Expanding Your Personal Brand as a Founder with Candace Nelson

“Oprah loves your cupcakes.”

Imagine hearing THAT on the other end of the line…

Candace Nelson, one of the incredible guests that Amy Porterfield curated as a guest for our co-hosting series, received this exact call from Oprah’s producer at Harpo Studios.

Shortly after that call, Sprinkles became a worldwide brand with only one little (and new) location in Beverly Hills.

But, she’s done many more iconic things—beyond the baked goods—Candace is a business mentor for women and a New York Times Best Selling author. She’s even been a Shark on Shark Tank and a judge on Cupcake Wars and Sugar Rush.

In this episode, you’ll learn the most successful pitches on Shark Tank, tips on building your personal brand, and advice for pivoting.

Click >>PLAY<< to learn all of this and…

(00:01:46) An overview of Candace's entrepreneurial journey (from founding Sprinkles Cupcake ATM to being a guest shark on Shark Tank).

(00:03:17) Candace's experience of feeling unmoored after selling the majority stake in Sprinkles and her desire to pivot her personal brand and talk about entrepreneurship.

(00:04:28) Discussion of Candace's experience of being featured on the Oprah show and the impact it had on her brand's success.

(00:06:55) Candace's advice when feeling the need to pivot in business.

(00:10:11) Candace's experience as a guest shark on Shark Tank (including how she got the opportunity and her interactions with the other sharks).

(00:16:07) The importance of being assertive in business (example of this through a Shark Tank experience).

(00:18:20) The two common traits of the most successful pitches on Shark Tank.

(00:20:59) What makes the best entrepreneurs (in the context of investing and partnerships).

(00:29:22) The key to staying relevant and ahead in business.

(00:34:07) The importance of building a supportive community (especially for women entrepreneurs).

(00:36:01) A conversation women need to have more of.

Click >>PLAY<< to listen now!

Candace Nelson

Candace Nelson is a serial entrepreneur, Guest Shark, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Wall Street Journal contributor, and an expert in turning one’s passion into a profitable business. Currently, Candace can be seen as a recurring guest shark on Season 15 of ABC's hit show Shark Tank, where she lends her expertise to budding entrepreneurs. Her book “Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe for Turning Your Passion Into Profit,” published by HarperCollins Leadership on November 8, 2022, reached #4 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list, and her debut book “The Sprinkles Baking Book: 100 Secret Recipes from Candace’s Kitchen” is a New York Times Bestseller. Candace revolutionized the baking industry when she left a career in finance to start Sprinkles, the world's first cupcake bakery and Cupcake ATM. She followed with the launch of Pizzana, a growing family of award winning Neapolitan pizzerias, leading the third wave of pizza in the US. She continues to expand her portfolio of investments with CN2 Ventures and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.

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