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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://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Hi everyone. Welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're with us today, wherever you happen to be, hope you're having a good day, and hope that we can inspire you and make this a fun time for you as well. Our guest today is Cynthia Washington. Cynthia describes herself as standing at the intersection of strategy, leadership and an emotional intelligence, and I know that she's going to talk more about that and what what brought her to come to that conclusion, but I've been looking at her information. I think she's got a lot of interesting stuff to talk to us about, and we'll get to it. But for now, Cynthia, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Cynthia Washington  02:05 Oh, thank you, Michael. I appreciate being here and spending this time with you today, and I'm looking forward to our conversation. Michael Hingson  02:13 Well, I am as well. Well, why don't we start? I love to start this way with the the early Cynthia, if you will. Cynthia Washington  02:20 Of course, yes, the early Cynthia. I grew up in Pasadena, California, that Southern California, near the Rose Bowl in the San Gabriel Mountains. I attended an all girls private Catholic school for my seventh to 12th grades. I attended also Cal Poly Pomona, where I studied international business and marketing. And I love everything Southern California. I've always had this dream of living in Park City, and I ended up coming here in when was it 2004 so I've been here almost 21 years. Michael Hingson  03:04 So when you were at Cal Poly, did you help build the Rose Parade Float? Cynthia Washington  03:09 I did not build the Rose Parade Float, even though both Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona do a collaborative effort to build one every year since I grew up with the Rose Parade in my backyard, I had my own special moments with that. I always wanted to be on the Rose Parade court, and so my mom put me into a many different pageants, which helped prepare me and built my confidence so that I could be the person I am today. And I'm forever grateful for that experience like sports, it teaches you about competition, failure and set you up for success. Michael Hingson  04:05 Yes. And again, what did you study at Cal Poly, Cynthia Washington  04:10 international business and marketing? Okay, I originally started in microbiology. I had finished with the intention to become a doctor, and realized I could not stomach blood or needles, and so I quickly changed my major once I made that realization, and I changed my major to English, because I love reading Shakespeare Books. Everything is just so fascinating, fascinating about the English language and its literature. So I studied that for a little while, my father told me that I needed to do something different, and therefore I changed my major to international business and marketing. Michael Hingson  05:00 Hmm, that was different than English by any standard. Yeah. Cynthia Washington  05:06 So it was definitely different. Well, he is a businessman, a banker, and I think you know, for him, it was important for me to kind of follow in those footsteps, which I have, ironically, and I'm forever grateful for him for pushing me in a different direction, I use all three though, the science, the technology, the English and the international business skills in my current role, so, or roles, Michael Hingson  05:37 well, so you graduated. Did you go on and get any advanced degrees or just a bachelor's? Cynthia Washington  05:43 Oh, well, I did. It took me a while, too, though. I recently, in 2022 applied to Columbia University, actually Columbia Business School, and I completed their chief marketing officer executive education program with a Certificate in Business Excellence from Columbia Business School. So yes, I did eventually go back to school. However, I had a few careers in and amongst that along my path and my journey, which helped me have a more well rounded knowledge, yeah, to enter into that up advanced learning. Michael Hingson  06:35 So what did you do after you graduated from Cal Poly? Cynthia Washington  06:40 After I graduated from Cal Poly, I took a gap year, to be honest, and in that gap year, I learned so much about myself. I intersected with Hollywood for a brief moment in time, developed some really great, lasting friendships that have surpassed time. In addition to that, I skied, I snowboard, I learned to surf, and did all the things that I just needed to do as a California girl, yes, it was quite fun and bolted me into the person I am today. With that being said, I once again, had my father reminding me that it was time to get a job, and so I ventured into the management trainee program with enterprise run a car, climbed that corporate ladder, eventually having a territory from Santa Barbara to San Diego that I managed and oversaw a team inside one of our insurance partners headquarters, Which was really amazing opportunity. Then that took me, with a relocation package to Utah with my husband and our newborn baby to come and plant roots. Here he they enterprise was ahead of times in the fact that they wanted to harvest talent from different parts of the United States to strengthen the team they were building in Utah. My husband and I at the time, were part of that strategy, which was really an amazing opportunity, because I was one of a handful women managers that were brought on to the Utah team, and we were able to establish ourselves as influencers and leaders to help grow the women leadership network within Utah and Idaho for enterprise. Michael Hingson  09:14 You said, early I'm sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead. You said early on that you always wanted to go to Park City. Why was that? Sounds like, you know, you got to live your dream. But why was that? Yes. Cynthia Washington  09:26 Well, my father worked a lot, and for him to disconnect from work, we would come and visit Park City or travel to Hawaii. Well, we summer it every summer in Kauai for the month of July. So to contrast that we had time in Park City, Utah before it was what it has become, which was really fascinating. And I loved having the exposure to the Four Seasons and just the. Um, simple life that park city offered was really refreshing, coming from the hustle and bustle of Downtown LA and being in the city, it was just something I dreamt of, and I'm so grateful to have lived that dream, to be here and have to and to have raised my daughter here as well Michael Hingson  10:27 makes sense. And as I said, you now get to live your dream. You're living where you wanted to, and you've been there now for, like, 21 years, and you sound like you haven't changed your mind, you're very happy with it. Cynthia Washington  10:43 Yes, you know, my daughter's graduating college soon, and perhaps maybe I'll think of another location to move to. But for now, this is what I call home. This is where I've planted my my seeds and my roots for our little single mom family. So yeah, it's been great. Michael Hingson  11:06 Well, so you you say that you lived a social, socio economic experiment. Tell me more about what that means. Yes. Cynthia Washington  11:19 So while at Columbia University, I opted to live a socio economic experience to contrast the life that I grew up with. So as I mentioned, I attended Cal Poly, worked with enterprise, had a great career with them. When I came to Utah, I kept that career. After my divorce, I began another career at America first credit union. I saw, I saw that I needed to take a step back from the career world, and so I took a 20 hour teller position as I was figuring out my relationship with my husband and determining our next steps. And so once that was dissolved, I had this great team who saw my leadership skills and helped me climb another corporate ladder. After a few years one of my previous colleagues came to me and asked me to venture into Silicon Valley, doing business in Utah with a team, a Medicare sales team that I managed, and that was quite fascinating, talk about baptism by fire. I learned all things Medicare on the fly, and had a really amazing opportunity with that. And so I have steadily over time, climbed three different corporate ladders, made excellent income, six figures, generously raising my daughter here in Utah, and it has always been in the back of my mind to understand life from a different lens, to understand it with a different perspective. And so as a result, when I was in the Columbia application process, I had become really, really, really sick, deathly sick, I like to say I was on my death bed when I applied to Colombia because I was surviving on water and pressed juices for a little over a month, because I was having some difficulties internally. And so while I had that downtime, I had a lot of time to think, and it was important to me to apply at Columbia. Well, I originally applied to Northwestern and they recommended me to Columbia. And so when I did my Columbia application, it was important for me not to just take the northwestern recommendation, but to also set myself apart. And I thought, well, the socio economic experiment would be great at something I've been thinking about, you know, living life through a different lens. I had the savings built up so that I could do so. And I thought, Yes, I can do this. I can You can do anything you set your mind to. Quote. Eminem, I did. I did that. I lived it. I abandoned my ego, I abandoned all the luxurious items that I had, and lived this truly simple life. And it was quite fascinating, because the more I trusted that process, the more I grew and became still and trusted God's guidance in this journey that I was creating. Fast forward through the social media aspect of everything, I was reminded of some Hollywood friends that I had forgotten about, to be honest. And I don't know how you forget about them, but I did, because I never really spoke about those tender moments I had, and cherish them within my