Reimagining Revelry: The ‘Kut’ That Changed Everything | Ft. Kandi King

This week, we are talking di tings with television host, Xodus Marketing Director, and the CEO and owner of Karnival by Kandi, Kandi King. Kandi has turned her creativity, cultural pride, and goal of wanting women to feel confident in their costumes, into a thriving business rooted in purpose, intention, and her love of Carnival. 

In this episode, we discuss Kandi's innovative 'V-Kut' and 'P-Kut' stockings, that have helped several women feel more comfortable in their carnival costumes; how she manages family life while persuing her passion; her unconventional path to becoming a leader in the Carnival industry, and so much more! 

Kandi is building an incredible legacy; one stocking, one event, one Carvnival, and one bold decision at a time. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a mother, a creative, or simply someone trying to live with more intention, this episode is for you!

So grab your tea, coffee, or a glass of wine, and let’s talk di tings!
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Checkout Kandi's V-Kut or P-Kut stockings at KarnivalbyKandi.com 

If you enjoyed the episode, leave us a 5 star rating, share this episode, and follow Let’s Talk Di Tings on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.   


Listen to LTDT on: SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6akOR9kAnsbANiszBDcVOL?si=aa70627937124c3e APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-di-tings/id1662696625 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
I want you to take a moment to think about
how many women you know who are not only mothers,
but are also raising the standards in their industries, their communities,
and their culture. Candy King is one of those women.
She is the founder and CEO of Carnival by Candy,

(00:23):
a brand dedicated to all things Carnival and making women
feel confident. Her products are innovative and beautifully made, but
what makes Carnival by Candy extraordinary is the intention behind it.
You see, Candy is not just designing stockings and other accessories,

(00:46):
She's designing experiences. Her story is a reminder that building
a brand isn't just about strategy. It's about intention. It's
about vision that's rooted in something deeper than profit, a
desire to be of service to your culture, your family,

(01:07):
and yourself. She's not just creating space for Caribbean creatives.
She's showing us that excellence and authenticity can coexist. In
the midst of an already powerful dialogue, Candy and I
realized that we share a cool connection. Both of our

(01:28):
mothers were flight attendants for Air Jamaica. Now, if you
know anything about Air Jamaica, you'll remember their iconic slogan
soaring to new heights, And as I sat with that
moment afterwards, it struck me how fitting it was for
the women we are now and the women who raised us.

(01:51):
Candy is now charting her own flight path, not through aviation,
but through artistry. Even her daughter's name Chorus, speaks to
a form of artistry. In music, a chorus is what
brings a song together. It's what echoes, what repeats, and

(02:11):
in Candy's life, it symbolizes something deeper, the harmony between
womanhood and motherhood, creativity and clarity. This episode is about
that balance, about what it means to lead with ambition
and intention to build something royal in its essence and

(02:33):
rooted in the rhythm of who you are. So grab
your tea, coffee, or a glass of wine and let's
Talk the Things. Hello everyone, Welcome back to Let's Talk
the Things, where we discuss personal growth, travel, music, beauty

(02:56):
and wellness while encouraging you to live fearlessly and fabulously.
I'm your host, Ash and this week we are talking
to Taints with a woman who has taken the business
of carnival and turned it into a vehicle of culture, empowerment,
and Undeniable Caribbean pride entrepreneur, television host and CEO of

(03:19):
Carnival by Candy Candy King. Hi Candy, how are you? Hi?

Speaker 2 (03:24):
Ash? I'm so excited to be on your podcast. Thank
you so much for having me. I am doing it
just fine today.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
That's great. Thank you so much for being here. So
I'm really excited.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
Let's go me too.

Speaker 1 (03:41):
So, for as a first time guest, I should say,
and for persons that are listening for the first time,
we begin each episode with our listener's favorite segment, and
it's called datna Sound safe? So so, Candy, I'm going
to read messages or social media posts that listeners sent in.

(04:03):
And if you think it sounds crazy or a little
bit concerning, you just say that notes sounds safe and
explain why. And if you agree, you say you agree
and explain why sounds good?

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Okay, all right, so.

Speaker 1 (04:15):
Don't worry, it's not scary, just.

Speaker 3 (04:20):
All right.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
So the first person said, my son found me crying
in the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, mummy,
is it because you're fat? Now I'm crying for two reasons,
you know, so none So for she.

Speaker 4 (04:45):
K's and I mean, can't blame them right because they
haven't as called it, and as you grow up you
kind of learn and get to what's appropriate and what's
not appropriate.

Speaker 2 (04:56):
So there's a little bit of very true, very.

Speaker 1 (04:59):
True, half and half half. I agree, okay. The next
person said, don't tell me you miss me, tell me
you're outside with doubles. I agree.

Speaker 2 (05:12):
I agree. Very safe love language like come on, yes,
tell me whatever you know.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
I like, absolutely, I'm in the group.

Speaker 3 (05:28):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (05:30):
The next one, the person said, what is a luxury
that most people I should say? The person asked, what
is a luxury that most people don't realize is a luxury?
And the person answered friends. Having actual friends, not familiar acquaintances,
real friends one of the best hacks for a fulfilling life.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Absolutely agree, actual and factual. I live by that. I
have had friends since high school. It's something that I
love to talk about that they've seen me through every season.
We've seen each other through all our seasons where knowing
motherhood together coincidentally, it's great. It does enhance my life
in so many ways. Just social literally yesterday that the

(06:13):
quality of the relationships in your life is what determines
like how happy you are and how long you live
and things like that. I one thousand person believe that.

Speaker 1 (06:22):
So yes, I agree, Yes, that is very safe. And
I think what you just said is so true the
quality of relationships, right, because you'll see some people and
they have like so many friends, but they're not really friends,
if you get what I'm saying. Like they have a
lot of people show up to their birthday party, but
can they call those people having a hard time? Or

(06:43):
can they tell them their secrets? You know, I feel
like people don't understand the value of friendship and same.
I have friends from high school still, some friends even
from prep school, you know what I mean. So I
think like we can call on you know who you
can ye?

Speaker 2 (06:58):
Absolutely?

Speaker 1 (06:59):
Yeah, absolutely, Okay, that one sounds safe. All right? Two more,
This one is hilarious. The person said he blocked me
on everything, so I applied to his job and I'm
starting next week.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
That let's sound safe. That's sound safe. That sounds very toxic, miss, miss,
that sounds very toxic. Let's not go there. Let's just
let by.

Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yes, yes, don't try to force things. Please, it's not
that serious. It can never be that non at all.

Speaker 2 (07:31):
Please, we have to learn to let go, and this
is one of those things.

Speaker 3 (07:35):
Let it go.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
Yes, the only thing we're supposed to be chasing, ladies
is our dreams. Please not not the man, not them,
let them come to you. Exactly exactly. That's wild, though
not applied for his dream crazy.

Speaker 2 (07:51):
I mean, I don't. Okay, Like as a species, I
don't we do that.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yeah, but we're what we're doing better, We're sure sure, sure, okay.
Last one in this segment, the person said, you'll find
me where there is peace, where there is joy, where
there is reciprocity, where words of protection are spoken over me,
where I'm celebrated for growing and wanting better for myself.

