We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Candice Cabanilla. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Candice below.

Candice , appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

At my events, I select vendors to complement the event theme and space, ensuring a diverse and engaging market. Additionally, I try not to oversaturate an event with the same types of vendors, focusing on the customer experience and vendors’ success. I aim to showcase vendors who offer unique products that can’t be found in a big box store.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I feature vendors around Sacramento on my Instagram page. I love meeting new small business owners and learning their story. Each person brings so much uniqueness and talent to this community!

I love to curate events and put vendors in venues where they will succeed! It’s so rewarding to see others thrive and I love being a part of the process!

My mission is to ensure inclusivity and diversity at all my events, welcoming everyone with open arms. You’ll find a diverse array of makers, creating an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all attendees.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I launched Sac Vendor Connect, my aim was to spotlight Sacramento vendors and create opportunities for our community to unite at events. Before the onset of Covid-19, I organized large-scale gatherings, but when social distancing became necessary, I had to adapt to continue supporting our community and vendors from afar. Upon the relaxation of social distancing measures, I resumed hosting events, only to find increased competition from other organizers, which affected overall event traffic.

In response, I pivoted to hosting niche-specific and themed events at local small businesses. This strategy allows us to support brick-and-mortar establishments while showcasing the talents of crafters and artisans.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

As a fellow small business owner, I operate Sugar Sweetery, a custom-order bake shop. My experience as a vendor at numerous events inspired me to adopt the best aspects from various markets and integrate them into my business philosophy. While profitability is important, my primary goal is to foster community support and build relationships within the vendor family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://msha.ke/sacvendorconnect
• Instagram: Sacvendorconnect
• Facebook: Sac Vendor Connect
• Yelp: Sac Vendor Connect

Image Credits
These photos are all from my personal phone.