heart and my soul. But I was overcoming this really traumatic experience, a bad, bad relationship that put me into hiding, yet with being at Columbia, living the socio economic experiment and sharing my life through my social media influencer role, my Hollywood friends found me in a time of need, and through this reintroduction, I was reminded of a night I like to coin as dream night, and I call it dream night because that's the night I met Marshall Mathers, who the world knows as Eminem, and he and I were from completely different aspects of life, with completely different perspectives on life, and yet, when we met, we intersected. I was leaving Hollywood, he was coming into it, and we spent together, as silly as it sounds, playing beer pong, thinking through all of the world's problems. And in that conversation, I had mentioned that one day I was going to go to Columbia, and one day I was going to live the socio economic experiment so that I could help the world. And you know, he envisioned his dream of becoming this rap star, and together, we would reunite our forces for good to help elevate the world. And I forgot about this moment in time, to be quite honest, I just continued on a path that I naturally was creating when I was younger, because before meeting Marshall, I had met Kobe Bryant while I was a student graduating Cal Poly, and he was new, upcoming rising superstar into basketball. He had his eye on Vanessa. Her group of friends were very smart, and he knew he needed to knowledge up to get his girl. And so here I was this book smart girl, kind of hanging out in Hollywood. I had worked a job at Staples Center, because I love the Lakers, and it was really cool. I, you know, had me more court side than it did have me working because I gave away more of my tables, and I did actually work to spend time building these relationships with Kobe and the Lakers, which I'm so forever grateful for, and because Kobe recognized my book smart, his spotlight and together, we would have these Kobe talks, which ultimately built the framework for Mama mentality and my only ask of him as I exited Hollywood and that era of my life was that he named mob and mentality, mob and mentality, which he did. And so I, you know, I had. Had Mamba mentality. This up and comer rap star Eminem, who, honestly, I didn't even know was Eminem. For me, he was this guy from Detroit that I met through my friend Travis Barker, who happened to be the drummer blink, 182 but I was so unaware of all these people and who they were. They were, to me, were just people I knew and friends that I had. And, you know, fast forward to where we're at now. It's like we're all living our dreams, and it's really super cool. But the socio economic experiment came from that dream night with Marshall and this whole concept of who and how we wanted to be in this future version of ourselves and I wanted to be this socio economic experiment to understand life through a different lens, especially after meeting him that One night and hearing his life experience, my life experience that you know, it was fascinating to me, like I want, I I want to help people, but to truly help people and bridge those societal gaps that exist, Cynthia Washington  21:16 one has To have a full scope of life through all perspectives, and this opportunity through Columbia, with this experiment, positioned me to really embrace that, and now I am very happy because I think it has helped me appreciate the quality, true quality of life. You know, it's not about the money, it's not about the fame, it's not about the recognition. It's about love and family and caring and nurturing one another Michael Hingson  21:59 with and I would presume that you would say that that's what you learned from the experiment, Cynthia Washington  22:05 yes, yes, absolutely. That's what I learned. You know, here, as I was climbing all these different corporate ladders, I always thought it was about having more you know, having more money, having more things, having a bigger house, a nicer car and all this stuff, but truly abandoning all that stuff allowed me to live more because I appreciated the true moment as A gift, especially from being on my deathbed, you know, to being able to live each day to its fullest, that in and amongst itself, was a gift to me, and learning to be present for my daughter was a present for Me. And so these were all things that socio economic experiment taught me about appreciating life. Michael Hingson  23:07 So where do concepts like gratitude come into all of that? And how is gratitude help keep you centered and kind of moving forward? Cynthia Washington  23:18 Great question through this journey I've been on, I've learned to live each day with a grateful heart. I wake up daily appreciative of the moment, to be alive, regardless of what I have or what accomplishments I've achieved. I truly am thankful for the gift of life. And with that being said, I live in a spirit of Thanksgiving, not because Thanksgiving is on the horizon and the holidays grow near, but because having that gratitude rooted in my soul has helped me Stay focused on my Why stay firm in my beliefs and trust the process every step of the way, living with gratitude has just opened my Heart to the possibilities, and it's been a phenomenal growth experience. The more I give thanks, the more I give, the more I serve, the better I lead, the stronger I am, and the more abundant the blessings are. Are, and it's just truly remarkable to be this vessel for good living life with the spirit of Thanksgiving. Michael Hingson  25:12 If somebody were to ask you, how can you teach me how to really have gratitude and make it a part of my life, what? What kind of advice or what kind of guidance can you give someone to help them learn to be a person who's more grateful or have more gratitude? Wow, um, Cynthia Washington  25:33 if someone is looking to have more gratitude and develops a process in establishing more gratitude. I think it would just be to reframe your focus instead of, oh, I don't have these things, right? That's when I let go of my Louis vuittons my fancy car, and, you know, sold all my really nice clothes that you know, just to have some extra cash to accomplish more of my goals, I let go of all Those materialistic things. And instead of having the mindset of like, Oh, I'm getting rid of these things, I was I saw it as an opportunity. So I guess what I'm saying is to reframe, instead of it being like, I don't have these things, or the woe is me attitude reframe that too. I am blessed with a family, I am blessed with food, I am blessed with shelter, I am blessed with a job that provides me with stability. I am blessed with the person in the mirror who has awoken for this moment in time, awoken, awaked it has. How do you say that? Awakened, that's fine. Awakened, yeah, has awakened in this moment, you know, for another beautiful day, and then after that, reframing of the mindset, focus on the positives and count your blessings. I know that sounds so cliche, but be grateful for this. Yes, be grateful for the things that you do have, the people who love you love is the most durable power that there is, you know, and having that focus on those good things with a positive mindset reframed from the negative, you can easily shape yourself into a person who lives with gratitude and then reciprocate it. You know, as you, as you go about your day, give that gratitude to someone else with a nice smile or a thank you. And people can feel a thank you. People can feel a smile. People can feel that authentic, genuine sense of gratitude in any capacity of life. And that is far more reaching than that negative I don't have I don't have enough. I don't I'm not qualified for this type of negative mindset that weighs people down. Instead, when you live with gratitude, you feel lighter, you feel more alive, and you feel unstoppable. Michael Hingson  29:09 Have you ever read a book by a gentleman named Henry Drummond called Love the greatest thing in the world? Cynthia Washington  29:18 No, but it sounds like something I would enjoy reading. It's Michael Hingson  29:21 more, it's very short, but he he talks all about the fact that love is, in fact, the greatest thing in the most powerful thing in the world, and that that it is something that we all ought to express and deal with a whole lot more than than we do. Was written in, in, I think, the late 1800s I believe. But it is, it is well worth reading. As I said, it's very short. I've read the audio version, and it only takes an hour, so it's not very long book. But it doesn't need Cynthia Washington  29:59 to be well. I will definitely add that to my reading list, because my step brother called me love and it's my nickname, and all the work I have done while on my mom mission after Columbia and over the past few years to help bridge societal gaps, to make the world better for my daughter, her friends and our children and the world ultimately stems from love and gratitude and love are to my focuses. There you go. Michael Hingson  30:46 And as makes a lot of sense, as they should be well. So what have you been doing? Well, so you worked for enterprise, and then you went on, I guess, to do some other things. But what have you been doing since Columbia? Cynthia Washington  31:02 Well, since Columbia, my last class at Columbia was in finance. I studied finance, macro economics. And one more thing I forgot, that's okay. So anyway, well, my last class at Columbia was in finance and Oh, corporate governance, yes. So at Columbia, I studied corporate governance, macroeconomics and finance, while also completing my chief marketing officer executive education requirements and my last class being in finance aligned with Zions Bank, 150 year anniversary of being in business. I thought, wow, this is quite timely. Zions Bank is highly reputable, very respected organization in Utah. And I wanted to work with them while I finished Columbia, and initially I took a role to just kind of understand money real time, working on the front lines across a variety of different branches, and now I still work with them. I