We can all learn from one another’s experiences, and so we present to you: AccelerateHER Cohort Stories! From what we’ve gathered about this amazing group of women who are part of the first cohort of the incubator program offered in partnership between TWU Center for Women Entrepreneurs and Stoke, AccelerateHER, we knew that you need to get to know them too.
Photos provided by Kandace Anderson
Kandace Anderson’s determination and passion really shine through in her cohort story interview. She’s serious about the work that she’s committed to and honest about her journey (who doesn’t take the occasional nap during the normal workday?).
Plus, she’s problem solving and saving time, not just for herself but for others, with Departmynt: an AI driven app that turns a vast women's apparel marketplace into a personal boutique for every user.
Taking a commonly stressful or time-consuming process and turning it into an easy and enjoyable one the mark of a service (app) that will be sure to please its users.
Kandace shares with us what it took to dive into developing Departmynt, a moment of reckoning regarding power and intelligence (and CEOs), and a bit of her background and inspiration.
Tell us a little about your life as an entrepreneur! What does a typical day look like?
Monday through Friday we make sure our 13 year old is up for virtual school and get our 2 year old ready. I commute to my Mom and Dad’s house where my Mom watches our toddler while I work in a spare bedroom they turned into an office for me. If you can’t tell, my parents are the BEST!
Organization is key for me so typically I have a to do list for every day of the week. Everyday I check my major KPI’s and check for orders to fulfill. Then a typical day might include an AccelerateHER workshop, an interview with a CTO candidate, a check in with my development team, editing a blog post and newsletter that’s soon to go live, checking in with my mentor and finding a grant to apply to. I typically also try to find some time to just sit, doodle and think. And there might be a nap.
What was the last step or final push that you needed to take the leap and start your own company this year?
I like to say I didn’t jump off the cliff. I was pushed when I was fired from my job! While I was still applying for jobs like crazy after that I was also gearing up for working on Departmynt full time if that’s what the universe had for me.
What sparked the idea for Departmynt? Was the concept of the company based on your own experience and search for a solution or was it more like you were empathetic to other people’s struggles?
Departmynt exists because I get super overwhelmed shopping online. There’s just too many options and I don’t love scrolling forever trying to find new pieces. I need for it to be easier and take less time. After commuting half an hour away, working a full day, commuting home to take our son to a football game, covering dinner and bedtime with our toddler while my husband goes to his master’s class...after all that I can’t bring myself to hop online hoping to find something for who knows how long. So what does that leave me with? A wardrobe I don’t love. It’s a problem that needs fixing.
When faced with impostor syndrome or self-doubt, how do you boost your own confidence and self-esteem?
I was in a meeting once covering the state of an account I managed with the CEO of the business. I found myself having to explain what I perceived to be a straightforward math relationship with a person currently over a multi million dollar business who just wasn’t quite getting it. In that moment, he was not the smartest person in the room but he was the one with the most power.
It was a watershed moment for me: realizing that CEO’s, founders, millionaires, titans of business are just human beings. If they can also get confused or need to learn or have problems to overcome and still be privileged to lead a business then why can’t I? I can. I will.
The phrase “Fashion matchmaker” is great! How did you come up with the branding and concept for Departmynt?
Whew, chile! I’ve been through so many iterations trying to get to the right brand voice. I was communicating with a brand developer who wouldn’t work with me because my vision wasn’t clear. She advised me to read the book ‘Building a Story Brand’ by Donald Miller. I immediately bought it from Amazon, read it over a weekend and did the work in the book. I went from the name Blue Baley to the name Departmynt.
I understood the problem I was solving in simple terms. I understood who I was solving it for; I had a vision of this person. She was impressed that I’d taken her advice so quickly that she agreed to design my logos after initially turning me down. It was a great exercise and experience.
What is your personal and/or professional motto?
My personal motto is: I used everything I was given.
When it’s time for my soul to leave this earth I want to have drained my resource bucket dry. I want to have believed in myself, trusted my gut and worked hard. I want to have invested in others and helped others accomplish their goals. I want to have bet on myself and inspired others to do the same. I want to have expressed my gratitude through my actions and been someone who loved and was loved. I want to be able to say “I used everything I was given.”
What are some of the challenges that you’ve overcome since you started Departmynt, and what are some of your successes?
Being a solo founder has been a huge challenge for me, especially as a founder building a tech company without an engineering background. Honestly, it presents challenges for me on a regular basis but I have had some successes that I’m proud of and grateful for. Finding mentors has been an honor and a catalyst for overcoming being a solo founder. I’ve been lucky enough to have been connected with seasoned entrepreneurs, mentors and founders who have invested their personal time in me and Departmynt. They are my silent cofounders!
They hold me accountable, they give me small goals that help me achieve the large goals, they give me the tough love I need to build the business I’m aiming for. I believe these mentors have come my way or been connected with me because I bet on this idea 100%. Working full time, hiring a team to build the app and talking a lot about Departmynt and my journey has helped me prove that I’m serious about what I’m doing. I think people bet on me because I bet on me. And I try to be a resource to these individuals as well, so that we are growing together.
Another way I’ve overcome the challenge of being a cofounder is by putting myself out there to find people to work with Departmynt. It was not easy for me to say “Hey seasoned professional. Yeah, you! Will you work for me with no pay?” Like...what?! It feels insane for me to ask that of people but I’ve had to bite the bullet and do it anyway. People working for you for sweat equity is essential to launching a startup. And while it has resulted in some embarrassing conversations and mixed expectations, it has also resulted in me finding people to join my team and get on this startup rollercoaster with me. It means a lot to me and helps fuel me to push forward. Again, that all came down to betting on myself and putting Departmynt out there. It’s hard but it’s so important.
By the way, an invaluable silent cofounder for me is my AccelerateHER cohort and team! What an incredible and talented group of women, mentors and leaders.
What woman, in history or present times, do you admire and look to for inspiration?
Sara Blakely, all day everyday! I’ve listened to her episode (and the first ever episode) of the ‘How I Built This’ podcast at least ten times. Her story reminds me that you can launch an incredibly successful business on nothing more than a great idea and the grit to get it done. She was selling office equipment door to door before launching Spanx and was admittedly not great at it and didn’t enjoy it. She got the first Spanx product into a department store by literally asking the buyer to go with her to the bathroom so Sara could try on the first Spanx product and show her how well it worked. That takes a huge amount of courage. Her story is super inspiring.
Follow Departmynt on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter to be the first to receive app news!