Candace Keefe, CEO of health, beauty and lifestyle brand Bioceutica firmly believes that we could all gain great things from saying yes a little more often, and she should know. After recently orchestrating the ‘Just Say Yes’ campaign for Bioceutica, things have snowballed for the brand – which looks to be growing at a record rate. Candace Keefe recently spoke to BrandMag to share her reasons behind launching the campaign and explained why she is on a mission to encourage more people to ‘Just Say Yes’.
Candace Keefe has held a number of important roles within the health and lifestyle industry, clocking up over 20 years of experience in developing and marketing the very best nutrition and skincare products. During this time, Keefe has worked alongside some of the world’s greatest nutritionists, entrepreneurs and scientists; the most notable of which being Pierre Bottiglieri who boasts 35 years of experience formulating natural health and beauty products. However, despite her impressive credentials for developing quality products, Keefe has broadened her horizons and set herself an even greater challenge since joining Bioceutica back in the 1990’s – helping people transform their professional lives by embracing new opportunities.
“Opportunity is what you make of IT. IT knocks every day. Are you willing to open the door?” asks Keefe.
Keefe believes that everyone has the potential to make something of themselves, however many fail to fulfil their true business potential through a fear of taking that first crucial step. This is partly why she felt compelled to launch the ‘Just Say Yes’ campaign for Bioceutica. “I think it’s up to those with influence, such as CEOs and entrepreneurs to share the benefits of taking a chance and seeking out new opportunities. The first step is always daunting but I was keen to promote how with the right mind-set, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives.”
To support the growth of business professionals and help them on the road to success, Candace Keefe wants them to embrace the idea of saying yes more. “Saying yes is the greatest remedy for stagnation – all the great things that have happened to people in their lives so far, have happened because they have said yes to something at some point.” The gesture doesn’t have to be big either; as Keefe points out, even saying yes to something small such as an invitation to reconnect with an old friend over coffee or attending a free networking event in the local area can kick start a chain of positivity and create a mind-set which is more open and accepting of new opportunities.
Saying yes in business means stretching your comfort zone and overcoming your insecurities in order to rise above fear, get through failure, criticism and rejection with a positive spirit. Saying yes more often increases opportunities, which in turn increases success. But perhaps more valuably, saying yes allows a professional to learn more about themselves, identify what they need more of in their lives to not only reach their goals, but to also live a more fulfilled and happier life.
Keefe is a great believer in the power of happiness and its ability to fuel success. “There’s no point waiting to be happy, happiness comes from you. You need to go out and seek out its source,” states Keefe. When we are happy, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated and resilient, allowing us to be more productive. So how can we become happier? Well, by saying yes! Getting out and saying yes to new experiences and integrating with those outside of your circle can boost attitude and foster positivity.
Ultimately, Candace Keefe is confident that finding new opportunities and living a more successful life is within reach of all of us. “It’s all about making a conscious effort to make small changes to how you live your life and interact with the world around you, pretty soon you will start to see more opportunities and your positive mind-set will become the catalyst for great success.”
Candace Keefe’s 5 Reasons to Say Yes
- Experience something new or different. For people who find it hard to accept change, meeting new people and embracing unfamiliar situations is tough. However the more they put themselves out there, the quicker they will realise that saying ‘yes’ can be fun. Saying ‘no’ is unlikely to lead to change and whilst it may feel safe, it offers little opportunity for progression.
- Find opportunities. By declining invitations or meetings you may be missing out on fantastic and unexpected opportunities. Whilst not every ‘yes’ will lead to something wonderful and unexpected, can you really afford to take the risk?
- Overcome fear. Fear is the biggest reason people turn down amazing opportunities; many people don’t want to break from the safety of their routines. However the more you say ‘yes’, the more you’ll face this fear head on and be able to beat it.
- Meet new friends. You never know who will be on the other end of that ‘yes’. You may end up meeting some fantastic people who share your values, ambitions and outlook. An incredible amount of many friendships begin on the basis of random coincidence, so don’t miss your opportunity to connect.
- Leaving your comfort zone. Stepping out of your comfort zone from time to time keeps you mentally sharp, teaches you new life lessons and introduces you to different things that may one day become a passion. Saying ‘yes’ more is a good way to introduce yourself to the world outside of your comfort zone.
By Zenya Smith