am in their retail banking administration department. I work with a great team. I am close to the SVPs, EBPs, and with the branches, our clients. I work on multiple different projects, doing different things, which is so fascinating because I'm in the heartbeat of the business, and it satisfies my my desire to stay relevant and use all my skill sets for good, because I have that ability to touch so many different people and projects in the work that I do at science bank, it allows me the flexibility to maintain my social media influencer status, and both give me the stability to be a good single mom for my daughter who's finishing Up in college. So I'm very grateful for that opportunity, and Colombia opens so many doors. As far as the social media marketing piece of the work I've done since Columbia, I sit on a handful of boards, Big Brothers, Big Sisters. I am on the boulder way forward legislative committee as a chair, and I continue to just do a bunch of philanthropic work, which I. I'm able to promote and highlight within the social media work that I do, so the two work beautifully together, and I am happy just to give back in the capacity I can using my skill sets at a maximized level, Michael Hingson  35:24 okay, well, you also formed your own company, didn't you? Cynthia Washington  35:29 Yes, I did form my own company. It's called level up with C dub, and that business has allowed me to work with amazing brands throughout Park Cities, silicon slopes and globally. It started, yeah, go ahead. No, go ahead. It started because I wanted to level up my community and bridge some gaps that I saw, and then it has grown into something bigger and better in the fact that the work that I'm doing is not only helping local businesses, but it's helping level up our youth, and creating an opportunity for our youth to follow a yellow brick road, so to speak, with my work that I have put forth so that they are more resilient, emotionally intelligent, and have the mental strength To endure this ever changing world. So it's been quite interesting to see how it's shifted from helping businesses mentoring individuals into this new space. Michael Hingson  37:14 And so what does the company do today? What? What you talk about helping youth and so on? Tell me a little bit more about what what you do and how you do it, and is it just you, or do you have other people in the company? Cynthia Washington  37:27 No, it's just me. Just now, just me. Yes, I don't have enough time to invest in it because Zions is my nine to five. I work at a local boutique in town to stay in the heartbeat of town, you know. And then I have the social media stuff that I do. So my calendar is quite full. The level up with C dub work has been word of mouth, and people like you have sought me through various platforms, and I like that. I'm not ready to scale it yet, even though it is scalable, but I like being able to control the the the incoming work and produce high quality products with my brand name attached to it. So right now, it's something that exists. Um, it's something it's a labor of love, and so I'm not quite ready to bring on a team, because it's multi faceted. There's a lot of mentoring, there's a lot of coaching, there's a lot of brand building, and these are all things that I just like to do on my own. Michael Hingson  39:20 So what kind of things do you do you do from a mentoring standpoint, what? What exactly does the company do? Cynthia Washington  39:28 Well, from a mentoring standpoint, I mentor across different platforms. I just received an Impact Award for mentoring girls in the tech realm of silicon slopes, over 1000 Utah high schoolers, actually, 1000s of high school girls have been mentored through this program called she tech, of which I am a part of and. Um, in addition to that, I have middle level professionals who want to level up within their career, who utilize me and my services to help coach them to their next corporate move. And so there's some one on one time. People hire me. I fit them into my schedule. We work together. They call me, you know, hey, I have this moment at work that's happening and I need some guidance. How do I navigate it? You know, sometimes it's easier to talk through that situation with a coach than it is to talk through it with your peer or manager, because you don't want to take away the integrity of the the momentum you've created at work. So I act as at sounding board for a handful of other executive, young executives who are up and coming, rising into their career, and so it's it's multifaceted. Everything's been word of mouth, and I don't have a website. I started with one, I perhaps might go back to creating one. But for now, everything is pretty manageable. I just wear a lot of different hats and work through a lot of different projects, helping many different people across different platforms. Michael Hingson  41:48 How do you keep it all together? Cynthia Washington  41:53 Great question. I use a calendar. I write a lot of notes down. I have a very systematic approach to everything that I have going on. I've learned to say no and to prioritize what's most important. I had an executive coach when I was in Silicon Valley and working in the Medicare realm of business and my executive coach brought so much value into being that sounding board for me and Springboarding My career that giving back in that same capacity is so rewarding for me. I find enjoyment out of it, and the busier I am, the more full I feel my life is. And so right now, I manage it all by writing it down and keeping it organized. You know, in my calendars, thankfully, there's flexibility with all that I do, which allows me to be very agile and giving back in the level up with C dub work that I do. Michael Hingson  43:21 Well, it sounds like when you had access to an executive coach, you were very observant about what they did, so that you could do that same sort of thing and pass it on. Because it sounds like you you took to heart the lessons you learned from that coach. Absolutely. Cynthia Washington  43:40 I had the best executive coach. And you know, when I was on my deathbed, she reached out to me and cared for me even though I was no longer her client. You know, we had become friends through that relationship, and I want to be that person for someone else, and that's why right now, I don't have anyone on my team with me, and I don't have an intention of scaling it At this point in time, because I try to, I to take on the workload with intention and purpose so that I can authentically lead and give back to help others grow and thrive within their realm of life, right? Michael Hingson  44:46 Well, you have written a book. Tell us about that and what what it is, and anything you want to talk about, Cynthia Washington  44:54 yeah, this is a book right here for those who. You are able to see Michael Hingson  45:04 it, and it's called Mind Matters. Cynthia Washington  45:07 Yes, sir, Mind Matters. It's the story of my life. It's a memoir encompasses everything and an easy to read book. It encompasses my travels, my corporate climb and fall, my Columbia education and studies, how I overcame some big hurdles with a grind, with grit, mindset and mentality. My time in Hollywood, what I like to call the trifecta me, Eminem and Kobe, and my work, the music of Eminem and Mama mentality with those three things, you can achieve anything. And what else does it include? Oh, it just has some really fun tales of growing up in California. I and some principles, guiding principles I learned from Columbia University that I wanted to encapsulate into this book and share again to give back to others. It's modestly priced on Amazon. You can buy it wherever books are sold. It's I didn't write it for fame or recognition. I respectfully share stories about my friends in Hollywood. Good and, yeah, it's a fun a fun story. I released it a year ago, October 10, and did my first book launch release party, November 15. And so it's really fun to see it become what it has, and to see its ripple effects throughout society. Michael Hingson  47:32 What did you learn about you from writing the book? Cynthia Washington  47:39 Oh, well, writing a book requires a lot of self discipline. I learned that I have lived a story rich with abundant blessings, and I learned that I have accomplished so much with having That spirit of gratitude. I grind it with grit, resilience, that has catapulted me into the space that I am living in now. However, it was also a very humbling experience as I wrote the book, I it healed me in some ways, because I had been in hiding for a year, and as much As I was sharing my life on social media, I was still afraid to live my life because I was in hiding, and so it helped me heal from that trauma, which is why I have it modestly priced, because if I can help someone else overcome something as traumatic that I have lived by sharing my story and giving hope through my story, then I want to put it out there. I'm not in it for money. I'm in it so I can help our society through this humanitarian effort, you know, and sharing a little bit about me might help someone in their time of need. So, yes, I love. Learned. I learned to heal, I learned to trust the process, and I learned who I am. Michael Hingson  50:08 It makes a lot of sense. And I asked the question, having written three books and learning from all three of them, various things about me, but also just learning to have the discipline and to go into that place where you can create something that hopefully people in the world will appreciate. I think that's that's a really cool thing, and clearly you've done that. Cynthia Washington  50:38 Yes, thank you, and you definitely can understand that, you know, you put your heart and soul into this book of creative mindfulness, and it's truly rewarding to share it with other people. And I like to say my books wrapped with my daughter's big thank you hug, because it's wrapped in her artwork that she drew, that I have framed, and I thought it was a perfect cover for it. And it's it's really a blessing to have gone through the trauma, live through