In this episode, host Amy Stone welcomes Kandas Rodarte to discuss the path that led Kandas to launch a coaching business after being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at age 44. Together, they explore Kandas’s journey from custom furniture entrepreneurship to becoming the “Gratitude Geek,” focusing on resilience, gratitude, and empowering women to change the world through business ownership.

About the Guest:

Kandas Rodarte is a productivity coach for micropreneurs and the host of the Gratitude Geek Podcast, ranked #1 in sales and marketing on GoodPods. After being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, she embraced gratitude as a daily practice and turned her experience into a mission to help solopreneurs build lasting relationships while growing their businesses. Through her group coaching program, Robusta, Small Business Percolator, she provides a supportive space for female solopreneurs to brainstorm, learn, and thrive. Kandas believes success comes from authentic connections, strategic marketing, and a strong support network.

Main Topics Covered:

• Kandas’s move from California to Michigan and her love of crochet
• The life-changing discovery of her cancer diagnosis, how she found her doctor, and the role of Herceptin in her journey
• Transitioning from custom high-end furniture business to coaching women entrepreneurs
• The power of gratitude—how Kandas integrated it into her brand and life, and practical tips for practicing gratitude, even on tough days
• The importance of imperfect adulting and representing real, authentic lives
• Kandas’s group coaching program for women over 40 and her mission to help women change the world through business ownership
• Fun side topics: favorite books, memorable gifts, and living with intention

“I think that women need to own businesses because we really can change the world and we can make it better for everybody, including men. Men will be better off if women owned more businesses.” — Kandas Rodarte

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Introductions, getting off-topic, and Michigan living
• 02:46 – Hobbies, passion for crochet, and yarn shop woes
• 05:59 – Transition to today’s topic: Cancer diagnosis and launching a business
• 06:19 – How a breakthrough drug’s history changed Kandas’s prognosis
• 08:09 – The discovery of her breast cancer and life before diagnosis
• 13:17 – Kandas’s career as a custom furniture entrepreneur
• 16:50 – Childhood dreams, paleontology, and family connections
• 20:25 – What metastatic cancer means
• 21:43 – Choosing coaching after diagnosis and early online business communities
• 27:10 – Women, business, and why Kandas believes in changing the world
• 31:34 – Gratitude: before and after cancer diagnosis
• 36:16 – Honest talk about practicing gratitude, even when it’s hard
• 41:00 – Details on Kandas’s coaching program and where to find her
• 43:38 – Rapid-fire questions: color, favorite gift, and beloved books

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