Cynthia Barnes

Founder and CEO

I spent 20 years building frameworks that made other people rich.

Sales methodologies that became "company best practices." Training programs that got renamed and rolled out without my name attached. Revenue strategies that showed up in Brad's promotion announcement while I got a 2.3% raise and a note about "executive presence."

I documented everything. Exposed the math. Calculated the extraction.

$847,000.

That's the average lifetime wage gap for a Black woman in corporate America. Not a metaphor. Not a feeling. An invoice that never got paid.

So I stopped asking for raises. Started building infrastructure.

---

What I do now:

I build the sales architecture for Black women executives exiting corporate—so they can convert 20+ years of extracted expertise into high-ticket consulting contracts.

No pitching. No shrinking. No explaining your worth to people who've never had to prove theirs.

We don't coach. We build:
→ The offer that positions your expertise for C-Suite buyers
→ The pricing model that kills hourly rates forever
→ The proof assets that sell before you get on a call
→ The pipeline that fills your calendar without "networking"
→ The IP protection that ensures your frameworks stay yours

90 days. Proof to pipeline. Your expertise finally has your name on it.

---

This is for you if:

↳ You've built frameworks inside companies that got attributed to someone else
↳ You left (or you're leaving) and you're done being the secret weapon
↳ You have 15-25 years of expertise but no language to sell it
↳ You're tired of courses that teach theory—you want assets built
↳ You understand that Brad isn't the problem; the system is—and you're ready to build outside of it

---

This is NOT for you if:

↳ You're looking for mindset work, mantras, or manifestation
↳ You want someone to convince you your expertise has value
↳ You're still hoping the company will "finally see" you
↳ You need hand-holding through basic business decisions
↳ You think "putting yourself out there" is a strategy

---

I'm not here to help you get a seat at their table.

I'm here to help you build your own—and send them the invoice.

The Exit Architecture™
Black Women's Wealth Lab™

Thank You; It's True.™

* 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.

I inherited my grandmother's china.
My niece will inherit my frameworks.

Not metaphorically. Legally.

Last month, I sat with an IP attorney and built something nobody talks about: an intellectual property estate plan.

Every framework I've created — documented, valued, and assigned.
Every methodology — trademarked and timestamped.
Every system still running at companies I left years ago — catalogued with licensing potential.

Total estimated value: $6.3M in recoverable IP.

My grandmother worked for 44 years. Left me dishes.
I've worked for 19 years. I'm leaving my niece royalties.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲:

Your frameworks don't have to die with your career.
Your methodologies can generate income after you stop working.
Your intellectual property is an asset class nobody taught you to build.

What's in my IP estate:

→ 3 operational frameworks (actively licensed)
→ 7 methodologies (documented, not yet monetized)
→ 12 systems running at former employers (invoices pending)
→ 1 niece who will never build for free

She's 13. Already timestamps her school projects. Keeps version history on her essays. Told her teacher she retains IP rights to her science fair methodology.

That's my real legacy.

Not the china. The collection strategy.

Your brilliance is generational wealth waiting to be documented.

Build the estate. Price the inheritance. Leave more than memories.

Thank You; It's True™

If you're ready to build an IP estate your family can inherit, The Framework Tax™ Audit is where we start. — https://lnkd.in/ep94TUYr

#TheFrameworkTax #GenerationalWealth #IntellectualProperty

Founder & CEO, Black Women’s Wealth Lab™ | Building the infrastructure for economic justice. | Creator of the Proof Engine™ and the Extraction Index™.

A Black woman with short natural hair stands confidently at a wooden table in an elegant neutral-toned room. She wears a taupe cashmere wrap coat over a cream blouse, looking directly at the camera with a subtle smile. On the table in front of her sits a formal place setting: stacked china plates with gold trim, a matching teacup and saucer, a crystal water glass, and gold flatware on a linen napkin. The setting evokes inherited wealth and tradition — fine china passed down through generations.

Carson V. Heady

Carson V. Heady is Managing Director for Microsoft Elevate, a bestselling author, top sales influencer, and podcast host who has built a career helping people and organizations win through technology, authenticity, and servant leadership.

With over 25 years in sales and leadership roles across Microsoft, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, Carson has mastered the art of selling in complex environments. At Microsoft, he leads the Americas Nonprofit team supporting over 400 named nonprofit organizations, delivering transformative outcomes by aligning customer missions with Microsoft’s cloud, AI, and security solutions. He has also created a replicable demand generation social selling model that has generated $1 billion+ in revenue that he has trained in 11 countries and presented to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and his leadership team. Carson's success is driven by a philosophy that fuses heart, hustle, and human connection.

Carson is the author of 6 books, including the "Birth of a Salesman" series and his latest releases "The Show Must Go On" and "UNBEATABLE" — modern sales playbooks for navigating reinvention, resilience, and growth in an evolving landscape. His books blend storytelling with strategic insights and are used by sales professionals, leaders, and organizations as practical guides to career advancement.

