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The Candy Valentino Show
From $5M to Nearly $1B: Rita Davenport’s Playbook for Explosive Growth
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- [00:00]
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Candy Valentino
Welcome to the Candy Valentino show, the podcast for founders, investors and entrepreneurs where.
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We have honest conversations about what it.
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Candy Valentino
Takes to grow your business, build more.
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Wealth and create financial freedom.
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Rita Davenport
Welcome back to another episode. I am so excited for you to listen to this interview today. I feel like I was able to interview one of my heroes if you don't know her. Rita Davenport has decades of experience in business, in broadcast, on stages, you name it. She was an award winning humorist and author and entrepreneur. She started out in social work and teaching and got into tv. Literally came up with the concept of the Food Network, has multiple books, has spoken with Tony Robbins and so many other names. She's hosted her own award winning TV shows in Phoenix for more than 15 years and has been viewed in more than 32 million homes. Her business background? Get this, she started in direct sales at Arbonne and quickly became one of the top sales and recruits and then the owner founder of the company reached out to her and asked if she would become president of the entire company. They were only doing a million in sales at that time and through her reign she took it to almost a billion dollar company. She's been listed in every single media outlet that you could possibly think of and I am so grateful to have her on the show and to bring her to all of you. So let's get started. Rita, thank you so much for coming on the show.
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Candy Valentino
It is an honor to be invited and just to be with someone. I've been interviewed by a lot of people Candy, but you're in the least top 10 of the most beautiful if any of those are listening. I'm going to be sure and say that safely. But you are, absolutely. And you're so smart and so engaging and friend. You're just a blessing to be with. So I'm honored to be here. Thank you for inviting me.
- [03:05]
Rita Davenport
Thank you. Ever since I had the show, you can ask the crew. I've always been like, I want to get Rita on. I want to get Rita on. And then thankfully, we go to the same gym. So I was able to say as soon as I saw you, I was like, are you Rita? And you were like, yeah. It was like a stalker moment. But I love who you are. I love what you've done. And as a female in business for the last 25 years, what you've done in the business world is just so impressive to me. And so for those that have been living under a rock and don't know who you are, can you take us back a little bit and just share a little bit about your background and some of the things that you've done? And then I want to unpack some of them.
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Candy Valentino
Okay. I was raised in Flat Rock, Tennessee. That's near Nashville. My. My poverty growing up was very instrumental in my success because it was very motivating. I would look around and I'd say, I gotta do something to help not only myself, but my family make a difference. And I was always told, you won't, you know, don't get your hopes up. You're not gonna. You know, nobody in this family's ever graduated from high school. I was told school counselor not to go to college. She said, you're just. You're not college material. You're sweet and you're cute and you're kind. She said, find some nice boy and get married and have a family. But Rita, don't think about going on to college. And I didn't go to college for two years, but I was dating a guy that was a student at Vanderbilt. And I thought, well, how's he going to feel about me, you know, if I don't make something out of myself and get an education? So I did. Finally, I went to. I was considered. I never passed my SATs, by the way. I was going to night school at University of Tennessee, and I was. They said I was a exchange student. So I was able to get into Middleton and C State University. I graduated in three years with honors. I got a BS degree, which I'm demonstrating right now. But I did invite the counselor that told me I wasn't college material to come to my graduation. And then When I was a distinguished alumni there, and I had set up several scholarships, I invited her to also come. I kept in touch with her all of her life. And, you know, when someone tells you you can't do something, you can either shut down or fire up. And that caused me to fire up. So being raised in poverty was my gift because I am so grateful for my life today. And if you don't know the difference, you know, I think when you enable kids, you disable them because they can't really appreciate all that they have. But I married my high school sweetheart. He was in the space program, and we moved to Phoenix. I worked for Arizona Public Service. I worked for Phoenix Colle, and I was a guest on a local television show here in Phoenix. And I was, you know, frequently asked to come on representing Arizona Public Service. And the hostess of the show retired, and I was offered the show. And that was about 1969.
- [05:51]
Rita Davenport
So you weren't seeking it?
