Explore powerful stories that showcase Cydcor’s culture, people, and the passion driving our continued success.
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The Los Angeles Business Journal has honored Cydcor as one of the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles for 2023. This is the 11th time one of the industry-leading outsourced sales companies has made this esteemed list – and their people-first approach to business is no doubt integral to this continued success.
You can’t foster a thriving work environment by cutting corners. From the physical space of an office to the culture that flows through it – turning a business into a great place to work takes time, care, and intention.
When a team is refreshed, empowered, and well supported by their company, the impact is felt by customers, the community, and the industry at large. Thus, it comes as no surprise to see that Cydcor (a leading outsourced sales company headquartered in Agoura Hills, California), continues to gain recognition for their work environment in companion to their results in business.
The latest in this ongoing story comes from the Los Angeles Business Journal, who have honored Cydcor by ranking them as one of the Best Places To Work 2023. Cydcor is no stranger to this award: they’ve now been recognized by the Journal a monumental eleven times.
“We’ve built Cydcor into a company that our entire team can be proud to work at,” CEO Vera Quinn says. “Recognition like this is a great honor – and we will continue to find ways to support the growth of our people.”
This was announced Wednesday, August 9th, when Los Angeles’ top companies gathered at The Biltmore Los Angeles to celebrate the best in leadership, corporate culture, and workplace empowerment. Cydcor’s presence amongst this esteemed group of companies is based on a detailed survey executed by Workforce Research Group. The survey evaluates policies, philosophies, systems, employee experiences, and more – all to determine what companies truly are the best to work at.
When we think of great work opportunities and environments, often benefits, perks, and office amenities come to mind. Cydcor boasts all this, from its community outreach opportunities, health, vision, and life insurance, and its onsite gym that encourages its teams to lead active and exciting lives. But there is something more important underlying the employee experience: culture.
“We want to enjoy what we do, win, and be around great people,” says Quinn. “That only happens when we come through for our people and help them be successful.”
Cydcor has a number of company values that define its culture and directly influence the way that employees and team members experience the company. To name just a couple, a spirit of collaboration and the respect of “every brain in the game” remain central to the company’s continued success.
“Cydcor is an amalgamation of so many distinct minds, different talents, and unique people,” Quinn says. “In any business decisions we make, the first thing we think about is who needs to be a part of this decision? Who has the best information?”
Putting this into practice makes Cydcor a company that invites innovation and new ideas – and calls on its team to drive everyone forward with their specific knowledge, expertise, and skills. This inspires the people within the company to show up as their best selves – because they know that their gifts are not going to fly under the radar.
Beyond just wanting to be heard, people want to be pushed to explore and utilize their abilities to the highest good. Studies continue to show the positive psychology of challenge – and by “getting every brain in the game,” Cydcor creates an environment where employees can see tangible career growth through the expression of their specific skill sets and perspectives.
By tapping into this, Cydcor has created a place where what’s good for its people is good for the company – and vice versa. By encouraging candor, collaboration, and innovation, they’ve not only been able to attract great talent, they’ve also been able to keep talent engaged and invested in the growth of the team at large.
By being intentional about culture and diligent in fostering a great work environment, Cydcor has secured a future through its people. This eleventh-time award for One of the Best Places to Work comes as the company prepares for its 30th anniversary in 2024.
Cydcor has built its workplace culture and environment over its first three decades in service. As a company that doesn’t believe in finish lines, this 11-time award is only the beginning.
“What makes great companies last for generations?” Quinn asks. “It's the culture, the system, and the people passing it down over time. We want to build for generations, and we just have the baton for a little bit of time. By staying true to our culture and keeping the best talent engaged, we’ll remain as one of the best places to work for a long, long time.”
To learn more about Cydcor – and even get a closer look at what it’s like to work with the company – visit their website.
Vera Quinn isn't Cydcor's first CEO – and she won't be the last. Quinn, who also serves as the company's current President, sits at the helm of a ship she hopes will still be sailing long after her career is through. For now, she considers herself "a custodian" for the business. We sit down with the CEO to expand on this idea – and learn some lessons on servant leadership.
