Take Action on Your Dreams: A Formula for a Lifetime of Success, with Kandi Burruss

Kim sat down with music royalty Kandi Burruss, whose self-made success story is truly inspirational. Kandi spilled the tea on how she continues to reinvent herself and stay ahead of the game … and she also drops some major wisdom about how to achieve your dreams.

A Grammy-winning artist, entrepreneur, Broadway producer, and beloved reality TV personality, Kandi rose from her early days as a member of the platinum-selling R&B group Xscape to transition into multifaceted roles across music, television, and business. With a career spanning decades, she has garnered acclaim for her musical talents and her astute entrepreneurial endeavors—and she’s definitely a great source of inspiration and information for those of us who know we’re out to achieve big things. 

From a cosmetics line to television shows and Broadway productions to restaurants, Kandi has created several different successful ventures. 

She hit it big when her music group, Xscape, blew up—and she was only 16 when they signed their deal. She said she didn’t want to end up as a child star who ends up a broke adult, so she was constantly considering how she’d maintain her lifestyle. 

She pored over financial books and all of them said, “You have to have multiple sources of income in order to be a millionaire and stay a millionaire.”

That pushed her to “come up with something” and to look outside the music industry. Her first business aside from music: a clothing store. Then she moved into adult toys, and eventually, restaurants, television, and more to nurture massive success. 

One of the key ideas she shared with Kim:

Take Action.

“Action is important because an idea that has no action never becomes anything,” she said. 

She shared that her former brother-in-law gave her an analogy that really stuck with her: he said ideas float around in the air and if you see one and don’t reach up and grab it, it floats past you and goes onto the next person. How often do we have an idea and then a few years later, see someone else who has put that idea into action and become successful? The only difference, according to Kandi’s brother-in-law, is that that person took action behind the idea and took steps to make it happen. 

“We can defeat ourselves before anybody else defeats us if we talk ourselves out of our own great ideas,” Kandi said. “Because most people do.” 

Maybe we tell ourselves implementing our idea would cost too much or take too much time or we’d never make it big like some of the others in our industry. 

But, Kandi said, we all start small. We can invest small at first, and we can grow over time—if we take action to make our ideas and goals reality. Kim pointed out that every new venture is a ladder climb.

So how does a person stay ahead of the hustle?

Keep Learning & Leveling Up.

“I always think of myself like a student of the game,” Kandi said. “I never really look at myself as, ‘I’m too big to learn something.’ Some people feel like, ‘Oh, I’ve done that already.’ You get those people who feel like they’ve made it already.”

“It’s a constant grind to have longevity in any industry. So you have to constantly be learning and stuff,” she said.

That’s why she watches the newcomers: how do those who don’t already have a bunch of existing followers or customers build their base? Those who have a small-but-devoted base of supporters must be doing something right, Kandi said. She watches them to see what they’re doing, what the next big thing is, and what’s new—and she loves partnering with those people, to support them as well as learn from them.  

Creating quality relationships over quantity of relationships is key. 

Kandi explained the importance of consistently reinventing yourself. Over the years, people feel like they already know you, but if you find something new to which people can connect, it makes them love you and love things about you—it deepens your relationships. 

Kandi shared a few other invaluable nuggets: 

Learn to Negotiate for Yourself.

Kandi partners with her husband and said that one of the things she learned from him is how to negotiate for herself. Negotiating applies not just to business/financial conversations, but also to relationships.

Lean Into Your Support Systems.

Kandi shared how her “old lady gang,” comprised of her mother and her aunties, have showed up for her and supported her.

“For my mom to support me in my dream at such an early age, that is really the change of my life. That set me on the course to become who I am.” 

Consider The Tough Stuff a Learning Experience. 

“You can’t get to the good stuff unless you go through the hard stuff,” Kandi said. “You have to have those moments in life that are really, really tough in order for you to have this huge breakthrough of something wonderful.” 

Find the Funny in Everything.

Kandi is producing The Wiz on Broadway, which opened at the time of the podcast recording. The story, Kim said, is about how everything you need to succeed is already within you. Kandi said the show’s writer revamped the script and made it really funny and up-to-date. 

“I always say I love to find the funny in everything,” Kandi said—doing so helps you get through even the worst situation. 

Kandi Burruss is an entrepreneur, songwriter, performer, actress, and mother. Kandi, a Grammy-winning artist, entrepreneur, and beloved reality TV personality, has carved an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape. Rising from her early days as a member of the platinum-selling R&B group Xscape, Burruss has seamlessly transitioned into multifaceted roles across music, television, and business. With a career spanning decades, she has garnered acclaim not only for her musical talents but also for her astute entrepreneurial endeavors. From founding Kandi Koated Entertainment to launching Bedroom Kandi and establishing herself as a culinary mogul with ventures like Old Lady Gang and Blaze Steak & Seafood, Burruss exemplifies resilience, creativity, and unwavering dedication to her craft. Her commitment to family and female empowerment is evident in all aspects of her work, cementing her status as a revered icon in the entertainment industry and beyond.

The Kim Gravel Show is a top women’s lifestyle podcast where Kim shares her message of confidence and encouragement with a side of laughter and fun. The show features inspiring, topical conversations with thought leaders, CEOs, and celebrities tailored to give listeners the insight they need to help them discover their purpose, find their confidence, and love who they are. On each episode Kim tackles the topics that women care about in a way that will make you laugh, make you think, and help you see your life in a new, more positive way.

The Kim Gravel Show is a celebration of the stories that shape us. It's about laughing together and not taking ourselves too seriously. It's about the wisdom we've gathered and the hardships we've overcome. It's about looking at the woman you see in the mirror and remembering that she is beautiful inside and out. This is a show about remembering that no matter what you’ve been through you can love who you are right now.

Y’all, life is hard, but we can do it together.