(08:18):
This is where I exist.

Speaker 2 (08:20):
Absolutely, this is where we bloom, This is where we grow,
and this is all. I love that. That sounds very
safe to me. I'm here for the reassurance, for the
words of affirmation, like, yeah, I love that.

Speaker 1 (08:31):
That is how we grow. Yes, the relationships as well, Yes, yes,
And just like what you said, you know, it's important
our environment too, we surround ourselves with and just being
somewhere where you're valued. I think that says a lot
about how you see yourself too. Exactly. You know, so yeah,
that one sounds very safe.

Speaker 3 (08:51):
So that was fun.

Speaker 1 (08:52):
See I told you, it's always frightened when I say that.
I was sure, sure, Oh no, it's good, just you know,
just to loosen it up a little bit, something fun.

Speaker 2 (09:05):
That worked.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
Now let's talk the real things. You are someone that
I've really been looking forward to talking to, not just
about business, but about purpose and just all of the
amazing achievements you've accomplished as a woman in the male
dominated carnival industry. So let's go back to younger Candy.

(09:29):
Take me back to your prep school days in Jamaica.
What kind of little girl were you and were there
any early signs of you wanting to build something on
your own?

Speaker 2 (09:40):
Absolutely not, I age. I was not one of those
people that knew what they wanted to do in life
or had any idea or I don't think it's something
my parents pressured me for either. So it wasn't really
on my book my radar until I was grown up,
and then I had to decide at some point, which
I still I mean, the story about how I ended

(10:01):
up in Cannibal is quite accidental, even though I've loved
it since being a child. So I mean growing up,
I would have seen my parents play Jamaica Cannival, which
was fun. We would me and my cousins would go
out on the roadside to watch them pass. And even
at that time, it was just a thing to do
on that day, no real interest. But when I became
of age, now, I guess sometime in high school and

(10:23):
I was able to jump Cannibal for my first time.
I think maybe it would be a little after high
school and trying to remember if I was sixteen or
eighteen when it happened, But you know, I wanted to
experience it because it was something for us to do.
Was very cool at the time. Everybody wanted to be
a part of it. And I did it for the
first time, and I wouldn't even sat arrest this history

(10:46):
like we enjoyed it. We continued to jump here after
year I went to college. That kind of put us
spoke in the wheels because I was at home to
jump Cannibal. But I remember just even as a little girl,
like I said, I had no clean for carnival. I
was just being a kid.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
No, I was just being a kid, right right.

Speaker 2 (11:04):
I remember being very outspoken. I have a brother and
our parents would describe each of us as like this
is the old spoken one, like this is a little
shy one. And I was not they one. So I
was spoken one. I was a social butterfly. Yeah, you know,
everybody said I was a chatterbox. All my report cards
came back with the chat too much as potentials, but

(11:25):
just too much that kind.

Speaker 1 (11:27):
Of thing that was me.

Speaker 2 (11:28):
Yeah right, you know I used to be so nothing
to do with carnival or even business. I mean, even
as I got older, I kind of saw myself in
a corporate environment, working my way up. I was not
beaten by no entrepreneurial book.

Speaker 1 (11:41):
I never wanted to be known.

Speaker 2 (11:42):
I never want myself that did so hard. So yeah, no,
I never wanted to do. It's completely by accident.

Speaker 1 (11:50):
But in terms of my child. So what is the
story then, because it's so strange to me, like you've
done so much. I just exacted you to have that story.

Speaker 2 (11:59):
It's so interesting. So I would have had a corporate
job when I first I went to school in Ohio
for four years, I got my degree, I came, I
moved back to Jamaica.

Speaker 1 (12:07):
I got a corporate job. I was working. I was comfortable,
it was fun. I enjoyed my job. I thought I
was good at my job, and I.

Speaker 2 (12:16):
Knew once I had enough money, which is this was
my first real stable, corporate job. Now that I wanted
to try to go to Trinidad Cannibal because you know,
I would have seen people gone. It looked really fun,
but it's also really expensive, so not a girl job.
I'm like, Okay, can you know, spend the morney I
got to Cannival. So I went to my first cannival
in two thousand and eleven or twelve of one of those.

(12:40):
And the year after I went, a couple of people
are like, boy, I didn't want to go, but they
don't know how to go. And I had a girl
who had helped me at the time to like get
a costume and tickets for parties and stuff like that,
and I was think, it's apressive. If I never have
her in Trinidad to help me, what would I have done.
But since I had gone and kind new the ropes

(13:00):
and met a couple of people, I helped other people
the following year. By the second year, I was seen
im a boy, you know, as a matter charge, and
people are because it's works and its work and in
the beginning, I just wanted it to be supplemental income.
I was like, my goal was like to get thirty
help thirty people to get to cannival. And I said
to myself, boy, that would have been great supplemental income

(13:22):
based on what I'm earning in corporate. I just did
this once a year, I get a little you know,
side money, and I'm good to go. That job ended
up making me redundant, and I was like, well, this
just going half a work. So I didn't have a
job for a while. So I was just kind of
winging it with the carnivals. But it blossomed, it bloomed,

(13:42):
it continued to grow. People wanted to go to other carnivals.
So after Trinidad, I had trainees that wanted to come
to Jamaica, and then after that they wanted to go
to crop Over and it I just built up an
audience of people who wanted to travel to different cannivals.
I realized that, you know, it's kind of a niche,
but there are people who carnival hop. There's a really
yeah like industry hair. So that's how I first got

(14:06):
started doing that. I did have other jobs, corporate jobs,
even in between, because I was sure. I was like,
I mean, look good, but you know my parents rested,
like we need to get a serious job. You know, yes,
my parents, yes, And so you know I didn't have
the confidence at the time either. You know, I've still
you know, needed to be guided and very much. I'm like,

(14:28):
you know, I started to do other little things that
doubuild the media for a bit, had some other jobs.

Speaker 1 (14:33):
Right, I remember you were hosting a show. Yes I was.

Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yes, I was hosting.

Speaker 1 (14:40):
Access TV.

Speaker 2 (14:40):
Yes, yeah I did. And those things are things I'm
still passionate about to be stayed. But boy, I can't
of all just kind of come compact over my whole life.

Speaker 1 (14:48):
And you know, I still do it where I can.

Speaker 2 (14:52):
I got to the other day, which I hosted an
amazing show, but I was still in Cannibal.

Speaker 1 (14:57):
Yeah. That's that's really.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
Ultimately how I got started my advice. Every time I'm
talking to other entrepreneurs, like how did you start, and
I'm that boy, I still had a foot.

Speaker 1 (15:05):
In corporate and that's really what it was.

Speaker 2 (15:08):
Like. I had other incomes at the time because I
just was not sure. Sometimes the money was good, sometimes
it wasn't. Monster great, monster, h you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (15:16):
So that's how it goes. Yeah, I still had a push.

Speaker 2 (15:20):
In corporate somewhere. There was some stable income at all
times as I went along. After that, we started a
band in twenty sixteen here in Generica.

Speaker 1 (15:36):
That went really well for a time.