We live in a time where many founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs have personal brands that are somehow more recognizable than the companies they run. From Hollywood-esque start-up stories, to flashy social media posts, our experience of modern entrepreneurship proves one thing: people love a good hero story.
But the idea of a hero who carries a company on their back is antithetical to how business actually works – especially for large companies who want to remain successful long after their current leaders have retired.
A true leader takes long-term responsibility for something that only temporarily belongs to them – putting their team's growth and enrichment before their own. In addition, a leader's primary function should be to assemble the best talents for every task – not face those tasks alone like they're Samson wielding a donkey jawbone.
With a motto like "people helping people" – Cydcor is a company whose entire culture is built up around this idea. A leader in outsourced sales and organizing omni channel campaigns on behalf of clients, including Fortune 500 companies, Cydcor isn't the result of any one person, but rather the result of almost three decades (and counting) of people coming together to build something larger than themselves.
CEO Vera Quinn puts this idea into practice, even in the way that she frames her role.
"I see myself as a custodian," shares Quinn, "because my job is to do the best that I can do with the business for a period of time. I'm not here to hoard power – I want what's best for my business and the people within it."
As a poignant reminder of this, Quinn keeps a baton in a glass box on her desk. This token was relayed to her by Cydcor Chairman Gary Polson, her predecessor, and one day it will be passed on again.
In the meantime, Quinn has continued to be a glue that binds together the people who made the company the industry juggernaut that it is. The Canadian-born entrepreneur joined Cydcor more than 20 years ago, with a mindset that made her certain she would be successful if she only worked hard.
With this work ethic and a servant's heart that aligns with many of Cydcor's principal values, Quinn kept finding more opportunities to expand her responsibilities with the company, until she was invited to take the helm as the next CEO.
Even after more than two decades with the company, Quinn remains curious and open to fresh ideas and new perspectives, even from outsiders and newcomers to the Cydcor family. An ardent note-taker, much of her schedule consists of meetings where the CEO picks the brains of people with very specific skill sets and expertise.
This is in step with one of Cydcor's core values, which stands to "get every brain in the game." As a leader, Quinn recognizes every partner and team member's individuality. It is these differences in people that drive businesses forward to develop innovative and forward-thinking ideas.
It is not only important to treat your team as individuals throughout their personal development, but it is crucial to make sure that you are considering your employees' different personalities, backgrounds, and areas of expertise.
"Many minds are better than one," expresses Quinn. "When we make any business decision, I first think about who needs to be a part of it: who has the best information? You need an alternate set of brains who make the best choices and strategies."
She continues, "I find the worst decisions I make are the ones I make in my head by myself. As the custodian of the business, my expertise lies in finding the most knowledgeable people on the topic at hand and finding a way to serve them best."
When faced with a problem - there could be four answers. But we're looking for the best one.
"Look at our world," concludes Quinn. "Where do we have that kind of certainty? Nowhere. So if my process starts with, 'I'm trying to solve this problem,' clearly articulate the problem. Find the best brains around you to help."
The lesson is this: a long-lasting organization doesn't need heroes, it needs faithful custodians looking to nurture something bigger than themselves.
She'd be too humble to say it herself, but it is evident why Vera Quinn serves as a leading role model for this idea.
Demonstrating success in outsourced sales since 1994, Cydcor is a leader in its industry for a reason. The purpose-driven company helps fortune 500 and emerging companies achieve their business goals from customer acquisition to perfecting sales processes. And what sets Cydcor apart is its unmatched reputation for sales excellence and expertise. Read on to learn more.
It’s hard to find companies that truly care about what they do in this day and age, let alone care about their clients and employees. Implementing a mission backed by a purpose sets businesses apart from the rest, and with every passing year, these businesses are becoming increasingly rare.
