Cynthia Barnes

Founder and CEO

Salesforce

Recognized by Salesforce as one of the Top Sales Influencers to Follow 4X (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

 Salesforce Top Sales Influencer to Follow (4X)

Thank You; It's True.

From teaching women how to reach the top 1% to empowering them to own it—I've transformed my expertise into a revolutionary methodology that helps professional women Own Their Awesome with four simple words: "Thank you; it's true."

As the author of "Reach the Top 1%: A Strategic Game Plan for Warrior Women in Sales" and founder of the National Association of Women Sales Professionals, I witnessed firsthand how even the highest achievers struggle to own their success. This insight led to creating the transformative "Thank you; it's true" framework, which turns the simple act of accepting compliments into a powerful catalyst for authentic confidence.

Key Focus Areas:
• Transforming high-achieving women from reaching success to owning it
• Pioneering behavioral change strategies that eliminate imposter syndrome
• Delivering high-impact keynotes and workshops on authentic confidence-building
• Leading a global movement to revolutionize how women receive and internalize recognition
• Developing scalable programs that create systemic change in workplace cultures

Impact:
• Created the groundbreaking "Thank you; it's true" framework
• Built the NAWSP from inception to 15,000 members
• Featured TEDx speaker on confidence and authentic leadership
• LinkedIn Top Voice | 4X Salesforce Top Influencer

My mission has evolved from showing women how to achieve success to empowering them to fully own it. Through the power of "Thank you; it's true," I'm helping professional women transform their relationship with confidence and create lasting cultural change.

Chief Transformation Officer & Founder 

TED Conferences

• Delivered engaging keynote presentations and immersive workshops at TED Conferences to equip teams with the mindsets and toolsets for success.
• Collaborated with event organizers to tailor talks on various topics to inspire and motivate audiences.
• Received accolades for impactful talks that left lasting impressions on attendees and sparked meaningful conversations.

TEDx Speaker | Keynote & SKO Speaker

RedBoxMe in Collaboration with Cartier

RedBoxMe in Collaboration with Cartier is at the intersection of philanthropy, art, cinema, leadership, literature, sustainability, and more, all driven by deep passion and commitment from our group of members. RedBoxMe was architected by Cartier Awards Laureate and innovator Candice Pascoal alongside the President of Cartier International, Cyrille Vigneron. At its core, RedBoxMe is a platform that curates a diverse and inclusive community of thought leaders, creatives, and individuals from various backgrounds for the expansion of thought. We gather around a number of intellectual and creative opportunities, both online and in person, creating a dynamic and engaging space that goes beyond traditional knowledge consumption.

Luminary Thinker

National Association of Women Sales Professionals

∙ Built a global community of 15,000 women sales professionals, offering targeted mentorship, training programs, and resources that enhanced confidence and career advancement.
∙ Spearheaded strategic partnerships with 50+ global organizations to embed equity-focused hiring and development strategies, achieving measurable increases in diversity and retention.
∙ Designed and launched scalable programs like NAWSP:EVOLVE, addressing systemic challenges and driving industry-wide transformation.

Total Quality Logistics

• Secured and expanded pivotal freight brokerage accounts, identifying prospective clients and sealing lucrative deals.
• Exceeded growth targets by 200%, showcasing exceptional ability to set and surpass ambitious DEI goals.
• Amplified revenue streams to $2 million within eighteen months, ensuring long-term financial viability.

Senior Account Executive, Logistics

Mary Kay Inc.

• Drove customer interest and revenue for a cosmetics company through market research and successful deal closures.
• Initiated employee surveys to enhance organizational communication and understanding.

Director of Employee Engagement

Women leave millions on the table every year—in salary, promotions, and business deals—because they hesitate to ask for what they deserve.

🔹 I help high-achieving women own their worth, negotiate fearlessly, and close with confidence—whether in the boardroom, the sales floor, or their career.

🔹 As a TEDx speaker, executive coach, and Fortune 500 consultant, I’ve worked with leaders at companies like Google, Bridgestone, and New York Life to empower women to stop settling and start owning their value.

🔹 WHAT I TEACH:
✅ How to negotiate with confidence and secure what you’re worth
✅ How to own your presence, influence, and executive authority
✅ How to sell yourself, your ideas, and your expertise like a pro

📢 FEATURED KEYNOTE: “Own Your Ask™ – The Art of Getting What You Deserve”
🔥 Perfect for sales teams, corporate leadership events, and women’s executive groups.

