Testimonials

Don’t just listen to us. Here are what people say about us.
Mike Elliot - Chief Executive Officer at Edgars
When Candice ran a workshop for us, we never asked her to do another, we hired her! She has great energy, passion and ability to connect. A great development and HR practitioner.
Andre Kitshoff - General Manager Retail South Africa at Luxottica
Candice is serious about people and guiding them to be the best that they can be. She oozes energy and excitement and is always looking for ways to make learning fun. Her passion is one of her biggest strengths. It is impossible to feel negative when she is around. Candice is a respected learning and development professional and I could recommend her to anyone wanting to take learning to the next level.
Ricardo Humphries - IT Demand Specialist at Luxottica Retail
I’ve had one of my best learning journeys with Candice. She’s an extremely good listener and can take direction just as good. She really brings the ‘x’ factor to everything she applies her mind to. Enjoyed her creative and energetic edge to our business.
Alinda Nortje - Founder and Chairperson of the Board at Free To Grow
Candice is a superb facilitator; her warmth, bubbly personality and enthusiasm for life, plus her love for people and her passion to make a difference in people’s lives, make her add value to any programme she presents,. She is one of those people who are a natural as facilitator.
“6 Years ago I wrote Candice a glowing recommendation when she was a Free To Grow facilitator. Since then she spent a few years in Corporate, and is now back on the Free To Grow team. And how grateful I am for this! Her passion for people, outstanding communication and facilitation skills and deep-seated desire to use her talents and gifts to bring meaning and make a positive difference, add value in so many areas in Free To Grow. As facilitator she shines, lighting the light within the people who attends our programmes she presents, as Director of the Free To Grow Foundation she add tremendous value with her drive and innovation, as networker she builds relationships rooted in care and trust, and as presenter she brings spark and light to any presentation she does. Thank you, Candice, for living your purpose through Free To Grow.”.
Ben Cole - Director Learning & Development | Instructional Design Leader | Talent Manager | Learning Strategy Innovator
“Candice has a powerful presence and a positive influence on all those around her. She pushes those around her to think more about what’s possible than what might be going wrong in any given moment. I appreciate Candice’s personal interest in my development and my well-being as much as I do her professional impact on the organization. I’m lucky to know her”.
Sean Snyman - Portfolio Councillor Community & Social Development, Libraries and Sport at George Municipality
“Very professional in her facilitation and certainly prepares extremely well”.
Aneesa Theron - I help companies achieve strategy by aligning employees to values & goals, cultivating a positive culture!
“Candice epitomizes all the attributes of a great leader who always endeavours to be of service to others. Working with her on a project during her tenure at Luxottica, it was evident how she demonstrated her sheer passion to unlock potential in others. Candice is an exemplary humble down to earth individual, who is always striving to grow employees, organizations and communities at large.
I’m in awe of her relentless unwavering commitment in developing herself and equally adding sustainable growth and development to others. Her loyalty and dedication is truly admirable, and I feel she is absolutely an inspiration to many. I wish her all the best in her career, as I’m confident she will continue to be an innovative professional making significant social impacts”.
Gary Kiewitz - Regional Product and Operations Manager - South East Asia at Luxottica
“What a pleasure to share! I worked with Candice at Sunglass Hut South Africa, where we collaborated on People Development/Training and Coaching projects. While her experience in People and Organisational Development is impressive to say the least, what really sets her
apart is always the manner in which Candice delivers her vast catalogue of expertise:
Always Authentic – You can always be sure that you are interacting with the ‘real’ Candice – no hidden agendas here!
Ever Empathic – A great ability to get to the root of what is happening in someone’s heart and mind, and then move them forward in a way that is non-invasive or confrontational.
Crazy Creative – If there are teachable points to convey, Candice will find (create) the best way to do it. Whether developing a model, a video, a game, or simply a conversation, she is able to get people excited about learning (sometimes without them realizing it).
I am really looking forward to collaborating again soon in the future”!!
Sadick Rawoot - Senior Merchandise Planner at TFG (The Foschini Group)
“Candice was the HR manager who recruited me, her professional, knowledgeable and friendly approach made the entire process a breeze. Working with her was an absolute pleasure, always approachable and willing to assist. She brought a positive presence which aided my individual experience and had a great impact on the overall company”.
Riyaan Abrahams - Regional Manager at Sunglass Hut SA
“Candice played a pivotal and inspiring role in my personal leadership journey. She is very passionate about people, their development and understands that People is the most valuable asset in any organization. You will feel her presence as she enters any environment”.