There’s nothing worse than investing your time and energy in a company that turns out to have no interest in you except for your wallet. But in this day and age, a reputation like that can have your organization spiraling in no time. In a recent global study, it was found that consumers are four to six times more likely to interact with and support purpose-driven companies.
Consumers have the upper hand now more than ever, making it evidently important to invest in your business’s customer service and lead with a purpose.
One company that has stuck behind its mission since day one is Cydcor, an expert in all things outsourced sales and customer acquisition. Helping others is what the company not only stands for but practices with every internal and external interaction.
“You’re not successful in our business unless you help others succeed,” says Gail Michalak, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at Cydcor.
Consistently exceeding client expectations is only part of what makes Cydcor an industry leader. The company was ranked on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Best Places To Work list 10 times as it fosters a positive work environment and prioritizes its employees. A key to any successful business is investing in the team members just as much as the clients. 71% of executives say that employee engagement is critical to their company’s success.
As it’s known, driven, motivated, and passionate employees are the backbone of any long-lasting organization. And at Cydcor, the company dedicates a main portion of its mission to its employees through management training. One factor that makes Cydcor such a successful company is its employee morale and the customer service the teams, outsourced by Cydcor, provide.
As a face-to-face sales company, excellent customer service is a vital part of what makes Cydcor a top leader, a treasured asset in today’s heavily dominant online world.
With over 25 years of putting together outsourced sales teams across Canada and the US, it’s no wonder why Cydcor is one of the best in the business.
Simply put, “we’re a people-helping-people business,” Vera Quinn says, Chief Executive Officer and President of Cydcor. And that is exactly what Cydcor does. The purpose-driven company continues its mission to assist fortune 500 and emerging companies elevate their businesses while giving back to the community through their philanthropic endeavours.
Leadership, expertise, and security are a few of the many traits that define Cydcor. But above all, the company helps its clients in a few fundamental areas:
When asked what the main mission of Cydcor is, Quinn answers without delay.
“We are who clients can count on to get their brand products and services exposure in front of a customer,” and the company achieves this in a few ways. “We break down complex ideas or services and we simplify them in a way that makes a customer create a great decision to either save money or use a service in a different, better way.”
And the “faces” behind Cydcor’s face-to-face sales are the outsourced teams. “We can put together a team that’s well trained, has great character and integrity that can speak to a customer about your products as good as if not better than your own employees,” Quinn continues.
When an organization runs on a purpose, it bleeds into the rest of the team. Selling a product to consumers in today’s landscape is almost impossible without integrity, passion, and authenticity. And Cydcor ensures that with every moving part, these core values are carried throughout.
“There are a few things happening today. But mainly there is a lack of customer service. And you can see that everywhere,” says Quinn. Without adequate customer service, your products and services will remain on your inventory list.
That’s where the customer acquisition expert company, Cydcor, can help.
More than a company, Cydcor provides career opportunities, goes above and beyond in its community involvement, and produces real results for its clients. When you lead with purpose, success follows, and Cydcor fosters an environment that aims to achieve excellence in all areas of life, both personal and professional.
As they say, success is a mindset, but at Cydcor, success is a guarantee.
To learn more about Cydcor and how they can help you achieve your business goals, visit their website now.
Cydcor is a respected customer acquisition company whose DNA is hardwired to help people develop and unleash their true potential. They are a thriving corporate culture on a mission to support and achieve lasting global impact – and thanks to their multiple philanthropic ventures, the team is inspiring others to do the same.
They say everything you need in life must pass through another person’s hands. This is why people are the most valuable resource on this earth. We are all connected. Yes, thanks to technologies like the Internet, some may argue we are more tight-knit than ever before, but unless we get out from behind our screens, we can easily become separated from impacting humanity in more personal ways.
In a generous society where giving freely is common, there’s a much stronger connection and sense of belonging when we engage people face-to-face. Whether it’s giving time, talent, or treasure, philanthropy brings people together in ways that can only be achieved by supporting causes bigger than ourselves. We simply cannot deny the power a snowball effect can have on humanity
So why not take that one step further?