📅 Want me to speak at your next event? Let’s talk!

DM me or visit www.cynthia-barnes.com

* Founded NAWSP to offer executive-level consultation and develop DEI-specific strategies tailored for various industries, serving both U.S.-based and international clients.
* Advised C-Suite Leadership on optimal strategies to achieve short- and long-term objectives, sharing insights on trends, best practices, and their potential impacts on business models.
* Conducted Organizational Assessments to identify areas of improvement and recommended enhanced policies, processes, and procedures to clients.
* Developed and Facilitated Customized Curriculums focusing on recruitment and retention for over 50 organizations nationally and internationally.
* Implemented Employee Training and Development Programs to foster skill enhancement and professional growth.
* Established Performance Metrics and Measurement Systems to assess employee productivity and effectiveness.
* Orchestrated DE&I Roadmaps, aligning organizational goals with actionable diversity initiatives.
Increased Representation of underrepresented populations by 64% through targeted recruiting and mentorship programs.
* Conducted Equity Analysis across the entire employment life cycle, including recruitment, retention, interviews, performance evaluations, and separations.
* Developed ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) to promote inclusivity and address specific employee needs and concerns.
* Managed Talent and Succession Planning Programs to ensure organizational continuity and growth.
* Promoted a Positive and Inclusive Organizational Culture, enhancing team member engagement and productivity.
* Focused on Risk Management to mitigate potential organizational challenges and disruptions.
* Delivered Value by creating customized curricula and training for multiple industries, enhancing organizational capability and adaptability.
* Shared Industry Insights on current and emerging trends, enabling clients to adapt and innovate in their respective domains.

"Can you walk me through your salary expectations?"

I slid my number across the table. $127K.

The hiring manager's eyebrows shot up. "That's... ambitious for someone with your background."

My background: 8 years building revenue systems. $14M in documented value creation. Three frameworks running at my previous company.

"We were thinking more like $85K," he said. "But there's room to grow."

I folded. Took $92K. Convinced myself the title mattered more than the math.

Six months later, I'm training the new guy they hired. His starting salary? $135K. His experience? Five years. His documented wins? "Strong potential."

Same role. Same team. Same hiring manager.
Different invoice.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠:

They knew my number was right. They just knew I'd accept less.

They didn't negotiate my value. They negotiated my confidence.

They weren't questioning my worth. They were testing my documentation.

The script from that failed negotiation still burns:
"I appreciate the opportunity..."
"I understand budget constraints..."
"I'm flexible on compensation..."

Translation: I'll subsidize your profits with my discount.

Now? Different script entirely.

"My rate reflects the value I create."
"Here's the documentation."
"This number is firm."

No apologies. No explanations. No negotiations on my worth.

Because they don't pay you what you're worth.
They pay you what you refuse to work without.

That failed negotiation? Cost me $35K annually. $175K over five years. Before compound interest. Before opportunity cost. Before the mental tax of watching Brad make more for less.

To every Black woman about to negotiate:

Your number isn't ambitious. Their offer is extraction.
Your experience isn't lacking. Their evaluation is.
Your documentation isn't excessive. It's evidence.

Stop negotiating against yourself before they even counter.
Stop accepting their framing of your value.
Stop believing growth potential pays bills.

They have the budget. They always did.
They're just waiting to see if you know it too.

Thank You; It's True™

P.S. That hiring manager? Reached out last year for consulting help. My day rate is now triple what that annual raise would've been. He said it was "outside their budget." I said that sounded like a personal problem. Documentation has a beautiful memory.

#BlackWomensWealthLab #SalaryNegotiation #KnowYourWorth

Founder & CEO, Black Women’s Wealth Lab™ | Closing the pay gap for 1,000,000 Black women by 2040 | Turning corporate extraction into income

A poised woman with short natural curls sits on the floor in a softly lit, elegant living room. She wears a fitted nude-toned tank top and taupe lounge pants, holding a floral teacup in one hand with a laptop in front of her. Her jewelry is minimal and refined, and the neutral décor behind her creates a serene, upscale atmosphere. 

Yes, I invoiced my church $10K.

The pastor's jaw dropped. "But we're doing God's work."

"So am I," I said. "And God's work deserves proper funding."

