Candi Before Shark Tank
Candi, also known as MeetCandi, is a social media platform that was created so that fans can connect with their favorite celebrities. These calls go through the Zoom app, and they can cost anywhere from as low as $30 to up to $400 and more depending on the celebrity being contacted. Fans can sort through a wide variety of celebrities, from singers and dancers to comedians and even TikTok stars. Each call is live, as there are no pre-recorded options, so fans will be able to chat face-to-face with these celebrities for five minutes. Call times might be able to be extended if an additional fee is paid.
Not only is the Candi platform easy for fans to use, but it’s easy for celebrities as well. Celebrities can simply sign up for Candi by completing the online form on the website. From there, they’ll eventually be in contact with someone from the website who will help them finish their set-up. Once the set-up process is complete, celebrities then have the opportunity to choose their own price. Additionally, celebrities and influencers will receive a portion of the cost due to Candi only taking 25% of each profit. Just a few of the celebrities currently on Candi are Kyle Massey, Taryn Manning, Justina Valentine, and many more.
The founders of Candi are Keithan and Quiante Hendrick, a husband-and-wife duo entrepreneurial team. The idea for the platform was actually inspired by Cameo. For reference, Cameo is another social media platform where fans can receive a personal pre-recorded video from their favorite celebrity. With payment of course. The Hendrick’s noticed how successful and well-known Cameo had become within the social media world. This led them to think about how fans would react to live video chats with celebrities and influencers. After some thought, they eventually came up with their idea for Candi. 
The Candi platform was officially launched in December 2019. Given that the Hendrick’s were quite new to running a business revolving around social media, they had to start at the bottom and work their way up from scratch. While this may have been a bit tricky without any outside connections with individuals experienced in the social media scene, Keithan and Quiante were able to successfully reach a pool of influencers and celebrities. Within just one week of their launch, they had already gotten these said individuals signed up for Candi.
Within a short amount of time, the company had successfully reached $100,000in sales. This achievement determined them to keep up with Candi and turn it into a popular website. From here, the Hendrick’s would like to create and launch an app version of their site; however, that, along with the necessary marketing needed, would cost them about $500,000. Due to this, the founders will take their chances on Shark Tank in hopes of landing a deal. Social media is a competitive game, so the question is, will the sharks be impressed enough to invest in the Candi platform?
Candi on Shark Tank
Keithan and Quiante Hendrick appear on Shark Tank to pitch their platform, Candi, to the sharks. They are asking for a deal of $500,000 in exchange for 15% of their company. Beginning their pitch, they tell the sharks about Candi and how they thought up the idea for it. As a demonstration, they have Mya, a Grammy winner, come on the screen to showcase how the platform works. The Hendricks go on to mention that the celebrities are able to pick their own prices, with Chaka Khan being their highest rate by far. This rate is sitting at $400. The celebrities and influencers involved in the platform are seen promoting their prices on their social media; they get to keep about 75% of each profit they make on Candi. 
Before concluding their pitch, Keithan starts a short dialog regarding their personal stories. Prior to creating Candi, Keithan was working as an attorney for acquisitions and mergers. Given that, they couple had no previous experience working within the social media industry. Keithan goes on to explain that he and his brothers were abandoned by their mother as children, and he ended up having to adopt his brothers at just fourteen and fifteen years old.
The Hendricks concluded their pitch by admitting that their first profits came up to $100,000 in 2020. Guest shark, Kevin Hart, is the first shark to speak. He believes that the business may not work out because similar businesses have been created. That being said, he goes out of the deal. Next up, Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary reveal that they believe the Hendricks are seeking a deal that is too large, so they go out as well. Mark doesn’t think that Candi can be invested in for $500,000, and Kevin O’Leary wasn’t willing to invest in a platform with no clear sign that it will become successful. Lori Greiner and Barbara Corcoran were the final remaining sharks; however, they agreed with the other sharks and followed them out as well. Unfortunately, Candi left Shark Tank without a deal.
Candi Now in 2024 – The After Shark Tank Update
Although the Hendricks were unable to land a deal for their company, the Candi platform remains up and running and has an estimated net worth of $3.3 million as of 2024. The founders have even started heavily promoting and marketing Candi, bringing even more celebrities and fans to the platform. Since the launch of the platform, there has been a large increase in the celebrities and influencers featured on the website. Just a few of the newer celebrities are Sisqo, Andre Reed, Tori Spelling, and Chris Kattan. The celebrities are categorized on the site according to which profession they’re a part of. For example, models, singers, actors, actresses, TikTok stars, etc. 
Since their appearance on Shark Tank, the founders have had an opportunity to connect with more celebrities who are interested in joining the platform. Keithan even introduced a new feature to the website. This feature allows business owners to find influencers who would be willing to promote their business for them. Candi’s first big kickoff came during the time that the covid pandemic hit. During the lockdown, more fans looked to this platform to talk to their favorite celebrities as a means of comfort and entertainment. At this time, it is clear that Candi has become a successful platform and it is likely to continue growing and expanding in the coming years.