“You’re not successful in our business unless you help others succeed. And this extends to philanthropy locally and globally,” explains Gail Michalak, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at Cydcor. “To be successful as a human goes beyond just being successful in business; it extends to doing more and giving more in everything you do.”
Cydcor, a powerhouse in its industry and known for being an organization focused on coaching and development in the workplace, is a trusted customer acquisition company also committed to impacting and inspiring change in its communities. As a “client broker” of more than 25 years, Cydcor’s award-winning reputation as a trusted leader in outsourced sales speaks volumes for its win-win attitude and company values that have continued through the decades.
Throughout its history, the company has been helping Fortune 500 and emerging companies achieve their customer acquisition, retention, and business growth goals through teams of well-trained salespeople and a business foundation of great character and integrity.
Apart from having a long history of working with recognized and emerging brands in telecommunications, office supplies, energy, tech, and more, part of creating a community within the Cydcor team is finding ways to support those in need.
“We’re a people-helping-people business,” says Vera Quinn, President, and CEO of Cydcor. “Thanks to our business values and cultural philanthropic efforts, we are proud to actively drive multiple community service events throughout the year.”
Currently, Cydcor’s primary current involvement is with Liberty Children’s Home, a sanctuary in Belize for more than fifty abused, abandoned, and neglected children, some of whom also have special needs or suffer from HIV or AIDS. With the upcoming holiday period approaching fast, there has been a lot of energy and interest in helping the kids in need.
“Every year, we have a giving drive for Liberty. Liberty is a place that kids call home. Many of these kids don’t have parents or family members who can look after their basic needs – so we gather and fill a wish list of toys and essentials like clothing and school supplies,” explains Michalak.
She continues, “Through the efforts of our entire field and internal team at Cydcor, we have helped feed, clothe, house, educate, and provide counseling to 50+ children in Belize with a staff of around 30 people.”
Getting physical boots out in the field is something that Cydcor strives for, as this creates bonds and engagement and shifts mindsets for generations to come. From going door-to-door to approaching people in a workplace, face-to-face contact with any of their clients or philanthropic ventures is crucial to their core values.
This is because many people who wish to start philanthropic journeys occasionally write and send checks but don’t interact or know much about where it’s going. Getting actively involved and diving deep into the people’s hearts and minds makes the experience worth more than the grandest intention.
Cydcor is not a novice when it comes to previous philanthropic milestone successes. Since 2010, it has partnered with Operation Smile, a non-profit organization that helps support Operation Smile which is dedicated to creating solutions that deliver free cleft surgery and comprehensive care to people where it is needed most.
“For many years all across Canada and the U.S., we saw these people in the business band together to raise monies to help fund surgeries,” says Quinn. This past initiative changed thousands of lives as the company raised $1 million for the cause through organic fundraising and dedicated events. And it doesn’t end there.
After entrenching themselves from global to national philanthropies to rolling into local and individual markets, Cydcor noticed how their endeavors created momentum for everyone in the business.
“For our local efforts, many team members and field sales teams have causes or organizations that have personally impacted them that they want to give back to – including those in sports, education, healthcare, environment, hunger, and many more,” says Michalak. All that this tells us is that doing good reaps the rewards for setting an example and inspiring others.”
Business skills translate into philanthropic efforts being organized, inspiring people to commit. Ultimately, individuals can feel good about themselves – knowing they have just accomplished something bigger than themselves. This is why people need to get involved and make it a big part of their culture.
Having worked with organizations that are either well-known in the communities or renowned nationally or globally, it’s easy to see why millions of people value Cydcor as a company.
“One of the best ways to lead and inspire others is by appealing to people through both their heads and their hearts not just what they are going to get in their career, but really how they’re going to grow as individuals and have an impact on our world,” says Michalak.
If you want to join the cause and be a part of a company transforming the world’s philanthropic landscape, head to the Liberty Children’s Home website here.
For more information on how you can collaborate with Cydcor, explore their world here.