See, they'd been running community programs for 15 years. Free financial literacy. Free job training. Free business coaching. All led by Black women who tithed, served, and subsidized.

The youth minister was teaching coding bootcamps after her 9-to-5.
The deacon's wife ran entrepreneurship workshops on Saturdays.
Sister Johnson's grant-writing saved them $2M.

All for "the glory."
None for the invoice.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡:

The coding bootcamp they gave away? Worth $5K per student.
The entrepreneurship program? Corporations pay $25K for that.
Sister Johnson's grant expertise? Consultants charge $10K per proposal.

They were sitting on $500K in annual program revenue.
Giving it away while Black women burned out.
Calling it ministry while we subsidized their mission.

I didn't just invoice them. I taught them to invoice everyone else.

Started charging corporations for diversity training they'd been doing free.
Created certification programs that companies paid to send employees to.
Turned "community service" into community revenue.

Six months later:
• $500K in program fees generated
• 12 Black women instructors now paid $150/hour
• Zero burnout, maximum impact

The pastor called it a miracle.

I called it pricing our gifts properly.

Because even in sacred spaces, Black women's contributions have value. Our expertise doesn't become free because we're in the sanctuary. Our brilliance doesn't get discounted at the church door.

That $10K invoice? It was for the framework that generated the $500K.

They paid it. In full. On time.

Because transformation costs. Whether it's in boardrooms or church basements.

To every Black woman giving away her genius for "the cause":

Your cause needs funding.
Your gifts deserve compensation.
Your service has a price tag.

Even Jesus said the worker deserves their wages.

Start invoicing. Even your church.
Especially your church.

Because we can't pour from empty cups.
But we can invoice for the pitcher.

Thank You; It's True™

P.S. Three other churches just hired me to implement the same framework. $15K each. Turns out, sacred spaces everywhere need to learn how to value Black women's work. I'm teaching them. At market rate.

#BlackWomensWealthLab #InvoiceYourWorth #SacredAndPaid #ThankYouItsTrue

Founder & CEO, Black Women’s Wealth Lab™ | Closing the extraction gap for 1,000,000 Black women by 2040

Black background with white text quote reading 'Even Jesus said the worker deserves their wages.' Black Women's Wealth Lab logo appears at top in gold/yellow. Tagline underneath reads 'Economic justice for Black women who built the wealth.'

Larry Long Jr 🎤

LLJR Enterprises

Are you ready to be the best version of yourself? You should. You can. And I’ll help you get there.

I founded LLJR Enterprises to help people, teams, and organizations go from good to great. I regularly speak to individuals and teams and have been coaching and training sales organizations for 16+ years. If you’re looking for energy, excitement, and a jolt to get you into action, I’m the guy for you.

Everyone has a gift. I believe my gift is to help you discover yours. That greatness that’s just waiting to shine through.

https://larrylongjr.com

CEO (Chief Energy Officer) & Professional Keynote Speaker/Emcee

Sales Impact Academy

Sales Impact Academy is the world’s leading go-to-market learning platform providing a continuous live learning solution for high-growth technology companies.

Sales Coach & Course Designer

IDEA Fund Partners

IDEA Fund Partners is one of the oldest and most active early-stage venture capital firms in the Southeast. As a seed and early-stage venture fund focused on investing in and working alongside innovative technology companies in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, 

I serve as a Limited Partner and an advisor to the Managing Partners as well as to some of the portfolio companies.

Limited Partner

GridMate

Strategic Advisor

SetSail

SetSail is the AI Analyst for Revenue Teams. Built on your sales data and tuned to your sales process, SetSail delivers timely, actionable insights that assist Go-To-Market Teams with selling smarter.

MonsterConnect

Podcast Host, The Cold Calling Podcast

SaaSBros.

Navattic

Navattic empowers go-to-market teams to instantly create interactive product demos.

GTM Advisor

Sales for the Culture

Member

RepVue

RepVue is challenging the status quo and flipping the odds to the favor of the candidate during the hiring process by providing structured data and insights about sales organizations.

Work in a sales organization? Anonymously and objectively rate your experience with that employer today at RepVue.com.

