Tyrone Bufkin is a man of God, a devoted husband of over a decade, and a proud foster parent rooted in the Acadiana region. Born in St. Louis and raised in the spirit of New Orleans, Tyrone now calls Lafayette, LA, home. His journey hasn't been a straight line—it’s been a colorful, sometimes grit-filled path marked by hard work, music, and the kind of high-stakes conflict resolution that only comes from living a full life. These experiences didn't just shape him; they forged the resourceful, "inside-out" approach he brings to everything he touches.
As the Managing Partner of Shepherd & Steward, Tyrone operates at the intersection of entrepreneurship and disciplined management. He doesn't just manage businesses; he stewards missions in the circle of influence of his own.
“Only through a covenant with Love can we leverage unstoppable resourcefulness and actionable knowledge. We contribute to our circle of influence by building financial stability and marketable services—because we see, hear, feel, and know that we are Love.”
Whether he’s coordinating a complex logistical framework for a non-profit or navigating the beautiful chaos of foster parenting, Tyrone is driven by a passion to serve the body of Christ and the community of Acadiana with excellence.
Explore Tyrone's Journey
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[THE LIFE STORY]: The music, the humor, and the lessons learned along the way.
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[THE RESUME]: A decade of high-stakes execution and regional leadership.
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[MARKETABLE SERVICES]: How Tyrone’s logistics and execution firm can support you.
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[SHEPHERD & STEWARD]: The primary engine for entrepreneur & business management.
Tyrone Bufkin is and has always been an entrepreneur. Tyrone never noticed the lack of resources in his youth because his dreams were too big. Tyrone's hard-working single mother also raised his older brother and, later in life, his younger sister. Tyrone's mother worked long hours to pay the bills, but often came up short, so Tyrone began his hustle. As a young boy, around 13, Tyrone would hit the streets, asking strangers for money. Panhandling was Tyrone's introduction to sales and marketing. Tyrone learned to understand and accept rejection, manage money, and appreciate the importance of appearance. Interestingly, these early skills are still the most vital he uses today. Some people would say poor Tyrone had to beg for money, and he only saw it as an entry-level job.
At 15, Tyrone decided to earn money rather than ask for handouts. Shortly after making this decision, God ( or whatever you choose to call Him) created an opportunity. While walking home from school, Tyrone overheard the owner of a peanut company and his employee arguing just outside the store. As Tyrone got closer, the owner yelled, "You know what? That's it. I'm firing you!" And the employee walked off in fury. Tyrone grabbed this opportunity and approached the owner, saying, "Looks like you need a new employee! I can start working today."
The owner smiled and said, "I'm afraid you're too young," then turned and walked back into his store. Tyrone brushed off the rejection and followed the owner inside to continue the conversation. The owner thought it over and eventually agreed to hire Tyrone on a trial basis. Tyrone's goal was simple; he would outwork every employee the owner had. This strategy worked too well; within a few weeks, the owner cut Tyrone's hours because they were producing too much too fast. This was particularly confusing for Tyrone. He learned that if you work hard, you are supposed to be rewarded, and yet his hard work was instead being penalized. Furthermore, Tyrone had an income goal to reach, and a cut in hours is a cut in his goal.
Tyrone bought a ticket to a Saints game during his first day off. He noticed that no one was currently selling peanuts in the Superdome. So Tyrone negotiated with the owner to buy his surplus peanuts if he would restore his original hours. Tyrone then sold the purchased peanuts at the Superdome for double the cost, the birth of Tyrone's first business. Once Tyrone succeeded at the Superdome, he expanded to sell peanuts at other events, such as the Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras parades. Don't worry; Tyrone rarely missed a day in school, although this was when he began questioning the practicality of the information.
What kept Tyrone in school was the desire not to achieve any stereotypes of black men at the time. He didn't want to have children at a young age, be arrested, be perceived as lazy, or drop out of high school. Tyrone found the traditional education at the time to be useless. Tyrone consistently sought other forms of education that he could capitalize on immediately or potentially grow into something amazing. He had the opportunity to attend a trade-focused high school, where he learned skills in aviation and automotive. He was also able to meet successful businesspeople who were more than happy to show Tyrone how they achieved their success. People had such knowledge and experience and were willing to share it. Tyrone began to see the world through each of their eyes and was open to a world of opportunity and amazing experiences. He decided not to say no to new experiences and opportunities.