Written in partnership with Mindful Agency
When George Papalexandratos first started his career in sales, all he was looking for was an opportunity to learn new skills and make some money, but with his hard work and determination, he accomplished so much more than that. His story is a prime example of how a strong determination for success and the right mentorship can truly change the trajectory of your life.
After graduating from Virginia state’s University of Richmond in 2002, George Papalexandratos set foot in the world of sales for the very first time. With a background in finance and marketing, he began his career as an entry-level sales representative, and with the grit, determination, and the right mentorship along the way, he has become a successful business owner who inspires others to take risks and follow their dreams, no matter what challenges come their way.
“When I started in sales, I was seeking an opportunity to learn hard and soft skills, because right out of college, I didn’t really know where I was going,” he says. “I was not very good at sales straight away, but I got pretty competitive and very interested in learning what makes people click,” he continues.
Papalexandratos shares that his first time on the job didn’t quite go as smoothly as planned. He was overwhelmed with the sales pitch he memorized, and the customer he was selling to was apprehensive and resistant. He eventually lost the sale and began questioning whether this path was the right one for him. Along his journey, there were many moments when he felt like giving up and starting over, but something deep inside him told him to keep going.
“I was fortunate that I had a really good trainer who kept on pointing out all the things that I did well,” he says. “While in my mind I was tanking and not doing anything right, she was excited to see me try and instilled in me that I was progressing.”
With time, he became a talented salesperson, and having a mentor who was invested in his personal success really changed Papalexandratos’ perspective on the industry. Prior to this point, he felt like you had to be a certain type of person to do well in sales, but that simply wasn’t the case. With the right resources, passion, and dedication, Papalexandratos learned that anything was possible, and it inspired him to help others see the same.
“When I first learned how to make sales, I was very excited because I learned a skill that I could actually capitalize on and was passionate about doing well, but when I started helping others and teaching them how to close sales as well, that’s what really got me excited and fulfilled in a way that sales alone couldn’t,” he says.
Fast forward to today, Papalexandratos is the President and CEO of Ethos Consulting Group Incorporated. It is a direct sales company that blends sales, training, and talent management all under one roof. Ethos Consulting Group is contracted by Cydcor, an award-winning business relied on by Fortune 500 and emerging companies across America to achieve their customer acquisition, retention, and business growth goals. Through his role with the company, Papalexandratos is a mentor known for his passion for helping entry-level salespeople turn into successful leaders.
When asked what training with Ethos Consulting Group looks like, he says it’s a lot more than just teaching the Xs and Os. “There’s a lot of empathy and support when training,” he says. “We tell people that this is going to be challenging and they’re going to fail, but also that we’re not afraid and we’re not going to hide away from it,” he says.
“I personally believe that you go through failure to reach success. So everything that you’ve built adds up, and when you look back at it, you’ll see that it forced you to step outside of your comfort zone, think through complex problems, find solutions and see the value in each lesson,” he shares.
Papalexandratos teaches his sales teams that when it comes to failure, you should be excited because it shows that you’re learning. “Most of the time you fail because you’re doing something that you’re uncomfortable doing, but that’s where all the growth is. So when someone fails, they’ve also learned from it and they become a better person,” he says.
When you go through these lessons, he says that you might not appreciate it at the time, but when you look back you’ll realize that all those things you went through, all the no’s and all the yes’s, slowly but surely made you into a better human being.
Papalexandratos’ story reminds us that if you work hard and are passionate about what you do, it will inevitably pay off. He started off as an entry-level sales representative over a decade ago, but his passion and determination got him to where he is today.
Papalexandratos has been running Ethos Consulting Group for over 17 years and shares that its success is due to the fact that they always go back to its mission of building people’s confidence by teaching them the right skills and the right mindset.
“After all of these years, we haven’t lost our core values, we are all about building up our people,” he concludes. To learn more about Cydcor and its inspiring people like George Papalexandratos, visit their website today.
Based in Agoura Hills, California, Cydcor contracts with companies that have a proven track record of training sales agents who have sold on behalf of their clients and gained the valuable skills they need to succeed in sales and beyond.