Zeenat Omar - Senior Merchandise Planner at TFG (The Foschini Group)
“I had the privilege of meeting Candice early on in my career; when we both attended a leadership academy held by our company. My first impression of Candice was that she was an authentic, friendly and professional individual that had the ability to interact and inspire anyone that she came across. This opinion has not changed over the years in which we had worked together; instead my respect and admiration has only increased. Candice has the proven ability to:
Lead teams into a shared direction
To creatively find ways to explain difficult concepts to be understood by all employees
To recognize and nurture talent
To facilitate training and encourage growth of self and business.
All in all anyone who has the pleasure of meeting or working with her will be enriched in one way or another.
Thank you Candice for always recognizing and encouraging me throughout my career. May you always grow and inspire others as you have inspired me”.
Lindsay Gilbert - Senior Merchandise Planner at Markham
“Candice was my first point of contact when joining Markham, a Trading Division of the Foschini Retail Group (Pty) Ltd. Her professional yet inviting conduct made my experience in joining the group pleasant. She was meticulous in ensuring all aspects of my take-on were accurate, complete and done in a time efficient manner.
She provided continuous support and guidance in the time we worked together and volunteered invaluable advice in terms of transitioning into a corporate culture, always highlighting the benefits to come from this for both the company and myself. Candice generously made time on a regular basis to check in and gave practical examples and experiences to help develop the softer skills in the workplace. With a huge talent for coaching, demonstrating leadership and talent development, Candice would be an asset to any business that has the pleasure of working with her”.
Federico Lovaria - Global Retail Academy Senior Manager at Gucci
“Passion, enthusiasm, empathy, sensitivity: these are all crucial (but oh so rare to find) human skills that Candice not only possesses but, indeed, embodies and radiates in her professional life as well. I had the pleasure to observe this while becoming Candice’s functional manager in the context of a (potentially) disruptive organizational evolution, which she approached and embraced with the utmost flexibility, fluidity and confidence towards the then un-known, all the while staying true to her core values and beliefs. She truly is a great human being, on top of being a great professional and, as such, I highly recommend her”.
Michelle Caywood Van Vuuren - Manager, ISP Group
“Candice is a vibrant and dynamic thinker, she puts passion and love into everything that she does and moves to inspire others. her presence is felt when she enters a room and has the ability to speak her mind and hold her audience captive.”.
Deven Moodley - Executive: Retail Partnerships at BNP Paribas Personal Finance South Africa
“I had the pleasure of working with Candice during her tenure at both TFG and Luxottica. It was during her tenure at Sunglass Hut, where she was instrumental in the launch and operation of the credit program. Her innovative approach to people management and development, was a key differential in the success of the Sunglass Hut program. Working with a dynamic team, her professionalism and firm understanding of what moves people, played a pivotal role in the businesses she worked in”.
Shawn Nienaber - Buyer & Merchandise Planner
“Candice and I worked collaboratively on several occasions and I valued her work ethic and passion. Candice has a wonderful rapport with people and a natural ability for identifying, developing and nurturing skills and talents within individuals. Her ability to connect and educate individuals is truly awe inspiring”.
Gretchen Blake - Chief People Officer: MTO Group of companies
“Candice has the unique skill to quickly grasp our business requirements and to appropriately match support and interventions relevant to addressing these needs. Her energy, passion and commitment are palpable and she uses this to mobilise and include everyone on the journey even in highly volatile and complex environments. Candice understands business and she therefore provides advice and solutions that ultimately add value to the bottom line.
Candice can communicate with everyone at all levels and across a diverse workforce which enables effective and inclusive engagements. Candice delivers effective, focussed results, in time and on target. A human capital expert with the skill to unlock each employee’s value! Highly recommended.”.
lnga Davids, Partnership Manager, Skills Exchange
We barely know each other and have barely touched base but I feel your energy, I feel connected to you and the message exhume. The way you share stories, your enthusiasm for women and women in leadership makes me feel very optimistic about my future and the future of Skills Exchange. Thank you for sharing your mind and heart with us all this last Saturday.
Your stories are endless and filled with wisdom. Thank you for sharing your words of power with us.
Joanne August, Partnership Contributor, Skills Exchange
I totally appreciated every story Candice shared (and she had quite a few 🙂 ). Someone who’s totally relatable, kind and filled with so much wisdom. I could listen to her all day.
We appreciate you!
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+27 71 471 9688
31 Augustus Lane, King George Park, George, 6529 Western Cape, South Africa