Today we’d like to introduce you to Ysanne Canidate
Hi Ysanne, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Jamaica but moved to the states at the age of four, specifically Long Island, NY and later Albany, NY. Being raised in an immigrant family, you learn the value of hard work and education. As a kid I was always fast, but I attributed it to being Jamaican. I never imagined that my speed would later get me a full scholarship to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). My track pursuits allowed me to represent Jamaica during the later part of my running career, which culminated into a second-place finish in the 800m at the 2008 Jamaican Olympic Trials. Unfortunately, a bacterial infection in my intestines in Sweden forced me to abandon my Olympic dreams.
It was then I decided to put my degrees to work. I left California, and moved to Texas in 2008, where I became a teacher. Today I sit here writing this after having left a 15-year career in education. I am now a stay-at-home-mom to two-year-old, boy/girl twins, and I work from home as a part-time, user-generated content creator (UGC Creator). I obtained my master’s degree while working part-time and running professional track. I then obtained my doctoral degree while working full-time as a teacher. As hard as it was doing those things, nothing has been harder than motherhood – from conception to becoming a mom.
In the latter years of my educational career, I was a school principal. My husband and I made the decision to resign so that I could be home with the twins. I knew that the school leader I was would prevent me from being the mother I wanted to be. I struggled with infertility for 8 years, and being in a profession where you pour into other people’s children, that was extremely hard to reconcile at times. When we finally saw success with IVF, I knew that I wanted to be able to pour into my own children. To date, that has been the best decision. I’ve never missed a milestone, I get to teach my children, and we are building what we believe to be a strong foundation for them.
They’re now two-and-a-half-years old, and I am now thinking about how to balance who I am outside of being a mom. I would have never thought that I’d be making money as a content creator for brands at the age of 43! I started UGC September 2023, and I’m so proud of the success I’ve had in this short period of time. I am a firm believer that at any time, you can pivot. I hope my story is a reminder to anyone that it’s possible.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say trying to conceive children has been the hardest battle for me thus far. It was challenging for my physical health, mental health, emotional health, and that of my faith. I, like many Black women, was afflicted with fibroids. I went into surgery to remove what appeared to be one big fibroid to the reality that there were 17 in all! However, when I had them removed, I and my doctor thought that would solve my infertility issues. Unfortunately, it did not. Years later, I was still struggling to get pregnant. We eventually had to consider IVF, and after several miscarriages, we had success! The birth itself was traumatizing. I had a C-section and started bleeding out on the table. I was given a hysterectomy to stop the bleeding. I passed out in the recovery room and had to be given several units of blood to revive me. The road to having children and recovering from having them was extremely rough but God prevailed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve spent more years as a professional educator than as a stay-at-home-mom. During my career, I was known as someone who saw leadership as a service. I led with compassion, clear expectations, and direct communication. I obtained my doctoral degree while working full-time as a teacher. My husband encouraged me to use my talents to go beyond my classroom. I had always been told by my supervisors that I’d make a great principal, but I loved being a teacher so much, it went into one ear and out the other. Once I became a principal, I realized how much I enjoyed pouring into adults as well. Professionally, I am most proud of seeing others who have been under my tutelage go on to lead others. Additionally, I love receiving communication from my past students who have been inspired by me. Being an educator is thankless most of the time, but when you know you have positively impacted the very people you serve, it’s an honor.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
People are always surprised to know that I’m an introvert! I am an introvert through and through. My saying is, “I’m an introvert by nature but an extrovert for survival.”
I like to be in the background. I prefer to let others shine before me. I get a little anxiety when I must be in large crowds. I’ve just learned how to manage it because my calling on this Earth requires me to do extroverted things. Additionally, people are always shocked to know how many unique experiences I’ve had while living in Los Angeles, particularly when I used to do a little commercial acting and TV hosting.
So the fact that I have worked with almost 30 brands as a UGC creator, is probably the most shocking to me! I can’t believe I manage to get over the inherent cringe that’s associated with making these videos. I have always been very creative, and I need to have something to consistently scratch that creative itch; it’s pivotal in my life. I am so grateful that brands have entrusted me with their vision, marketing, and product sales.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.justysanneugc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justysanne
- Twitter: https://x.com/justysanne
Image Credits
Ribbon Cutting pic – Uplift Education