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Candy Valentino
No, I was just a guest on the show. But I did Southern recipes. I speak two languages, English and Southern. And so it was kind of captivating to the audience to hear Southern recipes. So I did the show at KPHO for 15 years. I first did Open House, and it was a daily show where I would interview celebrities. I mean, the people. I mean, I got to interview Billy Graham. I mean, not many people have interviewed Billy Graham. But I asked him what amazed him most about life. I'll never forget what he said. He said the brevity of it. And that's a lesson for all of us. And I did then Phoenix at midday. Then my third show was called Cooking with Rita. My background, I majored in home in college, and my background was cooking. And I loved it. And I had an idea. I had an idea for a Food Network. So I went to the owners of my TV station, which was the Meredith Corporation. They own Better Homes and Gardens. And I said, I think a Food Network would be a wonderful idea. And they just laughed. They thought, what does this, you know, corn porn redneck from Tennessee know about a food Network? And I said, you got to listen to me. I said, people eat three times a day. They don't even have sex that much unless they're weird, newly married, or having enough. And I'm telling you, a Food Network would work. And they just kind of laughed and they didn't pay any attention. Well, the general manager at Channel 3, Jack Clifford, Watched my TV show, my cooking show, every day. And his staff said, rita, we thought he had a crush on you because we weren't allowed to interrupt him when he was watching Cooking with Rita. And he was really studying the idea that I had. And I'm loyal as an old dog. I couldn't have gone to another station, another network or anything and presented an idea like this. And so I didn't. My bad. But he did start the Food Network, and I teased him about it. I said, you know, Jack, I wasn't making a lot of money in local television. I said, there's a book called Seed Money in Action by Speller is his last name. And I said, you could have given me something for that idea that you got from me. And he said, yeah, I should have given you something, you're right, he said, because I sold it for 200 million, and it's valued today at $3 billion. So I let go of a $3 billion idea because I didn't want to challenge my stat. You know, just loyal to that station that has said no. So when someone says no, that you should flip it around and say on to the next person. And I really should have, could have, would have. But I still have had an amazing life in broadcasting. I did the second infomercial, and that was fun. And my gosh, it was amazing. We were in 32 million homes, and we sold so many books and CDs, sometimes as much as a million dollars a day. Wow. So it was remarkable. Ray Lindstrom was the one that started that. And the reason he was so kind to let me do that, he was a huge fan of Dolly Parton, and Dolly Parton was coming in town to be on my show, and I was to have somebody pick her up, and I got him to pick her up. And lo and behold, he was so grateful that he offered to let me do an infomercial. So, you know, be nice to everybody, because you meet the same people going down, you meet going up. There's a payback to it. So I always thank him for that, for that idea that he did. Thank you. It was wonderful.
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Rita Davenport
I'll tell you, there is so much to unpack, but I think everyone listening needs to pause and rewind to the story about the Food Network. Like how you had an idea, you were passed off. Now, do you think? And this just came to me, that might not be the reason, but do you think it was because you were female?
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Candy Valentino
It could have been that. And then my accent. You know, I think that slows people down, too. They may think, well, bless her heart. Does she even read and write? But I could have pushed it. I really could have. But I just had to be loyal to my station that said no. And that was their $3 billion. In fact, I ran into someone that worked at Meredith Corporation and it was a wonderful organization. And I told the story and he said, well, that was our $3 billion mistake. But we learn more, by the way, from failure and mistakes than we do from success. So that's the way it goes, the.
- [09:59]
Rita Davenport
Way it was supposed to happen. Right. I mean, but that's so good. I love how it turned that no into on to the next to just keep push if it was something that you really felt was on your heart to keep pushing forward. So I love that. And so, you know, you just shared Dolly Parton, which I know is a very small little part of your amazing story. But I remember hearing this little fact about Dolly, which I'd love for you to share with everyone. And it was so interesting because you said most people remember this, but few people remember that I was part of creating a billion dollar company. So I want to really unpack that. But I would love if you would talk a little bit about the Dolly story. Right. Well, because back then, I mean, she was.
