We’re looking forward to introducing you to Cindy Childress Ph.D.. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Cindy, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of building a happy life for my special needs dog, Duchess Kate. We adopted her at age 5, and she was already blind. My husband, Jack, and I immediately adopted a “what CAN our dog do” attitude. She has taught us so much, like how to love more deeply than I thought possible and the joy in small things.
Now at age 14, she’s also deaf and has poor balance from vertigo. But we adore her, and we’re helping her live her happiest life.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a ghostwriter and author mentor, and I lead the A-List Author Studio, where experts write and launch bestselling books. My 50th client just published their book! Currently, I’m adding writing retreats to my offers to provide targeted support on specific author goals.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My dad’s dad was a dairy farmer and raised a lot of cash crops. He worked from sunup to sundown and didn’t take holidays because the cows didn’t take holidays. Nor did the fields. So, the truth is, the work never stops. There’s always more to do. But at the same time, your work matters. He was a caretaker to the livestock and was raising food that fed people, in addition to providing for his family.
Today, my labor is very different from Pappaw’s. But I work as long and hard as necessary because I know my work matters. It’s not okay to fail to do my part because larger systems and others depend on me to show up.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I was a very sad, depressed kid. I was physically, verbally, and emotionally abused by both parents, so I didn’t have a ‘good cop.’ My mom had put me on a diet and told me I was fat at age 5. I just felt so defective, I wished they’d return me and get a refund. I could only be who I was, not who they wanted me to be. Reading was my only safe place where I could escape.
I would like to tell my younger self that she gets away spectacularly. And she turns out beautiful, intelligent, and kind despite her upbringing, because, as an adult, she gets to write her own story.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
As someone with a Ph.D. in English, I’m terribly uninterested in whatever is most popular at any single moment. I’m more interested in what ideas and art have staying power–and why.
But I do like to be on the cutting edge of innovation. For example, I first suggested an author put a QR code in their book in 2018. The idea was novel, but I thought it had cache because pulling things up on your phone without having to type anything seemed beneficial. However, QR codes in books didn’t really take off until the pandemic taught us to pull up menus with our phones, making QR codes ubiquitous.
So, I look for shifts that provide tangible benefits, as opposed to fads that are popular but don’t offer any material change.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
Right now, I’m working with a client to create a bot that interacts with people based on his framework outlined in two books we worked on together. While there are a lot of marketing and sales aspects I can help him with, I have also seen where my expertise ends and brought in other experts. I don’t have to be the “be all and end all” to my client, but when I’m not the best, I make it my business to find the best and connect my client with them. And then, I’m a helpful partner and collaborator, even if I’m not on the center stage of a particular aspect of the project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cindychildress.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/cindychildressphd
- Linkedin: https://Linkedin.com/in/cindychildressphd
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/cindychildressphd
