We recently connected with Amy Kavanaugh Mason and have shared our conversation below.
Amy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
Candified: Weaving a Tapestry of Joy Through Candy
Introduction: The Birth of a Dream
Candified’s inception is a tale of resilience, dreams, and the universal language of candy. Co-founders Amy Kavanaugh Mason and Jackie Sorkin aka The Candy Queen brought together their diverse experiences to create a company that transcends the typical candy store. It’s a place where every sweet treat tells a story of joy, creativity, and inclusivity.
Amy’s Journey: From Shadows to Spotlight
Amy Kavanaugh Mason’s path to Candified was marked by a childhood where she often felt unseen and unheard. These formative experiences, including moments of joy found in simple treats like candy, shaped her desire to create a world where no one feels overlooked. Her professional journey in the corporate world was successful, yet something was missing – a deeper, more personal fulfillment.
Jackie’s Influence: The Catalyst for Change
Meeting Jackie Sorkin, the dynamic “Candy Queen,” was a turning point for Amy. Jackie’s story of overcoming obstacles and her bold approach to entrepreneurship resonated deeply with Amy. Seeing Jackie’s courage and passion in action inspired Amy to take a leap of faith, stepping out of the corporate shadows to embrace the vibrant world of candy entrepreneurship.
Candified’s Ethos: A Mission of Joy and Inclusion
At the heart of Candified is a mission to create experiences that resonate with everyone. Amy and Jackie envisioned a space where the joy of candy could be a unifying force, transcending age, background, and life experiences. This vision became a reality with Candified, where each aspect of the experience – from the candy itself to the interactive creation stations – is designed to inspire and include.
The Role of Candyologists: Ambassadors of Happiness
Candified’s Candyologists are central to its mission. Carefully selected for their backgrounds in fields that emphasize creativity and interaction, like teaching and performing arts, they are more than just staff – they are the embodiment of Candified’s values. Each interaction with a Candyologist is intended to be a memorable, joy-filled experience, echoing Amy and Jackie’s vision.
Expansion and Accessibility: Spreading Joy Far and Wide
With the launch of its first store in 2023 and plans for online expansion, Candified aims to spread its mission beyond physical boundaries. The goal is to make the unique Candified experience accessible to a broader audience, ensuring that the joy of candy and the thrill of creative expression are just a click away.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Sweetness and Empowerment
Candified is more than a business; it’s a legacy built on the power of joy, creativity, and inclusivity. As the company grows, it remains steadfast in its mission to ensure that everyone who interacts with Candified – whether in-store or online – feels a sense of belonging and delight. In a world often burdened with complexities, Candified stands as a reminder of the simpler pleasures of life, weaving a tapestry of joy through the universal love of candy.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My journey has been a tapestry of learning, growing transitions, and breakthroughs, each shaping my narrative in the world of strategic communications and branding. After college I moved to Silicon Valley – and got a temp job at Schlumberger Semiconductor Test & Manufacturing to make money while I plotted a path to get my dream job of working at Apple. You see I was a secret computer geek. My professional journey started with a High School graduation gift from my father: an Apple IIe, It absolutely ignited my passion for technology and communication. This little box on my desk gave me the ability to express myself in untold ways. I could create, edit, make art etc. This created a purpose in me and I set my sites on working at One Infinite Loop…and after 4 years of working at Schlumberger — I got my dream to work at Apple in public relations where I deepened my understanding of consumer technology, translating complex ideas into accessible messages that as my boss at the time said “even your grandma would understand.”
With a solid ability to take complex issues and turn them into relevant, understandable words — my career took a transformative turn at Edelman, when I wrote a bit of a vision document to the GM of their LA practice, on how we could help bring technology companies and entertainment companies togehter to work on behalf of the consumer and I was given the opportunity to pioneer the Edelman Digital Entertainment practice, navigating the new terrain of digital media. When Starbucks reached out to Edelman, they were looking for help on how they could expand their reach from just coffee to being a cultivator of music and film. While this was at first successful, it was soon clear that it was a distraction for the business, and I was tapped by Edelman and worked under the direction of CEO Howard Schultz’s to help the company recover its “soul.” During that time, and overseeing a global team of 120+ communicators around the world, I learned the art of purpose-driven branding and employee-centric strategies, vital during Starbucks’ transformation agenda and return to profitability.
This experience attraced the attention of Taco Bell, amidst a reputational crisis, Leveraging the transformation playbook from Starbucks, it was there I spearheaded efforts to revitalize the brand’s image, a challenging endeavor that honed my skills in crisis communication and strategic branding. Over 5 years we went from “Think Outside the Bun” to Live Mas. From not communicating anything about the brand except in advertising to creating a clear purpose, promise and principles to being one of the most engaging and relevant and sought after brands in the US.
