Cindy Panetti Cyr

I attribute my success to continuous learning, creativity, and self-awareness. I think it's really important to spend time every day reading and writing, even if it's just a few minutes. If somebody wants to be a writer or a speaker, you have to do that regularly. I read different kinds of writing, not just one genre. In my experience, knowing how to tell a story means you've got to read stories, so I read fiction as well as nonfiction. I also believe in creative play. I have a table set up for painting and creating art, and I do some sort of drawing, painting or art pretty much every day. Sometimes it's more structured, and sometimes I'm just throwing some color down. I've found that engaging with activities that help you escape a little bit from the news and whatever else is going on is important. I walk through my garden every day, even if it's just 10 minutes, to notice what new plant is blooming. It just takes your head away. If I'm stuck when writing, I go near water. Water tends to help me, whether it's ocean waves, a waterfall, or even just taking a shower. There's something about running water that just opens the mind and creativity. I also strongly believe in following a more meaningful path rather than staying confined to traditional expectations. I'm passionate about the idea that in each passing year, we should always try to improve ourselves and try new things-- in other words, aim to be a better version of yourself the next year than you were the year before. I believe this is doable when you are intentional about it, combining your lived experience with a whole year of being able to acquire more knowledge.

The advice I would give — and wish I had learned earlier — is to be less afraid of asking for mentorship. Seek out mentors. Be bold enough to reach out to people you admire and ask to learn from them. It does not always have to be formal, either. One of the most valuable things you can do is invite someone you respect to lunch or coffee and ask thoughtful, strategic questions that help unlock their wisdom. You can even make a habit of choosing a different person each week. It does not have to be work-related — it can be anyone whose life, character, or perspective you admire.

That is what I would tell my younger self to do more of.

I have been fortunate to have several mentors who helped shape my path. Dan Kennedy, without question, had a profound impact on me. When I look back, I can see how that relationship altered the course of my life, probably more than almost any other. There were also people at AWAI who helped me learn the craft of copywriting, including Katie Yeakle, who was a tremendous influence on me.

I would also say my mom was one of my greatest mentors, although I do not think I fully understood that until much later in life. She deeply influenced how I think about women, women’s issues, and the importance of using your voice. That realization led me to look more closely at my family history and ancestry. One of my ancestors is Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and when I think about how far women have come — being able to vote, own businesses, and lead in ways previous generations could not — I feel connected to a much bigger legacy.

And in some ways, mentorship goes beyond the people you know personally. There are many people I have never met, but who have still mentored me through their books, ideas, and the example of how they lived.

I would tell younger women entering my field to take ownership of their growth by actively seeking out wisdom from people they admire. Mentorship does not always have to be formal. Sometimes it starts by simply inviting someone to lunch and asking thoughtful, strategic questions that allow you to learn from their experience.

I would also encourage them to build a daily habit of reading and writing, even if only for a few minutes. If you want to become a stronger writer or speaker, you have to stay close to language and story. Reading both fiction and nonfiction helps sharpen that skill in different ways.

Just as importantly, make space for creative play. Curiosity, imagination, and moments of escape are not distractions from the work — they are often what fuel the best ideas.

I believe one of the biggest opportunities right now is helping people in the second half of life realize their value and potential. In the first half of life, we are given all these ladders to climb — get an education, build a career, start a business, raise a family. But in the second half of life, the messaging often becomes much less empowering. People start hearing that it is all downhill from here, and there is not nearly as much of a roadmap for what comes next.

I feel extremely passionate that every passing year should be an opportunity to grow, improve, and try new things. We should be better next year than we are this year. The beauty of this stage of life is that we have more lived experience, more wisdom, and more perspective to draw from, and that gives us tremendous value to offer.

That's why I am committed to helping people see that they still have so much value to bring to the world. Too often, they are not sharing that value because they do not fully realize how much they have to offer.

I also believe storytelling is incredibly important, and in many ways, it feels like that art is fading. That is part of why I am focusing more on showcasing storytelling and using it to talk about ideas that have deeper, longer-term impact. I have started shifting my focus more toward subjects that make people think differently about life, growth, and what is possible. For example, I was a featured speaker at Idea Talks, where the goal was to present a bold idea in a way that challenged people to see it from a new perspective.

The values that matter most to me in both my career and personal life are growth, creativity, authenticity, and meaningful contribution. I believe life should be an ongoing process of becoming — continuing to learn, stretch, and evolve with each passing year. To me, experience is not something to simply collect; it is something to build on. I want each season of life to deepen who I am and expand what I am able to give.

A big part of what drives me is helping people recognize the value and potential they already carry. So often, people underestimate what they have to offer, and as a result, they hold back gifts, wisdom, and experiences that could deeply impact others. I care about work that helps unlock that.

I also care deeply about authenticity and impact that lasts. That is one reason my focus has evolved toward conversations and messages that feel more enduring — work that speaks to how we live, grow, and contribute, not just what we produce. Storytelling is a big part of that for me because it is one of the most powerful ways we make meaning, connect, and move people.

In my personal life, creativity and connection to nature are essential. I watercolor paint and try to make space for something creative every day. I also love native gardening. About five years ago, I removed every bit of grass from my front and back yard and replaced it with native plants. I walk through my garden every day, even if only for a few minutes, just to notice what is blooming or changing. Travel and the outdoors also matter a lot to me. I have traveled to 36 countries, and I love hiking, biking, and kayaking. And when I need clarity, I go near water. There is something about moving water that helps me think, breathe, and reconnect to my creativity.