it, and for her to see this work of art, share my story and help others and her. Thank you. Hug around it is even a bigger form of love Michael Hingson  51:44 you have won, and you mentioned it earlier, a she Peck she tech champion Impact Award. Tell us about that award, what it is, and a little bit more about why you won one and so on. Cynthia Washington  51:58 Yes, so while at Columbia, I did the level up with CW work, I worked with Zions Bank, had the social media influencer role, and I aligned with a lot of great women and businesses throughout Park City, Salt Lake and silicon slopes, those women became friends and she Tech was founded by one of my friends, and I became involved in that about five years ago, as a mentor, a role model, an influencer, helping young girls learn that there is opportunity in The tech space. Technology space for women and girls learning and their worth, their their value and creating opportunities for them. And so through the social media aspect, I have been able to share to share the great work of she tech and women tech Council and some other brands that I've aligned with to help young girls see other women leaders actively working and living in these different capacities. So all of the work that I do goes hand in hand with this mentoring space and helping our youth see their potential. Chi Tech, I was one of 30 who received that award this year, I was humbly honored to be a recipient of the award. I knew the work I was doing was focused on my love to change the world for my daughter and make the world a better place for her, her friends and ultimately, all children. I just didn't realize how far reaching my impact was until I received the email notifying me of this. Impact Award, and when I stood on stage with all these other champions, champions, champion champions, championing change and this trajectory of our world. It just reinforced all of the work I have done and the profound impact it's having on our youth today, and it's remarkable to like. I can't, I can't express the depth it has, because it's so far reaching, and it's something beyond my wildest dreams that I've created through my work, through all these different intersections of strategic marketing and social media brand work and leading by Cynthia Washington  56:16 good and using my influence for good. And it's just truly amazing to see that I've helped 1000s of teenage girls understand their potential, their value and their worth, knowing that there's so many different possibilities in the tech space for them to learn, grow and do Michael Hingson  56:47 well, congratulations on winning the award. That's a that's a cool thing, and obviously you're making a big difference. Cynthia Washington  56:57 Thank you so much. I'm still so humbled, and I keep having to ground myself because I never expected to be in this moment. I simply was a mom on a mission to change the trajectory for my daughter, and receiving this award was something I never expected, and I keep ground, grounding myself, because I just I'm so humbly honored to have received it, and to have come to this, this elevated level of where I'm at in my current life, by giving up everything, I became something so much bigger and better than I ever expected or or planned for myself, and it's profound to me, and I just have to constantly ground myself and remind myself like that it's it's okay to be here. Michael Hingson  58:17 That's what gratitude can do, and that's what gratitude obviously does for you, because you you clearly exhibit a lot of gratitude in in all that you say and all that you do. And I think that's extremely important. People really should think a little bit more about gratitude than they then they typically do. But you know, it is something that that clearly you have put in the forefront of of your being. You do a lot with social media. And tell me a little bit more about about that as we move forward here and get close to wrapping up. Cynthia Washington  58:57 Well, yes, I do do a lot on social media, but before I answer that question, you found me through social media, and I want you to share a little bit about how you discovered me knowing that you're unable to see a lot of the content I create. So how were you able to find me? And then I'll answer that question. Tell me what intrigued you Michael Hingson  59:31 when you say not see the content, like, What do you mean? Cynthia Washington  59:36 Well, you have a blindness, vision impairment, correct, Michael Hingson  59:46 not an impairment, but that's okay, but, but what is it that I don't see exactly? Cynthia Washington  59:52 How do you see my social media content for you to be able to find. Michael Hingson  1:00:00 I use a piece of software that verbalizes whatever comes across the computer screen, so hearing the the text, listening to what your profile on LinkedIn says about you and so on, is all just as straightforward for me as it is for you, and to describe that in great detail would be like me asking you how you do what you do. It's what we grow up learning. The reality is, blindness isn't the problem. That's why I said it's not an impairment, because people always think about blindness as a visual impairment. Well, visually, I'm not different because I'm blind and I'm not impaired because I am blind, if, if the reality is impairment has nothing to do with it, and we really need to get away from thinking that someone is less than someone else because they may not have the same senses that that we do. And while I don't necessarily have eyesight, I have other gifts that I've learned to maximize, and probably the greatest gift of all, is that I don't happen to be light dependent like you are. The reality is that for you, when there's a power failure or something that causes all the lights and everything to go out, you scramble looking for an iPhone or a smartphone or a flashlight or something to bring light in, because we spent a lot of time bringing light on demand. To you ever since the light bulb was invented, I don't have that problem. The power goes out, doesn't bother me a bit. The reality is we've got to get away from this idea of thing that somebody is impaired because they don't have some things that we do. There are a lot of ways to get information, and eyesight is only one of them. Cynthia Washington  1:01:48 I love that, and that's exactly why I wanted you to explain that, because I think that's super important as we discuss unstoppable mindset. I think that's a critical necessity for society to learn and to know, and because you were able to find me using these great resources that you have and the work I'm putting forth intrigued you to bring me into this meeting with you. So I am, again, so grateful that we have this opportunity to collaborate in this space, bringing both our good works together to Oh, help level up awareness that there are no limits. We are unstoppable. Glasses shattering everywhere because of people like you and me who are doing this good work to change the trajectory of the world, and social media for me, has given me the opportunity to do what you do in this podcast. Michael Hingson  1:03:14 If you want people to be able to reach out to you and interact with you, how best can they do that Cynthia Washington  1:03:22 the like you did through LinkedIn is great. That's how I do receive most of my work is through LinkedIn. People find me there and will message me through then, LinkedIn, what? Michael Hingson  1:03:43 What's your LinkedIn name or your house? Cynthia Washington  1:03:47 Cynthia Washington. Okay, that's easy, yes. Cynthia Washington, Park City, Salt Lake City, will get you to me. Another outlet is through Instagram. I'm little bit more hesitant to reply to the direct messages on Instagram. I do try to filter a lot of my content and screen things. So I do trust LinkedIn a little bit more. As far as the messaging component is concerned, also, I have provided you with my email which you're happy I'm happy for you to share. Okay, so any of those three means will get you connected to me. I do not have a website. As I said, everything is organic, authentic and word of mouth. My Plate is really full, and so I like to be selective of the projects I bring on in hopes that they give back to society in one way or another. Lacher, I'm not doing it to chase every deal or get a bunch of free product. I do it with a very intentional Spirit giving back with gratitude that karmic effect goes a long way well. Michael Hingson  1:05:18 I hope people will reach out. You clearly have a lot to offer, and I think you've you've given us a lot to think about today, which I appreciate a great deal. So thank you very much for that. I want to thank all of you who are listening or watching our podcast today, or maybe you're doing both listening and watching. That's okay too. I want to thank you for being here with us. Love to get your thoughts. If you have any messages or our ideas you want to pass along. Love it if you'd reach out to me. Michael, H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I B, e.com, you can and I would appreciate it if you would, wherever you're listening or watching this podcast, give us a five star rating, and please give us a review. We really value your reviews highly, and I would appreciate it if you would do that. If you know of anyone Cynthia, you as well, who you think ought to be a guest on unstoppable mindset, please let us know. Introduce us. We're always looking for people to come on to help show everyone that we're all more unstoppable than we think we are. But again, Cynthia, I want to thank you for being here. This has been absolutely wonderful. Can you believe we've been doing this over an hour already? Cynthia Washington  1:06:37 Oh no, not at all. Oh yeah. Well, I am so forever grateful again, and as we head into the holidays, just remind everyone to live with a spirit of gratitude, be kind to others. And there are no limits. It's time to shatter those limits that we have created as barriers and Live limitless with an unstoppable mindset. Michael Hingson  1:07:09 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