- [10:36]
Candy Valentino
Yes, yes, she was. She still is, actually. I dated in high school, a great guy. His name's Carl Dean. He was voted wittiest in our senior class. So we had a lot in common. I'd known him since the fourth grade and Carl was just a wonderful person. Went to church together. His daddy's my Sunday school teacher. But anyway, as it turned out, Carl Dean and I broke up and he met Dolly the first day she came to Nashville. She was going to the laundromat with a paper bag full of dirty clothes. And this is just like Carl Dean. He was so friendly and outgoing. He pulled over and introduced himself and went to the laundromat with her and he married her. And they're still married. And I'm so grateful for that. And I didn't think much about the fact that, you know, my old boyfriend had married Dolly Parton until I had her on my show. And then she invited me to her performance and invited me backstage to meet the crew. And she said, hey, everybody, come over, I want you to meet somebody. And my daughter in law was with me. My husband had an engagement that night and he couldn't go. And she said, this is somebody really important I want you to meet. And I'm looking around like, who is she talking about? I'm the only one here. And she said, y'all have always wondered who the real green eyed Jolene is. Well, it's really Rita davenport. And my daughter in law's fingers were smoking from texting her friends. Mama. My mother in law is dolly. According to dolly parton, my mother in law is Jolene. And this is the real Jolene. And people don't ever look at my green eyes when I tell them the story. They look at my. You know, women don't particularly like their breasts either. Too big, too little, too low, too small. They're going in opposite directions. No matter. I went shopping with a girlfriend for lingerie one time. They said, what size bras do you wear? And she said, 36 long. And so. But anyway, I get tickled that people notice the green eyes. But dolly, she's been so kind. She did the forward for my last book. And she's a neighbor to my sister and what she has done for the world. I'm so proud of her and so impressed and grateful that I would be jolene. So for her to say it, it came from her mouth to God's ears.
- [12:45]
Rita Davenport
That's a great story. And when was the timing of your shows to you really stepping into about a $5 million company and taking it to just under a billion dollars. Like, let's not gloss over that fact, because this was in the 90s, right. When female empowerment and female girl boss wasn't really a thing.
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Candy Valentino
Yeah, that's true.
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Rita Davenport
So tell us a little bit about that.
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Candy Valentino
I think it was about 1978. I was working on a syndicated show, and Sally jassy, Raphael's agent, was the same group I was working with. And we were within two markets of syndicating the show, talk show. And turned out she wanted an hour instead of 30 minutes. So my show got dropp. And I remember thinking, okay, God, you shut this door. What do you want me to do? And I had spoken for a company called arbonne, and they'd been in business for about 10 years. And they'd gifted me with the products, loved the products, and had actually was speaking for a lot of network marketing companies. Amway and nuskin and herbalife and mary kay. And I did as many as 117 speeches in one year. So I was speaking for a lot of companies when I got home from that speech. And I was very impressed with what I had learned about the company and tried the products. I found that my sister's husband had open heart surgery. And they really needed some support. And I encouraged her to join the business. And she said, I can't do network marketing. Direct sales, and this is glamour and skin care. She Said, you know, I'm overweight, I got a space between my front teeth, I wear big thick glasses. And I said, wait, every whale knows a minnow and every minnow knows a whale. You might be a minnow in the network marketing world, but, you know, a whale that knows. And been teaching this for a number of years. And I said, let's sign you up and I'll help you build a business. And Candy, she became the number one income earner in that company.
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Rita Davenport
Wow.
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Candy Valentino
And this is a person that had an 8th grade education, got married at 14. She didn't have to get married at 14, but my mother was abusive and it was a situation was very difficult. My sister was my protector of that too, by the way. And she was married for 69 years to an ex Marine. And for her to be able to have a lifestyle with an 8th grade education where she lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, and she had a beautiful million dollar home, drove a Mercedes, she was very, very successful, got to travel all over the world and she never gave up. But I encouraged her constantly that if anybody can do it, if you want it bad enough, the world steps aside for the person who knows where they're going. So either lead, follow or get out of the way. And she all the reasons that she didn't think she could do it. And the last time she got to walk on stage in front of 22,000 people because my sister was so loved by everybody. She was like Mother Teresa. She was so generous with gifts. She always gave the most amazing, wonderful, beautiful gifts to her team at Christmas time. And she was just an amazing person. There was a ten minute standing ovation. Even the ushers in Las Vegas in the Grand Ballroom, they were crying. People just kept clapping and clapping because four years before that, my sister had fallen and broken her neck and she had been totally disabled. And she was able with escorts to walk across the stage. And at that time she was probably about maybe 75, something like that.
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Rita Davenport
Wow.
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Candy Valentino
And recovering from a broken neck and number one income earner. And this, this just showed you that if anybody wants it bad enough, and she did, of course, and she was able to succeed. And it's who you know, your net worth, your net worth really is your network who you know. So be nice to everybody. You meet the same people going down, you meet going up and you don't know when, when that person that you, you know, maybe take for granted, you've been friends with them for a long time or a family member, when they can give you that inspiration to become more and have more and do more, and she was just amazing. But that standing ovation, it was just beautiful. Beautiful.
