We had the good fortune of connecting with Cindy Pruitt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cindy, what advice would you give to someone who feels like they are facing insurmountable odds?
My advise for overcoming insurmmountable odds would be to focus on the smaller steps that can get you through the situation, whatever that may be. Looking at the problem as a whole can be overwhelming and discouraging, but if you break it down into easier to manage steps you can see it’s possible to succeed. I’ve always liked the old saying “How do you eat a whale?”…”One bite at a time!” Break it down and give yourself micro goals that you can get hyper focused on, and just knock them out one small step at a time. This will serve 2 purposes…#1 it will get you just that little bit closer to the goal, #2 (and most importantly) it will give you that sense of accomplishment and confidence needed that you CAN reach that goal one step at a time.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My Digital Marketing Firm is GBC Digital Marketing. (GBC stands for Graphics by Cindy, which my company was known as for several years). We help small businesses, primarily contractors (Roofers, Plumbers, HVAC) and Attorneys to grow their revenue with highly targeted, nurtured, paid traffic, while dominating their local service area with online search, using SEO Strategies. We provide real, actionable Marketing and SEO Services to help them scale their business. I am most proud that I built this business from my home. I suffer from severe agorophobia and am mostly homebound, this was a service I could offer from any location, while providing a real value to my customers. I mean, I get paid to help businesses make more money, that’s a win-win that I absolutely love! I learned that if you help folks get what they want, you’ll get what you want. But, it hasn’t always been easy and I have lost some clients who wanted me to come to their location, which was not an option for me. Also, it did take years to build up the business and my reputation. It all started with just me, but now I have a team and we help clients nationwide. My other side business is to feed my true passion in life, I own a recording studio, Smiley Face Records, where I produce and Engineer music. It started as a hobby, since I am a musician myself, but then I took courses from Berklee College of Music and The Audio Institute of America, as well as private tutelage from producers like Troy Warren and Charles England. Some noteable local folks who have recorded at the studio are The Bayou City Women’s Choir, Colonial Blue, Stephanie Rice, J Metro, Saxon King. I have even been a voting member of the Recording Academy, which was a dream come true. The studio is right behind my house and it was a long process to get it built up, but when I am not helping businesses grow, I am out back painting pretty pictures with sound.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Well, sadly, I don’t get the chance to get out and about…but Houston hands down has some of the best bars, clubs and restaurants in the country. Having been a waiter at Vincent’s and Chuys many years back, my heart breaks for what the pandemic has done to those businesses. As things open back up we need to flood all the local eateries and bars to help them build back. I do get my fair share of take out and my friends all go out around town. A few of my favorites to mention: Niko Niko’s, Avant Garden, Pearl Bar, Number’s, Discovery Green, Two Headed Dog, Secret Garden, Chuy’s, Vincent’s, South Beach, Poison Girl, BB’s Tex Orleans, Rudyards

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have had many mentors, friends and books that have helped shape me and lead me to where I am today. But, even though it was just Mother’s Day, and I may be waxing nostalgic more than usual, I need to shout out to my Mom. She was hands down the strongest woman I ever knew. She survived abusive marriages, being a single Mom, fighting Cancer until the very end, and she did so while still keeping a sense of humor and continuing to be a good person despite everything being thrown at her. She taught me to be strong, to be fearless in the defense of those weaker, to stand up for what’s right and just, that a little humor injected into tough situations can do wonders and to keep going no matter what.

Website: https://gbcdigitalmarketing.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smileyfacestudio/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindyjpruitt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GraphicsbyCindy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraphicsbyCindy/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBuXcZSo1cx8uZJ1ZxrYFQQ

Image Credits
Image Credits, Sally Vee Phography, and Cindy Pruitt