Success Redefined - An Interview with Sam Cande

Following 20 years of going from promotion to promotion, working in the exhibition, conference and publishing industries, Sam Cande still never felt like her extremely successful career was leading to the happiness she wanted. She found herself craving for a career with more purpose.  Having always had an interest in sustainability, having worked in the field 10 years earlier, she was asked to Chair a sustainability committee for the Business Travel Association and it was then she started to realise that working on a passion of yours, can lead to a different kind of success. Her background in conferences and her love of sustainability lead her to the idea of launching a sustainability event, The Responsible Futures Conference. However, during the planning for this, her life took a turn after the devastating news that her best friend Jenni had taken her own life. In the midst of her own grief, and after huge support of an online post about her friend, she decided to run a webinar about mental health. Not only was this a huge success but it changed her sustainability goals, as she realised webinars were the way forward to spread her message. She now runs Responsible Futures, a company created to educate, inspire and guide businesses on sustainability and social responsibility through training, consultancy and webinars. She also has her own podcast Sustain Talks and here Sam shares her story and views on success. 

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

When I was really young, I wanted to be a lawyer. My grandfather in America was a doctor, and he said, you're either a doctor or a lawyer, or you're not successful at all. I didn't want to be a doctor because I’m quite squeamish, so thought I could be a lawyer. However me and school didn’t quite go together, I hated it, so becoming a lawyer was taken off the table.

What else did you view as successful? Do you remember having an idea of what you would want success to look like as an adult?

My parents split up when I was younger and I lived with my mum. My mum worked full time and she was a really, really hard worker. I never wanted for anything, even though we didn’t have lots of money.  I saw her as being successful. So I believed, it was hard work that made you successful. As I grew up I had friends who’s parents had a lot of money, gigantic mansions, horses, beautiful cars, had amazing holidays, and I remember thinking, I really want the big house, the fancy car, to fly business class and have all the money in the world, to do whatever I wanted with. For me, that was the vision of success. 

How has your idea of success changed over the years and what is your definition of success now? 

My definition of success now is happiness, being content, feeling valued and being appreciated. Nothing at all to do with money. I also don't look outwards now for people to say, wow you're really successful, it doesn't matter what people think, it's only what I think.

What's your biggest passion and how does that affect or contribute to your idea of success? 

My work is my passion. I can't wait to get to Monday. I'm really ready after the weekend to be at my computer and wondering who I’m going to meet this week and who I’m going to speak to. I have such amazing conversations with people I meet and that gives me passion. Sustainability and social responsibility, they’re also my big passions.

What is it about sustainability and social responsibility that make you passionate?

For sustainability, I think it’s the realisation that we’re really in a climate crisis and we’re all being affected, even now, every day, by what's going on with the climate. If we don't do something about it now, we're really going to be in trouble in 10 years. Then on the social responsibility side, it's something that really hits my heart - mental health, diversity and inclusion. Especially having been a woman in the workplace and going through the challenges that I've gone through, working for far too many men, being belittled or knocked down and being held back. It affects our mental health. Obviously, what happened with my friend Jenni, and I've also had some really hard mental health situations at work, where I wasn't supported. I think that it's really important for companies to treat their staff better, and to make them feel valued and to really engage with them. I also have a passion to support charities and communities because there is such an imbalance with what people have and what people don't have.

What would you say has been your biggest challenge when it comes to trying to achieve success? 

I think in my career, it was not being heard. I felt like having passion, got mixed up with being a difficult person. Not being given a seat at the table when I fully deserved it, I think that was a huge, huge challenge. Actually, now my challenge as a business owner, is just not having enough hours in the day or the funds, to do all the things I want to do and not having a big team behind me that I can ask for help or bounce ideas off.  

What's the best career decision you've ever made?

Starting my own company. 100%. It’s way harder than anything else I've done but it's the best, it really is. 

How do you feel about the phrase “having it all” and what does that mean to you?

Having it all to me means being content and being happy. Being at peace and calm, that for me is having it all. Not money, not houses, not cars.

How does overall wellbeing play a part in your definition of success? 

Massively! I’m at my absolute best when I'm looking after myself. I’ve done dry January this year and my drinking habits are definitely going to completely change after that. I go to the gym four or five times a week. I’m eating healthy, I meditate every single day, I go outside and go for walks. Last year was the toughest year I've ever had for my mental health and well-being and this year I am really looking forward to putting 2022 behind me and I'm on a mission to be healthy and well.

How do you deal with stress and pressure?

Meditate. If anything comes up that I'm feeling a little bit tense about or I’m getting any kind of anxiety whatsoever, the first thing I'll do is meditate but I feel like I'm not as stressed as I used to be. 

What do you think has contributed to you feeling less stressed? 

I think it’s what I'm doing. I really believe in what I'm doing and I really believe that I can help people and educate people. I think pressure comes with the amount of things that I have to do but I work with a coach, I put everything I can in order, I make sure I'm on track and I know what I need to do and when I need to do i

How important has relationship building been in your career? 

Massively important. I’ve got nearly 8,000 followers on LinkedIn and there is no way that I would be where I am, if it wasn't for the relationships that I've built. The people that support my posts or that have meetings with me, I manage to get the most amazing panellists for my webinars and it all comes from the relationships that I've built. I know that if I need anything, there is someone in my network that I've done a favour for, or I’ve supported them, and that they will then support me back, it’s amazing. 

Who has helped or influenced you the most along your career journey?

That's a really hard question, so many people have influenced me. I was definitely inspired and influenced by Suzanne Horner. She's the CEO of Gray Dawes and she was my mentor for a while. We talked a lot about what success looks like and she was the one that asked me, why don't you do this on your own? She's really influenced me to be doing what I'm doing, I don’t think I would be doing what I am now if it wasn’t for her words of encouragement and belief in me. I had a CEO at Centaur Media, Andria Vidler, she made me feel so valued and that meant so much.  She recognised my worth, gave me time and I respected and admired her so much.  Also many years ago, I had a female boss, a Marketing Director and she was so amazing and so encouraging and there was another female CEO I worked for. I get really inspired and influenced by women who are running companies and I just find their journey and how they got to where they got to, really inspiring. 

If you could change one thing in the world, in the next 10 years, what would it be?

It would have to be two things. One is to reduce the amount of fossil fuel being used, it’s hugely important to the planet. On the social responsibility side, it has to be about equality and about giving opportunity to those in need, and being kind to people that need it. 

If you had to give your 15 year old self some advice, what would it be?

Believe in yourself. Don't be so hard on yourself. Don't let people hold you back. Study more, do outside courses to help you to go further and read more. 

If you had to share one “secret to success”, what would it be?

Don't give up. Keep going. Don't be scared, just keep going and it will happen. Have more self belief and understand what your limiting beliefs are, learn about them, and get rid of them as quickly as possible!

If you’d like to find out more about the work Sam does please visit her website Home - Responsible Futures or connect with her on LinkedIn.