Kandy Robertson is an Entrepreneur, Social Media Expert, and Influencer who is also Director of Marketing of her Social Media Marketing Agency (Conquer Marketing Agency) powered by her company iKandyland LLC. with more than 15 years of experience working in the entertainment industry and succeeding with creating her multiple small businesses, Founder of her luxury hair care line EMPRəS, including being an Executive Producer for a Reality TV Show (Kocktales & Kandy), as well as coordinated 3 charity events advocating against human trafficking, and more.
A multi-passionate entrepreneur, she makes it her mission to help small businesses, influencers, and brands succeed. Author of 2 books, 1 named Editors Choice Best Book of 2019 and #1 Short Read for Business and Money and the upcoming release of “From Peasant to Empress” on her childhood brought up by Cambodian refugees, overcoming PTSD, domestic violence and abuse, to building empires. In the book, you will learn to overcome trauma and manifesting your empire.
Featured on Voices of America and the CNN Freedom Project, member of Forbes the Culture
Tell us about who you are and what you do.
I was born and raised in Maryland, whos a daughter of refugees from the Cambodian Genocide. I migrated to Louisiana 15 years ago after a failed marriage. I worked as a nurse but I’ve built myself as a brand living in Louisiana, I became a model and an actress and in the process of doing so, I wanted to be more than an actress or a model. I wanted to give back to my community. I hosted and coordinated events fundraising for non-profits to stop human trafficking. I learned a lot about running a business, and the back end including having the importance of social media presence. This gave me the experience to follow my dream of owning my own company and businesses. I currently own and operate a social media marketing agency, and a luxury hair care line called EMPRəS
Tell us how you created this brand and what was the sole idea behind it.
My hair care line was created due to the fact I have a large family that has a variety of textured hair and I wanted hair products my family and I can use that’s natural and organic, free of parabens and sulfates. It is named EMPRəS, because my followers had called me an Empress due to my social media presence. I’m also a beauty lover and always wanted a business, which is the reason behind this hair care line.
Go in detail and tell us about how your brand works. You may keep this from the audience’s perspective.
Our hair products are all-natural and organic with the main ingredients Baobab protein and Chia seed oils to help strengthen and protect your hair from breakage. Our salon-grade hair products keep your hair frizz-free and silky smooth, while infused with special blends of protein and oils that promote hair growth and help repair damage from root to end. It is also gluten-free, cruelty-free, and vegan. Most importantly, made in the USA. Our mission is to help women feel empowered thru self-confidence and it starts with your hair. When you look and feel great you’ll feel powerful enough to conquer the world.
What is your giveaway idea through this interview? Highlight something that may interest the readers on a one to one basis.
I am the first generation Asian American in my family, my parents were refugees from the Cambodian genocide and came to America. They did not speak any English, but were able to raise a family in a country they knew nothing of and provided what they could. My family had been impacted greatly by the war and therefore I had a very traumatic childhood, resulting in an untraditional life. These experiences taught me growth and maturity at a very young age. My dream is to build an empire and create generational wealth for my family for generations to come. I want to share my story with others who may have struggled in their lives but still have the courage and strength to pursue their passions, fight through their hardships, and to overcome their obstacles to ultimately fulfilling the American dream.
Explain the challenges you went through while you were working on brand creation. What are the challenges you go through on an everyday basis?
The challenges I’ve faced came from criticism of others, it took me years to gain confidence and to not take criticism personally. A lot of people in my life did not believe in me, and my abilities. Wanting me to take the traditional route and not take risks. SImply, to go to a 9-5 job, come home, and take care of my kids. Nothing more. This caused me to have insecurities in myself and battled whether or not I should give up pursuing my passions.
How do you manage your finances through the services you offer. Any fundings etc received?
I used my savings and funds from when I was working as a nurse, and from my social media marketing agency, I help other businesses market and advertise with Facebook ads, which fueled and funded my company, which is now running on its capital.
Tell us your future vision about the brand. How far do you want to take it? What is your dream about taking it to the next level?
I see my company advancing very quickly because our mission is to help others by solving their problems, expanding globally, and is recognized internationally. Which we have currently customers all over the world.
What message would you like to give to anybody who has a plan of creating something of their own and making a living through it?
Patience and to acknowledge failures as opportunities and steps towards achieving your dream. Sometimes the plans you created for yourself may not be the result, and the journey of pursuing your dreams may lead you down a different path you never thought of possible but it’s a path where you’re meant to be. So do not give up, ever.
Company name: EMPRəS / iKandyland LLC
Email Address: ikandyland@gmail.com
Website URL: www.empresluxurybrand.com
Instagram URL: @ikandyland and @empreshair