Speaker 2 (15:38):
But like most entrepreneurs, some things work out, some things don't,
and this was one of the things that did not
work out for me. It was very hardbreaking in a life, okay,
but it's just one of those things that, yeah, you
just have.

Speaker 1 (15:51):
It just didn't work out. Yeah, it didn't work out.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
I was okay with it. And then the pandemic hit.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
Girl. Oh yes, that's food right. Yes, that must have
been so hard, just for the industry exactly.

Speaker 2 (16:07):
Entertainment was completely dead. We could not gather, we could
not go to carnival, we could not do anything. It
was a really difficult time. Thank god, I had a
really amazing partner who's not my husband. Yes, I got
pregnant started a family in that time, and I'm so
blessed that I was able to afford to do that.

(16:28):
I'm actually glad it happened in the pandemic because it
afforded me the space and the time, especially the mental
capacity to really like doning on being a mom and
even learning things. Yeah, I mean, because girl, let me
just tell you that, you know, and it was wrong,
I can well imagine because it was also very lonely.

(16:51):
But me with notice, I mean, people used to send
to me all the time, like my my child was
talking early A lot of the pandemic babies, we're doing
a lot of crazy things much than people would say
that their children would have done them or whatever. But
it's because we had the space and the time to
like be with them all the time.

Speaker 1 (17:09):
All the time. Yeah, we were with them all the time.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
And you see the difference that that makes when you
are present and fully present with your children and your family.
And yeah, so that's those are the positive things that
I would have taken out of the pandemic. But yeah,
continued in Carnival and right before the pandemic though, is
when I would have thought of the kind of a

(17:33):
accessories idea.

Speaker 1 (17:35):
So yes, yes, I thought that was so brilliant.

Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yeah, that's really what changed life. That's really that was
the idea. Yeah, man, the only one I was a
catalyst that was that was so I would have thought
of that right before the pandemic and then the pandemic
and then I was just like more mom. But right
after the pandemic I had to really pick things back
up by rebranded. I came back really really strong with

(18:05):
uh well, I rebranded the company. So initially, when I
used to help people to get to carnivals, I call
that Carnival by Candy, But when I thought of the
stockings and the accessories, I named it stocking by Candy
because you know, well, Carnival by Candy was something else
and I can't. I had kind of shut down that
concerge side of the business because the reality was it
was I guess, like way too much stress and like

(18:29):
not enough money.

Speaker 1 (18:29):
Wasn't making me like.

Speaker 2 (18:30):
Wealth you know what, I like, I want to do
from when they were were like you put in it
was great supplemental income, but like scaleability just was not
really there for me. And there are a bunch of
ways I thought that, wow, if I did this and
I did that, I could scale. But it just came
back to when you're doing a service based thing, it's

(18:52):
your time and it's like there's only twenty four hours
in a day to get me. It's like yeah, so
it's like I felt like it was almost like two
hard to scale because it required too much out of me.
But when I thought of like the stuckings, I'm like, butt,
this can sell wellness, you know what I mean? Yeah, this,
this can sell all time a day.

Speaker 1 (19:13):
You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (19:14):
Well, I'm skill. I don't have to about this is brilliant, No,
it really is. I'm so like pushing products on people now,
I'm like, find a product. Everybody, find a product. Yeah, product,
because it changed my life. I don't know, everybody's experience
is different because they're different. Because there's a lot of
people in service based industries that are thriving and doing
well and wealthy and have scaled their business. Is just true,

(19:36):
that's true, but it just was not working for me
at the time. I'm like, I look like a prop
of all of my time, my mental energy, and I
you know, like I felt like I could only do
so much with the twenty four.

Speaker 1 (19:47):
Hours in the day. And I have talked about all
sorts of stuff.

Speaker 2 (19:50):
But when it's like, I don't know, I thank god
every day that he planted that stucking idea in my
brain because girl, it was transformative or so brilliant.

Speaker 1 (19:59):
Yeah, and like that's a transformative I think for a weeks.

Speaker 2 (20:02):
Yes, it was for the industry, and I love plain
like because people I think it's like like sucks, Like
you can just buy and sell sucks from any supplier.
You're fine, and you just sell sucks. You know, you
go downtown this it sucks. It's so it's different. So
I actually went ahead and got all the protections that
I needed for my stockings. Yeah, and that's really what

(20:25):
made the difference because actually when you have an idea,
it's really important to protect the idea. And I am
an for this because in the we don't do it,
we don't do it, we don't believe in it. I mean, yeah,
it's under utilized. Service gypoy is up there, just I
don't know if they're gathering industry or what. I know
people do it, but you know, you think it's for
something company or it's for some corporates. Protecting ideas, protective designs,

(20:51):
protect the things that you create. And I created something
and I am really proud of it. But immediately as
I thought of that idea, I didn't want somebody else
to do with somebody who had more money. I had
a better network than me and then when you get
I didn't want that, So yes, it was very important.

(21:12):
You know, it was real and it has happened, and
there have been a lot of copiers. It's one of
the greatest.

Speaker 1 (21:19):
On a second, because this is definitely a thing. I
had Printon Omar from ja on here a couple of
weeks ago, and they said the same thing. They talked
about importance of having things done on the business side
because somebody was literally trying to sell their product at
a trade show and I'm like.

Speaker 2 (21:36):
What these people are bright, And you know, when you
gets into like fashion and designing, it even gets more
difficult because the laws are not as even straight.

Speaker 1 (21:47):
They're not that stockings something exists for that already.

Speaker 2 (21:52):
So I did It's not actually a patent because I
didn't invent stockings. I put a design on seconds. So
I put a VCT band on existing, an existing item,
and that's just called an industrial design protection. And I
went ahead and I filed in Jamaica, and I was shocked.
Cheap cheap. It was not no big expensive not to
do either. Yeah, it's reasonably priced to do. But you know,

(22:17):
I had a lawyer that was advising me at the
time she's like, boy, girl, you have to go to
all these different jurisdictions and file this exact industrial design protection.
If you want to be protected from somebody doing it
in Trinidad, or somebody doing it in Barbados, or somebody
doing it anywhere else in the world, you literally have
to go to the US and file it, Go to
Barbados filet go to Trinidad and file it. And I
was a boy again. This is going to take upon

(22:38):
my time again. As you go along in this journey,
you learn more and more, you get more educated. She
introduced me to what's called the Hague Agreement, which is
all these countries sign on to the agreement to say,
if you apply to the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, Switzerland,
you can get a protection that protects it in all
the countries that have signed on to the agreement. So

(22:58):
she's like, okay, spensive, that one was expensive.

Speaker 1 (23:02):
That it was expensive. It was worth it.

Speaker 2 (23:06):
It was.

Speaker 1 (23:09):
Me.

Speaker 2 (23:10):
And when I was doing that en it was in
the pandemic when money was a little tight, and I'm like,
so I feel like.

Speaker 1 (23:17):
This could be worth it.

Speaker 2 (23:18):
Let me just spend a little money and do it.
But at the times like something you can't see I
return on right. So it's very hard to put money
into something and money inside. And you know, but I'm
so happy that I did that because I did it
and I got through. I got I was shy because
I felt like I was doing commissions applications. No, I
do not know what I'm doing or what I'm even answering,

(23:40):
like they're asking questions.