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Rita Davenport
That sounds beautiful. Kind of gave me chills there. And, you know, you have spoken about success, you've written about success, you talk about success. You had your. One of your shows was about success. What makes. If you had to just sum it all up like your sister's story, which, by the way, you dodged the question about you, which I hope everybody pays attention to, because that's your heart. I asked you a question about you. You told me all about your sister, and I felt your heart the moment I met you. So I just wanna acknowledge that. And we'll get back to the original question, but I'd love for you to unpack. What are some of the ways, the reasons that make someone that goes through one circumstance in their life and they never amount to anything because they don't do the work and somebody who else does what your sister did and what you've done and so many other people have done and become successful. What's the differentiator?
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Candy Valentino
I think it's desire. I think it all starts with desire. And then learning and studying and growing. School is never out for the pro. The more you learn, the more you're going to earn. I've studied constantly, but I think that the difference was I was hungry, and I have a caring spirit for people that I want to help. I was a social worker right out of college, by the way, and I found out welfare didn't work. I mean, and I was a tough social worker because I was raised, and I would work with people and I'd say, these babies got to be fed and they've got to be clean and when I come and visit. So I learned a lot from just growing up and being in a situation that made me stronger. But I just think the difference is not everybody wants it. Actually, very few people want it bad enough to do what you got to do to be successful. And that's the reason if you want it bad enough, you'll figure out you'll get an aha moment. And I have. And when I got into the network marketing world, because I was sponsoring so many people, I actually sponsored. I think it was 35 in one day. That came in with quite a bit. And the president of the company reached out to me, because when I said to my sister, you can do this, she said, well, if it's good enough for me, why isn't it good enough for you? And I went, oh, yeah, that's right. So I finished up all my speeches with the network marketing company. So I didn't have a conflict. And I joined the business as first I was a speaker, but then I was a consultant, then District area and regional vice president. And the, the owner of the company reached out to me and he said, you're sponsoring people under your sister above you. And people think they're going to be under you, but they're under your sister. So we worked together as a team and we were able to build it together. And I then was offered the position of president and we took the company from under $10 million to almost, I think 980 million. Very close to a billion dollars. And I think it was just, it was meant to be. I think that's the reason that the Food Network didn't work. I think that's the reason the syndicated TV show didn't work, is God wanted me in a different place to make a difference in people's lives by the example of being raised in poverty and not being that academic, but being a people person. I always say that the business I was in was a people business and focused on, look at everybody you see, because everybody's wearing an invisible sign that says, make me feel important. And people do work harder for praise than they do for raises. So I was really, as president of the company, I was very involved. I called every manager when they promoted. Sometimes I'd make over 800 phone calls a month to congratulate people. And I was really into it, wear you out to all the gift giving and things that I did that many corporations maybe don't know how important it was. But to get a Thanksgiving flower arrangement because you were in management, in the company, and a box of heart shaped candy at Valentine's. So I really did a lot of showing appreciation because I was so grateful for their efforts because the number one mental step in adjustment for prosperity. And I know you talk about that a lot, prosperity is gratitude, just to be grateful for what you have. I mean, I say any day above ground is a good day, make it a good day. But I was always so connected to the management team, to the field, even in the warehouse. I would go down to the warehouse and when they were boxing up the products to mail out and I would have the employees put a note in inside of the box to the person receiving their name and how much they appreciated their business. And I would do all kinds of recognition even in the warehouse. So I think that made a difference. And that's the reason the business grew. And I was so proud of everybody for the Hard work because it's not easy. Network marketing, direct sales. If it was easy, I say, it would be sleazy. But it's not easy because people just don't understand it. And they sometimes don't realize what they have to offer that they can make a difference with. So that was a gift to me.
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Rita Davenport
That's incredible. And it sounds like, I mean, you put the heart into the company.