The American Farm Bureau’s annual survey shows Thanksgiving dinner is cheaper this year—down to $55.18 for a meal serving 10 people. But with the cost of living rising in 2025, many families still feel the financial pinch. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank, breaks down what’s up, what’s down, and why. Plus, listeners text in -- What price surprised you most while shopping for your holiday feast?

Amid layoffs and an uncertain economy, consumer sentiment is decreasing. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist at Zions Bank, joins Holly to tell us what this may indicate for the near future.

How hard is it to get a job in Salt Lake right now? Host Ali Vallarta asks Zions Bank senior economist Robert Spendlove about the health of our local labor market and AI bots fighting each other for jobs. Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm.  Subscribe to Hey Salt Lake, our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (801) 203-0137 Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:  PLUNJ Salt Lake City Gov

Social Security recipients will see an extra $56 a month starting in 2026, but will it make a dent in rising costs? Senior Economist with Zions Bank, Robert Spendlove, joins us to break down the new cost-of-living adjustment, fresh inflation numbers, and the staggering national debt now topping $38 trillion.

In this episode, we dissect the latest Beige Book, which paints an increasingly uneven portrait of the American economy. Reports from the Federal Reserve's districts point to softening retail demand, particularly among lower- and middle-income households, and to mounting strains in sectors such as agriculture, energy and transportation. We also examine the slide in the shares of business development companies—a bellwether for credit conditions in the lower reaches of corporate America—and the mounting allegations of fraud surrounding Zions Bank and Western Alliance. Together, these developments suggest that financial stress is spreading beyond the obvious fault lines.

Grocery prices are up, the Utah unemployment rate is stable, and the federal interest rate is down. What does this all mean for our pocketbooks? Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank, joins the show.

The United States is seeing more of the unemployed than job openings for the first time since 2021. Greg and Holly speak with Senior Economist with Zions Bank, Robert Spendlove, about what this means for the job market.

Nearly 500,000 Utahns rely on Social Security - the program turns 90 today! Will it make it to 100? Greg and Holly discuss the fate of social security with Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank.

BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake spoke with the media after Day 6 of fall camp practice on August 5, 2025, at the Zions Bank practice fields at the Student Athlete Building in Provo, Utah. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast! Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593

We've been talking about the tariff effect for months... well Inflation accelerated last month... are we finally seeing the tariff trickle effect through the US economy?  Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank joins us to discuss these inflation numbers and where the biggest growing pains are coming from for the average consumer.

What's the real difference between a consultant, an agency, and a fractional CMO and how do you know which one your business actually needs?This week, Joe Grover joins me on the show for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of marketing leadership and the dynamics behind each of these roles.In this episode, Joe breaks down why so many companies hire a CMO too early and how to assess the real gaps in your growth strategy. We also discuss what founders should consider before bringing in external support, explore the emotional side of leadership, and unpack the pros and pitfalls of fractional roles plus the critical importance of execution when strategy alone isn't enough.If you're a founder, executive, or marketer thinking about building a team, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and offer a grounded framework for what effective marketing leadership really looks like.About JoeJoe Grover is a Managing Partner and the CMO for Amplēo. Joe has a unique blend of marketing and finance experience that gives him a unique perspective and skillset in the c-suite. He is a fractional CMO and marketing advisor to several consumer, services, and software companies.Before joining Amplēo in 2023, Joe was the CMO at Homie, a venture-backed real estate technology company. He led local and corporate marketing teams across five states. Under his leadership, the company was included on the Deloitte Fast 500, Inc500, Utah Business Fast 50, MWCN 100, and won a Gold Addy for the best guerilla marketing campaign of the year in Phoenix, Arizona, and was honored as CXO of the year by Utah Business Magazine in 2021.He was the president and CMO of Genesis Media, a New York City-based digital advertising software company. Before Genesis, Joe was the CMO and CEO of Altitude Digital, an ad tech startup in Denver, Colorado. Genesis Media and Altitude Digital merged in 2017.Joe spent seven years at Mercato Partners, a top-performing venture capital firm in Salt Lake City, UT, where he supported investments in several fast-growing software and branded consumer companies including Skullcandy, Stance, Fusion-io, and Goal Zero.Before Mercato Partners, Joe was the founder and CEO of a creative ad agency, where he led advertising and communication campaigns for Fortune 1,000 companies nationwide including consumer brands Comcast, T-Mobile, Zions Bank, and Sportsman's Warehouse. Joe was involved in Junto Partners, an entrepreneurship incubator, and launched several startups over 24 months. He became the director of the program where he recruited, trained, and mentored hundreds of entrepreneurs.Connect with Joe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelgrover/Connect with VeronicaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vromney/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vromney/If you found value in today's episode, I would appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review.

$3.3 trillion estimated ... that's how much the One Big Beautiful Bill is estimated to add to the national deficit...  As the One Big Beautiful bill makes its way through congress... what are the implications of this massive amount of debt that could be piled on? Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank, shares his input.  

Staking activities and stablecoins are two of the possible ways banks could have a role in decentralized finance, said Margaret Butler, head of the financial services practice at the law firm Baker Hostetler and Kristiane Koontz, director of Treasury Services and Payments at Zions Bank, in interviews recorded at the Digital Banking Conference in June.

