Interview: Cindy Light – Image Consultant

Shining Spirit 12 years ago, Cindy Light emigrated from her native China to America not knowing a single person or how to speak a word of English. All she had were four simple things: one small suitcase, two hard working hands and a heart filled with American dreams. Today, she is a successful entrepreneur, a certified image consultant, a professional speaker, and the author of an upcoming book about Chinese culture and its business impact. Chinese background Cindy graduated at age 19 from Beijing University. She started her career as an assistant professor of philosophy in Hangzhou Business University. Then she become a marketing and PR director for a big company in Hong Kong. Later, she was hand-picked by the Chinese Government to be a policy consultant helping foreigners set up their business in China. Life in the United States Despite her impressive accomplishments in China, setting out in the U.S. not knowing a word of English was not easy. However, while growing up with her grandmother, a master-tailor in Shanghai, she learned how to sew and design clothes when she was only five years old. In 1999, she started her first business "Cindy’s Sewing and Design Studio" at her home in Atlanta. She designed and hand-crafted suits, dresses, home decor and even matching outfits for people and their dogs! Her work quickly attracted discerning people in the South-East. Next, with improving English skills, she started to teach sewing, design and dress-making classes in local fabric stores. Soon, she was invited by clubs, corporations, and organizations to teach people how to dress right for their business and personal life. She had a flair for suggesting how to put together a powerful, beautiful and professionally appropriate wardrobe without spending a fortune. In 2007, Cindy was hired as a speaker for the Association of Image Consultants International Conference on the topic of Chinese culture and it’s business impact. She now plans a book on this topic. Pro-Track Profile Following her success as a speaker, Cindy found the National Speakers Association website. In early 2008, she flew to San Francisco and attended an NSA/NC chapter meeting. She signed up for the Pro-Track program and commuted to the next three meetings from her home in Atlanta before relocating to Sausalito. To here what she told me about her image consulting business and her three tips for Professional Speakers on how to dress for maximum impact, click on the podcast icon below. (Cindy Light is a certified image consultant, professional speaker, and author of an upcoming book about Chinese culture and it’s business impact. She can be reached at 415-889-9399 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 415-889-9399 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or via email at [email protected])