Candice DeVille – Co-Founder and Executive Director of CoPilot Crew
 
Briefly describe your role at your company?
I’m the GSD person. I move quickly and am always looking for new ways to improve results, process and productivity. I’m also the eternal optimist who finds the silver lining in every lesson.
 
How long have you been in your current position?
We founded CoPilot Crew a year ago after my 13 years as a perpetual entrepreneur.
 
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Always be reading. Everything is an opportunity for further education. When you learn how to learn, you will uncover more talents than you though you had and start seeing the kind of future you want.
 
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
Education for girls and women, particularly financial education. Having control of your financial future is key to personal independence and making better decisions.
 
Growing up, my father ran his own business and always encouraged us to think divergently when it came to making money. I developed a mindset that sought opportunities and ways that I could solve my own challenges.
 
Do you serve as a mentor?  If so, what does mentorship mean to you?
Yes, both for my daughters and to other women seeking to make it on their own for the first time.
 
To me, being a mentor means being the kind of person I wish I’d had by my side when I first started out. Someone who tells you the truth even if it’s not what you want to hear, and helps you learn the tools to move from where you are to where you want to be.
 
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to yourself 5 years ago?
Don’t second guess yourself. Don’t bury those instincts or bend to outside pressure that doesn’t sit well with you. Your gut tells you things for a reason.
 
Are you reading anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite read!
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. We each have incredible power to change our version of reality. This book provides some simple insights to help you action that change.
 
If you could sit down with three women (living or dead) for dinner, who would those three women be (and why!)?
Hedy Lamarr – The talented old hollywood actress whose invention helped enable Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. Proving beauty and brains aren’t mutually exclusive.
 
Arianna Huffington – I saw a recent speech she gave in which she said that everything great that happened in her life came after a (particular) man wouldn’t marry her.
 
Elizabeth Arden – she was one of the key players in bringing cosmetics and beauty to the mainstream, removing the social stigma attached to it’s use and creating the industry we know today.
 
What’s something coming up soon (personally or professionally) that super excites you?
Growing our company is exciting to me. Everyday I set myself small goals that contribute to our larger vision, so seeing those take shape is incredibly exciting and rewarding.
 
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