  President Trump has posted on social media today (Wednesday), about a deal he says the US struck with China, related to trade and tariffs. According to the President, there will be a 55 percent tariff on Chinese goods, imported into the US, and the US will be able to get rare earth minerals and magnets from China - that go into things like car batteries and phones, according to ABC. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank, joins Greg and Holly to discuss some of the new terms of this proposed deal and the impact on consumers. Greg and Holly discuss the impact of rare minerals involved in the deal and speak with Utah Representative Ray Ward, about Utah could contribute more to mineral production in the US. 

A recent rendition of Jeff Caplan's Minute of News  focused on recession indicators including the men's underwear index, which looks at how men's underwear are selling... Debbie and Marty go through more got more unusual recession indicators and speak with Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank about what signals him that a recession may be on the horizon.

In an industry where legacy infrastructure often dates back decades, core conversions represent immense challenges and transformative opportunities. As part of the Executive Leadership Series, sponsored by Naehas and recorded live at the Financial Brand Forum, we had the opportunity to speak with Jennifer Smith, Chief Information Officer of Zions Bank, who has recently led one of banking's most complex technological undertakings: a complete core systems modernization. Jennifer will share invaluable insights from Zions Bank's journey, from the initial business case through implementation and beyond. Her firsthand experience navigating this intricate process offers a unique window into how financial institutions can successfully approach these mission-critical transformations while maintaining business continuity and enhancing customer experience. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Naehas Naehas provides financial institutions with a centralized platform to efficiently manage product creation, pricing strategies, compliance, and disclosures. By automating complex processes and integrating advanced governance tools, Naehas significantly reduces operational risk and accelerates execution. Trusted by 6 of the 10 largest U.S. banks, our solution supports top-tier institutions in delivering precise, compliant offers with speed and accuracy. ⁠https://www.naehas.com/?utm_source=financialbrand&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Banking_Transformed_podcast

Moody's downgraded the U.S. sovereign credit rating on Friday. According to Reuters, this comes after concerns about the nation's growing, $36 trillion debt pile. Senior Economist with Zions Bank, Robert Spendlove,speaks to the impact of this downgrade. Debbie and Taylor revisit the discussion around President Biden's recent diagnosis with Prostate Cancer.

Recently we saw the sister of a man who was killed in a road rage incident use AI to have her brother deliver his own victim impact statement in court. It was an extraordinary thing to see the victim say (through AI) that in another life, his killer and he could have been friends. KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests on A Woman's View what they thought about this. Her guests this week are Meghan Holbrook, Senior Vice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank and Kelli Pierce,  Digital Media Associate with the R Street Institute. 

We learned recently that Utah was ranked #1 in teaching financial literacy. KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests on A Woman's View what they thought about this. Her guests this week are Meghan Holbrook, Senior Vice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank and Kelli Pierce,  Digital Media Associate with the R Street Institute. 

President Trump's approval rating is up to 44%. Some recent polling shows Americans are a little less worried about recession and inflation. KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests on A Woman's View what they thought about this. Her guests this week are Meghan Holbrook, Senior Vice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank and Kelli Pierce,  Digital Media Associate with the R Street Institute. 

If Walmart, the low-cost giant, is saying they're raising prices -- and soon -- because of tariffs, what does that mean for the rest of the stores ... and above all to our family budgets? Senior Economist with Zions Bank, Robert Spendlove shares his analysis. Sarah Foster with Bankrate, shares items that have risen in price. Listeners chime in with what they have noticed has changed in price recently.

The U.S. and China have come to an agreement on the tariffs placed on each other. The U.S. lowered its rate from 145% down to 30% and China lowered its rate from 125% to 10%. Even with the lowering of the new tariffs, prices for businesses are still going up slightly. Local business owner, Mark Drennen, President of AceCamp, joins Dave and Debbie to discuss how this change in the tariffs is going to impact local businesses. Ashleigh Fields, Breaking News Reporter with The Hill brings the latest details. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank joins the show to discuss the move and how the stock market is responding.

Former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert joined former CIA Director and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday at the Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit.The two shared a wide-ranging discussion on trade, immigration, and global power dynamics.The invite-only event, sponsored by Zions Bank and World Trade Center Utah, focused heavily on international trade and ongoing tariff negotiations with the Trump White House. Leaders from around the globe gathered in Salt Lake City to explore Utah's growing influence on the international stage.Pompeo, who supports President Donald Trump, said he remains concerned about the long-term impact of tariffs.“President Trump hasn't been clear about his overall strategic objective here,” he said, referring to the escalating trade measures involving nearly every major economy.Herbert said Utah is well-positioned to navigate trade challenges on a state level, but acknowledged the uncertainty is troubling.He also touched on divisions within the Republican Party, especially over trade, noting there are many in the GOP who support Trump but disagree with some of his economic policies.Herbert said his conversation with Pompeo also included discussions on Israel, Russia, China, and other global powers. The two also shared perspectives on U.S. immigration policy, an issue Herbert says Congress has failed to seriously address.“What happens, unfortunately, in my view, is we have too many in Congress setting aside solving a problem as a top priority to getting re-elected as the number one priority — and then they get re-elected, but the people suffer,” Herbert said.On border security, Herbert stressed the need for a “working door” to allow legal entry after the border is secured. He also defended Utah's reputation as a welcoming state, referencing the Utah Compact, a set of principles focused on humane and practical immigration reform.When asked directly whether Utah has become a sanctuary state, Herbert was clear: “Utah is not a sanctuary state.”The former governor also highlighted the work of the Herbert Institute, which is currently focused on researching the use of artificial intelligence in Utah businesses.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump Administration has worked out a trade deal with the UK. Dave and Debbie listen to live coverage from the Trump Administration on the announcement. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist for Zions Bank, and Jay Evensen Opinion Editor at the Deseret News share insight about this trade deal, what it does for the US and what is on the line with other deals including China.

President Trump sat down with ABC's Terry Moran for an exclusive interview in the Oval Office, and he is doubling down on the tariffs with China. Meanwhile, consumer confidence fell to its lowest point since May 2020. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank, joins Dave and Debbie to explain some of the trends that we are seeing and what to expect moving ahead.

Sellers on Amazon are caught between the U.S and China in their retaliatory tariff stand-off. These tariff prices between the two countries might lead sellers to raise some prices or leave the platform all together. We speak to Senior Economist for Zions Bank, Robert Spendlove about the tariffs and the state of the economy right now.

President Donald Trump has announced he's putting a 90-day pause on the tariffs that went into effect at midnight last night.  According to the President's truth social post more than 75 countries will benefit from the pause which lowers tariffs to 10 percent...because they're working with the U-S on a solution instead of implementing retaliatory tariffs. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank joins with reaction. 

It's the story no one can look away from ... the perfuse bleeding on the stock market ... down 5,000 points in a matter of days ... since Trump announced sweeping tariffs on what he called "liberation day" last week... Dave and Debbie discuss the economic uncertainty that comes with it including the fear for those trying to retire… as well as if this may be an opportunity to buy stocks at low prices.. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank joins the show to discuss how long the uncertainty will last. Shane Stewart, Certified Financial Planner with DMBA explains what people planning to retire should do with their money at this time.

Wall Street is on the decline as people become uncertain and fear an incoming trade war with tariffs from both the US and Canada. We reach out to Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist at Zions Bank, about stocks sliding and what Americans should do with their investments.

