Latest / 🎙️ Rebuild & Fulfill Real conversations on burnout, rebuilding, and becoming stronger than before. / Candice Snyder: Reinvention, Kindness & Lessons From 300 Conversations | Episode 45
Transcript
- Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): What happens when the life you expected is suddenly no longer available to you? For Candice Snyder, a life-changing injury forced her to reconsider not only what she could do, but who she could become. That search eventually led her to discover a new sense of purpose through gratitude, service, kindness, and human connection. Today, after more than 300 podcast episodes, Candice has helped people from around the world. share stories that remind us that reinvention is possible and none of us are as alone as we may sometimes feel. Today we're turning the microphone towards Candice to explore what those 300 conversations have taught her, how they have changed her, and what possibilities she sees ahead. Welcome to Rebuild and Fulfill. I'm Kelsey Dunbar, joined by my co-host Marc Rogala, and our guest today is Candice Snyder, host of the Globally Ranked Passion, Purpose, and Possibilities podcast. more than 20 years ago, Candice experienced a work-related injury that left her with a permanent disability and forced her to rethink the future she had imagined. Through that journey, she discovered a deeper calling centered on gratitude, giving back, mental health advocacy, and helping other people recognize the possibilities that still exist within their lives. For more than four years, Candice has used her podcast to share stories of resilience. Reinvention, purpose, and meaningful impact. She recently celebrated a major milestone with her three hundredth episode, reflecting on what three hundred conversations have taught her about people and life. Candice, welcome to Rebuild and Fulfill. Congratulations on three hundred episodes. Candice Snyder: Thank you so much, Kelsey and Marc. It's an honor to be here with the both of you. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): We appreciate that. But the honor is ours. We've we've been big fans for a while, as we were actually guests on Candace's podcast a little while back and we were honored that she selected us to be a part of it. So, Candice, before we talk about the podcast and everything you've built, I wanna go back to the experience that changed the direction of your life. When the work related injury took away the future you thought you were going to have, what did you lose beyond your physical abilities and what did rebuilding your identity look like? Candice Snyder: Okay, so you know, we're going back quite a while ago, 29 years ago, is when I was I was a hygienist, a dental hygienist for 14 years, and I had a pivot in working from one office to working in four offices at one time. that's a whole nother story in itself, but fast forward to what actually happened was I was working in this one office, I was told by the other hygienist. Be careful when you sit on this chair because it is broken and the dentist does not want to replace it or repair it, so be careful. So day three in that office, I lost my balance. I was treating a patient. I grabbed my instruments in my right hand to try to break my fall with my left hand, and I severely injured my back. causing me to have to give up my career. And now it didn't happen like overnight. What happened was like I was not getting better. I was getting worse as time went on. So six months in I went to part time instead of working full time. And then six months after that I just I couldn't do it anymore. What you asked, what did I lose besides this like the physical problems that I mean, which were multiple because I hyperextended my arm. So I had nerve damage and in my hand. I still have like numbness and tingling in my left hand. But the biggest piece that I lost was actually my identity. Because in my mind, even though I was a wife and mother, I was then like the breadwinner. So having that you know that kind of pressure to be a provider, not only for my family, but the provider in the office because I was relied on to, you know, bring in income. I didn't know who I was after I had to give that up. Like I knew that there was like some other purpose for me, but it took me a good 10 years for me to figure out like what that purpose would look like. yeah, so identity was a a huge piece. I talk about that a lot with other people too, because it's a form of grief, right? We always think of grief of like bereavement. loss of, you know, a family member, a friend, a pet, but we don't always look at the other things that can cause grief as well. And that was definitely a huge form of grief for me. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Yeah, when life forces that kind of rebuilding, purpose sometimes can return through a door that we never expected, which I think is pretty interesting. So you said that after your career ended there, you felt that something important was missing, especially the connection that you developed with people and the causes that they cared about. So how did that feeling eventually grow into the idea for passion, purpose, and possibilities? Candice Snyder: Well, I think I probably should take a step back just a little bit to to let you know that for those ten years of being, you know, going through different treatments and surgeries and I had every treatment, eastern, western, every medication you can imagine. I had to do something that would keep my mind occupied, right? So I started out with jewelry making, which was very therapeutic. Which led me into my first direct sales company, believe it or not, because in one of those reading magazines, I came across this jewelry company. So I started with this direct sales company. And what I started to learn there was that's where I do have purpose. I do I can contribute in some kind of meaningful way. And the purpose at that time for me was I'm bringing my friends together. I'm helping my friends build new friendships by ha throwing these parties with women and the jewelry sold itself. I didn't have to work hard at that at all. It was really about the connection, which led me to doing