Speaker 1 (23:41):
I do not, But you know what, you did it.

Speaker 2 (23:44):
I did it, and that's it.

Speaker 1 (23:46):
And so now I'm pretty much protective for the.

Speaker 2 (23:49):
World's the idea, which is really really not just humbling,
but I feel good about it, like it gives me
the confidence to continue to pursue this dream and this
business in a very serious way because it means that
I really had I really had an idea that made sense,
you know what I mean, the ideas.

Speaker 1 (24:07):
Worldwide candy that meant that that means.

Speaker 2 (24:10):
And when I see all the copiers at first, the copiers,
it was really it would bother me and I would
pursue them from the legal route and see some desist.
So many I'm not I don't even want certain things.
I don't want to say. I don't want to encourage
a body to copy anybody's idea. Right a point where
I decided I just have to focus on what I

(24:31):
am doing and making sure that my product is the
best and when people look at the quality of it
and the features not they'll know. Because if I sit
on a fight, fight, fight, fight, for all I'm going
to do is.

Speaker 1 (24:43):
Yeah, you can't fight. Everybody can't fight. Everybody worst fighting.

Speaker 2 (24:47):
Right Hello, let let's say it's not you know, some
little know them have no business, a hustle or whatever
it is. Like I said, everybody thinks just like I
don't know, sucks it does buy and sell it themselves.
So a big party tell us. People don't have the
education around it.

Speaker 1 (25:03):
They don't know, they don't know that it's true.

Speaker 3 (25:06):
They don't know.

Speaker 2 (25:07):
They don't know any better. So so I always approach
people amicably. First, I'm like, hey, you may not know,
but I actually owned the I callic patent. Because people
don't know any better either, you know. So I'm like,
I actually owned the patent for this design. So and
I even said to people like seller for yeah any more.
I have done that before because I that's unreasonable, Like,
I know, you spend your money to go buy the team,

(25:29):
you know, sell it out or buy no more or
whatever it is. But I usually want to give people
the education first and approach it amicably. And Limitus tell you, actually,
not one time have I approaching am akable that it
has been approached back to me amicably. It's always like
people calling my bluff. You don't own it, what you're
going to do. I have never had one personship Wow,

(25:51):
I didn't know, crazy, okay, understood.

Speaker 3 (25:56):
You know.

Speaker 1 (25:56):
And that's something that I find is really hard for
me to digest a lot of times. We talk a
lot about it on this podcast, you know, being kind
and being good to people and you know, just considering
being considerate of people, and the fact that when you
do that, it seems like the majority of people don't
take it, as you said, as like whoa, this person

(26:19):
really could have sued me, but instead they're coming to
me kindly and asking me to do something. They take
it as oh, well, they don't have any backbone, so
I can just tell them whatever, and they're probably going
to be too scared to do anything. And it's just
so unfortunate because to me, I would be appreciative of
somebody approaching me.

Speaker 2 (26:36):
Like that, but Nobody, not one person as not one
person has ever been thank you for the information, thank
you for the education I'm going to do. That's crazy always,
and I have curated and changed that message because I'm like,
maybe it's me, maybe maybe my message is on aggressive.

Speaker 1 (26:53):
Or maybe it's the tone or so many as a
whole nicely.

Speaker 2 (26:58):
Who soft. I feel like it doesn't matter that the
messages will either get ignored or it would just it's
just always nobody has ever.

Speaker 1 (27:06):
Said back to me, you know, thank you. I'm so sorry.

Speaker 2 (27:09):
I didn't know even just that I just didn't know,
because I know people don't.

Speaker 1 (27:13):
Know even just to take accountability.

Speaker 2 (27:17):
It's hard, Yeah, it's hard. So yeah, we we we
continue to struggle through that challenge. But like I said,
I have done so many things on my stockings now
to distinguish them from the pack. I've added features to them.
I've done like quality checks, We've done different types of
stockings now, like we the thing is so elevated now

(27:37):
that it's it's almost hard to know all of the
features that are under stockings.

Speaker 1 (27:41):
And I love it. I love it.

Speaker 2 (27:44):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (27:45):
That's the best route you could take.

Speaker 2 (27:46):
And then let me just tell you again, people think
this thing is so simple, like, oh, she's just buying
and selling stockings. But when I say that, this has
been the single most profitable thing I've ever done in
my life, I'm a whole thing.

Speaker 1 (27:59):
I've done a lot of I know you have self
jobs girls, and it.

Speaker 2 (28:03):
Has far surpassed any corporate job I've ever had. I
mean really, yeah, I'm surpassing.

Speaker 1 (28:11):
Even my's amazing.

Speaker 2 (28:13):
And who are in corporate, I'm surpassing their salaries. It
has been very successful for me. I'm very proud of it.
And it continues to grow. It continues to grow.

Speaker 1 (28:24):
Yeah, I love that, and I think that's such a
good example that you're setting, even for your daughter, right,
And it brings me to my next topic. There's a
quote I came across that made me think of you,
and it says a mother is not defined by what
she gives up to have a child, but what she
chooses to build alongside her child, not despite them, but

(28:46):
because of them. That's so interesting, isn't it, Because a
lot of times I think that people think once you
become a mother, like your life is over. You know
you can do that way? Do you think for yourself?
I'm sure it can. I'm not a mother yet, I'm
sure it can't feel that way. But you're a great
example of, you know, being a mother, a CEO, a creative,

(29:08):
you know, a daughter of the Caribbean. You know, some
would say, how do you balance those roles and how
has motherhood changed maybe your definition of success.

Speaker 2 (29:19):
So very interesting that you should even bring this up,
because just last week when I was struggling through Cannibal
in Jamaica, which this was a very season for me.

Speaker 1 (29:26):
Us of course, get a corporate job, ok, baby, get
a corporate se You know, you sound like your parents.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
But again, you know, I mean I'm joking. Of course,
can do what you want. I'm not one of those
people that is going to force her to do something
that I have or project something on her in my
hand about who she should be. I want her to
be her own person. I want her to live out
her own dreams in whatever world where she wants to
do them. And I'm not hard on fast on any curve.

(30:00):
I mean, she doesn't need to be a doctor or
a lot. I just want her to do something. Oh yeah,
you have doing and good enough money for her own lifestyle.
So I'm not hard and fast on that. But in
terms of the balance, every single time people have asked
me this question, I have the same answer, and the
answer is there's no balance. You know, if I am
doing one thing strong, something else is suffering. So, for example,

(30:22):
even during those like Carnival in Jamaica is a very
difficult time for me in terms of time. I am
also the head of marketing at a band in Jamaica
which is exited as Carnival. I do have Carnival by Candy,
pop up shops and various things to manage it. That's
is concerned. I have an event Carnival week as well.
There's a lot of different moving parts. It's also distribution

(30:44):
to Exodus, so we have If you've ever played Cannibal
and you see what distribution is like, it's very busy for.

Speaker 1 (30:50):
The staff who have to work it.

Speaker 2 (30:51):
Yeah, yeah, it's it's a very tedious, time consuming thing
and it will take up your whole day and your
whole night just to make sure that things are in
place for mascarados.