More Tariffs went into effect Tuesday on China, Canada and Mexico. This decision has put Wall Street in a selling spree, but what should we expect closer to be impacted closer to home? Dave and Debbie speak to Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist at Zions Bank, about how these tariffs are going to take an aim at your pocket book and affect Utah families.

81% of Gen Xers say they are worried about access to Social Security when it comes their time to collect. Dave and Debbie get insight from Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst with Bankrate, on the data and ways to save more money. Rusty Cannon, host of Inside Sources, joins the show to discuss if the Trump administration have the beginnings of a plan to course correct before the fund hits a wall. Certified Financial Planner Shane Stewart shares specific tips on what you can do to put more in your retirement savings outside of Social Security. Robert Spendlove, senior economist with Zions Bank, shares his insight on the future of Social Security.

New report reveals inflation got worse in Janury, Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank breaks down the list of things we're paying more for.  Inside Sources Co-host Rusty Cannon shares his analysis on what the Trump Administration needs to do to tackle inflation. Dave and Debbie share what they are cutting from their spending.

We saw some movement on President Trump's tariffs this week. The 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada are paused for 30 days. The 10% tariffs on China and in effect. Who pays for the tariffs? Are they important for the country in the long run? KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests about this on A Woman's View. Her guests this week include Susan Speirs, CEO of the Utah Association of CPAs, Meg Holbrrok, Senior V ice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank and Danielle Vasquez, Executive Director of the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. 

We heard President Trump say that he wants to own the Gaza Strip. Why? How? KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests about this on A Woman's View. Her guests this week include Susan Speirs, CEO of the Utah Association of CPAs, Meg Holbrrok, Senior V ice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank and Danielle Vasquez, Executive Director of the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. 

We saw the Trump administration shut down USAID, the organization that provides aid to people in need all over the world. How do we help refugees in Gaza or starving people in Africa without this organization? KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests about this on A Woman's View. Her guests this week include Susan Speirs, CEO of the Utah Association of CPAs, Meg Holbrrok, Senior V ice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank and Danielle Vasquez, Executive Director of the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. 

Mexico's President now says President Trump's tariffs are paused for a month. Tariffs still planned for China and Canada as President Trump continues meetings throughout the day. As Tariffs on different countries get closer to being implemented, Dave and Debbie speak with Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist with Zions Bank joins the show to discuss how Tariffs are used for negotiation and the overall impact Tariffs will have on the economy and your family budget. Newsnation's Washington Correspondent Robert Sherman joins the show with the latest details on the negotiations with Canada and Mexico.

In this episode of the Operate Podcast, we explore the complex and crucial topic of technology transformation within the banking sector, with Kristiane Koontz, EVP and Director of Treasury Services and Payments at Zions Bancorporation. We dive into the significance of replacing legacy banking systems, a daunting project that Kristiane and her team successfully completed over a decade-long journey. Kristiane sheds light on the challenges of a complete business transformation and how much bigger it is than a "core conversion." She explains how Zions maintained operational continuity while integrating new technologies, and restructured organizational processes and data governance systems. Zions' commitment to this massive overhaul shows their goal of staying competitive and efficient in a rapidly evolving banking industry. We also discuss the broader implications for U.S. community banks and the role of technology partners in driving innovation. Kristiane elaborates on how Zions' transformation efforts have positioned them uniquely and competitively within the market, enabling faster product development cycles, enhanced customer experiences, and improved data utilization for fraud prevention and personalization. Additionally, Kristiane shares her perspective on the future of banking, particularly the importance of easier technology access for community banks and strategic vendor partnerships. She emphasizes that continued innovation and adaptability are vital for community banks to thrive amidst industry consolidation and change. Kristiane generously shares her insights on leading a transformative project and also offers advice to those entering the profession today, highlighting the significance of continuous learning and understanding the core business of banking. Thank you to show sponsor, BankTech Ventures. Chapter Markers 00:00 Preview 01:15 Intro 01:32 Sponsor 02:08 Guest Introduction: Kristiane Koontz 03:26 Challenges of Legacy Banking Technology 05:31 The Complexity of Core Transformation 08:26 Global Perspectives and U.S. Core Providers 12:26 Zions Bank's Core Transformation Journey 22:53  Real-Time System Benefits and ROI 25:59 Team Morale and Future Innovations 29:02 Leveraging Broader Banking Transformation 29:54 Investing in Treasury and Payments 30:36 Customer-Centric Transformation 33:35 Strategic Partnerships and Vendor Management 39:52 Unified Customer Experiences 42:17 Digital Transformation Challenges 47:32 Leadership Insights 51:56 Personal Rituals 54:30 Advice for Future Bankers 56:20 Outro

Hosts: Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray  President-elect Donald Trump has proposed new 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada that he wants to put into effect on Day 1 of his presidency. Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray talk about the impact these tariffs are going to have on the US. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist at Zions Bank, joins the discussion to give his take on these proposed tariffs, and gives an update on the new interest rate cuts. 

Hosts: Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray  Governor Cox will support Trump’s illegal immigration policies The governor’s office released a statement today saying it will support the incoming presidential administration’s priorities on illegal immigration. Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray break down this stance from the Governor and how it relates to other states and the rest of the country  Trump proposes new tariffs on Mexico and Canada; interest rate cut announcement President-elect Donald Trump has proposed new 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada that he wants to put into effect on Day 1 of his presidency. Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray talk about the impact these tariffs are going to have on the US. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist at Zions Bank, joins the discussion to give his take on these proposed tariffs, and gives an update on the new interest rate cuts.  President Biden announces ceasefire agreement between Israel Today, President Biden announced a permanent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. It involves Israel removing its troops from Lebanon over the next 60 days. Israel says the agreement will allow them to focus their efforts on Iran instead. Inside Sources hosts Leah Murray and Taylor Morgan share their thoughts on this breaking news.  What do Utah’s election results say about Utah voters? Is Utah getting more progressive or more conservative? With the election results getting certified on Monday, it looks like Utah is leaning more to the right than in previous years. Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray take a look at the final numbers and break down some of the surprises in Utah.   Harris’ disconnect with women One of the reasons Harris’ presidential campaign was unsuccessful was the inability to connect with one of the biggest demographics: women. Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray discuss why Harris came off as inauthentic and how she was unable to understand her voters.  Cameo app brings in questions about Congress ethics Rep. Lauren Boebert is facing questions regarding her videos on the Cameo app. The ethics involved are murky enough that it’s hard to determine whether or not she did anything wrong. Taylor Morgan and Leah Murray discuss their opinions on whether or not politicians should be able to use their station to earn them extra money or power.  

Now that we know who our next President will be, a lower inflation rate is not a guarantee.  That's according to Senior Economist Robert Spendlove with Zions Bank.  He says ecoomic theory dictates increasing tariffs -- which President-elect Donald Trump plans to do -- means higher inflation.  He does say one of the biggest issues for next year's Congress will be taxation. Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs, says the hope Trump has is that manufacturers will return the United States if tariffs are imposed, but right now they appear to be leaving China and going to Vietnam. You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page. Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

We've seen stories this week about concern over election violence, fires in ballot boxes, and worries over election security. This even as we know how safe and secure our election process is! How do we restore confidence in our election? KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests on A Woman's View. Her guests this week include Meghan Holbrook, Senior Vice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank, Ginette Bott, President and CEO of the Utah Food Bank and LuAnne Banks, Partner and Event Producer for the Women's Wellness Summit. 