He is also the host of two successful podcasts: *Mastering Modern Selling* and *Connected Teamwork*, where he interviews top industry voices and explores topics like AI in sales, personal branding, emotional intelligence, and nonprofit digital transformation. His guests have included CEOs, bestselling authors, comedians, Microsoft executives, and healthcare experts.

Carson is an 8-time CEO/President’s Club winner, a frequent keynote speaker, and a recognized LinkedIn Top Voice in sales and leadership. He’s known for his high-energy delivery, candid storytelling, and tactical advice that inspires sellers to take bold action while staying grounded in purpose.

Rooted in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and now based in St. Louis, Carson is a proud husband and father of three daughters. He believes success isn’t just about quota — it’s about showing up, staying true, and making a difference.

Co-host of The Crocodile School Podcast

We are capable of so much more than our small but powerful reptilian brain want us to believe. How do we access our true potential and transform the parts of us that keep us small? Join leadership coach & award-winning author Hylke Faber and best-selling author & Microsoft #1 Social Seller Carson V. Heady for this monthly podcast in which they explore how we can use every challenge as an opportunity to get to know more of our best self and share that with others. Carson will bring live case examples and leadership lessons and Hylke will bring coaching insights leveraging his Taming Your Crocodiles approach and the truth that is available in this moment.

Carson Heady

I’m going to say something most people in sales won’t admit publicly:  AI has made my prospecting—and getting executive meetings— almost too easy.


I've been doing this for 24 years, and yet I'm operating at the top of my game because of AI in real-world practice.

I use Copilot to research an entire organization in seconds—website, annual report, press releases, and leadership priorities.

Copilot analyzes tone, writing style, and leadership preferences straight from executives’ LinkedIn activity.

It surfaces their challenges, opportunities, data trends, and the language they use to talk about them.

Then with the right prompts, I generate a 2-sentence hook so compelling it practically forces an open.

Followed by a brief but surgical email—written in their style, tied to their mission, rooted in their work.

And I maximize my well of potential executives to engage with Sales Navigator to reach the right people based on title, keywords and any other relevant variable.

My probability of landing an executive meeting in any organization is virtually 100%.

Not because I’m special.

Because AI lets me add value in seconds that used to take considerably longer to compile and construct.

AI didn’t replace the work.

It amplified the craft.

It made me sharper.

It made me faster.

If you’re in sales and you’re not using AI like this yet…  you’re leaving opportunity on the table every single day.

Here are the prompts that power 80% of my day:

 “Analyze this executive’s website, mission, annual report, AND LinkedIn tone. Draft a 2-sentence hook and a value-focused outreach message written in their style.”

This one prompt gets me meetings I used to think were impossible.

"Write a 2 paragraph e-mail to this executive that will maximize my probability they will take a meeting with me using themes from their company mission and LinkedIn page, with a subject line that maximizes open rate."


What’s one real-world AI workflow you’ve used that genuinely changed how you operate?


LinkedIn for Sales Humantic AI Mastering Modern Selling Salesman on Fire LLC Salesman on Fire

Best-Selling Author | Managing Director, Americas @ Microsoft Elevate Nonprofit | Sales Hall of Fame | Podcast Host | Award-Winning Sales Leader

This week marks 500 days without alcohol—a personal milestone in a journey that has transformed my mindset, energy, and focus.


With 25 years in sales, I often believed that a drink could help take the edge off, unwind, or fit into the social fabric of the job. 

Reflecting on this, I see now that it was largely a habit that wasn't serving me.

The past few years have been incredibly challenging, and I won’t sugarcoat that. 

However, through this process, I’ve discovered clarity and discipline, realizing that I am better off without alcohol.

Now, instead of reaching for a drink, I choose a book or music. 

Instead of numbing my feelings, I engage in breathwork and practice being present. 

Instead of masking stress, I confront it with a clear mind and full awareness.

Each day brings its own challenges and opportunities, but the significant change is that I face them feeling my best.

For anyone on a similar journey or re-evaluating habits, remember that you are not alone. 

The greatest investment we can make is in ourselves.

I would love to hear from others—what habit have you replaced that has made a significant difference?

Laid off. 1,628 job applications. One life-changing lesson. If you think a great resume is all it takes, this story might change everything you believe about standing out and getting hired.

I thought my resume would open every door. I was wrong.

I've had my job eliminated three times in my career—completely out of the blue.

I had second-level director experience and a "sparkling" resume. I truly believed I’d walk into another job quickly.

Instead, I spent over a year unemployed.

- I applied to over 1,000 jobs.
- I only got a handful of interviews and was told I was overqualified, or they offered 1/3 of what I made the prior year.
- I finally landed a role making half of what I earned before.

What got me noticed and led to an interview from the 300+ applicants?

I wrote a book.

During my time out of work, I channeled my energy into something no one could take from me: my voice.

That painful chapter taught me a truth I now share with everyone:

- Be the overwhelming choice for what you want next.
- Lead with your superpowers—your unique skills, stories, and perspective.
- Relationships will open more doors than résumés ever will.

