Candace MacLachlan
Candace MacLachlan is a woman currently residing in Montreal where she works in recruitment and diversity & inclusion by day and in career coaching in her spare time.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your professional journey/venture/initiative and what inspired you to choose this career.
I had a very happy childhood and loved to draw and be with my family and best friends. I enjoyed reading and learning but was not that great at school. From an early age (13) I felt a pull towards counselling and helping others. I enjoyed listening to people’s problems and coming up with a solution that would relieve pain and stress. I decided to go into Psychology in University with the idea of going into therapy work but after much struggle in my early career and feeling burn out and lost I felt I would much prefer to help others in their career in the way of coaching
Tell us about your goals, interests, and role models.
My goals are to have an impact on other women of all ages and guide them in finding peace, purpose and fulfillment in their working lives. My interests include psychology, coaching, reading, art history and perfumery. My main role model is my mother, Laura.
Everyone has their own set of challenges when starting an entrepreneurial journey. Still, the most essential part for others to learn is how you deal with those. Would you like to share with us your challenges and your coping mechanisms?
I’ve struggled sometimes in networking and feeling confident about my business and the value I had to offer. I knew I had value but didn’t know how to make this come across. I did a lot of self work in self-esteem and confidence building, skills I like to share with my clients.
What impact do you feel you have been able to create with your work so far and how would you want to grow in the next few years?
I feel I’ve had a great impact on my clients, who I have genuinely enjoyed working with. To be able to lift someone up who is struggling in their career or job search is so rewarding for me. In the next few years, I would like to partner with more schools (high schools, colleges) and work with more female youth.
While the global pandemic of COVID-19 is associated primarily with adversities, it has also brought about a true boom in startups, with successful entrepreneurship in many countries. The pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. Would you like to share your experience on a personal and professional level?
It wasn’t until during the pandemic that I had more time to reflect on my business idea and decided to really go for it! I was impacted by the pandemic in many ways but fortunately never struggled to be employed.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
I have many certifications in life coaching and career coaching. My greatest accomplishment is always seeing my clients succeed.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
I would love to see more women business owners helping each other and creating opportunities for each other. I feel we are getting there.
What’s the most important thing you have learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
The most important thing I have learned is that it’s important to believe in yourself. My personal motto is: She believed that she could and so she did.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women’s leadership today?
I am honoured to have had many amazing female leaders that I worked for. They have mentored me and made me a better human being and created opportunities for me which I never thought I would have.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
If you have an idea and believe in it, please go for it with full force! Don’t let anyone or anything hold you back.