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Candy Valentino
I really. I lead with my heart. Always lead with your heart. You know, love is so important, bottom line, for everything we do. If you would express love and feel loved, it would make your talent and your genius and all the things you can do manifest even more. But you need three hugs a day just to keep from being weird. And if you're not getting three hugs a day, there's a good reason you're not giving them because you're only getting life, what you give. The more you give, the more you get. And I kind of get teased by that sometimes. I love to tip, by the way, when I go in to speak at hotels, I always say, always tip the maid, because those people are working and I'll come back and my bed's turned down, the bath water is running, bubbles are in it. I mean, all the things and the. The people that clean the rooms, they would be so grateful. But guys, I would say, always tip. And I love to tip. I even tip the hostess at a restaurant or the people cleaning up the table. I slip them something and I get more out of it than they do. But it makes me feel good to know that I can do that, because except again, I say for the grace of God, I'd be cleaning that table off or cleaning that hotel room, but God gave me a different direction. So I like to reward people. And I was going to think about writing a book. Always tip the maid. Another thing that I have a habit of is always make your bed. And Admiral Raven, he wrote a book called Always make youe Bed. And he got my idea. Another idea I had. I was speaking in Vegas after Tony Robbins, this is such a fun story. And Tony teaches you, you know, how to walk on fire. And I had a friend, Calvin Lahew, that did go through that, and he walked on fire. And he got a little burned, by the way, but he recovered. It wasn't that bad. But after Tony spoke, I got out and I said, I don't know about this walking on fire business. I mean, you know how Tom's old. I said. Because I said, I am never going to try to walk on fire until I can Walk on water. And I put my finger up in the air, I said, my mentor walked on water. Well, it was about 25,000 people in the audience. One person, Donna Johnson, was in the audience, and she heard me say, my mentor walked on water. And she has now written a book, and it's number one on Amazon and the spiritual books. And I'm so proud of her that. And she gives me full credit for the title. A lot of people, you know, say, as I heard Rita Davenport say. And the next time they repeat it, they say, well, as I've always heard, the third time they say, as I've always said, my mentor walks on water. But she is just rocking it with her new book. And I'm so excited about that for her. I love to see anybody that I can inspire in any way make a difference in their life, because I think that's my mission in life, is to make a difference, not just make a living. And was so grateful for that. But Arbonne is still doing really well. I'm so proud of the friends and associates that I have there. And family, lots of family in it. And they all seem like family. I mean, I felt like it was family to me. It was family to me.
- [24:31]
Rita Davenport
So, yeah, I think in order for you to lead with such heart, it has to feel that way.
- [24:35]
Candy Valentino
Always lead with your heart.
- [24:36]
Rita Davenport
And when you. I mean, obviously, from the ones, the threes and the eights are always the hardest, right.
- [24:40]
Candy Valentino
To break through.
- [24:41]
Rita Davenport
Like, what you did to get to 80 million isn't gonna get you to 300 million. Isn't gonna. So what was it about the build? Because that's really tough, isn't it, to go from 5 million when you stepped in to almost a billion?
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Candy Valentino
I think, yeah, it might have been about eight. I'm not sure exactly how much you've been in business. 10 years, though.
- [24:58]
Rita Davenport
Seven. So seven figures to almost 10. What was that? How were you intentional about that build?
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Candy Valentino
Well, you know, I always say that a fish dies at the head first. So I always say that the top leadership, if a company's not doing well, you got to look at the top leadership. And I just took it to a people business. I taught with love and passion, enthusiasm, and I raised people's expectation, what you expect. Believe in pictures, what you get. And I used the training that I had used for all these other companies. Mary Kay used to come on my show a lot, and she used some of. Really, we had a real good connection with some of my material. And I just think that the difference was making people Feel valued and important and recognizing. Honestly, I mean, I know I say this over and over, but people work harder for praises than they do raises. So I would praise people, I would recognize them. The first gift I got in Arbonne when I was a regional vice president. This is so funny. And I loved our founder. He was amazing. But it was a thimble. Now it was from Italy or somewhere, but it was a thimble. Well, when I got into it, we started getting diamond rings and earrings and necklaces and da, da, da, if you were a female, of course. But I really raised the recognition to the thimble was a nice gift. It was. Not sure about that exactly, but all of a sudden they started getting recognition and it was all about recognizing their efforts because they were the soldiers on the firing line and in that industry, they were the ones. And I would praise them to the corporate staff and they would sometimes feel, well, they don't have to go to work at 8 o'clock in the morning like we do. Really, they have. And I said, but they, they're taking the bullets right now. They're the boots on the ground. They're on the firing range right now. They're trying to defend us and to work for us. And I respect them because I'd been there, I'd been there and thank goodness I had.
- [26:56]
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- [28:01]
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- [29:39]
Rita Davenport
So and that was the thing, right? You walked in their shoes. So it's really easy to then follow someone and listen to what they're saying when you have from that example, that testimonial space.
