Meet The SHEeo: Candice Cox Of The Artisanal Jewelry & Home Decor Line CanDid Art
With the rise of more and more black women breaking away from traditional 9-5s to become their own bosses, the CEO is getting a revamp as the SHEeo. In the Meet The SHEeo series, we talk to melanated mavens leveling up and glowing up, all while redefining what it means to be a boss.
The Oakland-based creative started CanDid Art in 2011 after learning how to make jewelry via YouTube. With little knowledge of the fashion industry, Cox hit the ground running and attended trade shows to reach a broader retail audience. Nearly a decade later, the African-inspired artisanal jewelry line has expanded beyond California, landing an account with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and gaining international customers who wear her unique conversation-starter pieces worldwide. Her funky, urban-chic designs have graced the pages of ESSENCE, GQ, San Francisco Magazine, Pynk and Rolling Stone, and have been worn by many celebrities.
In this week's feature, meet Candice Cox of CanDid Art.
Courtesy of Candice Cox
Title: CEO of CanDid Art
Year Founded: 2011
Location: Oakland, CA
# of Employees: 1
30-Second Pitch: CanDid Art is an artisanal jewelry and modern home decor line based in Oakland, CA. We create unique conversation-starter pieces that spark trends and are accessible by a diverse customer base around the world. Our jewelry and home products are made from sustainably sourced materials and is inspired by cosmic geometry and African culture.
What inspired you to start your brand?
I'm an artist at heart and I wanted the freedom to create and be happy. My dad was also an entrepreneur all my life and I loved how he made moves in life as a boss, with no one to answer too (but my mom, lol) and I wanted that freedom.
What was your a-ha moment that brought your idea into reality?
I've always been a fan of handmade jewelry and after quitting my corporate job and relocating to Brooklyn, NY, I had a phone conversation with a girl who always made these cute crochet earrings. And she was like you could buy some wholesale from me and sell to your friends. Then, something clicked in my head and I was like, I could learn how to make jewelry on YouTube and sell my own work. And that's what I did and it grew from there.
Who is your ideal customer?
Women between the ages of 27-55 that are fearless fashion enthusiasts who desire to make a statement without saying a word and are looking to adorn their body in unconventional ways.
What makes your business different?
I design with references to cosmic geometry and African Visual Culture, so my jewelry pieces tend to be very unique and one of a kind. The most common comment that I get is, "I've have never seen anything like this."
What obstacles did you have to overcome while launching and growing your brand? How were you able to overcome them?
My obstacles would be lack of knowledge in the fashion industry which allowed me to not make smart investments in the right areas of my business in the beginning. I was able to overcome them by doing lots of research throughout the years, by reading and asking other designers that had more experience than me. A lot of it was also trial and error. When I saw that an idea or investment wasn't working, I would switch up what I was doing until I felt it was right.
What was the defining moment in your entrepreneurial journey?
The defining moment for me was understanding the power of a tradeshow. I didn't realize how valuable a tradeshow was in terms of the exposure for your brand. You could showcase your products to hundreds of boutiques, stores and museums from around the world. At my first tradeshow, I ended up landing an account with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History in culture and they have been carrying my line since in the Museum store.
"I now have customers internationally and that's when I realized I need to focus on getting bigger wholesale accounts to truly scale my business."
Where do you see your company in 5-10 years?
I see my company growing into a larger, highly recognized brand made up of jewelry, home decor, greeting cards with an emphasis on kids' line of bedding, baby accessories and clothing. I see a lack of African Americans that run large children brands and after having my own daughter, I see the value in that industry. I want to have presence in hundreds of major retailers all over the world such as Target, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and large museums.
Where have you seen the biggest return on investment?
I have gotten so much business from vending over the years and it has been instrumental in my growth. I am a people person and I love interacting with my customers and conducting my own market research through a hands-on approach.
Do you have a mentor? If so, who?
I do not have a mentor in my industry (and would love one), but I do have an overall business mentor through this awesome company called Runway Project Oakland. Her name is Rani Langer-Croager and she is the founder of Uptima Business Bootcamp in Oakland.
Biggest lesson you’ve learned in business?
You must NEVER be complacent. You will always need to continue to reinvent yourself and shift within this ever-changing society. One minute, you could be the hottest thing out there and the next minute, you're not. You have to be forward-thinking and have your next five years planned out.
Anything else you would like for people to know, or take away from your entrepreneurial story?
This sh*t isnt easy! You have to stay focused, self-motivated and work VERY HARD. Also having a community of like-minded entrepreneurial friends is a necessity. I love my tribe of entrepreneurial friends, because we can bounce ideas off each other, collaborate, share resources and vent.
For more of Candice and CandidArt, follow her on social: @candid_art.
- Closetista presents CanDid Art designer Candice Cox - YouTube ›
- Candice Cox - Owner - CanDid Art Accessories | LinkedIn ›
- Candice Cox - CanDid Art ›
- CanDid Art (@candid_art) • Instagram photos and videos ›
- Closetista presents CanDid Art designer Candice Cox - video ... ›
- Black women entrepreneurs find strength in creativity - SFChronicle ... ›
- CanDid Art - CanDid Art Accessories ›
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
Producer/AD: Samuel Cho @choboi90
Producer/Tech: Paul Nguyen @paul__winn
DP: Cristian Bernal @cristianbernal
Editor: @30inthemorning
2nd Cam: Paul Nguyen
1st AC: AJ Paug @ajpaug Gaffer: Dennis Albert @dennisalbert_
Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
PA: Rick Carreno @ispeakrick
PA: Tiffany Do @tivani.doee
BTS Photo: Prime @theartofprime
Car Detail: @sud_studs @slugglobal
Creative Director @hellobosco
Team Lead @kevgumbo3000
Project Manager @zakk_jullot
Creative Producer @iamkingsheyla
Designers @miacolemxn @noelspiva
@xoNecole
Director, Integrated Marketing @_vang
Campaign Manager @kingchachiii
Talent Lead @kaylawalker
Feature image by Prime/ @theartof prime