Episode 396 – Cynthia Washington Makes Emotional Intelligence an Unstoppable Leadership Edge
What if success was less about status and more about gratitude, service, and love? In this Unstoppable Mindset conversation, I talk with strategist and social media influencer Cynthia Washington about climbing and then stepping away from the corporate ladder, choosing a “socio economic experiment” that stripped life back to the basics, and discovering what really matters. You’ll hear how growing up in Pasadena, studying at Cal Poly Pomona and Columbia Business School, and working with brands like Enterprise and Zions Bank all led Cynthia to a life centered on emotional intelligence, mentoring young women in tech, and leading with heart. I believe you’ll come away seeing gratitude, leadership, and your own potential to be unstoppable in a very different light.
Highlights:
00:09 – Explore how early life experiences influence the values that guide personal and professional growth.02:59 – Learn how changing direction can uncover the strengths that shape long-term leadership.05:29 – See how pivotal transitions help define a clearer sense of purpose.10:07 – Discover what stepping away from convention reveals about identity and success.20:05 – Reflect on how redefining success can shift your entire approach to work and life.22:13 – Learn how a grounded mindset practice strengthens resilience and clarity.34:25 – Explore how personal evolution can grow into a mission to empower the next generation.59:11 – Gain a new perspective on how we perceive ability, inclusion, and human potential.
About the Guest:
Cynthia Washington: Bridging Societal Gaps Through Leadership, Influence, and Love
Cynthia Washington is an accomplished business professional, an award-winning leader, and international influencer whose life and career embodies resilience, vision, and compassion. While studying at Columbia University, she embarked on a socio-economic experiment, which became her reality, highlighting her journey across her social media platforms in hope of sharing her deep commitment to bridge societal gaps and create a better world—one love style, one courageous step at a time. A proud Park City local of more than twenty years, Cynthia’s story begins in Southern California, where she grew up between the San Gabriel Mountains and the beaches of Malibu. Her cousins called her “Malibu Barbie,” and her stepbrother called her “Love.” Rooted in her values and guided by her heart, Cynthia’s story is not only one of success but of transformation—a legacy driven by her belief that we deserve better. Cynthia leads with integrity and authenticity. She continues to expand her global network of leadership, uniting hearts and minds to inspire lasting, positive change on the right side of history with a framework of faith, family and fun that is built on a foundation of love, kindness, compassion and a hope for peace. One Love, Bob Marley style.
Professionally, Cynthia Washington stands at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and emotional intelligence. An agile and results-driven leader, she has distinguished herself through her ability to combine quantitative intuition with deep empathy—qualities that make her both a visionary and a unifier. Known for her collaborative leadership style, she excels in developing teams, leading organizational change, and driving sales performance across diverse industries. Her strategic mindset and exceptional communication skills have made her a trusted partner to executives and innovators alike. Cynthia’s work fosters meaningful engagement between employees and senior leaders, helping organizations align vision with values. Through her global portfolio of projects, she has sharpened her expertise in marketing, leadership development, and brand transformation, helping companies from Park City to Silicon Slopes and across international markets thrive. Her career is a testament to excellence, purpose, and adaptability—qualities that have earned her numerous accolades and the respect of peers worldwide. Among her many achievements, Cynthia was honored as a SheTech Champion Impact Award Recipient at the Women Tech Awards, celebrating her leadership, mentorship, and dedication to empowering young women in technology. For more than five years, she has stood alongside thousands of high school students—mentoring, volunteering, and serving as a role model for the next generation of innovators.
Motivated by her desire to create a better world for her daughter, she embarked on what she lovingly calls her “mom mission”—a service journey dedicated to making her community and the world around her better. During her sabbatical from Silicon Valley into this transformative period, Cynthia launched LVL UP with CW, her brand, leveraging her expertise to help local and global businesses grow, evolve, and thrive. As an international social media influencer, she has used her platform not for fame or recognition, but for global impact, sharing messages of resilience, hope, and empowerment. This work is a lesson of intersectionality and bridges the worlds of fashion, sports, philanthropy, business, money, technology, spirituality, global preservation, health and wellness in hopes of leveling up and shifting the societal norms. She has partnered with brands across industries to elevate visibility, deepen engagement, and build authentic customer connections. Through brand ambassador relationships, social media management, and content creation, Cynthia has amplified voices, strengthened communities, and showcased how influence, when rooted in integrity, is a force for good.
That same belief shines through in Cynthia Washington’s powerful memoir, Mind Matters: The Story of My Life. Written during her sabbatical, the respectfully honest memoir captures her life’s “grind with grit” story. The cover, graced by her daughter’s original artwork, wraps her book with a big thank you hug, encapsulating the power of love that anchors Cynthia’s bold voyage. Mind Matters explores her corporate climb and fall, her studies at Columbia University, her travels across the United States with her daughter, the Aloha spirit of Hawaii, and her experiences in Hollywood and the music industry. Interwoven through these chapters are stories of friendship, including her personal connections with cultural icons like Eminem and Kobe Bryant, whose wisdom and creativity shaped what Cynthia calls The Trifecta - a guiding philosophy built on Kobe’s Mamba Mentality, the music of Eminem, and her own life’s work. Three forces that together drive her vision and her ability to live her socio-economic experiment proving money is a tool and the real power is in the mind. “You can do anything you set your mind to, man” - Eminem
Mind Matters: The Story of My Life is available on Amazon and other major online retailers and can also be ordered through local bookstores. The memoir has been nominated for The Eric Hoffer Award for Excellence in Independent Publishing, a recognition of both its literary merit and its heartfelt message of perseverance. Yet, true to her character, Cynthia did not embark on this journey for fame or recognition—she wrote it to give back, to inspire, and to remind readers everywhere that no matter where you come from, with a healthy positive mindset you too can change the trajectory of your life.
Beyond her work as an author and international leader, Cynthia lives a simple life. She is a mom, a trailblazer, and an advocate, representing many initiatives that level up society and bridge societal gaps. She turned her pain into her strength and used that as fuel to ignite a movement. Her heart is full of gratitude for all the bands and their aid, as they played a meaningful role in inspiring the Band Aid, a global movement for unity and peace that emerged during a time when the world needed hope most. A true Band Aid.
Ways to connect with Cynthia**:**
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/misscdub
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-washington-1b13a265
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Matters-Story-My-Life/dp/B0DJRPQTY2
About the Host:
Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.
Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT\&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards.
https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/
https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/
accessiBe Links
https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe
https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/
https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/
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