We were lucky to catch up with Candace Almy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Candace, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

To me, listening is what makes great business people. I believe as an introvert, I’ve added so much to my list of resources because of the things that I’ve learned due to listening to my colleagues and associates. Just as my business name, TheHypeIsDead, I personally don’t chase after the “get rich quick scheme“ or the trending topic, I want to be able to create a lasting legacy for myself and the Creative‘s that come after me.

Candace, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

In 2009, I began my journey of exploring the limits of my creativity. I started with designing clothes and accessories, to now shooting for magazines in Paris, France. I take my photography very serious and have seen what it takes to be successful. One thing I would change is having a better support system by way of mentorship; I may have excelled much faster with structured guidance. There’s always a lesson and joy that comes with figuring things out on your own; I saw a lot of time was spent trying to understand as opposed to real execution. What differentiates my work from others is my creative upbringing, the magic is literally inside me. My mom’s a realism painter, my sister sings, and my dad sculpts. If I could build my creative compound now, I would! Simply to get concepts built from top to bottom, in one space with the people I love being around. I’ve learned that community is so important in the creative space, you MUST learn from your neighbor, not to steal, but to be inspired.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Although we are staying away from the tends, doesn’t mean we don’t know what they are. Knowing that this is a pro-female era, can really assist in amplifying your business with someone like me! There have been numerous times where women have been discounted from the front line, and now is the time to show up. You can take advantage of this in social media marketing, how you present yourself in your bookings and online, and the content you create can be geared to those that take the initiative to support the powerful women around them. Knowing how valuable you are in your market and how to brand yourself will take your farther without a doubt. Don’t be shy, ask yourself, “who am I?” and answer that as honest and raw as you can.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

Little secret here, I am coming out with a piece for my beloved lady-artists. For the last year I have been working with a vendor in Pakistan to put together the perfect garment. I reached out and first asked what they offered, then I had what I needed ready; before I knew it, I was getting samples in the mail. One thing that helped this process move was knowing beforehand what I wanted to make; from colors, to shape, I had it planned and ready. I am so grateful that my vendor was kind enough to send me progress photos and videos, this really helped in decision making during the design process. I was blessed enough to only have gone through one vendor for this project; nevertheless, I am prepared to collaborate with many more when I branch out into fashion and merchandise.

Contact Info:

• Website: thehypeisdead.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/thehypeisdead
• Linkedin: Candace Almy
• Twitter: twitter.com/thehypeisdead

Image Credits
In order from top to bottom: Lundon Newyork Dee Jean Lundon Newyork Xavier Towns Sade Kapree