Meet Cynthia Gudiel | Founder

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

Hi Cynthia, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Higher education changed my life. I am the daughter of Mexican immigrants who did not have the opportunity to go to school beyond the 6th grade. My mom was never allowed to go to school at all, like not even kindergarten. My grandpa believed women belonged at home in the kitchen and helping take care of the home. My mother learned how to read from my father after getting married.

My parents risked their life to come to his country and give me a better life. They wanted me to have what they couldn’t have growing up- a quality education. They instilled in me the power of education, but little did I know that education would change my life. A college education has provided with social mobility and I want others who look like me, first generation students of color, to have that same opportunity.

I went to graduate school to study higher education. Right before starting my second year of graduate school, I landed my dream job. I became the College Access Manager at KIPP DFW. I had the privilege of serving high school students from all over the metroplex with their college and career goals, and the admissions process. Through word of mouth, I began having students and families from outside of my KIPP caseload reach out to me asking for help. In 2022, I decided to make it official. I am here to help. I started my own business because I wanted to be able to support more students and provide more resources to these students. My dream has always been to be able to offer scholarships, and last year Volar did that thanks to the community’s support.

I am committed to offering college and career advising for FREE to students who need it most. Did you know the average high school senior receives just 38 minutes of college and career advising? My students receive well over 10 hours each throughout their Senior year. Volar empowers historically underserved students by providing individualized and intentional college and career advising. We want to ensure that the next generation of our workforce is strong and empowered, and that EVERY student is empowered to take charge of their destiny.

Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a full-time mom, founder of Volar, and a part-time college access consultant. I started this non-profit in a time in my life I was seeking more flexibility so I could spend more time with my baby. The reality was I was paying way too much for daycare when I worked full time and my baby was constantly getting sick. I felt like the majority of my check was going to daycare, and our finances were just not adding up anymore.

I took a leap of faith to start this business, and I do not regret it. This business has continued to push me outside my comfort zone, but I am so excited to see its growth and to continue to serve more students and families. Volar is starting year 2 and we are still run by volunteer staff. No one is paid, including myself. In order to pay my bills, I work part-time for the Texas College Access Network (TxCAN). I love the work I get to do there. TxCAN connects and supports college access initiatives across Texas, with the goal of increasing access to college and certificate programs. I feel so lucky to be a part of such an awesome team!

The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is the leap of faith is worth it, but be sure to discern it with God first!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love hanging out at Bishop Arts, Greenville, and the Farmers Market!

Some of my favorite places in Bishop Arts include grabbing an horchata at CocoAndre, a donut at Salty Donut, and brunch at Oddfellows.

In Greenville, I love going in the evening and grabbing a drink at Truck Yard or HG Supply!

The Farmers Market is perfect on the weekend! So much yummy food and great small businesses to support!

Bonus: I highly recommend grabbing a roasted corn at the entrance of Garibaldi Bazaar. Get it with all of the crema, queso, lime, and chile! Delicioso!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Above all, I am a child of God. I am where I am today because God has placed me exactly where he needs me to be. There have been and there continue to be seasons where I am filled with doubt and fear. But without a doubt, God continues to stay by my side and always sends the best people to support me along the way. I want to dedicate this shout out to my family and my community. I can not do this work alone. It is thanks to their continued love and support that I have the strength to continue on this journey even when the path seems unclear.

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