those bumps sometimes in life that may knock you out the car you have to get back again and climb and try to drive again. So finding those mentors who can help you along the way, I think, is is really key, because to this day, I may have individuals that I’ll call and I’m maybe trying to troubleshoot through something, and they are a good voice, and they tell me that I’m right or wrong they dont hold back.

    Sara Sobota

    who would have been your mentors when you were 18 or so?

    Carla Angus

    You know, I was very fortunate. I had, I know, one or two teachers that I remember talking to because it seems like they heard me. They listened. I think it was Miss Floyd. She was an English teacher at Lake City High School, and I felt like she listened. She wasn’t just looking at me as this crazy teen, like she made me feel like I had a voice. Oh, my goodness. I wish I could think of her name right now, because she was over student council for years, just a wonderful lady, so I remember those adults along the way that made me feel like I had a voice. Yeah,

    Sara Sobota

    yeah. Okay, great. Wow. I’m just so impressed with all the different ways that you impact community, and I cannot imagine how you find time to do it all. What could you maybe tell me a lesson or two that you have learned from the experience of a dramatic coffee beans,

    two lessons from that. It’s so fun because I’m in the process of meeting with my staff now to try to fix things, I would say lesson lesson learned. Am I correct what you’re telling me? Lessons Learned. Just because it’s your idea, don’t mean you have to do everything.

    Carla Angus

    two lessons from that. It’s so fun because I’m in the process of meeting with my staff now to try to fix things, I would say lesson lesson learned. Am I correct what you’re telling me? Lessons Learned. Just because it’s your idea, don’t mean you have to do everything.

    Sara Sobota

    Yes, yes.

    Carla Angus

    I think that don’t be afraid to let go. You know? I think that’s that’s one thing for me. I always want to make everything easier for everybody else, and not recognizing how it doesn’t allow them to be as strongly as they can be, because they they then get into this thing where they’re waiting on me or waiting on the other person. So sometimes you empower people by stepping back and letting them fall and then helping them get back up. You know. So for me, being now at the age that I am, I’m learning that in a hard way. So, but a good way, but a hard way, right, right? I could have confused a lot of this head, like I had alone.

    Sara Sobota

    It’s a lesson and advice together,

    Carla Angus

    yes, but I mean, basically, I think that’s the biggest thing. Like, there’s enough to share, enough to give you know, be happy to share the spotlight. Because when that spotlight is shined on somebody else, you know, you feel good to know that you are part of that, what’s happening so embracing others, being in their life.

    Sara Sobota

    great, okay, well, yeah, that’s, that’s all my questions, and you have been fabulous.