Speaker 1 (31:02):
So there were a lots of different living.

Speaker 2 (31:04):
Parts, stockings and Carnival by Candy on the accessoris end
is also very logistical, so I have to make sure
stock gets to certain locations. We have to do stock checks.
If something runs, oh you have to bring it up
back from another location. There's a lot, and I have
staff and everybody is doing what they're supposed but it's
it's physically demanding on me for a cannibal week, and
so I'm not present at home, and so I am

(31:26):
not at home right, So there's no balancer that's is concerned.
Sometimes I come home and my daughter would be sleeping,
and she gets I kiss up in her sleep and
I tell her I love her. Well, she's sleeping, and
that's that's just it. Before she wake up, I'm probably gone,
or all I get to do is wake up and
take her to school or tell her goodbye as she
goes to school. But I don't like when one thing

(31:47):
is thriving, something else is suffering and something so.

Speaker 1 (31:50):
It has been in my life.

Speaker 2 (31:52):
I don't I can't say I'm doing two things really well,
but I will say in the end, and I always
talk about this with my husband, especially just in our dynamic.
My daughter always all right, you know, she's always fine.
The guilt is on me when I'm not present.

Speaker 1 (32:05):
I'm like, okay, yes, what she feeling get home with
her dad, or.

Speaker 2 (32:09):
She's with her grandma or you know what I mean.
She's fine. She's actually fine. And so the guilt has
actually been living with mothers all this time, because it's
not that I've never present, It's just that I had
a project whill I was working. And so those are
the examples that I set, or that I hope to set. That,
Like mommy is hard working. And I always said to her,
even if mommy leaves, mommy always comes back.

Speaker 1 (32:30):
So you know, that's the.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
Thing, Like even if she's like, Momie, don't go, I'm like, yes,
Mommy has to go, but Mommy is gonna come back.

Speaker 1 (32:38):
And that's just saying like we live by that, like
I'm not.

Speaker 2 (32:41):
Gone, I'm just going to do something. I'll be right back,
you know, or I'll see you tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (32:45):
Or what ad I say is your dreams exactly, know,
like you're pursuing your dreams and you're getting up and
you're in a very non traditional way. But yeah, exactly.
But it's important for her to see all aspects of working.
You know, working is not just nine to five, and
it's in our generations that's a lot.

Speaker 2 (33:06):
With myself and her dad, who is a musician, right,
so yeah, we both have non traditional entertainment based jobs,
and so she right. Sometimes we're like, of course if
we did have nine to five, you know, because she
loved you know, she loves when we are just quickly
northstet when I'm not.

Speaker 1 (33:23):
She loved that. She loved more than having.

Speaker 2 (33:29):
Ninety fives.

Speaker 1 (33:30):
Girl, what would she do till six pens? And that's
so funny. I feel like I can relate to because
my dad is a musician and my mom used to
work for a Jamaica when I was great, so I
know that life. Yeah, she was a flight attendant for
many years. I probably know each other, I'm sure you know.

(33:52):
Oh my gosh, they still talk on around. Yes, they're
in group chats everything. No, it's it's like my mom
talks about it and it's like tears want to come
to her eyes. It's a very strange thing.

Speaker 2 (34:07):
Love that company, you know.

Speaker 1 (34:09):
Oh, but you have to admit it was but it
was a lovely feeling. Yes, you know you know what
I mean. Yes, I feel bad for anyone that didn't
get to experience Jamaica like utensils, knife and fork, peanuts.

Speaker 2 (34:24):
Aware, silverware, yes, silver aware.

Speaker 1 (34:30):
Sometimes we'll be traveling and my mom would be like, wow,
is this all the the flight attendant dress nowadays? Mom
a judgment because she's so used to like how they
had she tells me do all these things and going
for like you know, measurements and all these It was
like a hole to do, you know what I mean,

(34:51):
So like she's just not used to hald flight attendants
just come and serve you peanuts like still not she
still can't.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
It was just thrown back of peanuts on the table.

Speaker 1 (35:00):
That's it, yes, exactly. And she was in a time
where they were doing like modeling on the plane and
all that. So yeah, it was it was definitely to
tell you, yeah, I agree with it.

Speaker 2 (35:13):
I mean like that entire being a flight attendant was
like this option. Like Jamaica flight attendants were amazing to.

Speaker 1 (35:21):
Me, like they were like mister, yes, they were just beautiful,
like everybody was beautiful.

Speaker 2 (35:27):
Like it was like I said, it was a moment.
If you know you know you were there, then yeah,
I want to talk to.

Speaker 1 (35:34):
You really quickly about the emotional and even spiritual I
guess sense behind carnival, right because people think it's just
like jumping up and down and pretty costumes. But I
think there's more to it, right. I think it's just
it really represents freedom and liberation and celebration. I think,
you know, Soca music in and of itself is just

(35:56):
so positive, So I wonder what it means to you
you Carnival as a whole.

Speaker 2 (36:02):
Well, Carnival has been a very liberating experience for me.

Speaker 1 (36:06):
I remember my.

Speaker 2 (36:09):
First training that Carnival. It was like an epiphany of sorts.
It was like it was the funnest thing I had
ever done in my entire life, and I felt really
free in those moments where I was jumping off and
down or that's just what it represented.

Speaker 1 (36:30):
It was.

Speaker 2 (36:30):
It was like freedom in motion for me at the time,
where I got to be like fully myself and unfiltered,
and it felt really good. I mean, I know a
lot of people think it's just like phetos and beds
and skill because exactly, but it is very spiritual for people,
particularly for those who you know, like the training is.

(36:52):
They have the cultural element behind their Carnival as well,
so they're very serious about it. And once I got
the education behind how it started, how we got to
where we are today, you get a greater appreciation for it.
It's very you know, ancestral, and it's a spiritual relea
so a lot of people, not just for myself. So

(37:12):
it has been very healing for me. And one of
the things that I have taken pride in doing is
making women more confident. And that is where that journey
kind of began for me. Yes, I wanted to once
I started and I was like, boy, this thing is
so nice. And I mean it was all fun, fun
and well and good and healing, and but like you know,
you start to see some gaps and that stucking thing.

(37:35):
Like literally, I'm just like scrolling on social media and
I'm seeing like everybody look good, but I'm stucking band
just showing it's like an eyesore, and even coming from
the concierge, like you want to elevate people's experience because
Trinidad was a carnival, it was hard to get to.
It's not like Jimmy Corey your stuff at Esa Tagamat
and buy a ticket for the dance and it.

Speaker 1 (37:55):
Just got to dance, you know what I mean?

Speaker 2 (37:57):
That is what we culturally have come to me.

Speaker 1 (38:00):
There's no expensivity around events.

Speaker 2 (38:03):
Every promote and want them dance to run, and so
the tickets are all over everywhere. It can stuff and
get one anytime, and so Jamaicans are not accustomed to that.
And you have to in its entirety holistically plan A
trined that Carnival trip from top to bottom. You have
to know what fetes you're going to in advance, you
have to know who you're on the road with in advance.
Everything has to be planned in advance. And I was

(38:25):
saying to myself at that time, like I need to make.