Since the first job, Tyrone has held two or three positions at a time in the workforce. Over the years, Tyrone has held more than 37 volunteer, employment, and equity positions across manufacturing, retail, financial services, hospitality, professional services, music and entertainment, transportation, technology, and economic development. Some may call Tyrone a workaholic, but he says that work fuels his love for learning and progress. One of the critical truths that Tyrone learned during this period of life was that you cannot get through life alone. Though Tyrone grew up lacking resources, he was never without love and mentorship, especially from his mother, his beloved guardians at Boys Hope Girls Hope, and his God-parents.
In 2010, after having more fun in college than he was supposed to, Tyrone finally decided what he wanted to do with his life. He had too many interests and a little momentum in each. He could go to flight school and complete his pilot's license; he could go back into sales in almost any industry; he could pursue a music career; or he could start to build something completely new. As Tyrone was reviewing my list of options, he had a thought—Why can't I do all of it? So he put the whole list into Google search, and it returned the word "entrepreneur." In a split second, Tyrone realized he had always been an entrepreneur, and now he has a job title. That realization launched a decade-long deep dive into the mechanics of the world. Tyrone didn't just want to own businesses; he wanted to understand them. He became a student of many trades, intentionally taking on a couple of dozen roles across nearly every industry imaginable—from hospitality and real estate to logistics and sales.
Tyrone rode the highs of successful launches and cataloged the hard lessons of failures, treating every experience as data for a larger blueprint. He spent those years mastering the "How" of things, realizing that while the industries changed, the fundamental need for stewardship never did. Whether he was behind a DJ booth, analyzing financial statements, or navigating the complexities of commercial real estate, he was learning how to bridge the gap between a high-level vision and the grit of daily execution. Eventually, the "Why" became clear. He saw that most visionaries were being crushed by the chaos of their own success. They had the ambition to lead, but lacked the bandwidth to manage. This led to the founding of Shepherd & Steward. Today, Tyrone no longer just "does all of it" for himself; he facilitates it for others. He has transitioned from the solo entrepreneur chasing every spark to the Managing Partner providing the firebreak. As a fiduciary and a "boots on the ground" partner in Lafayette, he now uses his lifetime of diverse expertise to protect my clients' visions, ensuring that their big ideas don't just stay ideas—they become measurable, profitable, and lasting results.
Tyrone is married to an unbelievably strong woman named Kayla Bufkin. He describes her as the missing link that unlocked the desire for God-like love. Tyrone strives to live a fulfilling life by helping people in their personal and professional lives and using products that assist them. Tyrone feels called to create, design, assist, and grow companies that deliver more value to customers than customers pay for. Tyrone has a passion for working with entrepreneurs and a love of making life better for others by turning ideas into action. While Tyrone is not an expert, he has adopted a single belief that has driven his entire life: " I never give up! I may back up, but I never back down. I always find a way to succeed because I don't know how to quit." Through God, I am an unstoppable force.
Keep scrolling to read Tyrone's RESUME, review Tyrone's marketable SERVICES, or Tyrone's primary business SHEPHERD & STEWARD | entrepreneur & business management firm.
Tyrone L Bufkin's Resume
Lafayette, LA | Last update: February 2026
Awards & Certifications:
Education, Skills, & Training:
"Trust is the baseline with Tyrone. Whether it’s business or community service, he operates with a level of integrity that is rare in today’s world." — Regional Business Leader
Experience:
May 2010 - Present
Managing Partner | Shepherd & Steward
Tyrone Bufkin is a student of many trades with a mastery of one: results. Throughout a career spanning dozens of industries, Tyrone has meticulously cataloged how businesses operate, succeed, and fail—transforming that institutional memory into a powerful "Strategic Readiness Index" for his clients. As the founder of Shepherd & Steward, his primary objective is to invite visionary leaders into his circle of influence, providing the actionable knowledge, capital, and fiduciary oversight required to transition a dream into a profitable, living reality.
Shepherd & Steward is an entrepreneur and business management firm that oversees seven distinct service categories, ranging from industrial infrastructure to community advocacy. As a vested managing partner, Tyrone Bufkin facilitates public access to the specialized expertise within this portfolio to drive growth across the Acadiana region.
By acting as a flat-fee fiduciary, the firm ensures that every connection—whether in logistics, family services, or economic development—is built on objective integrity and a commitment to tangible results
Community Involvement:
Click to learn more about Tyrone's LIFE STORY, read Tyrone's RESUME, review Tyrone's marketable SERVICES, or Tyrone's primary business SHEPHERD & STEWARD | personal & business management firm.