Tyrone Bufkin is a man of God, specifically a practicing Catholic, but he loves the entire body of Christ. Tyrone has been happily married for over a decade, and they are devoted foster parents. He was born in St. Louis, MO, raised in New Orleans, LA, and proudly lives in and represents Lafayette, LA, and the Acadiana region. He embarked on a colorful life journey marked by hard work, music, humor, and conflict resolution, which has shaped the man he is today. Tyrone is a Life and Business Investor and Managing Partner of Shepherd & Steward, a personal & business management firm, and is eager to know how he can help you today.
Only through a covenant with Love can Tyrone Bufkin leverage unstoppable resourcefulness, actionable knowledge, and energy to fulfill our passion to contribute using marketable services and financial stability from the inside out to our circle of influence. Because we see, hear, feel, and know that we are Love.
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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 years old, 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, money management, and the importance of appearance. Interestingly enough, these early skills are still the most vital that I use today. Some people would say poor Tyrone had to beg for money, and I only see it as my first skill-building job.
At 15, Tyrone decided to earn money instead of asking 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 responded, "I'm afraid you're too young," and turned to walk 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.
Tyrone bought a ticket to a Saints game during his first day off. He noticed that there was no person 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 different volunteer, employment, and equity positions in various industries, including manufacturing, retail, financial services, hospitality, professional services, music 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.
It took a long time, many mistakes, and multiple mentors for Tyrone to figure out what he wanted to do with his professional life. After holding numerous jobs at such a young age, he was able to determine that what he loved was figuring out how businesses operate. What makes them fail or succeed? It was interesting to discover that the old man telling stories by the water cooler and consistently missing deadlines turned out to be the linchpin keeping the business moving forward. Or the quiet and unassuming customer who didn't say a word during their experience, but is the very reason the company goes under.
Today, 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, utilizing products that assist them. Tyrone feels called to create, design, assist, and grow various companies that provide more value to their customers than what the customer pays for. Tyrone has a passion for working with entrepreneurs and a love of making life better for others through ideas transformed 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."
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Tyrone L Bufkin's Resume
Lafayette, LA | Lastest update: August 2026
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Education, Skills, & Training:
"Tyrone's outgoing hospitality and willingness to go above and beyond speaks volumes. I have enjoyed working along side him over these past two years in Sales and can't wait to see where his future leads him. He's handled all the "exciting" changes we've faced with a positive attitude and is not afraid to push boundaries. His involvement in the community is a great representation of LBA culture. The team is incredibly lucky to have him, and I'm so thankful for everything he's done for the property and the team." -Feb 2025 Joseph Richard, General Manager - SpringHill Lafayette South
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Kayla Bufkin, Administrative Assistant
I have a bio; trust me, it's good, but I still need to write it. It will be 50-75 words long. I will detail in one sentence my role within the company. I will express my brand. I'll let you know what makes me unique. I'll tell you about my big goals and aspirations. I'll list 2-3 most impressive and relevant achievements. I'll close with an offer to contact me.
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Kelli Landry, Software Developer
I have a bio; trust me, it's good, but I still need to write it. It will be 50-75 words long. I will detail in one sentence my role within the company. I will express my brand. I'll let you know what makes me unique. I'll tell you about my big goals and aspirations. I'll list 2-3 most impressive and relevant achievements. I'll close with an offer to contact me.
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Dominique Bufkin, Writer
I have a bio; trust me, it's good, but I still need to write it. It will be 50-75 words long. I will detail in one sentence my role within the company. I will express my brand. I'll let you know what makes me unique. I'll tell you about my big goals and aspirations. I'll list 2-3 most impressive and relevant achievements. I'll close with an offer to contact me.
Random Fun Fact:
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