SSP Member Highlight – Proof Please, LLC

Setting out with faith and passion, Cindy pivoted to pursue her dream of entrepreneurship. Holding on to something dear to her, and fueled by her own family’s personal experience with elder abuse, Cindy founded an agency that investigates and advocates for the prosecution of elder abuse cases, Proof Please, LLC.

Proof Please is focused on helping older adults protect their independence and seeks justice in elder abuse cases by offering proof. “This is just really close to my heart. My ailing grandmother went into a respite care facility and came out with bruises,” Cindy said. Cindy and her business embody the principle that caring for those that cared for us is an honor. According to the National Council on Aging up to five million older Americans are abused every year, and the annual loss by victims of financial abuse is estimated to be at least $36.5 billion.

While Cindy wasn’t sure where her entrepreneurial spirit would lead her, she always knew she wanted to be in charge of her day and her projects. “My parents always said I was a little bossy as a child. In every job I’ve had, I felt that I wanted to be the one leading, I just naturally stepped into that role,” said Cindy. Like so many, the pandemic really shifted Cindy’s perspective and propelled her towards being her own boss. Feeling stripped of opportunities during the pandemic, Cindy knew she never wanted to be in that situation again; entrepreneurship allowed her to be in control.

The idea for Proof Please came in September 2020 and she studied to obtain her PI license and enroll in an educational program. At that time she had a partner who just wasn’t as invested as she was and by March 2021, Cindy realized this was her passion and hers to pursue alone. That’s where faith and timing stepped in.

Cindy lives minutes from Bloom and had already been following the coworking space, but when she saw the advertisement for the Startup Stability Program in May, she knew it was a sign. “I had just that week found an Instagram post that said, ‘Do it again, but do it with God,’ then the SSP opportunity came up and I just felt motivated to make this happen!”

With the help of her sister and a lot of prayer, she completed her business plan and application in four days and was accepted into an office space at Bloom, just blocks from her home. “I’m really grateful for this. I don’t know where I’d be without this opportunity.”

Cindy loves being surrounded by people she can learn from. “I can build relationships with people in a similar place in their business journey. We share our fears and our triumphs.  With a coworking space, you just never know who you’ll run into,” she said. It’s this ecosystem of different businesses that is so great for entrepreneurs.

As part of the SSP educational program, Proof Please has already made a pitch to an investor forum and been paired with a mentor that is helping Cindy connect to area law firms that prosecute elder abuse. Cindy hopes Proof Please can be Virginia’s preferred partner for senior services.

In encouraging other entrepreneurs, Cindy says, “Find something you’re passionate about and commit. Invest in yourself. I don’t think there’s a specific path to follow, just be diligent in pursuing your passion and believe in it.” Bloom believes in Cindy and the difference that Proof Please will make.

Find Proof Please here.