Brand Ambassador

⚡️CEO (Chief Energy Officer) / 🎤 International Professional Speaker 🎙️ Emcee 🌟 Influencer / 📈 Sales Trainer & Coach / 📕 Author / 🎙️ Podcast Host / 🎥 Content Creator / 🫶🏾 Board Member (x3) / 💰 Investor

Ask about The 'Larry Long Jr Experience' to bring POSITIVE ENERGY⚡️to your event & leave your people FEELING GREAT 🤩

I founded LLJR Enterprises to help people, teams, and organizations go from good to great. I regularly speak to organizations of all sizes, and have been coaching sales organizations for 16+ years. If you’re looking for energy, excitement, and a JOLT!⚡️ to accelerate productivity & sales, look no further 🎯 

Everyone has a gift. I believe my gift is to help you discover yours. That greatness that’s just waiting to shine through 💫

Are you ready to be the best version of yourself? You should. You can. And I’ll help you get there 🚀 

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if I can be of assistance in helping you and your Team be great.

💙 My brain, heart, soul and spirit are FULL after a Wonderful Weekend with 3 🤟🏾 incredible days with ‘My Peeps’, powerful professional speakers from across the nation, at the National Speakers Association (NSA) Chapter Leadership Institute (CLI) in Austin, TX 🤠 

🎤 These professional speaker leaders inspire me deeply by demonstrating sincere commitment to serving their respective chapters and their relentless dedication to growing, leading & becoming better versions of themselves. I feel encouraged, energized and genuinely excited about the future they are shaping for their communities.

Grateful and honored to serve as a mentor and Chapter Liaison for NSA DC and NSA Las Vegas 🚶🏾‍♂️💨 walking alongside leaders who take their role seriously 😎

🥳 Was so grateful for the opportunity to partner with Ali P and Stand Tall (6-7 🤣 haha) Steve Bollar, CSP® in presenting the 6th ‘M’ of MAGIC 🪄… 

💛 … what made it super special was getting to recognize and give her, her flowers (+ Peanut Butter M&M’s 🤪), to my Mentor and GREAT Friend, past NSA Carolinas President Nanci Appleman Vassil, CSP, for her amazingly awesome, kind & magical support of me in my professional speaker journey 🚀 🎯 … sincere THANKS NAV! 🫶🏾

THANKS to Allie Pleiter ...Kymberli Speight... CPCC, MPBS Steve Bollar, CSP®, NSA Austin and ALL contributors for making this event truly SPECTACULAR 🤗 Kara D Kelley, SPHR, SHRM-SCP behind the lens 📸🎥 & DJ JC John Chen, CSP® right on-time with the tunes 🎼 … 👏🏾👏🏾 

Huge appreciation as well for the NSA National Board Members who continue to show up with openness, generosity and support 😍 - great catching up and chatting with ya Mark Hunter Stu Schlackman & Happy 😁 … thank you Vaibhav Nahata for your superb support in Sponsoring 🎥 appreciate you and all you do for the community 🙌🏾

Double, and actually Quadruple Bonus ✨ … spending quality time on the ⛳️ golf course w/ great friends 🏄🏼‍♂️ Scott Leese & Cory Ayres, and also getting to catch up for brunch w/ CP4 Calvin Patterson IV & Drinks w/ Ding 🛎️ Ding Zheng - Pure Joy & Happiness 💖 

🤠 ATX Austin was OFF DA HOOK and my spirit is still buzzing with gratitude and inspiration … keep shining bright y’all 🤩

Sales Acceleration Expert 📈 Keynote Speaker 🎤 Coach / Trainer 🤩 Influencer ⚡️ Author 📚 Emcee 🎙️

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Sending greetings from Austin, TX on this Thankful Thursday … 🤠 howdy! 👋🏾 

Thankful for the AWESOME experience of serving as Opening Keynote 🎤 and kicking off the MPI Heartland Chapter Annual Meeting in Omaha Nebraska earlier this week 🎉

Serving the MARVELOUS Meeting Professionals from across Nebraska + Iowa 🌽 was truly a gift 💝 

Their theme of Navigate, Partner & Elevate set the tone for an inspiring, forward-focused time together … and was the perfect runway for my opening keynote, ‘JOLT!⚡️ Your LinkedIn to Strengthen Relationships & Grow Your Business’

.We challenged comfort zones 😱
.… dug into connection-driven strategies 🤝🏾
.…… took action(s) together to elevate 🚀 and achieve ‘best we can be’ results 🤩

I’m inspired seeing how this community is hungry, collaborative + committed to navigating what’s next in the meetings and events world … based on the energy in that room, the future looks BRILLIANTLY BRIGHT!