Speaker 1 (38:28):
This more seamless and easier for people.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
And it was the same thing when I thought of
the accessories and the stockings. It's like I wanted to
elevate the Carnival experience. And a lot of what has
happened for me in Carnival is because I wanted to
improve the product in some way. But yes, it started
from that spiritual aspect and feeling very liberated and feeling

(38:51):
like just having a really good time. That's really where
it's you crave that once you've experienced it.

Speaker 1 (38:57):
And I felt like, how.

Speaker 2 (38:59):
Can I make this better for people, particularly women.

Speaker 1 (39:04):
And I and you.

Speaker 2 (39:08):
Honestly, it's so hard when people give you a compliment
it's like I want to thank you, like.

Speaker 1 (39:13):
You know, take it can please thank you just say.

Speaker 2 (39:19):
The truth is every year when people were in things
like particularly the last two years, because I have further
put another little feature on the stockings now where girls
can think of like a baby one day they can
open a little flap and use the bathroom if they need.

Speaker 1 (39:36):
To or cuse me their feminine heigh. Oh my gosh, no,
I need to get up here, because that is serious.
That a vading.

Speaker 2 (39:44):
Once you string up antirep your costume, which girls do,
they will nothing. They will tie it up them string
it up set.

Speaker 1 (39:50):
As it can.

Speaker 2 (39:51):
Some girls will stitch themselves in so that pieces don't
move or don't slide down or slide off.

Speaker 1 (39:57):
You don't get to take.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
It off until the end of the day.

Speaker 1 (40:00):
Know, Oh my gosh, So we.

Speaker 2 (40:02):
Used to back in the day it's a little hole
in the seats of the stocking, so that you could
just be used to that. And I said, well, we
just need to make the stockings with a little thing,
you know, like we thought. So I just I just
put a little flap on the stocking. Now you just
open it and if you need to, you know, feminine
hygiene things, use the restroom whatever it is, and then

(40:23):
you can close it back and continue. And people have
to be on the road to be like, oh my god,
I was on a period or because that time in
a month, or I'm so happy I did this. I
used to to cut the hole and then the whole
stocking would rip for whatever it is. And that makes
me feel good for women, that makes me feel.

Speaker 1 (40:39):
Yes, oh my gosh. That is literally like a game changer, seriously,
for so many reasons, just for the simple fact if
you're just somebody that has to use the bathroom a lot.

Speaker 3 (40:49):
You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (40:50):
Like sometimes people come up to the booth to buy
a stockings and I will ask them, I'm like, are
you a person that like uses the bathroom a lot
on the road Because I don't know, some reason I
do not have to go on the road, So I
don't know if I'm sweating, I don't know if I'm drinking.

Speaker 1 (41:04):
I really I never have to go. I do not
know the entire time. Entire time, I never have.

Speaker 2 (41:10):
Yeah, it's a little crazy, man, but its czy.

Speaker 1 (41:13):
Maybe it's a stress Maybe I don't know if it
is stressful.

Speaker 2 (41:17):
Trust me when I tell you that that is the
single most comment. I'm a game changer for me, So yes,
thank you all of that to say thank you all
the things. Yes, thank you, thank you so much.

Speaker 1 (41:29):
No, you're welcome, and you know. In addition to all
of that, I just think even the way that some
of the costumes are structured now everybody is not necessarily
comfortable with, like let's say the front part. So I
feel like it also gives us women a little bit
more confidence that nothing is going to pop out that
should you know? Ye exactly, So I think, yeah, that's

(41:53):
that's why it's just such a game changer to me.

Speaker 2 (41:55):
Sure, the innovation now in terms of features on the
stuffings has no big come like a pillar of carnival
by candy, Like people look out for what are we
going to do next on an accessory or how are
we going to elevate or make it easier for women
or for people who are playing masks.

Speaker 1 (42:11):
So this has become a little pressure in on a life. Yes,
what happens when you're great, People have higher expectations.

Speaker 2 (42:19):
Right, So I am we are really pushing the company
now to continue to innovate and to invent and to
create things because we don't just want to buy and sell, right,
Like I said, we want to elevate their carnival experiences.
We want to move into different experiences because this doesn't
just have to be carnivals. Like every time I look
at Beyond Our World Torn and tell us we're performing
all over the stockings they have, Yes, they're.

Speaker 1 (42:42):
Dancing all especially Beyonce.

Speaker 2 (42:44):
She loves us, she loves us stuckling. So you know,
we're trying to, like, you know, go into other industries
and navigate through the space in the performing arts in
some way.

Speaker 1 (42:55):
So I mean that's kind of work the five year goal.

Speaker 2 (42:57):
Not that you asked, but well, I feel well, you.

Speaker 1 (43:00):
Know what I was going to say. First of all,
I feel like you're reading my notes because that's going
to be my next question. So thank you you got
ahead of me. But I will stop that to say,
I'm just going to put it on in the universe.
I feel like Beyonce Act three, she's going to have
to have some carnival by candy, Thank you, And I
think that's what we're seeing.

Speaker 2 (43:18):
That's right then, thanks, and that's on that period.

Speaker 1 (43:23):
Yes, yes, so I wanted to ask you what's next
for a Carnival by Candy besides Beyonce wearing it exactly.

Speaker 2 (43:31):
So, like I said, yeah, we want to move into
some different spaces, particularly in particularly in the dance world.
I don't even feel like I've completely dominated the carnival space.
Carnival is a multi billion industry. Girl, there is a
long way to go. This is a long way to go.

Speaker 1 (43:51):
And the girls, yes, you pick the right industry business perspective.

Speaker 2 (43:55):
The girls paid to Carnival. Carnival is not cheap.

Speaker 1 (43:58):
The costume not cheap. No, the flight not cheap.

Speaker 2 (44:01):
It's not cheap.

Speaker 1 (44:02):
Nothing is cheap.

Speaker 2 (44:02):
Nothing about it is cheap. And I want, like I said,
I want them to have a good experience. I want
them to be comfortable on the road. For some reason,
when people put on stockings, I feel like they have
on pants. As you know, the costumes can be very
skim piece. So it's it's like I want to continue.
There are a lot of other markets. I haven't even
gone in with the stockings. People have heard of it.

(44:23):
They're like, oh, what are you bringing your stockings to?
Where about Saint Martin or or a little cannival. There's
lots of Caribbean carnivals in every nook and cranny around
the world, around North America, there's all kinds of living canivals,
big cannivals. There's nothing hill, there's there's still a long
way for me to go in Cannibal. So I know
people will often be like, oh, what's next time. It's like,

(44:45):
I'm still focusing on dominating here in this industry, and
then three to five are moving on into other industries.

Speaker 1 (44:53):
So yeah, that's really where we are.

Speaker 2 (44:55):
But I mean, again, with some emphasis on innovation, will continue.
We want to have new drops every year. We want
to innovate, we want to elevate the experience. So yeah,
I love that We're going to continue to create. That's
what we're going to continue to do.

Speaker 1 (45:11):
Before we transition to our final segment, I've been allowing
my guests to ask me one question this season, So
is there anything you'd like to ask me?

