Toward the end of last year, in November 2025, I had the opportunity to be featured in The Defender Network. At the time, life and work were moving fast, and while the article was published, I had not yet made space to reference it here.
As we move into a new year, it felt important to finally share this moment on my own platform.
The feature highlights my journey from being laid off to building The Clever Group and finding clarity in purpose driven work. It is a story rooted in pivots, resilience, and trusting the process when the plan changes.
Rather than retelling the full story here, I want to point you directly to the original article. The Defender did an incredible job capturing the journey in their own words.
Read Here -----> https://defendernetwork.com/under-40/laid-off-sly-roque-launches-agency/
I am deeply grateful to The Defender Network for highlighting stories like mine and for continuing to uplift Black founders, creatives, and leaders who are building with intention.
If you are entering a new year feeling uncertain, stretched, or redirected, I hope this story serves as a reminder that growth does not always look linear, and timing does not have to be perfect for purpose to show up.
Thank you to everyone who has supported The Clever Group along the way.