Have you ever walked into a store and been greeted by a personable and energetic sales associate, whose confidence, knowledge, and ability to strike up a natural conversation truly took you by surprise? If yes, you likely came across an individual who has trained with one of Cydcor’s independently contracted sales companies.
Cydcor is a leading provider of outsourced sales and marketing services for businesses across North America – and, since its inception in 1994, the company has contracted with numerous select sales companies that have a history of training sales agents with integrity. This in-turn has allowed them to shape thousands of entry level salespeople into dynamic leaders and business professionals. Sales agents have the opportunity to train with these sales teams, with Cydcor providing the opportunity to sell on behalf of their clients.
Through Cydcor’s dedication to helping people succeed, independently contracted sales companies and Cydcor employees alike, have been given the tools to help them succeed in sales and beyond.
Vera Quinn, Cydcor’s Chief Executive Officer and President, shares that the company’s desire to strengthen the next generation of entrepreneurs stems from the fact that Cydcor is a lot more than just an outsourced sales and marketing company. She shares that it is also a coaching and development organization that is focused on building effective leaders, whose goals make and impact inspiring change in their communities. They do this by connecting entry level salespeople with opportunities that will challenge them, stimulate their growth, and allow them to think outside of the box in situations such as bringing smiles to young children in their recent Operation Smile initiative in Guatemala.
“What I believe our business does is it gives you the mindset, the habits, and the tools, to take what we do at an entry level, and apply it to other areas of your life,” she says. “It’s a new way of thinking and conducting yourself everyday. This creates the framework and sets a great foundation for success, however you define it,” she continues.
So how do you define success? Whether it be by running your own business, achieving financial stability, or having strong relationships with the people in your life, the skills you learn in sales can help you achieve what it is that you desire.
“So much of the job is learning how to level up your ability to interact with people in stressful environments. How do you get the confidence to be able to walk up to a door or have a customer walk up to you in a store, and start a conversation? That’s kind of nerve wracking. So a lot of the training is about how you build that confidence to be yourself in front of strangers, and that’s the foundation. Once you embody that confidence, then it’s about learning how to build on that,” she says.
Essentially, training with one of Cydcor’s contracted sales companies gives you a way to practice and build skills that will prepare you to take on various other challenges both personally and professionally. Sometimes on the job, there are things you do not have control over, such as when you face rejection or rude and angry people. But Quinn reminds us that one thing you can control is your attitude.
“Our belief at Cydcor is that you control your attitude. You can allow rejection to set you back, or you can look at rejection as a normal course of life and grow from it. We believe that if you develop these skills and these habits, then confidence will flow,” she continues.
With a people-centered approach to success, Cydcor is much more than an award-winning partner to Fortune 500 companies, but also an organization that wants to see others winning. At the core of that is an unwavering determination to uplift others as well as an immense gratitude for what their employees, contractors, and partners have achieved.
When asked what tips she has for entry level individuals looking to get more experience in sales, Quinn says it all comes down to gratitude. “It’s the sense of being able to ask yourself, am I starting with gratitude? Am I moving towards an objective that I care about? Right, let’s look at my progress. Am I able to see how far I’ve come? Am I surrounding myself with people that are ambitious who are challenging me and lifting me up? Or am I surrounding myself with people that are bringing me down?” she asks.
Vera Quinn is an inspiration, and the driving force behind Cydcor. With more than 20 years of experience with the company, she has witnessed countless individuals as they dedicate themselves to sales training with one of Cydcor’s contracted sales companies, and blossom into more effective and powerful leaders both personally and professionally. Do you think you have what it takes to be one of them?
The opportunity to find out comes through Cydcor’s client relationships. If you are successful as a sales agent training with a contracted sales company, you can have the opportunity to become your own entrepreneur, business owner, and eventually, run your own sales corporation.
If you would like to learn more about Cydcor, their impact, and their dedication to strengthening the next generation of business professionals, visit their website today.