Speaker 2 (45:21):
I would love to know, like this podcast thing, Like
tell me about the business of podcasting. I need to
be educated on the business of podcasting because it's something
I'm like loosely interested in. So it's something I would
have asked you off the airport. I mean, since you asked, yeah,

(45:44):
shine some light, how has it been going, How did
you get started? All of that stuff?

Speaker 1 (45:48):
So you know what's so funny? You may want to
ask a different question. Here's why I know when I
tell you, you're gonna be shocked, because most people are.
I know nothing about part casting, I know nothing about journalism,
I know nothing about communicating. I'm being dead serious. Oh.
I started this podcast was I was doing my masters

(46:09):
at Harvard and I had a project where I looked
at the effects of violence on women and girls of
the Jamaica and diaspora. Right, so, persons that leave Jamaica
come here, you know the man, the man may end
up killing some woman, or the woman ends up with
an abuser, stuff like that. And I found that most
of these women they just didn't have a space where

(46:30):
they felt encouraged to leave that situation, or the men
didn't have a space where they felt seen, or just
didn't really have a space.

Speaker 2 (46:37):
Right.

Speaker 1 (46:38):
So I just had this idea, what if I just
started a podcast where I just brought people on, like first,
my friends and family at first, and like my uncles
because I told you, my dad's a musician. So brought
people on that just talked about their lives and how
they got to where they got to just for people
to be encouraged, and then it just turned into this,
so I had wow, Yes, that's why I'm like, I'm

(47:02):
probably not the best person because it literally just happened
and from there so many people heard about it, and
you know, getting people that are very famous obviously that helps,
and a lot of people and this is what means
a lot to me. A lot of people have come
on just because they feel comfortable speaking to me. I've

(47:24):
never had anyone ask me to tell them the questions beforehand.
I take that very seriously. I did, Oh my gosh,
I'm the first person. You know.

Speaker 2 (47:36):
I actually a little bit from anxiety.

Speaker 1 (47:39):
It is like I need to know.

Speaker 2 (47:40):
I need to know because I want to prepare and
I don't want to not be prepared. I actually thought
to myself that I need to practice more interviews where
I don't know the questions or I don't know the questions, and.

Speaker 1 (47:58):
That's the reason. So the reason behind that is I've
even have my parents on here, and the reason behind
that is because I want it to be genuine. I
don't want it to be something where I'm like, so, Candy,
how have you you know what I mean? Yeah, and
like you whole show, so you know how it is
like some people you can give them the questions and
they do know how to respond in a genuine way.

(48:20):
But you have a lots of people that are going
to answer like a robot, and I feel like, I don't.
I want people to come here and feel like it's genuine,
you know what I mean. So you've done so I
feel like, oh, thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
So it's just something.

Speaker 1 (48:33):
It's really something that there ends up being a business side, yes,
but I honestly just started doing it and I'm doing
it just for my community. Really, I'm not. It's not
anything that I was like, oh my gosh, this is
going to be a big thing. It's just turned into
that because usually I end up having conversations with people
and we end up being friends afterwards, or we end

(48:55):
up you know, talking. It just happens because you know,
we just feel comfortable talking to each other, and I
think people feel good that they can trust me because
I'm a stranger. And then it just was like wait, wow,
you know that was fun, or she didn't ask me
anything salacious or nothing like that. So people end up
feeling comfortable. So I know it doesn't really answer your questions.
I don't know it does.

Speaker 2 (49:15):
No, no, no, no that I actually it sounds a
lot like my story, like it just kind of happened
and it just it yes, yes, exactly turning into something
so yeah, no, I get it.

Speaker 1 (49:28):
I guess it exactly exactly.

Speaker 2 (49:31):
It makes me. It comforts me to know that there
are other people with similar experiences, because you know, I
have people and friends who have seriously pursued being a
doctor her entire lives, or being a what if it
is a lawyer an engineer, like all the people with
real professions out there who have been studying for the
last I don't know, fifteen twenty years.

Speaker 1 (49:51):
Of their lives.

Speaker 2 (49:52):
Yeah. Personally, yeah, it's like I'm envious, and at first
it's almost intimidating, like, well me just leant of being
accountable now, and I'm going to.

Speaker 1 (50:00):
Make the best of it.

Speaker 2 (50:01):
I had no business plan. I had no you know
what I mean. There's a school you got to learn
the industry or or even business.

Speaker 1 (50:07):
See, that's why you're so good at it because it's
your passion. Passion. Like when something is your passion, it's
just that's like ever.

Speaker 2 (50:17):
Because I want to make you feel better in your costume,
and so you're going to continue not thinking with profits
in mind, but thinking with how can I make this
experience better for you in mind?

Speaker 1 (50:27):
And that's the exactly enough coming sleep.

Speaker 2 (50:33):
It's the passion, okay, because exactly that's what's going to
drive you.

Speaker 1 (50:39):
Yep, and calling sick. You can't for your passion, No,
I cannot sick. Yeah, it's been Yeah, that's the journey.

Speaker 2 (50:49):
And I'm happy that you're also walking a similar pass and.

Speaker 1 (50:53):
Yes, we're both trying to make it refreshing conversation.

Speaker 2 (50:58):
So thank you so much.

Speaker 1 (51:00):
Oh you're welcome. Okay, so we're not totally done yet.
I'm going to ask you six rapid fire questions. So
you just say the first thing that comes.

Speaker 3 (51:09):
To after you just exactly. I literally was like, oh
my god, it was fun.

Speaker 1 (51:21):
It's fun. But now you know you can trust me.
It's fun, trust me, trust me. The first question a book, film,
or quote you return to when you need clarity.

Speaker 2 (51:37):
All right, well, let me let me talk about the book,
because I just finished this book and it really sat
well with me. It was big magic. Oh yes, and
that gave me a lot of clarity on a lot
of things that's going on in my life about ideas
and how they create. And yeah, it's much about being
a creative, continuing to pursue my passion and making sure

(52:00):
that I act on ideas and I get the ideas.
So it was very it was very motivating for me
that last book that I just read, and of course
it's not top of mine for me.

Speaker 1 (52:10):
I love that perfect Okay, so we'll go with that
the book, all right. Next question, what's a personal habit
or ritual that keeps you grounded? The gym girl working out? Yes,
I love that. I love working out. I'm not a
big drinker. I don't do anything else as my vice.

Speaker 2 (52:28):
It is working out. I work out four times a
week at the gym. And I also just added pilates.

Speaker 1 (52:33):
I'm a plates girl. Now welcome. I love pilates.

Speaker 2 (52:38):
Yeah, I'm a platus girl. No, so I just added
that to love that. Yeah, but definitely in the health
and wellness space in that way for just for the
it's not really so much about the aesthetic of it
is like, yeah, but it did it, didn't know. It's
really about just being healthy and from my.

Speaker 1 (52:57):
Mind, yeah, and it makes you feel good. I feel
it does it does for sure? All right? Next question,
If you weren't in the carnival or entertainment space, what
else would you be doing.