- [29:48]
Candy Valentino
Yeah, and I had, I had, I had walked my talk and not many people, some people have but not everybody has. And I had and they knew that I knew because the hardest part about that industry is rejection. And I would say that out of 10 people that you approach to sell product or to join your company, nine is going to turn you down. You say next. And in fact I had one person, one time that he laughed and he says I would never do that. I would never get in network marketing, direct sales. And I said oh, I'm so glad you said that. And he said why did you ask me? And I said well it was rehearsal actually. And I was practicing and I was hoping because you would drag the reputation down of my company. I was hoping you'd say no. But I only have to ask eight more people before somebody will say yes. So this was just a dress rehearsal for when I will get somebody. And it was a joke of course, because he was a very great guy. But it was just, you know, and keep your sense of humor, you know. And I would teach. If somebody's saying no, just start laughing. What's funny? Well, I only Got to ask eight more people before I'll get somebody that says yes. Because it's a numbers game, and the one that gets to the top has had the most nos. And fortunately, they kept on till they got the most yeses. But you can't let it shut you down. You just gotta keep. Stay fired up and believe, you know, you gotta believe.
- [31:07]
Rita Davenport
You have so much humor weaved in to your speeches and your books and everything that you do. And to be completely transparent, I always say, I wish I was a little funnier. Is that something that you learned? Like, did you or you just have.
- [31:18]
Candy Valentino
Always been this funny sense of humor? I think laughter is so important. First of all, as a speaker, it helps with retention. About 78% better. I have a speech coming up, and they want humor and leadership, and I think that's really encouraging that they realize that there is a need for that. But it helps with retention and humor, as Tom Hopkins always teaches. Smooth out the rough edges of things about ourself that we don't like. So when you something about yourself you don't like, make a joke about it and laugh about it and don't take yourself seriously. Take what you do seriously. But you know what? We all have rejection and setbacks and everything. And you just keep saying, next. And that was my secret. That's what I would say. To me. You haven't asked me about my watches.
- [32:04]
Rita Davenport
Oh, I didn't know.
- [32:05]
Candy Valentino
Did you know about the watches?
- [32:06]
Rita Davenport
No.
- [32:07]
Candy Valentino
This is kind of my trademark. Okay. I wear two watches.
- [32:10]
Rita Davenport
Oh, yes, I see that.
- [32:11]
Candy Valentino
Yeah. One is a $29 Timex, but I watch it. I wear it because I can see it. This right here is a $50,000 Rolex. I wear it candy because you can see it. Or other people because they might say, well, bless her heart, you know, what does she know? Look at that watch. She must. By the way, I always say, does Rolex have two Ls in it? I'm not sure about that, but I get teased. Marc Victor Hansen just. I talked to him this morning. He said, don't forget to wear your two watches. To talk about that, because that's become kind of a trademark to wear the two watches. One I can see and one they can see.
- [32:45]
Rita Davenport
Oh, I love it.
- [32:46]
Candy Valentino
It gives you a little credibility if you got on a Rolex.
- [32:49]
Rita Davenport
I love it. I love it. That's so good. What are some of the things someone's listening and they're like, I'm inspired by what I hear. I would love to be more successful in whatever it is that they're we say like inspiration, motivation only goes so far, right. We have to do something with it. We have to implement it or execute it or take action. What's some of the things that you've seen working with so many people in your businesses and from stage that people get tripped up if it's not necessarily the. No, I see people like staying in stagnation, like staying in the swamp. What can get someone a little bit of encouragement and a little implementation to get out of where they are, accomplish whatever it is.
- [33:29]
Candy Valentino
The number one thing I would say is courage. You have got to be courageous and you've got to be hungry. I truly, I'm so grateful to my family because they mean so much to me. And growing up in poverty and wanting to have. My daddy was a mechanic and worked two jobs at a gas station at night. And my mother, my daddy could barely read and write. And my mother had about 9th grade education and didn't know how to drive a car. Never had a job in her life. And Candy, I looked around and I thought, and people say you're so different, where did you come from? But I thought, if I don't make something out of myself, what are they going to have someday? And to be able to buy your daddy a brand new car, I get emotional. And your parents a beautiful home. I mean, we were raised without inside plumbing. I had a cousin visit us from California and I took her to the outhouse and she said, why you flushed this? I went back home, Mama. She got some problems because she just asked me the weirdest questions. But. But I was hungry because I wanted them not to be hungry. So I was hungry for success. And it just starts with, you gotta wanna, you gotta wanna. And what's the most important, the most important thing to me always. In fact, when I married my husband and we were living in an apartment and I was able to buy my parents a new house and he said, I didn't know I was marrying that whole family to take care of them. I said, oh, you're not. I'll figure out. And I was able to figure it out on my own. But they were my motivation to make a difference in my life and to. I just remember one time I was doing something and Mama said, now don't get your hopes up. And I said, mama, what good are low hopes? Hopes should be up, you know. And so I always had my hopes up. And I've been disappointed. My gosh, it's just the way life is. But you just keep saying next and who can I Have and what can I do to help somebody else? I mean, another thing to keep growing is I at least spend 30 minutes a day reading and studying and personal development because school is never out for the pro and the more you learn, the more you earn. So I am constantly green and growing and teach that to other people. And I hope that my kids, my kids have been working. I have two sons, an heir and a spare like Princess died. But they've been working since they were 14. And I am so proud of them that even though they were born a home that had a swimming pool and a tennis court and you know, they didn't know what it's like to be ashamed of where they live. They were kind of self conscious because maybe their house was a little nicer than their friends and they were a little uncomfortable with that. But they were still ambitious and were working at 14. I started working at 12 and had two jobs when I was 16. And I was always, you know, working because I knew that I had to. If people that I love the most were going to be well taken care of, it had to be. I felt me that would do it. So you're ready for it.
