A powerful leadership lesson learned at a Girl Scout cookie stand reveals how changing your mindset and the story you tell about your work can transform outcomes and drive success in business.
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Influential Woman · Insurance / Business Consulting
Dr. Cindy Wheeler, EdD, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®
ChFC, CLU, RICP
Sales Leader / Author, Hustle Is Not a Strategy
Fresno, CA 93730
2008Years experience
1Article published
Her Story
About Cindy
Dr. Cindy Wheeler, EdD, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®, is an accomplished insurance sales leader, author, and talent development professional with more than 18 years of experience in the insurance industry. Based in Fresno, California, she has built a distinguished career helping insurance agency owners develop their leadership capabilities, strengthen business operations, and achieve sustainable growth. Cindy began her career as an insurance agency owner in Southern California, where she built and operated her own successful, multimillion-dollar insurance agency from the ground up. She later transitioned into leadership, serving as a developmental agency field consultant before becoming a sales leader responsible for recruiting, training, coaching, and developing agents across five Central California counties. Through her leadership, she emphasizes clear business strategies, effective systems, and collaborative team cultures that empower agency owners to succeed. In addition to her leadership responsibilities, Cindy is the author of Hustle Is Not a Strategy: Building an Insurance Agency That Grows on Purpose and its companion workbook. Drawing on her professional experience and academic background, she offers practical guidance to insurance agency owners seeking to overcome operational challenges, prevent burnout, and build businesses capable of growing without depending entirely on their personal efforts. Her approach focuses on intentional leadership, role clarity, employee development, and scalable business systems. Cindy earned her Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California, along with bachelor's and master's degrees in Communication Studies from California State University, Los Angeles. She also holds professional designations including Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), and Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®), reflecting her commitment to professional development and industry expertise. Cindy attributes much of her success to the values instilled by her immigrant parents from Argentina, whose sacrifices reinforced the importance of hard work, education, and perseverance. Her professional philosophy centers on servant leadership, collaboration, and helping others recognize opportunities for growth. She is passionate about developing future agency leaders, fostering supportive professional environments, and creating economic opportunities through entrepreneurship. Beyond her career, Cindy enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures, cooking, hosting gatherings, and writing. She also actively participates in community networking and supports professional connections through the Fresno County Women's Chamber of Commerce. Through her leadership, writing, and mentorship, Cindy continues to inspire others to pursue meaningful success by building with intention, leading with purpose, and creating opportunities for those around them.
Hustle Is Not a Strategy is an independent personal project. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by my employer, and the views expressed are my own.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cindy
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my parents, who immigrated from Argentina and made tremendous sacrifices to provide me with a better life in the United States. Their sacrifices taught me the importance of hard work, perseverance, and making the most of every opportunity. They also supported my education, debate, bilingualism, and cultural awareness, which helped shape my personal and professional growth.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have learned is to embrace every opportunity for growth and never stop learning. My experience as a small business owner taught me the importance of understanding every aspect of a business, meeting customer needs, and delivering quality service. As I transitioned into sales leadership, I discovered the value of guiding others through their professional development and helping them achieve their goals.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to be a positive role model, lead with kindness, and remain persistent in pursuing your goals. Stay dedicated and focused on what truly inspires you, and commit wholeheartedly to your growth and success. Always strive for excellence while staying true to your values and passion.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in my field is helping professionals build intentional businesses and scale them effectively rather than relying solely on hard work. Through my book, Hustle Is Not a Strategy, I aim to provide practical tools, workbooks, and step-by-step guidance to help insurance professionals set clear goals, improve their strategies, and achieve sustainable business growth.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are servant leadership, collaboration, and helping others succeed. I believe in identifying gaps, offering support whenever possible, and fostering a positive culture where people can learn and grow together. In my personal life, family is my foundation. My husband has been my constant source of support, encouragement, and stability, always believing in me and standing beside me as I pursue every goal. My daughter is one of my greatest joys and inspirations; watching her grow into a strong, thoughtful young woman inspires me every day to be the kind of role model she deserves. And my parents taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, and character, laying the foundation for everything that followed. I am also grateful for the leaders, mentors, and women's study group who invested in me along the way.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Cindy
It Wasn't the Cookies. It Was the Mindset.
How changing your mindset can transform your leadership and your results.
Some of the most important leadership lessons I've learned didn't come from a boardroom or a classroom. One of them happened along the parade route at the Almond Blossom Festival, when I set out to teach my daughter about mindset with a wagon full of Girl Scout cookies.
We started the parade route with a wagon full of cookies in every flavor. The popular ones went first, and fast. Before long, all she had left were three varieties: Peanut Butter Patties, Shortbread, and Thanks-A-Lots. That's when her pitch changed. As people walked by, she began approaching them almost apologetically: "These are the only ones we have left." And one after another, people politely said no.
It wasn't that the cookies were bad. It wasn't the customers, and it wasn't the price. It was the story she was telling about them. She was presenting them as the cookies nobody else wanted.
So we talked about it. I asked her which of those three she actually liked and why. She told me Thanks-A-Lots were her favorite, and she could tell me exactly what she loved about them. So I suggested she tell the customers that instead.
The next person who walked by heard something completely different. Not "These are the only ones we have left," but "These are my favorite, and here's why." And they bought a box. Then the next person did. Box after box, she sold nearly everything she had; the only thing she ran out of was time before the parade ended. At one point, she turned to me, eyes wide, and said, "Mommy... it works!"
Nothing about the cookies had changed. The customers were the same people walking the same parade route, and the price was the same. The only thing that changed was her mindset, and because her mindset changed, the outcome changed.
I've thought about that day many times in my career. Over 18 years in the insurance industry and 14 years in leadership, I've worked with business owners who were talented, hardworking, and committed, yet still felt stuck. Very often, the problem wasn't the market, the product, or the people. It was the story they were telling themselves: "This is just a slow season." "People don't want what we offer." "I just need to work harder."
When we believe we're selling what nobody wants, we sell like it. We hesitate, apologize, and hold back. When we believe in the value of what we offer, we lead differently, and the people around us feel it.
Here are three questions I've learned to ask myself and the leaders I coach:
1. What story am I telling about my work? Listen to the words you use when you describe your business, your team, or your offer. Are you apologizing for it or standing behind it?
2. What do I genuinely believe in? My daughter didn't fake enthusiasm. She found the thing she truly loved and led with it. Authentic belief is persuasive in a way that pressure never is.
3. Is the problem really out there, or is it in here? Before changing your market, your price, or your people, check your mindset. It's often the fastest change you can make and the one with the biggest return.
That idea sits at the heart of my book, Hustle Is Not a Strategy. Working harder isn't always the answer. Sometimes the breakthrough comes from thinking differently, leading on purpose, and building with intention.
My daughter is grown now, but I still carry that lesson with me. The cookies didn't change. She did, and that changed everything.
Dr. Cindy Wheeler, EdD, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®, is the author of Hustle Is Not a Strategy: Building an Insurance Agency That Grows on Purpose and its Companion Workbook. Learn more at www.hustleisnotastrategy.net.
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