Speaker 2 (53:10):
Media and television. I've said that my whole life. If
I really, if if kind of all afforded me the
space and time to continue to pursue media and television,
I would have. I recently just completed a project called
Carnival Catwalk, which aired all well. It aired regionally here
in the Caribbean, and I was the host of that show.

(53:31):
But you know, the opportunities are not as I'm not
able to take on the opportunities as I would have
liked to because I'm busy, I'm doing other things. And
if I've been honest and I really play as well, again,
it's more of a passion project. It's like, if I
pursued this, I know I probably could have earned more
of a Right now, It's like, yeah, I do it
when I can.

Speaker 1 (53:52):
When you can. All right, makes sense. What's one thing
most people misunderstand about you?

Speaker 2 (53:58):
I would have to say that I have it all
figured out and I have some amazing work life balance,
which people I was like, how do you do it?
You seem like you're doing so much, and I just
feel like everything's on high all the time, and I
feel like I'm outing files every single day, you know
I do because of everything that transfered. I'll give you
a really short story, because of any everything that transparred

(54:20):
in Cannival this year, I was really on a mental
break for the last two weeks, like I have just
been zonkeed and zoned out and just trying to catch
my head from a tail.

Speaker 1 (54:29):
At this point.

Speaker 2 (54:30):
Have been very kind of lowkey. I mean at home,
I haven't really been paying attention to so much, like
what's going on. And my daughter had pictured day at school,
and let me just tell it was a mess.

Speaker 1 (54:39):
First, I brought her on.

Speaker 2 (54:40):
The wrong day day's school. It was like fix her up, comb, hair, dress, everything,
their life tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (54:47):
Then when I brought her the following.

Speaker 2 (54:49):
Day, she's graduating from preschool to go to big school,
and there was like a cap so her hair in
a high ponytail. They're like, we're going to have to that,
Oh mom. It was in the email that they're going
to be.

Speaker 1 (55:02):
Oh no.

Speaker 2 (55:04):
Yeah. I think it is the perception that I have
it all together.

Speaker 1 (55:08):
Yeah, but you're human.

Speaker 2 (55:10):
Yeah, But I'm very much very human almost, and I
make a lot of mistakes. Okay, let me just tell
you so all the time. Yeah, that's the biggest misconception
that like people see me, you know, social media is
a lie and they would see what ye be on
social media.

Speaker 1 (55:28):
Like, oh, I'm so happy you said your daughter.

Speaker 2 (55:31):
Yeah, like your career and you're this and you're that,
and yeah she's on that school of the wrong picture.

Speaker 1 (55:38):
I'm so happy you said that because I think it's
good to humanize yourself a lot of times. Sure, because yeah,
people don't understand social media is just things you're choosing
to share. Like everybody is dealing with something at some point.
Just because they're not on camera crying. Absolutely, that doesn't
mean that they're not dealing with something. So I'm really
glad you said that for sure. All right, if you

(55:58):
want an all expense paigre to the Maldives, which five
people are you bringing? Wow? Well my husband of course,
of course. Yes, it's like I want to send my
daughter us. I wouldn't manage to stay home with grandma.

Speaker 2 (56:15):
That bad.

Speaker 1 (56:17):
No, we're not judging, absolutely not.

Speaker 2 (56:21):
I'm so happy that this is a safe space. Yes,
I love my daughter's name is Corus. I love her
to the moon, but I want her to have experiences
that feel authentic to her. And I'm all these kind
of sound a little bit more me than it's on her.
I mean, I know she'd love the bee chancing and
she love our parents he but it's on it it
sounds like she may not have the best timey right
after that, I would bring my girls. Oh my god,
like I said, I've had the same friends for the

(56:42):
last twenty addios. Yes, so yeah, that would be Janelle, Giordance,
Selina so Moora, and then my husband. A lot of
people they're meant to kill me.

Speaker 1 (56:56):
So you would bring more than five people? You can't
say that that's fine? I will okay, So you'd have
I mean, it is the whole group chat. It is
all expense paid. So I don't see why.

Speaker 2 (57:06):
Now everybody, I need a whole group chat call me.

Speaker 3 (57:10):
I love that.

Speaker 1 (57:12):
I love that. And your husband should be able to
bring some people to right because.

Speaker 2 (57:16):
If he's a musician, you know who answer yes, that's true,
killing me just come alone?

Speaker 1 (57:25):
Oh my gosh, I can't manage. But yeah, you're right
about the answer. Ash Okay, so that works, that works
all right. So last question, what would you say to
the eighteen year old version of yourself, the young woman
who hadn't built the brand, hadn't become a mother, but
was dreaming of something more. It's going to be a
bumpy ride, but you'll get there. And you know the

(57:46):
quote that I returned to and it just came, it
just popped in your hand. Yes, it is that.

Speaker 2 (57:51):
And I constantly remind myself of this is that I
dreamt about the things I have now, and I always
remind myself of that quote that bees are dreams realized
right now, and I have to keep dreaming a new dream. Basically, well,
this is.

Speaker 1 (58:05):
Something I prayed for.

Speaker 2 (58:06):
I prayed for the family, I prayed for the husband,
I prayed for the house. I prayed for the business
to be successful. I know, I want the business to
be more successful, Like there was a time where we
just wanted profits, or we just wanted to make sure
we could sell off the stock or I know it's
like I have I have people all over the world
asking for the stockings and the demand is high, and
I'm like, okay, now I got to take like another level.
We need to take it to another level. You know

(58:26):
what I mean, so, yeah, we need to. It's a
quote that I constantly remind myself of that Diesel. I'm
living in a dream realized and if I could talk
so that eighteen year old girl like a bumpy right,
And it's not It is not linear.

Speaker 1 (58:40):
Entrepreneurship is not linear.

Speaker 2 (58:41):
You're not constantly sending the way climb a corporate ladder
or it's not going to be like that.

Speaker 1 (58:46):
And there's going to be a lot of values.

Speaker 2 (58:48):
There's probably more valides at this point than than peaks,
but the peaks are peaking.

Speaker 1 (58:55):
Now it's time for my little thank you candle problem.
Thank you for sure. Thank you for showing us that
building a life of meaning doesn't require choosing between motherhood
and ambition, softness and strength, or culture and commerce. I
think you are a living example that legacy is not

(59:16):
just about what we leave behind, but how we live
while we're here, how we show up, who we uplift,
and what we create with intention.

Speaker 3 (59:28):
Now you.

Speaker 1 (59:31):
You reminded us that being a woman in leadership is
not simply about holding a title. It's about holding space
for creativity, for responsibility, for joy, and for others to
rise and for those listening, especially women I hope this
episode really just reminds you that your dreams are not
too big, your timing is not off, and your story

(59:54):
is still unfolding, and you don't need permission to step
fully into who you are begin coming. You only need
courage and perhaps a little candy colored vision along the way.
So yeah, thank you so much for coming. I really
enjoyed this.

Speaker 2 (01:00:14):
Thank you so much for having me Ash, thank you
for thinking of me and inviting me. I'm happy to
share my story, something I'm trying to practice to do
more of, because, like I said, I always dread being
the interviewee. So thank you so much for the very
well done, practice crushing interview.

Speaker 1 (01:00:34):
I appreciate it. Thank you so much. Yes, right, not
like that.