- [36:26]
Rita Davenport
You were the first, right. That changed the generations from there to come. And I did not know what you just shared. And it's just so interesting when you were getting emotional because I was too, that we share a lot of that in common too. My dad was a mechanic. My mom cleaned houses.
- [36:41]
Candy Valentino
Let me tell you what my dad did. My dad would always stop and help a motorist with car trouble. And I said, daddy, we are running late. Do you have to stop and help everybody in the free world that's got car problems? I'll never forget what he said. He said, yes, little lady, I do. Because someday my kids might be out on a highway and somebody's going to stop and help them because I'm stopping to help this person right now. And he said, I will always help other people. I will never forget that example. And I have been on the side of the road with car trouble and I've had people stop and help me. And I would just look up into heaven and say, thank you, Daddy. Thank you, Daddy. Because truly, what goes around does come around. But I was so proud that my daddy was a mechanic and he was a character. He spoke two languages too. English and profanity. I mean, daddy could say some cuss words and we'd take us to school in the morning and well, we walk most of the time, but when he did and he'd be Cussing, driving. Don't kiss. He doesn't mean that, you know, but he was a saint. Oh, my gosh. He was an amazing guy.
- [37:39]
Rita Davenport
Yeah. My dad, I always say he can fix anything. He can figure out anything. And I think it's where it's. Even though, like, obviously I have a similar story, too. It's like, it made me think that I could really figure anything out because I watched him figure anything out. So it's like, well, that must just be what we do as humans. So there's so much less in there.
- [37:57]
Candy Valentino
And I was. I always loved cars. The motivation that I had, I think, to get through college and make something out of myself. Candy. I wanted a Corvette. And, you know, by my professor at Arizona State University, you know, cars are phallic symbols, but I wanted a Corvette. And I thought when I was very, very young, I thought, well, if I get to Corvette, I can't park it from the house. How does it look to have a Corvette in front of a house with an outhouse? You know, that just looks weird. But I wanted a Corvette, and that. That was so material. Things can be very motivating.
- [38:26]
Rita Davenport
They can. Mine was a BMW, so I was exposed to Tony Robbins when I was 15 through an infomercial. Right. And late 90s and same thing. I was, like, wrote my first set of goals at 15, and one of them was to have a BMW. So those can be motivating.
- [38:42]
Candy Valentino
They were.
- [38:42]
Rita Davenport
And I think that that's important for us to stretch and grow. But what I love that you talked about is the way to summarize it is I feel like if we're just always wanting something for us and we don't evolve towards something for others, I feel life gets pretty lonely and shallow. So it's always about, like, creating the richness of life is being able to do for other people. And I bought my dad a Harley motorcycle, which was one of the things I'd always wanted to do for him. And it was like, I mean, I could have bought something else for myself, or there was no greater joy. And I think people don't realize until they do that that that's something that you can. That's a stretch goal. That maybe it's not something that someone listening can do now, but what would it be if you can continue to work hard, do the work, and be able to bless other people that have helped you along your journey?
