Veronica Eyenga of VBP Outsourcing
Determination Drives Success
April 2, 2009
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Veronica Eyenga, president and CEO of VBP OutSourcing, started her business 11 years ago from her home. Now, she runs her full-service marketing and accounting firm for Very Busy People from a 5,500-square-foot office in Glen Burnie, Md. How did she do it – and how does she keep thriving in today’s unforgiving economic times?
Eyenga explains, “Hard work, determination and drive are essential and truly key. Although, I am a minority and woman-owned business, I was still able to take my dream and turn it into reality.”
With company values such as integrity, honesty, passion, teamwork and enjoyment, Eyenga proves that good business starts with good people and thrives with great determination.
“We’re down to earth, but always down to business.”
Q: What did you do professionally before you started your current business?
Eyenga: In college, I was writing a community newsletter that grew in ways I never imagined. That newsletter showed me I could do this. After college, I worked as an administrative manager and then moved on to become a procedural training supervisor. I also worked in sales for Cannon, winning a trip to Jamaica in less than six months on the job. After Cannon, I started a publication in my neighborhood, which essentially fueled my desire to start VBP. And the rest is history.
Q: What advice do you have for women who want to start their own business?
Eyenga: There isn’t a better time than now to take that leap of faith and follow your dreams! With change in the air, who better to economically improve this country than those who hold the purse strings? As a woman who owns her own company, I am aware of the obstacles that stand in our way but if we let them hold us back, then our full potential will never shine through.
Q: How do you balance your work life with your family/social life?
Eyenga: Honestly, there are not enough hours in the day to get done everything my ambitious self wants to accomplish. However, it is easier for me to balance my work and personal life because my son is currently away at military school. This allows me greater ease to dedicate more time to my company. And do I ever. You normally can find me in my office in the wee hours of the morning up until the late hours of the night. I believe that you can sleep later but being successful happens now.
Q: Do you feel there is still a barrier for women in business?
Eyenga: Having the opportunity to reside in Maryland has provided me much success in breaking through whatever barriers we women have. The majority of revenue in Maryland, in fact, comes from women-owned businesses as well as the majority of jobs because it is shown that women hire more employees. As for the rest of the country, there is only a barrier if you allow there to be one. Will, determination, inner game and drive are the attitudes needed to be successful. Gender is no longer a deciding factor.
Q: Out of your whole career, what is it that you are most proud of?
Eyenga: My company, VBP OutSourcing, has been in business for more than 11 years and is still going strong. Being a small business owner, knowing that you have made it past the five-year mark, is such a wonderful feeling that it motivates me to keep on going another 10 years.
Q: What has the greatest obstacle been for you over the years with VBP?
Eyenga: Continuing to find quality people to join our team. When it comes to my team and ultimately my company, I want only the best working for me. This is why I have put into place a three-month long internship for anyone who wants to work for VBP. After the probationary period, we will both evaluate the internship period and determine if VBP would be the best fit for them.
Q: What do you see in the future for VBP?
Eyenga: Growth! We have had a really great time getting to where we are today, so now since we work regionally, I would like to work more within the international market. Also, with the stimulus package soon to be in place, I want to expand into the government sector, designing capability statements and Web sites, which corporately define the full potential of companies.
For more information, please visit www.vbpoutsourcing.com.
