Thedrum

The path to strategy for Cindy Gustafson, chief strategy officer of Mindshare, started in, on the surface, a most unlikely place: the New York Thruway. As a toll attendant, she got short glimpses into the lives of literally million of people — tiny micro-moments that built a relentless curiosity, something that she believes is an important foundation for anyone in advertising and marketing. In looking back, and if she could give herself a piece of advice, knowing what she knows now, Gustafson, who led the launch of Mindshare’s creative media division — an invention studio — believes that being reliable is one of the most critical traits. Being on time, but also following through is what matters. Bold in her opinions, Gustafson is a proponent of not being comfortable with convention, feeling as though that can be a roadblock to success and a crutch for moving business forward. That improvement also applies to the brief as well — and being better than what’s put in front of people is a sure-fire way to tra