By Bryonna Head, Brand Strategists
Laurie Sayles, advocate and entrepreneur
Hi, I am Laurie Sayles! I am an author, change agent, thought leader, and the President and CEO of Civility Management Solutions (CivilityMS). CivilityMS is a professional and technical consulting firm servicing government, commercial, and nonprofits (associations). As a certified Small Business Administration 8(a), Women-Owned, and verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, we have made strides in growing and retaining personnel.
CivilityMS is committed to the highest degree of accountability, professionalism, and civility in the workplace, while supporting our clients in the delivery of cost-effective, ethical, and strategically reliable solutions. All while maintaining a balanced work environment inclusive of mentoring and coaching for our greatest assets – our staff.
My interest in and love for entrepreneurship was born in the projects on the South Side of Chicago from my novice business models for childcare and selling goods. Merging my mindset of being in service with the desire to be of service, I joined the Marines and served my country for 10 years.
Building upon entrepreneurship and active-duty service, I began to conceptualize CivilityMS as an entity that could combine my passion for building various business adventures with advocacy work. As a thought leader, I strive to serve as a resource to many organizations that seek to empower and inspire their members, employees, and guests with the tools required to establish, nurture, and maintain success in various areas of their lives.
CivilityMS ribbon cutting ceremony in 2012.
As a multimillion-dollar (and growing) business, my team and I pride ourselves on building lasting relationships through partnerships with companies with shared values and interests.
“We have always sought out opportunities to create opportunities for the people in our communities,” says Corporate Program Manager Cheryl Thompson. “CivilityMS is that space that provides everyone an equal playing field to learn and grow.”
To that point, we recently partnered with Springboard Global Enterprises to expand leadership and training opportunities for disabled and non-disabled veterans working in Fortune 50 – 500 companies, as well as government. We have also partnered with Employ Prince George’s to hire women returning to society following incarceration through their Re-Entry Employment Incentive program.
Laurie Sayles speaks on Capitol Hill on behalf of Women Veterans.
Many of our current contracts provide a unique opportunity to directly impact he advancement of services for U.S. and international customers. Working with the Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living, USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection, are great examples of agencies that advocate, protect, and serve diverse audiences.
In my commitment to serving, mentorship, and leadership, I have been awarded Startup Weekly’s “Women in Business to Watch” award (2021); the Washington Business Journal’s “Veterans in Business” award (2020); the 2019 Maryland Women Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year, and Veterans in Business Network’s “Above and Beyond” award. In 2018, CivilityMS was selected as one of 100 minority businesses in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. I have also been recognized as a “compassionate business leader” because of my advocacy on behalf of veteran business owners. Upon request, I have served on Small Business Committee hearings in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives and participated in many pilot programs for veterans and small business owners to provide direct input on the economic development and growth opportunities for minority, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses.
Laurie Sayles encourages alumni of University of Maryland Global Campus
I currently serve as the Chair of the Women Veterans Business Coalition, which fights for policy changes for veteran women-owned businesses and am a member of VetForce and Women Impacting Public Policy. I am also a member of the 2023–2025 UMGC Alumni Association Advisory Board, as well as Shield of Sisters, an organization helping sister service members overcome military sexual trauma.
My book “As My Leaders Go … So Do I,” is an ode to the leaders I surrounded myself with and provides funding support for programs that service survivors of economic domestic violence. Recently, CivilityMS launched a nonprofit: “R3” (Recognize, Repair, and Repeat), which aims to improve the lives of women and women who have served in the military, as well as their families, by providing them with exposure and access to wealth-building resources for their success.
You may have noticed a theme. In every area of my career, I seek to bring civility to the workplace. Civility is more than making others feel comfortable; it’s about creating dynamic, diverse, and productive spaces. I always strive to uplift, and I live to be an example of equal opportunity. CivilityMS is that desire in full fruition. We are extremely proud of the work we have done and look forward to continuing.