Even if you are the perfect fit, you still might not get the job. Sometimes it goes to a friend of the hiring manager. Sometimes you're overqualified or just not what they're looking for.

But you have something they don’t: resilience.

So write the book. Do the thing that makes your unique superpowers stand out from the crowd when the odds are against you. 

- Tell your story.
- Build relationships. You have to de-risk your next hiring manager's decision to hire you.
- Stay in the game and bet on yourself.

Because what differentiates you—not just what’s on paper—is what changes everything.

Are you relying on your resume… or are you building a reputation no layoff can take away?

My 7th book drops this week.



This one is about stacking the odds in your favor.

📘 *Moneyball Sales* is built on 24 years in the arena and over **$1B in revenue**—using LinkedIn, AI, discipline, and relationships the right way.

It’s for sellers who are:
• Working hard but seeing stalled pipelines
• Tired of guessing instead of knowing
• Ready to replace hope with probability

This book shows how to:
• Earn executive access (without pitching)
• Use AI to amplify judgment—not replace it
• Build momentum that compounds over time

No gimmicks.
No shortcuts.
Just a repeatable system that actually works.

Hope is the most dangerous drug in sales.
It makes you feel busy while your pipeline quietly dies.


“I hope they reply.”

“I hope this closes.”

“I hope next quarter is better.”

Hope delays hard conversations.

Hope avoids real prospecting.

Hope keeps bad deals alive and good habits dormant.

Top performers don’t hope.

They act.

✔️ They follow up when it’s uncomfortable
✔️ They ask the tough questions
✔️ They disqualify fast
✔️ They create new pipeline instead of babysitting old dreams

Hope is passive.

Process is power.

Where are you hoping… instead of doing?

I’m inspired by how technology is transforming live basketball! 🏀 Check out how we’re using data and innovation to elevate the game. https://msft.it/6041Qy7kx


Microsoft
National Basketball Association (NBA)

I just discovered a powerful LinkedIn feature that helps recruiters find you faster—if you’re open to work, don’t miss this tip! https://msft.it/6042QEbBw 

It’s a simple switch that could change your career path.

Open article: If You Aren’t Using This LinkedIn Job Search Feature, You Should Be by msft.it

If You Aren’t Using This LinkedIn Job Search Feature, You Should Be

Most people say they want feedback. Very few actually want the kind that changes them.


I didn’t grow the most during the highlight reels of my career.

I grew during the moments I was sure everything was falling apart.

The layoff I didn’t see coming.

The only performance plan of my life.

The seasons where confidence was low and uncertainty was loud.

In those moments, I had two choices:

Protect my ego… or rebuild my future.

So I sought out intentional mentors and told them:
👉 “Be straight with me.”
👉 “Tell me what I don’t see.”
👉 “Tell me where I’m the problem.”

And they did.

Sometimes it stung.

Sometimes I disagreed at first.

Sometimes I had to sit with it for days before I could admit they were right.

But every time I leaned into that discomfort instead of defending myself, I improved faster than I ever had when things were going well.

🔹 Growth rarely comes from praise
🔹 Blind spots don’t disappear on their own
🔹 Your next level is usually hiding behind a hard truth
🔹 The mentors who challenge you are the ones who change you

The people who helped me most weren’t the ones who told me I was doing great.

They were the ones who cared enough to risk the awkward conversation.

The ones who told me where I was playing small.

The ones who pointed out habits, patterns, and mindset gaps I couldn’t see from the inside.

I would not be where I am today without those voices.

Not because they made me feel good.

But because they made me better.

If you’re serious about leveling up your career, your leadership, or your life, here’s a question worth asking someone you trust:

“What’s one thing I’m doing that’s holding me back — that I might not see?”

Then don’t argue.

Don’t explain.

Don’t defend.

Just listen. Reflect. Adjust.

That’s where real growth begins.

Who’s someone in your life that tells you the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable?

New AI features from LinkedIn will soon help jobseekers find positions that best suit them without the need for exact keyword matches or specific job titles.

#msftadvocate #microsoft #technology #artificialintelligence #innovation #humanresources #careers

Open article: LinkedIn's new AI tools help job seekers find smarter career fits by msft.it

LinkedIn's new AI tools help job seekers find smarter career fits

Exciting news! LinkedIn is using AI to make finding the right people easier than ever. This update helps professionals connect faster and smarter.  https://lnkd.in/gqWy5FZd

Kathleen Hogan, our chief strategy and transformation officer here at Microsoft, shares how we’re embracing AI to transform how we work and lead. Companies of any size can follow our lead.

Open article: Microsoft Is Transforming Itself Into an AI Company and You Can Too by msft.it

Microsoft Is Transforming Itself Into an AI Company and You Can Too

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The Battle

Cynthia Barnes

Carson Heady

Followers

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Performance ScoreCynthia Barnes's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreCarson Heady's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Cynthia Barnes

Carson Heady

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

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

Performance ScoreCarson Heady's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreCynthia Barnes's LinkedIn Performance