When I tried to register Candid Collab, the business bureau literally asked: "Why are you trying to register a company for a dead person?"
It took me six months of fighting red tape just to prove I was alive.
By the time the paperwork was approved, we’d already been operating in the shadows for half a year - no official name or details, just pure hustle and a vision.
Today, we are very much alive and celebrating 3 years of Candid Collab! 🎉
Here’s what I’ve learned and where we’re going next.
Going FAR Together
I started by assembling the "Candid Consultants" - a powerhouse network of 15+ specialists providing marketing and community mentorship to solopreneurs.
But as the market shifted, so did we. I became an official Circle Partner, and suddenly, the stage got a lot bigger. We pivoted into higher-level, project-based strategy with both local and international clients: auditing bigger communities, building execution roadmaps, and internal community systems for them.
We’ve had the absolute privilege of consulting for incredible brands like Eskom se Push, Bash, The Lekker Network, and INSEAD (where we helped scale a 600-present founder community).
Right now? We’re working with Yoco and Whimsy Forge among others - the latter of which just achieved a mind-blowing, six-figure launch with over a thousand new members joining their community. This completely redefined what our partnership ROI can look like!
Knowing When to Pivot
Sometimes growth requires subtraction. As Candid moved toward more project community based work, we realized our beloved solopreneur community needed its own dedicated home.
That’s how Successfully Self-Employed came to be its own standalone, network-driven ecosystem focused on systems and accountability for solopreneurs to build what they're building together.
Our Mission: To help 1 million people become successfully self-employed by serving their communities.
It Takes a Village
I didn’t do this alone. Candid’s growth is fueled by an incredible team.
Cheryl, who has been there since the bureaucratic start of trying to register a company for a “dead person”. Also keeping the lights on in Finance.
Venessa in AI, tech and operations, keeping the wheels running smoothly.
Sam, our trusty Events & Marketing Specialist, managing all aspects of Candid's internal events with precision.
Nicola, the newest addition to the team - offering executive and content support.
And even more collaborators who would fill this post if I mentioned them!
The Next Chapter
Over the past 3 years, I’ve had to level up personally - stepping onto bigger stages as a speaker and facilitator to champion the true power of human connection. I look forward to what the next few years have in store for Candid Collab and for me.
At Candid, our purpose is simple: We believe communities and movements can change the world for the better. Moving forward, we are hyper-focusing on what we do best: building community functions for high-acquisition businesses (25k+ audiences) where community isn’t just an "add-on," but the actual fuel driving business growth.
To everyone who trusted us, worked with us, or cheered us on from the sidelines - thank you.
Year 4, we’re ready for you and we look forward to having those of you reading along for the ride! 🚀
Which of these best describes you?
FROM MY FRIENDS AT BELAY:
Growth Requires Letting Go of the Wrong Work
The work that got you here won’t take you further.
Without support, it’s easy to stay stuck doing everything long after you’ve outgrown it.
Download Operator to Owner: How to Exit the Middle to learn how to refocus your time on the work that actually deserves you.
