Unicorn Girl – Episode 6: "Candace Has Cancer?!"

Podcast: Unicorn Girl
Host: Charlie Webster
Date: September 15, 2025
Production: Apple TV+, Seven Hills
Theme: The rise and unraveling of Candace Rivera—a glamorous entrepreneur and nonprofit founder—examined through her latest high-profile activities, relationship-building tactics, and a shocking cancer announcement.

Episode Overview

This episode delves deeper into Candace Rivera’s ever-expanding public persona, her empowerment schemes targeting vulnerable women, and the behind-the-scenes manipulations revealed by her close circle. The narrative builds toward two focal revelations: Candace’s announcement of a terminal cancer diagnosis (casting doubt and sympathy alike), and growing concerns about her authenticity, credentials, and ethical lapses. We hear firsthand stories from those swept into her orbit, uncovering both the emotional impact and increasingly visible red flags.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Candace’s Expanding Empire and Image

• Candace continues her whirlwind travel, visiting global hotspots and cultivating a brand as an “inspiring female leader” (01:18).
• At a Disneyland widows’ conference, her impressive résumé is read out: UN seats, Fortune 500 consulting, and several multimillion-dollar enterprises (02:57).
• Candace’s relatability to the audience is questioned—she’s not a widow, but recounts personal loss (twins lost in a car accident) to connect emotionally (04:51).

2. The Mechanisms of Empowerment—and Manipulation

• Candace runs powerful emotional exercises, like the “Burn It Down” session targeting negative self-talk (06:08).
• She pitches entrepreneurship courses to vulnerable women (07:03), asking for detailed personal financials—“if it’s your husband’s income, put down his income” (07:53).
• Charlene, a recent widow, becomes Candace’s only paying client, charged $8,400 in total for “empowering” services and book marketing (08:16, 09:48).

3. The Appearance of Success

• Candace orchestrates her classes and projects to appear bustling, comping spots for others so her only paying client feels included (08:16).
• Kim, a digital marketer, is hired and quickly becomes Candace’s “newest bestie,” noting Candace’s tendency to collect and then pit close confidantes against each other (11:21).

4. Found Her: The Launch of a New Initiative

• Found Her is conceived as a women’s empowerment collective, with a flashy launch party at Kim’s parents' mansion—though Candace falsely claims ownership of the home (19:27, 20:36).
• On launch night, Candace takes full credit, ignoring her team’s unpaid labor:

  “Candace got up and then pretty much single handedly took credit for everything... I actually was like holding back tears by the end of that. It felt like I had just been used.” – Kim (22:56)

• Candace attempts to soothe Kim with titles and praise instead of tangible compensation or contracts (23:59).

5. Manipulation, Boundary-Pushing, and Questionable Behavior

• Candace turns conversations sexual and pressures her circle into uncomfortable situations, such as a coerced photo shoot with Kim (16:11, 37:05).

  “You don’t recognize it as going and crossing boundaries.” – Kim (38:15)

• Multiple others have reported similar manipulative experiences.

6. The Shocking Cancer Announcement

• As tensions mount over unpaid work, Candace announces a “potentially terminal” stomach cancer diagnosis, stalling team members’ demands and deepening their empathy (25:59).

  “That was a big blow... I can't bring this up today. Like, not the time, not the place.” – Kim (26:06)

• Questions arise about her history of cancer claims (ovarian and now stomach), with only vague proof and private calendar entries as evidence (26:38).

7. High-Profile Events, Scrambling, and Fallout

• The Exodus charity gala moves ahead despite Candace’s apparent hospitalization; Aura does all the work while Candace claims the glory (28:54).
• The live auction flounders until survivor Felicia’s speech turns the event around, leading to tangible support for survivors (31:48, 34:33).
• Candace sets up photo ops and “gift” moments for social media, further blurring authenticity (34:33).

8. Escalating Doubts and Investigations

• Scrutiny grows about Candace’s nursing credentials and legal access to controlled medical substances in her nonprofit’s work.

  “The issue was, where did it come from and how is Candice getting this? … I exhausted every possible resource that I could think of to try to determine that Candice was a registered nurse.” – Danny Remington (41:17)

• Danny, uneasy and preparing to resign, is drawn back in when Candace claims to be partnering with Homeland Security (42:19).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Candace on Her Work’s Purpose

  “I will do this work until the day I die.” (00:49)

• Candace on Value:

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you for waiting for me, and I promise you I’m worth your wait. I never apologize for being late because I’m worth the wait.” – (03:44)

• Kim on Candace's Social Manipulation

  “Candace came to me that week telling me that I could do something with purpose... it almost gave purpose to having to go to 50% custody.” (14:15)

• Kim on Not Being Acknowledged at Found Her Launch

  “I worked my butt off. And for $0, mind you, $0. It's like I would appreciate some sort of acknowledgement... It felt like I had just been used.” (22:56)

• Announcement of Cancer

  "Candace announces that she has stomach cancer and that it's potentially terminal. That was a big blow." – Kim (25:59)

• Felicia’s Turning Point Auction Speech

  “I’m not just your photographer for the evening. I’m also one of the survivors... every bid that you make today, everything that you’re bidding on, goes to help people like me.” (31:48)

Important Timestamps & Segments

• 00:00 | Opening: Candace recounts hardship in Ukraine and Salt Lake City.
• 02:19 | Introduction to Charlene and the Widow’s Conference.
• 04:51 | Candace’s story of child loss and building emotional connection.
• 07:53 | Charlene fills in Candace’s financial “worksheet” for the course.
• 09:48 | Book marketing upsell: “Friends and Family” discount at $8,000.
• 11:21 | Kim’s entrance as new bestie/employee.
• 13:51 | The creation and launch of Found Her.
• 19:27 | The Found Her launch party—Candace claims Kim’s parents’ house.
• 22:56 | Kim’s emotional response to not being acknowledged.
• 25:59 | Candace’s cancer announcement stalls contractual confrontation.
• 28:54 | Aura on handling Exodus gala under duress.
• 31:48 | Felicia’s empowering speech at the auction.
• 37:05 | Candace pressures Kim into a lingerie photoshoot.
• 41:17 | Danny investigates Candace’s nursing credentials.
• 42:19 | Danny is lured back by a supposed Homeland Security partnership.

Thematic Takeaways

• Candace as Chameleon: Candace morphs seamlessly from leader to survivor to philanthropist, always tailoring her persona and sales pitch to her audience’s needs and vulnerabilities.
• Blurring of Truth and Illusion: Testimonials and evidence mount suggesting that Candace’s carefully crafted bio and exploits may hide significant exaggerations—or outright deceptions.
• Power Dynamics and Boundary Issues: The episode shows Candace’s recurring pattern of seeking emotionally vulnerable women, drawing them close, demanding loyalty, and crossing personal and professional lines.
• Escalating Scrutiny: As inconsistencies and legal concerns pile up, several confidantes begin to question Candace’s legitimacy and fear the repercussions for themselves and others.

Conclusion

This episode illuminates both Candace Rivera’s allure and the increasingly visible cracks in her empire. Through personal accounts, listeners witness her emotional and manipulative tactics—culminating in a dramatic cancer announcement that buys her time and engenders sympathy, even as doubts about her credentials and honesty continue to simmer. The tension between empowerment and exploitation, inspiration and illusion, will carry over to the next installment—where investigative questions only deepen.

For those seeking a riveting, cautionary tale about modern charisma and the thin line between leadership and manipulation, this episode is essential listening.