more of volunteering and helping other people with the causes they cared about. But then it wasn't until my second direct sales company where they actually have a gratitude ambassador program. So I applied to be one of their ambassadors. And at the time I had to fill out this lengthy application. And as I'm going through this application, I'm like, this is who I've been my whole life. These are the things my parents taught me to do. We've always been the family that volunteered and my parents brought everybody in that was like having a hard time with their parents or you know, didn't have enough money to have football equipment, my dad would go to the outlets and buy equipment for everybody. So I was started to see this pattern that I didn't really recognize before. And this wasn't that long ago. So at the end of this application, I it asks if you are a certain rank in the company. And I was like, well, I've hit the rank, but I'm not maintaining the rank. So they're probably not going to pick me. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): yeah. Candice Snyder: But I said I just spent all this time filling this out. I'm gonna submit it anyway. So I did, and I have to know that this was 2020. So everything was still pretty virtual at the time. So this is like I think the summer, like July, and then two months go by, and it's our national conference, which was virtual, and I'm sitting in my office, never heard anything about it, so I didn't think anything about it. And the next thing you know, I have a TV above me here. And I'm watching the conference, and my picture is smack in the middle of the screen. And I just started crying because I didn't expect it. And I was like, my gosh. So I was like, this is so cool. I get to, you know, help even more organizations. I get to help my team and we get to support all these different causes. Fast forward, you know, the year is up. And so now I'm considered alumni. And then I was like, this is sad because now I'm not inv as involved as I was. So what can I do? And I was listening to a virtual networking speaker, and my life business coach is private messaging me on Zoom saying, This is it. Are you taking notes? This is what you should be doing. You should have a podcast. And I was like, No, definitely not. 'Cause you guys, you've probably heard me talk about how I do not like technology and I'm on a need-to-know basis. But that's how the passion, purpose, and possibilities came about. It was never on my radar to have a podcast. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Yeah, I don't like technology either. Kelsey knows that. so did you understand what the podcast larger purpose would become at the beginning? Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Okay. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Or did the purpose Candice Snyder: Well Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): reveal itself through the many conversations that you had? Candice Snyder: So in the beginning, I thought that the podcast would be more me highlighting nonprofits of charities, right? To get the word out for other people, especially the smaller nonprofits that people maybe never heard of. But then I started to see that I was talking to people more about the story of why they were involved in these nonprofits and how people really went through transformations. So Probably 95% of the people that are guests, they are they're not doing what they started out doing. They've had these transformations to find what their purpose really is. And a lot of times that passion and purpose melds together. So it became something bigger. And then, you know, I said, wow, now I have a bigger platform. I can actually use this to talk about mental health. And so that's how it really transformed. Cause in the beginning I was basically talking to women coaches, and I knew everybody had their own story and everybody had their like niche coaching business. But then I was like, there's so many more stories out there and there's so many more causes out there. And so then it became like, let me interview men and women and younger people and older people. And then it really, you know, grew into something. Much different. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Yeah. So as you just said, so the podcast grew from a desire to help out nonprofits, but creating it still required you to step into some unfamiliar territory. You joked just a s a minute ago about, you know, it being your three hundredth episode, yet you still don't really like technology, but you deal with it. So Candice Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): but since then you've built a globally recognized podcast and maintained it for more than four years. So what was the most uncomfortable part of beginning and what kept you showing up before you actually had proof the podcast was going to work. Candice Snyder: I it definitely was the support of my podcast instructor, Cammy Lehman, who said to me, If I can do it, you can do it, and nobody gets left behind. And of course I still had my business life coach, Rokutour de Saro, who is always, you know, giving me the encouragement that I could do this as well. So you can't do it alone. You know, we all need support in one way or another. And if I didn't have those two women in my life at that time, I would have never probably taken this on. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Was there a particular episode or message or interaction that made you realize this is bigger than I originally imagined it was going to be? Candice Snyder: Yes, there there's been a couple actually, but one that really stands out in my mind is I had a gentleman who was a Vietnam POW. And the fact that he was actually wanted to be a guest and have a conversation with me, I was like, Well, if he wants to be a guest, then there must be other people that would be interested in being a guest. And his story was just amazing. I mean, he gave us a lot of details in what it was like to be a POW and and then his transformation of coming out of all of that and, you know, where he is today. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): That's awesome. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Yeah. So by continu by continuing to show up, which started as one idea became hundreds of conversations with people from many different backgrounds. However, when the podcast began, you were primarily interviewing women, from what I understand. So Candice Snyder: Mm-hmm. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): as you expanded the conversations to include men, you said you began to recognize that we are much more alike than we are different, which is pretty interesting. What did those conversations help you understand about the needs and struggles we just share as human beings in general? Not gender specific. Candice Snyder: There was one gentleman in particular who was on who became very emotional when he shared his story and what it was like for him growing up, and the pressure that was put on him as a young teenager and going into his like teenage years. That's when I started to realize, wait a minute, we're I I'm not giving men credit. The way I should be giving them. Like I was putting everybody in a box. Like, you know, just stereotypical. Women are more emotional, men are more logical. And then I started to them like he was the first person that really opened up, was very authentic, shared, you know, exactly how he was feeling. You wouldn't be able to know from our conversation because it was audio, but he was in tears. And then I started to talk to more men and then I was like, wait a minute, there's more men do want to share their feelings and talk about these things, but society is telling them, don't. You know, the stereotypical, be strong, suck it up, don't show emotion. All all the things you guys know. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): so that recognition of our shared humanity seems to run through so many of the lessons you've taken from the podcast. In your three hundredth episode, you shared seven major lessons. Purpose often appears through service, resilience is everywhere, mental health conversations matter. We are more alike than different, kindness is never small, reinvention is always possible, and connection matters more than content. Which of those lessons changed you the most personally rather than simply confirming something already believed? Candice Snyder: that's a tough one, right? you know, the kind kindness stands out to me the most because of the way of the world has been since the pandemic. And not that I didn't believe in kindness, and I know that there are millions of kind people in this world, but I feel like it's a It's a bigger mission or a bigger message than it was when I first started the podcast. And that is something that I really kind of honed in on, or, you know, I want to drive home. That really started this year. And that's because I've come across so many more people that really want to make a difference in the kindness space and really getting people on board. with that which I think we lost some of that when the pandemic happened. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Yeah, I think that's a fair statement. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): So, Candice, before Marc asks the next question, I want to briefly acknowledge something important. You recently appeared on Make Mental Health Matter and spoke in depth about your brother Mike and his death by suicide. I know that was a very difficult and emotional conversation for you. I don't want to ask you to relive that entire story today, but that conversation is available though for anyone who wants to understand that part of your journey more deeply. And we are going to include a link to it in our show notes. But this episode is intended to celebrate you, the impact you're making, and everything you've built. At the same time, it wouldn't be possible to talk honestly about your work without recognizing how deeply Mike's life and loss have helped you shape it. Candice Snyder: that is something that is true. Like, I wouldn't be who I am today had that not happened, right? And I wouldn't be as passionate about talking about mental health as I am had that not happened. So, I mean, of course, we would never wish this on anybody, but you know, it's part of my my mission to help advocate. for mental health education and suicide prevention and to keep the conversations going around you know the conversations continuing around this topic. It's so important. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): obviously it's very personal to you. And, you know, mental health advocacy, providing a platform for these individuals to get their stories out there, maybe to provide some hope and inspiration for others that are going through the darkness right now, kind of shine a light in the darkness or what have you, okay? And I I recognize that with the work that you do. You know, not only with the podcast that we were guests on, but I've also watched some other podcasts as well. And I wanna I wanna commend you for that. Thank you for doing the work that you're doing. Candice Snyder: Thank you so much. You know, you takes a village, right? You guys are doing amazing work and I also want to support what you're doing. So anything I could share that's gonna help your listeners, you know, I'm an open book, so Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Appreciate that. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Yeah. Yeah, and and and Candice has definitely supported us greatly, especially on LinkedIn, all of our posts, all of the things that we're promoting. She's probably first one in on trying to support us, and we really appreciate that. And also thank you for allowing us to acknowledge that part of your story. It's clear that helping people feel seen, heard, and less alone is deeply connected to the work that you're doing today. That also brings us to another theme that runs through your work, the impact of kindness. So in episode 300, you shared a question that stayed with you. why is kindness often soft and quiet while hatred is loud and boisterous? So how do we make kindness more visible and influential without turning it into something performative or making it about receiving recognition? Candice Snyder: Can't take credit for that line, right? Because that was told to me by one of my guests, Peter Samuelson, who is probably one of the kindest people I know. if you don't know him, he is a film producer and he is also a philanthropist who's founded eight nonprofits, all of them around helping kids and people. Everything from the Starlight Foundation he founded with Steven Spielberg. To EDAR, which is everybody deserves a roof, which is for their homeless people. and now he is on the kindness mission with Rock, random opportunities of kindness. And his statement of why is it that kindness is soft and quiet and hatred is laid loud and boisterous, really. It really struck a chord for me because it shouldn't be that way. It should definitely be the other way around, right? And so, yes, we all should do acts of kindness. We should just talk to each other kindly. We should still open doors for people. We should respect our elders. There's so many different things. But truth be told, and this is part of the conversation I did have with Peter. is that people do want to be recognized, unfortunately. It's not always you know, just just do it and and leave it at that. People want to know that they're making a difference. And so I think that's why they wanna be recognized in in some way, shape or form. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Yeah. So what is one act of kindness someone has extended to you in the past that had a much greater impact than that person probably realized? Is there any moment that you can think back on and go, Yeah, I remember something like that? Candice Snyder: yeah, I mean there's been there have been many and you know you the two of you have just given me an act of kindness right now by acknowledging me and the work that I do, which I am truly grateful for. But I have been you know, I've been on the receiving end of kind words over my lifetime and if it wasn't for those kind words, I mean I might have been that kid that, you know, always hid in the corner and didn't speak up if somebody wasn't kind to me. gosh, this is hard, you know, you put me on a spot here. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Interesting on the other side of the microphone, right? Candice Snyder: It is. It's a lot tougher to be on the other side of the mic, let me tell you. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): So kindness may begin with one small act, but it grows through genuine human connection, which brings us to another lesson that you have shared. You said the greatest gift of the podcast hasn't been its rankings, its downloads, or its milestones. It's been the people. So after interviewing hundreds of guests, what have you learned about listening in a way that helps another person feel genuinely seen rather than just simply interviewed? Candice Snyder: So I mean, when I am talking one-on-one with somebody, I am totally focused on what that person is saying and sharing and really listening to their emotion. I think everybody should be seen, heard, valued, and treat treated kindly. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): but you listen in a way that helps another person feel genuinely seen rather than interview. Like even when we were on your podcast, it felt like literally just a conversation about life. It didn't feel like an interview. And I know what you're saying about being engaged because I distinctly remember when you were conducting the podcast with us and I was describing my story. Honestly, I can kinda I kinda saw some of the pain in your face as I was reliving some of those moments. And I haven't felt that with other hosts. Is that just natural? Candice Snyder: I'm just me being me, me being me. I've I have been told on more than one occasion that it does not feel like an interview. It feels like a conversation with two people over a cup of coffee, right? And Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Yes. Candice Snyder: I love that, although some people might not like that because might maybe they're looking for something that sounds more business like. I don't know. But I mean, that's not how I want the podcast to be. I want it to be more authentic conversations that really touch people, that people can be inspired. Like to me, I look at it as more as inspiration than I do even though it's ranked in the business category. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): So from a listening perspective and having that conversation, podcast aside, what can the rest of us take away from that and apply it to everyday conversations? Conversations we're having with our families, our friends, our coworkers that may be going through a tough time. Candice Snyder: Okay, so here's something that I share often, right? And a lot of times I relate this to the mental health perspective too. There are so many times when we just say, How are you? and we don't listen for the response, right? Or we don't want to hear or get into a long conversation with somebody because maybe they're gonna give us some long story. But the way to stay fully engaged is to really listen without a doubt. And also when you ask somebody how they are doing, why don't you say, How are you doing really? Because if you don't say that on occasion, most likely somebody's just gonna say I'm fine or I'm okay. And I've I've done it myself, people have asked me, and I just say, fine, you know, and just go on to the next thing. But that's when you really start building relationships with people, is when you really take the time out to listen and you and you really do care about them. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Yeah. That ability Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): I agree. Quite call. