In this Author Spotlight episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage talks with Cindy Ly, bestselling author in Luminaries: Women Leaders Who Light the Way and founder of Toolbox Consulting, about breaking away from inherited expectations and designing a life on her own terms. Cindy shares how growing up as a first generation American shaped her early ideas of success, why leaving for Europe changed everything, and how yoga, construction, and consulting all connect through leadership, curiosity, and teaching. They explore how family expectations shaped Cindy's childhood choices, what it took to find her voice, and how she now helps construction companies standardize finances, adopt technology, and build the data foundation for AI.
A Purdue Building Construction Management alumna, Cindy spent over a decade managing project controls and heavy industrial EPCM projects before advising hundreds of organizations on technology from; financial onsites, AI workshops, and hackathons. She works across the full spectrum, from field teams to executive leadership, cutting through the tech hype to focus on what actually works in construction.
Her approach is simple: process first, data second, technology third. She works inside the problem alongside her clients, not above it.
When she's not challenging industry norms, you'll find Cindy on the yoga mat or behind the DJ decks.
Key topics:
Growing up with a narrow definition of success centered on obedience, traditional roles, and "safe" careers like medicine, pharmacy, or law.
Cindy's discovery of construction management and her interest in collaboration and scale of building Chicago's skyline.
How burnout and family pressures led Cindy to move to Europe and create space to rediscover her own voice.
Learning the power of holding space and leading with calm authority rather than force.
Why moving from construction to consulting challenged Cindy to stop simply following the blueprint and start trusting her own ideas and perspective.
Exploring the complicated work of setting family boundaries while still holding space for love, disagreement, and unresolved emotions.
How yoga, construction, and consulting ultimately connect through leadership, collaboration, and creating space for others to succeed.
Cindy shares why she founded Toolbox Consulting to teach the next generation and make a meaningful impact across construction, technology, and AI.
Links and Resources:
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