And then – my job was eliminated and I was devastated. I had given so much of myself to transforming the brand – I loved Taco Bell and was so proud of the work I wanted to do – but this was a shock to the system for me. I had been on this professional trajectory, I was part of the C-Suite one day, and then a major cost saving the next day. I had defined so much of myself by my work and it was gone. I was lost and sad and during my extended exit a recruiter called and said that Applebee’s and IHOP parent company wanted to do their own transformation.
I took the job – and while Dine Brands Global further enriched my experience in corporate communication, focusing on rebranding and stakeholder engagement, and leading me to profound insights into corporate narratives and brand storytelling, my ability to truly impact the brands was non existent. I felt like I was at the end of my career – that all the good stuff was behind me.
And then it hit me – I can effect change by helping other organizations – ones that wanted to make the world a better place get clear on their mission/vision/values and through the pandemic worked with multiple brands create mission driven operating systems. And then I met Jackie Sorkin aka The Candy Queen who came to me with a business idea – one that she had been working toward for 15 years and she asked me to partner on a new venture. Armed with just an idea I was able to take my nearly 30 years of corporate experience – the good, the bad and the ugly – and decide not just what were weren’t going to do – but what we were going to do to make the world a better place. This passion and experience, marked by unique challenges and learning opportunities, culminated in my partnership with Jackie to create Candified. This venture is not just a business; it’s a reflection of our professional journies, our personal missions, born from a desire to create joyous, inclusive experiences. Candified represents a new chapter, free from the constraints of traditional corporate environments, where creativity and joy are at the forefront. AND I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
This is a meeting, years in the making! And it affirmed my belief that everything happens for a reason. I had heard about Jackie Sorkin, aka The Candy Queen, through a shared connection – my hairdresser, who knew both of us and recognized the similarities in our passion and drive. She believed we could make a significant impact together. I would sit getting my hair done and hear about this AMAZING entreprenuer who had had a TV show on TLC, and created this phenomena that the media LOVED called Candytopia. It was a pop up experience taking the country by storm that was on track to generate tens of millions of dollars in its second year and moving to 17 cities across the country. I remember thinking, THIS WOMAN IS AN AMAZING POWERHOUSE, why on earthwould she want to meet me. After a series of events, and the pandemic resulting in professional endings for both of us, fate finally brought us together. I had started consulting with brands and individuals who wanted to create or reposition their organizations to be mission driven. And I was contacted by Jackie to help her on her next venture. After finally meeting and engaging in extensive conversations about our visions and aspirations, we realized we shared a common goal: to bring joy to people’s lives through the magic of candy. This led to the birth of Candified, a venture combining our unique strengths and shared mission.Truly a testament to the Universe putting us together when the time was right and to create something magical that we know can change the world for the better. Even if it is just a little bit.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
That your best professional days are behind you, that you “had your time,”, it is too late, or that you are just too old for something like that…
As I find myself closer to 60 than not (how on earth did that happen?) today I am literally standing at the door of a joyous, colorful dawn of something so exciting and new. Something built with my brilliant, creative genius of a business partner and soul sister Jackie Sorkin “Candy Queen”.
In 2023, Jackie and I formed Candified, Inc. 6 months ago, Jackie and I opened our first store in Belmont Shore, CA. Today I am letting it sink in that the planning, research, hustle, sleepless nights and tireless paces, the blood, sweat, tears (a LOT), and laughter (SO much) … all of it has led us here. To my most challenging and satisfying professional endeavor yet.
Today I am celebrating accomplishing what Jackie and I initially set out to do: to create something unique, purpose driven, and magical, that brings a little bit Joy to all who engage, at a time when the world needs it more than ever.
Today I am celebrating my 30 years in corporate America, where I gave my all (and sometimes too much) manifesting dreams for others, giving my all to companies and brands that could replace me at any moment. I enjoyed so much of it. So many learnings, lessons and extraordinary people and experiences. I am celebrating how it all brought me to where I am today. Wearing Converse high-tops and pink lipstick and tshirts instead of suits.
I am so grateful.
As we start to plan for our ecommerce store, expanding our catering and thinking about stores 2 and 3, I am celebrating all entrepreneurial ventures and those behind them. It is incredibly hard work, scary, exhausting, endless—yet the satisfaction is indescribable. For us, seeing the joy and wonder sparkling in the eyes of the children of all ages in our store, well, there has never been a feeling more exhilarating and satisfying.
I am basking in this accomplishment, cherishing the joy of our inaugural year. It is an uncomfortable thing to do, especially when so much work is ahead of us. But we rarely take time to be proud of ourselves. And today I am super proud of myself. And super proud of Jackie. And US, together, working through so much, because WE DID IT!
SO if you find yourself lost professionally, or you’ve been dismissed or diminished, and afraid of what is next, think again. I highly encourage you to redirect that energy to what YOU want to do to make the world sweeter. It is NEVER too late to reinvent yourself, to chase new dreams and find new summits.
Here’s to ALL of our future adventures & the sweetness that lies ahead.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.itscandified.com
- Instagram: @itscandified @its_amazingamy
- Facebook: itscandified
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akmason/
- Twitter: itscandified
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/candified-long-beach-2