- [39:26]
Candy Valentino
Oh, my gosh, yes. You get more out of it than the receiver. I mean, just to give somebody something like that and to know that they Never had to worry. And, you know, we didn't always have enough food and I mean, it was a lesson, but, oh, he worked all the time. We would come home from the day job as a brake mechanic and take a nap and go to the gas station and work until 10 o'clock at night, six and a half days a week. I have to tell you, this is a funny story, though. Daddy would cut grass on Sunday and Sunday afternoon and Mama fixed a nice dinner. And Daddy came to the table all sweaty and hairy from, you know, hairy chest because he'd been out cutting grass. And mom said, jimmy, go put your shirt on. I've cooked a nice dinner and I'm not going to sit here and look at your hair, sweaty chest while I'm having my dinner. He said, I don't care. Nobody's hearing, I don't care what you say. I'm not putting my shirt on. She said, jimmy, I'm asking you, go put your shirt on. He said, nothing you could say would make me put my shirt on. So Mama laid her fork. Nanny, she excused herself from the table. I remember, I was about 8 years old. She excused herself from the table. Candice is funny. She came back to the table stripped to the waist. She had a bra around her waist and she was cutting that pork chop up. And Daddy said, oh, you're crazier than hell. And he threw his napkin down and went and put his shirt on. He never came to the table without his shirt on again. I tell people, people treat you the way you let them. There's a funny story. I mean, I wish I could. You can't imagine I was laughing. But I mean, Daddy, Mama taught him a lesson. He didn't mess with her.
- [40:49]
Rita Davenport
Say, what was that line?
- [40:50]
Candy Valentino
People treat you the way you.
- [40:52]
Rita Davenport
The way you let them.
- [40:52]
Candy Valentino
I love it. And Mama was kind of voluptuous, so it was kind of, you know, it was a funny thing.
- [40:57]
Rita Davenport
She proved her point. Oh, my gosh. I literally.
- [41:00]
Candy Valentino
And none of you will forget that story.
- [41:02]
Rita Davenport
Oh, exactly. No, that will be ingrained in everybody's mind. My gosh. I could talk to you for another hour, but I want to be respectful of your time. I know you have a lot of things going on. Can you please let everyone know where can they find you your books if they want to get you to speak? You're still speaking, though.
- [41:17]
Candy Valentino
Oh, yes, I am.
- [41:18]
Rita Davenport
I know the Marriott called you while we were starting.
- [41:21]
Candy Valentino
I've got. I booked two today. Well, www.ritadavenport.com is. I have a website and you can order CDs. And I'm just very grateful. Books and everything. And I'm still speaking and, you know, I'm grateful to get a standing ovation. You know, I'm just wanting to make other people have a better life and feel better about themselves and bring laughter. And I teach with humor because it does help with retention. So. But that's how they can get in touch with me. That would be great. But being with you, I mean, you are amazing. You are so talented. I know surely you know this by now, but you make a difference in people's lives and I like to brag that you're my friend.
- [42:08]
Rita Davenport
Well, the feeling is mutual. I am so grateful for you and just the impact that you've had in the world and as a female entrepreneur and all the things that you've done, it's so inspirational for me to interview one of my heroes. So thank you so much for coming on. It's truly been an honor.
- [42:22]
Candy Valentino
I'm a shero, not a he.
- [42:24]
Rita Davenport
That's right. I love it. Thank you.
- [42:26]
Candy Valentino
Thank you, sweetheart. You're the best. I love you all. And thank you for watching.
- [42:29]
Rita Davenport
Yes, of course.
- [42:30]
Candy Valentino
I always say love you. By the way, when I hang up the phone, I know just one thing. I was doing a speech for Greyhound and the president of the company, John Teetz, was talking about doing a speech. And when I got ready to hang up, I said, love you. He called me back. He said, did you just say love to you? I said, yeah. I always said. He said, I'm booking you for the speech.
- [42:47]
Rita Davenport
I love it.
- [42:47]
Candy Valentino
Love is important.
- [42:48]
Rita Davenport
And that is the truth. Because you were talking to one of my staff yesterday and she goes, oh, she just hung up and said, love you, babe. Or something like that. It was so cute.
- [42:55]
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Love you.
- [42:56]
Rita Davenport
Bye bye.
- [42:56]
Candy Valentino
That's what it was. I do.
- [42:58]
Rita Davenport
So thank you for who you are.
- [42:59]
Candy Valentino
Thank you.
- [43:03]
Rita Davenport
Hey guys, thanks for tuning in to this episode. And if there was something that you loved or you had a specific takeaway, share it and tag me at Candy Valentino.
- [43:12]
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And if you haven't already, grab a copy of my latest book, the 9% Edge. Life changing secrets to create more revenue for your business and more freedom for yourself.
- [43:23]
Rita Davenport
You can pick it up anywhere books.
- [43:24]
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Are sold, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or.
- [43:27]
Rita Davenport
Your local independent store. And once you do, head over to.
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- [43:41]
Rita Davenport
Thanks so much for tuning in and.
- [43:42]
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Spending this time with me today, guys.
- [43:43]
Rita Davenport
We'll see you next time.