How do we function in this time of deepfakes? How do we know that politician or personality or police officer online is real or a deepfake generated by AI? KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests on A Woman's View. Her guests this week include Meghan Holbrook, Senior Vice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank, Ginette Bott, President and CEO of the Utah Food Bank and LuAnne Banks, Partner and Event Producer for the Women's Wellness Summit. 

A few years back, we decided it would be better to spread homeless shelters out in various places throughout our communities. That, it seems, did not work. So now officials are thinking about creating one massive homeless campus for thousands of homeless people. Is that the right way to go? KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests on A Woman's View. Her guests this week include Meghan Holbrook, Senior Vice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank, Ginette Bott, President and CEO of the Utah Food Bank and LuAnne Banks, Partner and Event Producer for the Women's Wellness Summit. 

The average Utah family is spending 10% of the total family income on food, and we live in one of the most affordable states. In some states, it's 20%! How do we address this problem? Families are spending more on childcare than they are on food! KSL Newsradio's Amanda Dickson asked her guests on A Woman's View. Her guests this week include Meghan Holbrook, Senior Vice President of Government Relations with Zions Bank, Ginette Bott, President and CEO of the Utah Food Bank and LuAnne Banks, Partner and Event Producer for the Women's Wellness Summit. 

Hosts: Leah Murray and Adam Gardiner “Bold.” It’s the word being used to describe the Federal Reserve’s rate cut announcement of .5% today. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist at Zions Bank says he was surprised by such a drastic cut; it’s double what he predicted earlier in the day on KSL NewsRadio. He walks KSL at Night hosts Adam Gardiner and Leah Murray through the process and shares his thoughts on what the rate cut will do in the short and long terms.

Hosts: Leah Murray and Adam Gardiner The Fed cuts interest rates for the first time in 4 years“Bold.” It’s the word being used to describe the Federal Reserve’s rate cut announcement of .5% today. Robert Spendlove, Senior Economist at Zions Bank says he was surprised by such a drastic cut; it’s double what he predicted earlier in the day on KSL NewsRadio. He walks KSL at Night hosts Adam Gardiner and Leah Murray through the process and shares his thoughts on what the rate cut will do in the short and long terms. Calls for added security around Trump following 2nd assassination attemptMany members of Congress are calling for additional Secret Service protections around former President Trump following a second assassination attempt. Utah Senator Mike Lee is one of those making the calls. We discuss the pros and cons of the argument on whether to provide Trump with the same level of security as a sitting president. Hezbollah vows revenge following thousands of pager, radio explosionsThe terrorist organization Hezbollah is vowing retaliation against Israel following two separate explosion attacks affecting thousands of communications devices used by Hezbollah members. Yesterday, thousands of pagers exploded; today it was two-way walkie-talkie radios. Austin J. Knuppe, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Utah State University gives us some insights on why and how these attacks happened. Potential strike looming at ports on the East Coast; could it affect Utah?A worker strike could happen at ports on the East Coast and Gulf Coast as soon as October 1st. That may seem distant, but it could have direct effects on those of us in Utah. And to make matters worse, the timing of it all could severely affect the busiest shopping time of the year: Christmas. Dave Davis is the President of the Retail Merchants Association; he joins the show to explain how we got to this point. Meet the candidate: Rob Latham for GovernorElections tend to focus on the major two parties: Republican and Democrat. But there are several third parties also involved. Today, we talk with one of those third-party candidates, Rob Latham, gubernatorial candidate for the Libertarian Party. Latham explains why he’s running for governor and what he hopes to bring to the office. Listen in to find out where he stands on several important issues. Is this the year of the ‘girl dad’ candidate? How candidates’ children are affecting racesPolitical ads for Republican candidates across the country this election cycle are heavily featuring their children; specifically, their daughters. Conservatives are trying to bridge the gender gap – where women tend to join the Democrat Party – and bring them to the other side. We discuss the role of gender in politics and how party platforms affect it. Utah’s population getting older, richer, and more diverseNew data from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey show Utah’s population is getting older, wealthier, and more diverse. As the state’s population changes, is it changing enough to influence politics? It could change things on a smaller local level, but what about on a statewide or national level? The KSL at Night hosts share their thoughts. The secret to keeping good workers happyHow do employers keep good workers happy? Is it all about money? According to new survey data, nope. It turns out the secret to keeping good workers happy and satisfied is to recognize their achievements. Leah and Adam finish off the show discussing the importance of keeping workers happy and share their own ideas.

    In this podcast episode, Arthur Newell, VP of Zions Bank, discusses his journey from starting as a bank teller to becoming a key leader at one of the oldest banks in the Mountain West. He reflects on the vital role Zions Bank has played in supporting businesses and communities in Utah for over 150 years. Newell also highlights the bank's initiatives, including their annual International Trade Summit and various financial products like SBA loans, which are crucial for startups and small businesses. The episode touches on Zions Bank's deep roots in the community and its ongoing commitment to innovation and customer service.

Matt Baiamonte caught up with BYU defensive line coach Sione Po'uha after practice earlier this week at the Zions Bank practice fields on campus.

Josh Hadley is not just the founder and CEO of an eight-figure e-commerce brand; he is also a leading voice in the e-commerce space as the host of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast. His professional journey took off at American Airlines' Leadership Development Program, fresh from earning an MBA from the University of Utah. While maintaining his corporate career, Josh and his wife co-founded a custom wedding invitation business, leveraging their unique skill sets in the evenings. Recognizing an opportunity in the Amazon marketplace, they strategically pivoted their venture to create a stationery empire, growing their portfolio to over 1,300 products. Josh relishes the rewarding challenge of balancing business growth with family life in Dallas Texas. Raising three children while building a successful venture with his wife, he exemplifies the possibility of harmonizing personal fulfillment with professional success.In This Conversation We Discuss: [01:10] Discussing actionable ecommerce strategies[02:18] Reflecting on early entrepreneurial spirit[03:15] Inspiring innovative business ideas in college[03:48] Transforming a hobby into a thriving business[04:58] Experimenting with early Facebook Ads[05:33] Confronting scalability challenges[07:00] Adapting and evolving in Amazon[08:17] Developing entrepreneurial intuition[10:11] Advantages of using Amazon[11:55] Cons of Amazon[12:41] Navigating rising Amazon fees[14:04] Understanding revenue dynamics on Amazon[15:27] Leveraging Amazon's logistics efficiency[16:01] Testing product ideas on Amazon[18:06] Strategizing growth with proven Amazon products[18:42] Balancing Amazon and off-platform strategies[21:28] Tracking multi-channel ad performance[23:43] Active management in Amazon business[25:09] Learning tips from Amazon gurus[26:48] Testing on Amazon: fast and cost-effective[29:09] Quickly assessing success with Amazon data[29:48] Unique skill sets of Amazon and Shopify[31:50] Expanding beyond Amazon: preparing for future growth[33:40] Learn more from Josh HadleyResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeStrategies to scale to 8 figures and beyond ecommbreakthrough.com/Education, calendar, and reward prints hadleydesigns.com/Follow Josh Hadley linkedin.com/in/joshhadley/If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!