Big thanks to Meghan Powers-Risdal Holli Vesely Belinda (Bel) Humes Hanson, CMP and the ENTIRE MPI Heartland Team for creating an experience centered on growth 🌱 innovation 💡 and partnership 🙌🏾 … this annual meeting delivered it ALL: Dynamic keynotes (👏🏾 kudos Michael Dominguez, FASAE, CHSE) 👉🏾 Forward-thinking conversations 👉🏾 Community-building 👉🏾 Connections around latest technology, trends & transformation 🎯 

• Navigate • Partner • Elevate •

Sincerely grateful for these amazing opportunities to serve 🤗 excited to cheer this amazing community on as they continue shaping the future of meetings! ✨

It’s • About • To • Go • Down 🥳

💡 Own Your Spotlight Summit
📍 Raleigh, NC (Thanks Transfer Co. Food Hall)
📅 December 8th 
🎤 Honored to join WENDY SHORE Melissa Cohen Stacy Eleczko🔅 Brian Ondrako Kevin D. Turner Donnie Boivin ANNABEL PICKENS ++

Please join to:
🌱 Learn & Grow Yourself & Your Business
🔥 Connect With Other Growth-Oriented Rockstars
🤝🏾 Collaborate & Explore Partner Opportunities 

This is for YOU 🫵🏾 … Entrepreneurs, Leaders, Creators & Hungry Professionals, looking to step up, stand out, show up + show out 🤩 and OWN your voice, message & make maximum impact 💥

Thanks to our Super Sponsors:
William Bissett: 🥂 Cheers to our Happy Hour Sponsor!
David Williams: 📸 Official Photographer, capturing our very best sides 😁

👋🏾 JOIN US 12/8 … register here: https://luma.com/vwuxugw8

Make it a Fantastic Friday … it’s YOUR choice 🎯

🔥 NEW November Newsletter Drop! 

Why Not YOU? ...

Someone is getting that promotion ... Someone is launching that dream ... Someone is stepping into their greatness today!

So my question for you, is ... Why not YOU?

This week’s JOLT!⚡️ Newsletter breaks down:
🪴 How confidence is built
💥🚀 Why action beats perfection
💨🚶🏾‍➡️🎯 How 'small' steps create BIG wins

If you’re ready to bet on yourself … this one’s for you.

Time to Level-Up! 🤩

View newsletter: ⚡JOLT'ed: Jump On Life Today⚡

This past weekend’s NSA Carolinas Second Saturday Meetup was ON ’n’ BUMPIN’! 🎉 Twenty-five of my Raleigh-Durham-Chapel-Thrill professional speaker fr

Open article: Why Not You? by Larry Long Jr 🎤 • 4 min read

🔥 NEW PODCAST EPISODE DROP 🔥

Recently had the joy of joining as a Podcast Guest on The Crystal Petry Podcast (*THANKS Crystal Petry 😁) … truly a great discussion 💬 

We tackled a powerful truth that so many of us bump into:
Sometimes ‘good’ can be that sneaky roadblock standing between us and being GREAT 🤩

In this episode, Crystal guided our discussion around what it really takes to break free from our comfort zones and step boldly into our ‘next level’ LEVEL-UP 🎯

We explored:
✨ Why settling for “good” keeps us stuck

💥 How to shake yourself out of autopilot and reignite intention

✅ Simple, practical steps to uncover potential you haven’t tapped yet

🧠 The mindset shifts that fuel growth, transformation and true fulfillment

If you’ve been feeling that nudge for more purpose, more progress and more power in your life or career … consider this your JOLT!⚡️ to move, and to MOVE BIG 💫 

So truly grateful for Crystal’s thoughtful questions, and her sincere heart for helping people grow 🌱 

This is a conversation you’ll most definitely want to share with anyone who’s ready to break free from the ordinary and pursue greatness with intention 🚀 

Wishing you a Wonderful Weekend! Cheers!

🎧 Tune In 👇🏾

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The Battle

Cynthia Barnes

Larry Long Jr 🎤

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The Battle

Cynthia Barnes

Larry Long Jr 🎤

Followers

Posts

Engagements

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Cynthia Barnes's LinkedIn Performance

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