Rising Stars: Meet Cindy Lai

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Lai.

Hi Cindy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My name is Cindy Lai.

I am a healthcare professional working with physicians, health plans, hospitals, and pharmaceuticals across the country for over 25 years. I am very passionate about healthy eating and lifestyles, especially mental health. Travel and photography are my love, especially so during COVIDs. I call them my therapy.

In April 2022, just less than a month after I moved to a new place in New Jersey, I made a trip to Nashville to visit my family and friends. I was hoping it could help release the stress from the two-year house search and everything about the move.

The minute I left the Nashville International Airport to drive to Germantown where my family lives, I saw the huge “The Great Smokies are Calling” billboard. It’s a Saturday. Without wasting a minute, I went to the Nashville Farmers’ Market which is surrounded by lovely country music.

I was like “Love it. I definitely went to the right place.”

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Currently, I don’t have business ties in Nashville, but I am considering it if I relocate there one day. This trip is for multiple purposes: Visiting my family and friends, exploring business opportunities, and traveling fun.

I love the vibrant city life with the nice cafes, pizza places, restaurants, and bars all within minutes of walking yet surrounded by museums. Love all the museums around. Most people would find museums boring or too much information to absorb. Museum is both my emotional shelter and inspiration because it’s a reflection of our growth and evolution to who we are today. I literally walked through the 200-year history of Tennessee at the Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park after the Nashville State Museum in one day. It’s like reading an audio book. Do you know more than 49,000 Tennesseans served in the Vietnam War?

If you walk a little further to go to Nashville downtown, please be sure to visit the Johnny Cash Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame Museum, and Music City Center all located in one central neighborhood.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a healthcare professional with both managed care experience and provider (doctors and hospitals) experience for over 25 years. Though I don’t have a medical background, I am very fortunate to get involved in quality care operations with nurses, doctors, labs, and health plans.

I love to travel and take pictures a lot, and they go hand in hand. They are my passion and my therapy. Nashville is a very interesting place. I was very fortunate to stay in Germantown to see my family and friends there during the Easter holiday. Even though it’s just about a short week of stay, I went to see the Nashville Farmers’ market, The Percy Warner Park, French Lick Creek, and Main Street Festival 2022.

Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, Johnny Cash Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame, Music City Center, and Cumberland Park, The best part is literally all these places are within walking distance from where I stayed. Truly a perfect blend of arts, culture, music, architecture, and natural beauty.

I tried moonshine tasting Gatlinburg and it was a fun experience. I love shopping at the retails run by the local people, who are so friendly. As a matter of fact, one of my Gatlinburg shots was featured on the Instagram page of @total_USA_.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Be open-minded and exploratory. Learn the local cultures, from food, and music to what they like to do. Nashville has the best of the two worlds, fast-paced city life yet plenty of open space to be creative and close to nature.

I will certainly come back to Nashville again to see places that I was not able to go to this time, but also to explore the possibility of living and creating business ties in Nashville. But I haven’t decided what kind of business I would be interested to do in Nashville but potential opportunities are definitely there.

The greatest takeaway from this trip to Nashville is that you could make friends anywhere at any time as long as you keep an open mind to learn and experience its authenticities.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @cindylai9880
• Facebook: Cindy Lai