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): to to really listen and to help people feel seen may also be a part of what allows them to imagine something different for their lives. So one of your central messages is that reinvention is always possible and that purpose can change depending upon the season of life we are currently in. What would you say to someone who has lost a career or a relationship or their health or another major part of their identity, And now believes their most meaningful years are behind them? Candice Snyder: my my heart goes out to you. It truly does. Because I as I shared earlier, I was there. I know what that is like. But if I was gonna tell myself something different today, what I know now, I would have been more like, take the pause. breathe right and try to look at the opportunity as now I get to I get to not I have to I get to reinvent myself I get to create something new and exciting I get to pivot in a way that maybe wasn't possible before so Trying to put the I know it and it's not always positive. Like you can't always be up all the time. You're allowed to have a pity party once in a while, right? But then you do have to move past it. And that's when you get to say, like, okay, what are the things I love to do? what lights me up? is there some something I want to do where it can help other people? I can serve other people in a different way. Because a lot of times it circles back to that. And I love reinvention and I love talking to people about reinvention. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): So I think you kinda half answered my follow-up question for that one, but in case you wanna kinda expand on it a little bit, my follow-up question was how can someone begin exploring a new purpose without placing pressure on themselves to immediately discover an enormous calling, so to speak? Candice Snyder: Okay, so I think maybe first we have to say that purpose doesn't necessarily have to be something gigantic. I think that's a misconception. And also I think we can have more than one purpose. Right? I mean, you guys you're have families, you're so there's that, and then you have your businesses, you have the podcast, so you have a lot of different purposes. So I think when it comes to defining your purpose, it's really what it is you feel in your heart you're meant to do. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Yeah. that's an important reminder that at the end of one chapter doesn't mean the meaningful part of the story is over yet. And I think that's very important for everybody that's listening to understand. So your three hundredth episode gives you an opportunity to look back. So let's finish by looking forward. When you think about the next chapter of passion, purpose and possibilities, what do you hope it makes possible both for you and the people that are listening, your audience? Candice Snyder: Okay, well, for my audience, I would love to be able to keep sharing more stories that are inspirational to everybody that's listening, right? I it's always my hope that somebody will go do the thing that they've been putting on the back burner when you know I do an interview. For myself, I mean I want to make a bigger impact. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder): Is there a type of conversation or a guest that you still hope to create that you haven't reached yet? Candice Snyder: well, there are quite a few in the pipeline that are coming up that are different from a lot of the conversations that I've had. You know, don't get me wrong, everybody's story is different. But I mean, I have a conversation coming up with somebody about relationships that is not like anything I've ever discussed. So that one will be quite interesting and I had an interview today actually with somebody in the mental health space, but we touched on some things that have to do with spirituality that haven't really been addressed before too. So there's defin there's there are no shortage, there's no shortage of topics. and I and I'm open to to different perspectives, right? That's why. Where I think the possibilities piece comes in. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): That was the sweetest, most gentle tease I've I've ever gotten. It was like most people are gonna be in your face like, stay tuned. So that's that's a way that Candice only can do a tease promo right there. So I I think that's a fitting place for us to begin wrapping up because your story is really a reminder that we never know where the next possibility may lead. So, Candice, what I keep pump coming back to is that your life. And your podcast both challenge the idea that purpose is something we discover once. and then simply follow forever. Your purpose grew through disruption and grief and service, curiosity, kindness, and your willingness to keep connecting with people. 300 conversations is an incredible accomplishment, but what stands out most isn't only the number. It is the space that you've created for people to feel heard, recognize themselves in someone else's story, and perhaps imagine a possibility they couldn't see before. So you reminded us today that resilience can take many different forms. Kindness is never insignificant. Reinvention has no expiration date. And genuine connection will always matter more than numbers or content. So thank you for trusting us with your story and for helping so many other people to share theirs. Candice Snyder: Thank you so much for having me. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Absolutely. So before we finish, where's the best place for people to listen to passion, purpose, and possibilities or to connect with you? Candice Snyder: the podcast is on just about every platform. It's not on YouTube. Everybody tells me it needs to be on YouTube, but it is not. But it's everywhere else. And probably the best place to connect with me is on LinkedIn. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder): Well, we will definitely include those links in the show notes so everyone can easily find Candice and the podcast. So, to everyone listening, you don't need to have your entire next chapter figured out. You can begin with one honest conversation, one act of kindness, or simply the willingness to remain open to a new possibility. If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who may need that reminder. And follow Rebuild and Fulfill on your favorite podcast platform. And leave us a rating or a review to help more people discover these conversations. So until next time, keep rebuilding, keep moving forward, and keep creating a life that feels fulfilling. Take care.