Candice Brathwaite, a prominent British author and advocate, was the keynote speaker at our Money Matters festival. She is widely recognised for her critically acclaimed, Sunday Times Bestselling book "I Am Not Your Baby Mother”. She actively contributes to important dialogues, challenging norms, and promoting positive change in diversity and representation. As an advocate, she has made a significant impact with her work on motherhood and diversity. This discussion covered a range of topics, from her personal money journey to the power of manifestation.

DEFINING WEALTH

Candice's take on wealth is simple yet powerful. To her, wealth means having the freedom to say no. She reflected on how often she had to say yes to things she didn't want to do just to get by—whether financially, socially, or professionally. For her, being able to say no more often is a true sign of wealth.

A surprising thing about Candice is her love for grime music. She mentioned a song by her favourite UK rappers—Ghetts, Kano, and Wretch32—called "Mount Rushmore," where Kano says, "made enough money so I can comfortably decline." This line really strikes a chord with Candice and sums up her view of wealth.

In her upcoming book, Candice reveals that she once aimed to become a billionaire, driven by her tough childhood. She thought that achieving the opposite of her childhood poverty was the true measure of wealth. However, when she took a closer examination of what she really wanted, she realised that this goal didn't align with her values. ‘This is not a flex because it's truly just weird, I've now met enough billionaires to be like, oh you good. It's okay, like I've had to peek behind the veil, and this isn't to say they're all terrible people, but the decisions they have to make, the stress on their head, I was like, no, I want wealth with a side of peace,’ she says. .

FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT

Candice says that for her, financial empowerment is being able to stand on her own two feet without a partner. Candice's recalls her grandfather, who was violently mugged and left blind in one eye just before her birth. This left him unable to work, so her grandmother took on the responsibility of paying the mortgage on their three-bedroom house in Brixton Hill. Despite the challenges, her grandmother’s resilience and work ethic were incredibly inspiring.

Candice would watch her grandmother leaving the house at 4:45 AM every day. From her bedroom window, she could see her grandmother's determined stride down the front path. This early morning routine showed her grandmother’s unwavering commitment to her family’s financial well-being. ‘My nan was investing in stocks before I even knew that was a thing, and so I'd sit with her as she's, like, banging furiously on this calculator, and then cheekily calls my granddad up and is like, here's your money, love,’ Candice remembers.

Looking back on her childhood, Candice realises how uncommon it was to see a woman with such financial power and control over her own life. Her grandmother's financial independence allowed her to make empowered decisions, including the choice to divorce Candice's grandfather, whom she adored as a father but viewed differently as a husband.

This legacy of financial empowerment had a profound impact on Candice's adult life. She often talks about "GVM" or "Get Vex Money," a term her grandfather used to stress the importance of always having enough money to be independent. He would ask Candice before she went out with friends, "Do you have GVM?" If she said no, he would question how she planned to ensure her safe return.

Candice's childhood rule was that if she didn't have GVM, she couldn't leave the house. As a result, in her working life, she constantly seeks her exit strategy, thinking, "Where's the GVM? Where is my way out?" This mindset now guides her decision-making.

Born into a middle-class household through her grandparents and her father, who initially pursued a career in finance before transitioning to law, Candice's life took a turn when she went to live with her mother at the age of seven or eight.

Her mother, who struggled with managing finances, married a man who had significant financial troubles, including taking out loans on their family home. By the time Candice was 13, they had to sell their home and faced financial difficulties, relying on government support. The family moved frequently, living in nine different temporary houses in 18 months, leading Candice to grow accustomed to not fully unpacking in some places. As a teenager, she even hid school letters, not wanting to burden anyone about not having enough money for school trips or not having adequate food at school.

FORMATIVE YEARS

Attending the Brit School of Performing Arts, where there was no need to wear uniforms, intensified the pressure for Candice amidst her financial struggles. It emphasised the gap between those who could afford fashionable clothes and those who couldn't.

When Candice got her first credit card, she saw it as "free money" and spent it irresponsibly. This led to a lot of debt, which she initially ignored by putting bills in a "debt drawer." ‘I think you've got to be out in the world a bit. Just riddled with debt. And I remember meeting my now-husband, and I had a debt drawer, where, like, the letters would come, and I'd just be like, well, if I don't open it, it's not real,’ she says.

Meeting her now-husband was a turning point for Candice. Despite both of them struggling financially, his strong confidence and positive attitude inspired her to rethink her beliefs about money. She started to see the possibilities of achieving her dreams, like owning a home.

Candice's got a job as a marketing assistant at Penguin Random House through a competition aimed at making the publishing industry more diverse. She was the only Black person in the final selection, but she still got the job, realising the need for more representation in such roles.

