We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Candicia and Camillia John. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Candicia and Camillia below.
Candicia and Camillia, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
As a team, we keep our creativity alive by taking breaks to travel and explore the world. We love exploring the Caribbean islands as it is a part of our culture and heritage. We also try to consume content from inspiring online creators and listening to podcasts outside of our industry. Networking and going to industry/PR events allows us the opportunity to be in different environments and speak to different individuals which leaves us feeling inspired and fired up. On occasion, we take social media breaks when we travel to consume offline activities and allow our minds to rest and reset.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
We are two second-generation Caribbean sisters from Toronto, Canada. Candicia graduated with her Biology major and wanted to pursue veterinary medicine while I went to school for Marketing. We decided to join forces back in 2018 and make our passion for curly hair and education a reality. We are both full-time entrepreneurs and have several other businesses under our belt.
Curly Girl Meetup Inc. is truly one-of-one, having the first and the biggest natural curly hair event in Canada. Hosting The Ultimate Curly Hair Experience during the summer has become the most sought-after event the company hosts annually. This event consists of a panel discussion by Canadian influencers and hair industry experts, a fireside chat with a Canadian icon, activations and photo op moments, a hair salon where attendees can get their hair cut and styled by professionals, and a vendor marketplace highlighting small business owners.
The Ultimate Curly Hair Experience 2023 was our 5th anniversary and we celebrated with a Fireside Chat with guest Miss Jully Black, having key sponsorships including SheaMoisture, Sephora Canada, Maui Moisture, Camille Rose and Bounce Curl to name a few. The event also got media coverage from City News Toronto highlighting the event and to our journey for two consecutive years and having charity initiatives where attendees can give back through product donations to several inner-city charitable organizations.
For this year, we are planning The Ultimate Curly Hair Experience which will be taking place August 2024 in the Greater Toronto Area. We will be announcing our program lineup very soon so stay tuned to our social media platforms for the announcement!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The first skill we would recommend to all those who are business owners is to invest in business financial literacy. Learn about business credit, cash flow forecasting, and how to properly record your expenses and profits. Thankfully, we live in a world where technology is at our fingertips and there are a ton of free resources from your local government, YouTube, etc. Another quality that we have and continue to enforce is always asking questions; and always being a student. In business, there are so many things to know and challenges that may arise. Finding mentors who can help you navigate these things and also continuously educating yourself will help propel your business forward. The final quality is to be driven; never take a no. There is always a solution and going for your dream passionately will set you above the rest.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing our parents have done for us is support and believe in us. They typically get involved in our events help with coordination, and assist where they can. We are truly grateful for their endless support and encouragement over the years and have encouraged us to go for our dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.torontocurlygirlmeetup.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/torontocurlygirlmeetup
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/torontocurlygirlmeetup
Image Credits
Kana Nagai, Kofi, Daisy Parti
