Cindy Dodd Connects Companies With Key Decision-Makers

A brief introduction about Cindy and her business:

Cindy Dodd is an award-winning marketer and global speaker who has emerged as a trailblazer for Black women in the lead generation industry. As the Co-Founder and COO of PEMA.io, Cindy has transformed the company into a global powerhouse, executing over 100 million reach-outs and serving over 1,000 businesses worldwide. Her unwavering commitment to data-driven strategies and exceptional client service has propelled PEMA.io to the #526 spot on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. and the #40 fastest-growing marketing agency in the country in 2024.

Who are your customers?

Enterprise Sales Teams & Online-Service Providers who sell a high-ticket service. Industries like SaaS, HR, Coaching, Consulting, IT and more.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

I was a corporate girl. I worked as an analyst in asset & wealth management and then transitioned to run my own career coaching company Hired Institute where we trained 150,000 job seekers during the pandemic.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

My husband Tim and I had the most beautiful wedding, my business was thriving, and from the outside it looked like Tim was running a small but successful lead generation business. What I didn’t know until our honeymoon is that his business had been crashing due to poor culture and operational issues. That company we refer to as PEMA 1.0. He went from having a full roster of clients and full sales and support team, to nothing in a matter of a month and a half. This wasn’t zero…this was the grave. We went from our highest of highs as newlyweds to our lowest of lows. In a place where he was ready to give up and had no clue what he was going to do, I said “What if we partnered and built the business together from the grave up.” With my expertise in talent management, company culture, and operations management and his skills with marketing and sales, I saw an opportunity to build something truly great together. Something way beyond a little lead generation agency. This led to the founding of PEMA 2.0—same service, but with new leaders, a new culture, and a new mission. We built PEMA from the grave into the leading service for outbound marketing and lead generation. In an industry notorious for overpromising, underdelivering, and scamming clients, we set a new standard, ensuring businesses received the high-quality leads they needed to succeed.

Take us back to when you first launched your business; what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

Outbound marketing has always been the marketing strategy we’ve used to grow and scale our business. We actually use what we sell.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way so far and what have you learned from it?

Biggest challenge was transitioning from serving smaller businesses to pivoting into the mid-market space. We went from high-ticket sales to enterprise sales in a matter of months, having to pivot our marketing & sales strategy. Through it all Outbound Marketing has been the ONE thing that has kept us sustaining growth.

What accomplishment are the most proud of to date in your business?

Getting featured in SUCCESS magazine, and hitting the Inc. 5000 list as #525 fastest growing company in the US and #40 fastest growing marketing agency!

Do you have any recent wins from the last year that you’d like to celebrate with our community?

Inc. 5000 listing.

What’s next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

MASSIVE scale. Our goal is to hit the Inc. 500 list soon!

What is your top productivity tip? 

My top tip is to schedule “FLOW BLOCKS.” These are 2-4 hour time blocks dedicated to hyper-focused work on needle-moving tasks that drive your business forward. During these blocks, you avoid checking email, responding to Slack, texts, or any distractions. It’s uninterrupted, deep work time that’s scheduled right on your calendar. This approach has been a game-changer for my productivity, and I believe these focused blocks are essential for staying on top of what really matters.

On the flip side, how do you avoid burnout?

I schedule “active recovery” daily. It’s not enough to just finish work and zone out on the couch. To truly avoid burnout, you need to reset your nervous system and be proactive about recovery. Instead of waiting until you’re burnt out to take a break, I focus on small, intentional recovery activities every day—like using the sauna, taking a long walk, meditating, or enjoying a hot bath. This daily commitment to active recovery keeps me balanced and prevents burnout before it even has a chance to set in.

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

“What does Winning Mean to You?” At my company, we have 10 Core Values, and the final one is “Winning Is Our Resolve.” This interview question helps me understand a candidate’s mindset around this key value, giving insight into whether they’ll be a great culture fit for our team. It’s essential for me to see if their definition of success aligns with ours. Another great hiring tip: I highly recommend: Resource Associates for pre-employment tests. They are AMAZING at helping tailor interview questions to each candidate, ensuring a more insightful and relevant hiring process.

Do you have a co-founder? If so, how did you find the right one for you and what are your best partnership tips?

Yes, I work with my husband, and we have 100% complementary skills. He excels in vision, ideas, marketing, and sales, while I focus on organization, hiring, talent, and product delivery. This balance allows us to focus on our strengths daily while staying in alignment on the big picture. My best partnership tip? Find someone whose strengths complement your own, so you can both shine in your areas of expertise while working together seamlessly.We have 100% complimentary skills. He is more vision, ideas, marketing and sales, and my skills are around organization, hiring, talent, and product delivery. Having complimentary skills helps us both focus on our strengths daily while always being in alignment.

What’s the one app on your phone you absolutely cannot live without and why?

App Lock! It’s essential for me when I’m in my Flow Block or on the weekend. It helps me block distractions so I can fully focus or completely disconnect on my day off. It’s a game changer for staying productive and recharging when I need it most.

What is your favorite business tool or solution and why?

ChatGPT, hands down! I call it my brainstorming partner. It’s amazing for helping me flesh out ideas and offering solutions to challenges I’m facing. Whether I need quick insights or creative suggestions, it’s like having a business consultant on hand 24/7.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

One of the best things I did for my business was building a strong company culture. Every decision we make is guided by what I call “MVV”—Mission, Vision, and Values. Our Mission drives our purpose, our Vision shapes our future, and our Values define how we operate daily. This alignment empowers our team to make decisions that support the company’s goals and ensures we stay true to our core principles, even when facing challenges. For aspiring Entreprenistas, defining your MVV early on will guide your growth and create a unified, motivated team.

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