During the challenging years of 2014 and 2015, Candice found herself dealing with rapid changes in the advertising world. Ad revenue was shifting quickly from traditional channels like bus stops and magazines to digital giants like Google. She had to navigate investing significant sums in Google ads and spending much of her time calling bloggers, which felt like cold calling.

TRANSITIONING TO WRITING

Candice’s discussions with bloggers frequently involved negotiating fees for promoting her book on their platforms. When faced with excessively high charges, Candice confidently stood her ground. Then, there came a point when she resolved to shift from making calls to receiving them. Candice made a daring decision to resign from her job without necessarily recommending others do the same. The decision was influenced by mounting pressure, postnatal depression, and the challenge of balancing motherhood with her career. Despite the risks, she boldly announced her plan to pursue a career as a blogger.

The following four years were financially uncertain. Her first paid opportunity came from Dove, where she collaborated on a baby care campaign. Despite the instability, this period strengthened her belief in the changing landscape of advertising. She noticed the growing influence of individuals over traditional marketing methods, which inspired her to make the switch to blogging.

MANIFESTATION

“And for me, simply, manifesting is understanding, number one, the creativity and the dictatorship I have over my own life. That was really important for me to understand. Coming from where I come from, not just in a financial aspect, but definitely emotional and spiritual, I was always raised to think that things happen to me.”

— Candice Brathwaite

Throughout her professional experience, Candice remained firm in her belief in manifesting her desired reality. She recognises that manifesting takes time and effort. Her upcoming book, "Manifesto: Unlock Your Life You Deserve" explores her approach to manifesting. Candice also highlights the challenge of training herself to believe in her own worth, particularly as a woman facing biases and preconceptions. She shares a recent experience where a brand attempted to negotiate lower fees and talks about the importance of standing firm to affirm her own value and worth.

Candice stresses that the journey of manifesting often involves taking risks and believing in oneself, whether starting a business or leaving a detrimental relationship. She candidly describes the challenging aspects of manifesting, likening it to the discomfort of childbirth. She acknowledges that a crucial part of manifesting is addressing and improving one's self-worth, even if it means confronting past values and beliefs about yourself.

‘I think that's the hardest part of manifesting is coming to understand that you valued yourself as so small for so long, and in order to call in whatever your version of a dream life is, first and foremost, we're going to have to work on filling up that tank,’ she says.

LOOKING AHEAD

Despite making progress towards financial security, Candice remains focused on her goals. Instead of worrying about money, she looks forward to future accomplishments, like owning a beautiful brownstone.

As she looks to the future, Candice envisions a time where she can step back from the public eye and focus on nurturing businesses that can thrive independently of her personal brand. She sees her "auntie era" as a period of liberation, where she can enjoy the rewards of her hard work without feeling tied to constant visibility.

Candice vividly remembers a powerful encounter when she visualised her future self, who gave out a sense of contentment and confidence. She used to find joy in material possessions like gold bangles, but now she invests in meaningful artwork that aligns with her evolving perspectives and aspirations.

Candice grapples with the temptation to conform to societal pressures and expectations in her pursuit of contentment. She acknowledges the fleeting appeal of flashy lifestyles but remains committed to authenticity and self-awareness. For her, true wealth lies in clarity of purpose and freedom from constant hustle and comparison.

Her approach to spending has shifted over the years, moving from impulsive purchases to deliberate investments. She no longer seeks validation through designer labels or extravagant displays of wealth. Instead, she prioritizes value and quality, whether in her wardrobe choices or her children's education.

Candice's journey also involves critical reflection on societal norms and cultural influences, particularly within the Black community. She confronts the legacy of systemic inequality and the pressures to assimilate or prove worth through material success. Through dialogue with her community, Candice navigates the complexities of identity and strives to reclaim agency and self-worth beyond material possessions.

Candice shares a heartwarming anecdote about her daughter Esme, highlighting the profound impact of instilling a mindset of financial mindfulness from a young age. She admires Esme's resourcefulness, recognising that the mindset her daughter is developing surpasses any material wealth. To Candice, this embodies true wealth.

Q&A

During a Q&A, Candice was asked about balancing self-worth with the fear of turning down opportunities, especially for those who are self-employed. She mentioned that she tends to take risks and believes that if someone truly values her, they will accommodate her terms.

Candice also discusses friendships and personal growth, acknowledging that not everyone may align with one's evolving mindset and goals. She emphasises the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive individuals who uplift and encourage personal growth, even if it means letting go of relationships that no longer serve one's growth.

Regarding family expectations and financial boundaries, Candice talks about the importance of maintaining integrity and not giving into pressure, even from family members.

While advocating for self-interest, Candice also cautioned against hardening one's heart too much. She recommended enjoying the freedom of putting oneself first but remaining open to genuine needs and requests for help. Her message promotes self-empowerment and boundary-setting while maintaining empathy and openness.

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Money Matters 2024 Keynote - Defining Wealth with Candice Brathwaite