We recently connected with Cynthia Ferngren and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Cynthia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
I have a profound passion for brand strategy and storytelling. It seems that storytelling has been an innate part of me throughout my entire life. I still remember the exhilaration I felt when my first published story, “Beaver in the Bathtub,” appeared in my grammar school paper. From that moment, I became captivated by the ability to craft narratives that evoke emotions in people. Being a great storyteller feels like a natural gift I was born with. However, I’ve come to realize that strategy is a skill I’ve acquired over time. One of my mentors enlightened me years ago with the words, “Strategy boils down to understanding key market insights and what truly motivates your customers.” Those words have remained etched in my memory. With every brand I work on, I make a conscious effort to immerse myself in data and gain a deep understanding of the target audience. For me, immersion has been the linchpin for learning and growth. I firmly believe in surrounding oneself with individuals who are further along the journey to where one aspires to be. As the saying goes, you become the average of the five people you spend the most time with. I have always sought out opportunities to be inquisitive, to place myself in rooms with individuals who possess greater knowledge and wisdom than I do, and to prioritize listening over speaking when it comes to matters of business. It is truly remarkable how much one can absorb by immersing oneself in the right environments and, once there, humbly embracing the role of a listener rather than attempting to impress others.
Cynthia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am the founder of Brandsol Agency. Brandsol’s mission is to help create brands with purpose that are both thoughtful and profitable. Our goal is to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams. Our purpose is to not just change the conversation, but the future itself.
I have brought 100’s of startups to life, serving as the strategic lead for launching Peace Out, DwellBeing, GigUp, AltroSmart, Lease Easy, Tomlinson Center for Leadership, Engle Roberts, Brochu Walker, Bold & Bare, Foodspace, PeaPod, and many, many more. My wealth of knowledge in successfully launching brands has led me to a mentor position at Make In LA, a hardware-focused incubator.
I am one of UpWork’s top 1% earners, won the 2021 Tony Robbins Comeback Challenge, and am an expert speaker and published author. I have spoken at Alt Summit 2023, Digital Marketing LA, The Authentic Marketing Conference, 2018 CEMA Summit, and the 2018 Video Marketing Conference. In addition, I was a featured expert contributor to the book Digital Marketing Tactics and have won over ten industry awards for my content and strategy.
If you need help with marketing that connects to the heart and soul of your audience and gets you the results and growth you are looking for, I am the person to speak to.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Resilience has been a cornerstone of my journey from the early days of my career. While I excelled professionally, it wasn’t due to having influential connections or clients who looked out for me. Those advantages seemed reserved for the men who played golf and mingled with the ‘boys’ inner circle. To seize opportunities, I had to be twice as sharp as anyone else in the room. I made it my mission to be the most knowledgeable and the hardest-working individual. Throughout it all, I carried an unwavering belief in my ability to make a unique contribution. No matter how many times I was overlooked or knocked down, I rose back up and fought twice as fiercely.
When I took the leap to start my own business, my former boss burned every bridge I had meticulously built over 20 years by threatening to sue any client who worked with me. I walked away with nothing but the clothes on my back and started from scratch.
In my first week as an entrepreneur, I pounded on the doors of every local business, introducing myself and asking for their trust. By the week’s end, I secured my first project—a website for a local gym. Within a month, a prominent restaurant chain entrusted me to oversee their nationwide marketing efforts. And by year’s end, I landed Peace-Out Skincare, which went on to earn accolades as Allure’s best product of the year and sold out at Sephora within two weeks of its launch. These opportunities came to fruition because I wasn’t afraid to ask and pitched my services to anyone I encountered. In fact, I secured the restaurant business by casually discussing my agency in the elevator with my neighbor, who happened to be the company’s CMO and ended up hiring me. Once given the chance, I outworked everyone else. When mistakes occurred, I took full responsibility and labored twice as hard to rectify them. Most importantly, I never lost faith in myself. Despite others calling me crazy, clients reneging on their promises to hire me, and experiencing betrayal and non-payment, I persisted. I pressed forward, and I always will.
If I could offer one piece of advice to someone starting out, it would be to never give up on yourself. Yes, it’s important to rest and enjoy a slice of pizza occasionally, but never abandon your belief in YOU—your future self will express gratitude for that unwavering determination.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My parents did not have it easy. When I was a child, my dad faced countless layoffs from his corporate job, often finding himself working in a meat factory to make ends meet. Meanwhile, my mom juggled three jobs to pay the bills and somehow ensured I could attend summer camp each year.
Growing up, I witnessed firsthand that promotions and fortunate breaks were not guaranteed for everyone. Often, the most deserving individuals were overlooked. This truth became evident when my dad, despite consistently delivering exceptional sales at Revlon, was fired for not fitting the prescribed “corporate image.”
As I embarked on my own career, I encountered similar challenges. I vividly recall being passed over for a well-deserved vice-president position at a company where I worked. Instead, it was granted to a colleague who paled in comparison. When I confronted my boss, she candidly admitted, “He didn’t deserve it, but the client wanted a man, so we gave it to him anyway. When you eventually get the position, you will have earned it, and that will feel more satisfying.” While I eventually secured the promotion, it was bittersweet, knowing I had deserved it a year earlier and was overlooked.
In every corporate job I held, my future, path, and life were determined by someone else, often a person who displayed no genuine concern for my well-being. I yearned to change that dynamic. I desired control over my own future, believing that through hard work, dedication, and consistency, I would never be disregarded by a company or a boss who prioritized their own interests over mine. Once I grasped this truth, I became determined to support others on their journeys, ensuring they, too, could shape their destinies.
The creation of BrandSol Agency was born out of my aspiration to collaborate with entrepreneurs and assist them in cultivating their businesses. I wanted to help individuals construct their own versions of the American dream, freeing them from reliance on a corporate 9-to-5 environment that often lacked genuine concern for their well-being. My mission with BrandSol is to empower as many entrepreneurs as possible to achieve success. By aiding everyday individuals in securing their slice of the pie, I believe I can leave a significant impact on the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brandsolagency.com
- Instagram: @cynthiaferngren
- Linkedin: Linkedin.com/Cynthiaferngren
Image Credits
Bree McCool Photography