ABOUT SONYA BAILOR
A CAREER AND LIFE COMMITTED TO HELPING
PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES GROW
Recognized Excellence: Top Finalist for Major Business Awards
Sonya Bailor, CEO of BAILORGROUP, has been honored as a top finalist for the highly prestigious 2024 Community Impact Award, Woman-Owned Business of the Year Award, AND the Entrepreneur of the Year award. With over two decades of experience, she has consistently earned accolades, most recently three consecutive nominations for Entrepreneur of the Year & Female Entrepreneur of the Year (2021-2023) and People's Choice Awards. These three are a high honor indeed. Sonya's dedication and proven success in business growth and strategy inspire positive change, unlocking her clients' full potential, making lasting impact on her clients and solidifying her position as a trusted industry leader.
ENTREPRENEUR, SPEAKER, PHILANTHROPIST, SUCCESSFUL GROWTH STRATEGIST, VISTAGE CHAIR
COMBINING PURPOSE AND PROFIT FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL GROWTH
Sonya Bailor is an entrepreneur, consultant, coach, speaker, philanthropist, successful growth strategist, and now a Vistage Chair. For over 20 years, her passion has been helping people and businesses grow to their next level. Her mission is to make an impact on the world by inspiring positive change and helping people and businesses unlock their maximum growth. Now, also as a Vistage Chair, she is expanding her reach by forming a CEO peer advisory group in Huntsville, Alabama, fostering an environment for leaders to thrive, learn, and unlock their full potential.
Ms. Bailor is a leader that other leaders call upon. She is the President & CEO of BAILORGROUP, a boutique consulting firm focused on growth strategy, and a Vistage Chair, building CEO peer advisory groups in her local community. She has been honored to lead growth strategy and organizational change management for companies ranging from small start-ups to Fortune 500's. Her client list includes industries in healthcare, consumer goods, professional sports, government services, and more. She has built a proven track record of transformational results in coaching and consulting both individuals and business clients.
Ms. Bailor is out to make an impact. She launched her consultancy at the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic to make an even greater impact and help more than one company at a time.
Growth strategy is how she thinks, it’s what she does. And it’s what she does very well.
Ms. Bailor's philanthropic purpose comes from her past. After living a traumatic childhood, Sonya’s parents began taking her to motivational conferences as a teenager to empower her with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to rise above her difficult circumstances. As entrepreneurs themselves, they ingrained into her the work ethic of ownership and servant leadership. She has served on the boards of nonprofits such as Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee and The Star Gala for Education. She has helped with fundraising efforts for organizations such as NFL Alumni Charities, Caring for Kids, American Cancer Society, Sexual Assault Center (RASAC), and K9s for Warriors.
BACKGROUND & BEGINNING PURPOSE
After Sonya Bailor was finally out of the state system, living in an orphanage, then foster home, her mother made a conscious decision to overflow her daughter with as much good as she could - in an attempt to overpower the bad childhood that she had finally come out of. From a pre-teenager, Sonya's mother and adopted dad raised her in church, as well as with a non-stop overflow of Zig Ziglar and Tony Robbin's audios, videos, and books. Even the rarely heard of Zig Ziglar Singers cassette tapes were on repeat in her household from that time. Sonya quickly showed leadership traits, and her mom & dad began bringing her with them attending many business and motivational conferences, such as Tony Robbins, Dale Carnegie, and other personal and business growth leaders. The growth mindset was engrained into her as a foundation for who she is today. It was even a Tony Robbins CD set, 'Personal Power II' that set Sonya down the path of learning then teaching, and now coaching her clients and nonprofits through re-associating their fears, truly turning fear into power.
Fast-forwarding into Sonya Bailor's marketing career, she went deep into the study of the human brain and human behavior - why people do what they do, why they respond the ways they respond, and so on - as well as deep communication skills. This not only helped accelerate her career path up the marketing executive ladder while she was in the corporate world... it made her excellent at the niche of growth that she focuses on today. Understanding how to unlock growth in people and businesses comes from both her entrepreneurial parents, her upbringing of grit and mindset, and the skills that she learned and studied along the way.
(Sonya Bailor pictured to the left with her mother & adopted dad)
THE HEART OF IMPACT: GIVING BACK
Sonya believes that the true measure of success is not just in what you achieve, but in what you give back. In 2020, Sonya relocated her family and Bailor Group’s headquarters to North Alabama. Before marketing her business to the local community, she first sought ways to give back to the place she would call home. Sonya began by partnering with The Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship, a nonprofit dedicated to driving economic growth and job creation in North Alabama. Recognizing a gap in support for established businesses, Sonya and Bailor Group stepped in to provide quality business education, expert pro bono coaching, and networking opportunities—empowering entrepreneurs and business owners at every stage of their journey, especially those who could not afford consulting services.
Beyond The Catalyst, Bailor Group proudly dedicates time and expertise to various pro bono projects each year. From providing board training for the AUM Foundation, which empowers under-resourced female students, to supporting Still Serving Veterans with strategic planning, Sonya and her team are committed to making a difference. Bailor Group also played a key role in building and launching the Alabama chapter of the NFL Alumni Association, the most respected retired player organization in professional sports.
Sonya’s dedication extends to serving on boards such as Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee and The Star Gala for Education, as well as fundraising efforts for organizations like NFL Alumni Charities, Caring for Kids, American Cancer Society, Rape and Sexual Assault Center, K9s for Warriors, and more. For Sonya, giving back is not just a commitment—it’s the core of who she is and a guiding principle for Bailor Group. Her philanthropy inspires her team and clients alike to think bigger, do more, and create a positive impact in their communities.
Sonya's goal is to lead by example, empowering each team member of BAILORGROUP to give of their time, energy, and talents to others. Creating a culture of community involvement and philanthropy and service starts at the top - because at BAILORGROUP, impact isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are.
TRACK RECORD OF TRANSFORMATION
Sonya Bailor has led growth strategy, strategic planning, leadership development, and change management for companies ranging from small start-ups to Fortune 500s over the last 20 years. Her client list spans industries including healthcare, technology, consumer goods, professional sports, government services, beauty and wellness, and more. With a proven track record of delivering transformational results, Sonya has coached and consulted with both individuals and businesses, creating lasting impact through her expertise and commitment.
Recognizing the power of her proven processes, Sonya packaged her methodologies to help multiple organizations simultaneously, amplifying her impact. This approach led to the creation of BAILORGROUP, a boutique consulting firm dedicated to driving growth and transformation across diverse industries. Sonya and her team excel at developing strategies that unlock personal and business growth, enhance operations, and create engaging customer experiences. Growth strategy isn’t just our business—it’s our passion. It’s how we think, what we do, and what we do exceptionally well.
2024 marks a pivotal year of growth and transformation for BAILORGROUP as well. To meet rising demand, the firm is expanding its team, bringing on new consultants and launching an AI Strategy division to help companies ethically integrate AI into their operations. Also, responding to numerous requests from entrepreneurs, BAILORGROUP is has launched a coaching program designed to provide impactful guidance and expertise at a level accessible to those seeking less than consulting. These initiatives reflect our commitment to evolving alongside our clients and continuing to drive meaningful change.
Beyond her consulting and coaching work, Sonya is passionate about mentoring and fostering a supportive community for business leaders. As a Vistage Chair, she embodies her belief that success comes from empowering others. By guiding and inspiring her members to grow their businesses and make better decisions, Sonya ensures they benefit from the collective wisdom of their peers, insights from world-class speakers, and a confidential, agenda-free setting that fosters real, transformative change.
