Consultant Profile: Kitwanda Cyrus

Area Center: BRIDGE

Title: BRIDGE Program Coordinator

Start Date: September 16, 2024

QUESTION: What was your career track prior to joining the SC SBDC?

ANSWER: I came from the Benedict Women’s Business Center, where I was a Business Advisor. Prior to that, I was a Trust Accounting Supervisor at the SC Department of Probation.

QUESTION: What motivated you to become an SC SBDC consultant?

ANSWER:  I love helping others fulfill their dreams of starting their own business. I have a passion for entrepreneurship and how it has a significant impact on local communities.  

QUESTION: What is the best piece of advice you would offer an aspiring business owner?

ANSWER: Learn as much as you can before you open. Find a mentor that has accomplished or done what you are trying to do.

QUESTION: What area of interest/expertise do you offer your clients?

ANSWER: I have 12 years of business ownership My background is in restaurant ownership and venue management. My area of interest and expertise is food services, business management, and marketing.

QUESTION: Why is the SC SBDC an important resource for business owners in South Carolina?

ANSWER: The SC SBDC is an important resource because the free resources we provide will help you make the right decisions and we can answer questions that you don’t have the answer to.

QUESTION: What is your favorite part about working for the SC SBDC?

ANSWER: Meeting the different clients and being able to assist them with all their business needs to grow their business.

QUESTION: What quote/saying/maxim expresses your philosophy toward work and/or life?

ANSWER: “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”

QUESTION: What keeps you busy when you're not at work? What is your hobby and/or passion?

ANSWER: I love to read and relax at home- catching up on shows that I don’t get a chance to watch when they actually air. My hobby is cooking, traveling and gardening. I enjoy watching the Gamecocks Football and Women’s Basketball team play.