We were lucky to catch up with Candice Gadsden recently and have shared our conversation below.

Candice, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?

I moved from Bossier City, Louisiana to the DFW area in June 2014 after accepting a job offer. My husband was transitioning out of the military and with us both being military veterans, we decided that Texas would be the best place for us to settle down and continue to raise our family as Texas has great benefits for prior military members. I began applying for jobs a few months before we were ready to move thinking it would take months to get any type of call-back. You can imagine my surprise when within just a few weeks of applying, I received a call for an interview! For context, I began applying for jobs in April 2014 — say mid-April. I had a phone screen by the end of April, and an in-person interview scheduled 2 weeks later! The day of the interview arrives, and my husband and I get on the road to Dallas. The forecast is calling for rain, but oh well right? It’s going to be a great day! The interview started immediately and was going really well — we wound up leaving and going to lunch (oh yes, this job is definitely mine!). Everything is going really well and my soon to be manager is in the middle of going over my offer letter when tornado sirens begin going off! The Texas skies have literally opened up and the rain is pounding down and sideways, the wind is crazy, and everyone in the building is running around. I’m frantically texting my husband because I’m worried that he’s still driving around, but he’s in the parking lot. I tell my new manager “umm, my husband is in the car!” We both run to the door and I’m texting him to get out of the car and hurry and come inside because it is BAD! We get him inside and she shoves us both under a closet under the stairs while she takes care of the other employees. My husband looks at me and says “I sure hope you got this job!” That day definitely goes down in history as one of the craziest things that has ever happened to us. That wasn’t the lesson I learned, but I can’t talk about that job without telling that story! I started in my new role in June 2014, and although I had many years of HR experience — this role was TOUGH! It was a much larger company than I had ever worked for before and pieces of HR that I had never touched before. I felt like I didn’t know anything honestly, but I had a REALLY great manager and she was extremely patient with me. One day after about 6 months, we were going over my performance and she asked me how I thought I was doing. I told her that I didn’t think I was doing very well, and that I felt like I had not accomplished as much as I should have. She stopped me, and began to run down all my stats. I had hired something like 150 people in 6 months, closed out x amount of open requisitions, and a host of other things that I had accomplished. I was shocked, and then she said something to me that I will never forget. She said, “you have your head down in the weeds and that’s all you can see around you, so it looks like you aren’t accomplishing anything but if you stand up and look behind you — you will be able to see how much work you’ve done”. That was so helpful to me, and now as a business owner, whenever I feel like I am not moving — I stand up and look around.

Candice, 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?

I started my catering business in April 2020 at the height of the pandemic. It was actually at the encouragement of my cousin and other friends and family members that I decided to just go for it! Do you want to hear a secret? 20 years ago, I had very little interest in cooking and only did it because I had to eat! Over time, I grew to enjoy it very much and I found that I enjoyed the looks on people’s faces when they ate the food I cooked. I’m getting off track! I am a mobile caterer — meaning I drop off your prepared order at your event location, home, banquet hall, office, school, etc… I provide metal racks and chafing cans for a small fee if needed. I will typically arrive 30-40 minutes before your event to set up unless we discuss other arrangements. One of the questions that I am frequently asked is what type of food I prepare. I am a soul food caterer with a bit of a Cajun twist and that is pretty much my wheelhouse! I do have some appetizers on the menu (Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, trust me), and there are only a few desserts on my menu because I despise baking! I am so proud of how far I have come in the last 3 years in this business. My clientele has grown tremendously and continues to do so, but the one thing that makes me beam with pride is my repeat customers. To have my clients place their trust in me, again and again, is an incredible feeling and I am extremely grateful! I treat my clients like family, and I put a lot of love into the food I prepare for them and I pray that comes across with every experience.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In February 2017, I accepted a job opportunity that I thought would change my life. It did, but not in the way I thought it would! I honestly can’t even put into words how traumatizing this experience was, and I know “trauma” probably sounds a bit dramatic to use for an experience with an employer but this is the proper term I promise! I began my HR career in 2005 shortly after getting out of the Air Force, and couldn’t picture myself doing anything else. I loved HR, and I was very good at what I did! So when I started with this company, I was excited because it was going to be a new challenge and an opportunity to grow my career. Have you ever had a job that completely changed who you were as a person? Or have you ever worked for someone who made you question everything about yourself? Have you ever cried all the way to work, sat in the parking lot and cried, cried to your friend on the phone on your lunch break, and then cried all the way home? But then have to go into that office and force a smile because you’re the HR lady? Well, I have and it’s the worst! 10 out of 10 would not recommend it! I won’t go into every single detail, but I will say this… Do not ever be afraid to pivot or start completely over if you have to. Because of what I experienced, I decided to take some time away from HR, and during that time I completed my Bachelor’s Degree. In addition to that, I was blessed with an opportunity that allowed me to work from home which in turn gave me the space and time needed to begin my catering business! It may look hopeless or seem like it’s all falling apart, when in reality — it’s coming together. Trust me!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I recently read a book titled The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, by Don Miguel Ruiz. If you haven’t read this book, you have to! It’s a simple 140-page read, but for me, it was a game changer. It’s a little difficult to explain the agreements and the significance behind them without context so I’ll just list them and talk about how they have impacted my thinking.

Be Impeccable with your word
Don’t take anything personally
Don’t make assumptions
Always try your best

Being impeccable with your word refers to the words you speak on a daily basis to yourself and to other people. Always try and speak from a place of love — especially to yourself. This is important as a business owner because you are harder on yourself than anyone else can be!

Don’t take anything personally. I really could’ve used this in 2017 right? This one is tough because as a business owner how can you not take it personally if someone gives you a bad review or a project doesn’t go well? We’ll come back to this one.

Don’t make assumptions. Ask questions! always ask questions! and then ask more questions! this will clear up a lot of confusion.

Always try your best. Remember not taking anything personally? If you’re always trying your best, no matter the circumstance — you’ll always be ok!

It may sound simple to some, and at it’s core it is — but putting into daily practice while interacting with other humans? Not so much!

Contact Info:

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