We’re looking forward to introducing you to Nicolette Canady . Check out our conversation below.
Nicolette , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Absolutely. A recent moment that made me feel really proud was when we moved in our very first resident at Serenity Society.
He had been living in a group home for years, and unfortunately, he was told after rent had already been paid—that the home was going to close by the end of the month and that he needed to find somewhere else to go. That news left him feeling displaced, vulnerable, fearful, and honestly just unsure about what his next step was going to be.
I received him as a referral and spoke with him over the phone. I sent him pictures of the home and reassured him that it was safe, welcoming, and stable. He wanted to come tour the home in person, and when he did, he was excited right away. He actually completed his paperwork on the spot and just needed a couple of days to get his payment together, which was completely fine.
When he moved in, I gave him a welcome basket and made sure he had everything he needed. About 48 hours later, I came back to check on him and asked how he was feeling, if he was settling in, and if there was anything I could do to help him feel more at home. He told me he was okay, he just needed a little more time to adjust.
A few days later, when I checked in again, he was smiling, in good spirits, and he told me that he finally felt at home. He said he was happy, grateful, and thankful to have a place he could truly call home again.
That moment right there reminded me exactly why I chose this industry. It reaffirmed my purpose and reminded me that this work is about impact, not just housing. That’s a moment I go back to, especially on hard days, to remind myself that what I’m doing truly matters.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Nicolette Canady, and I’m the founder and owner of Serenity Society, an independent shared-housing community based in the Dallas area. We provide stable, supportive housing for individuals who are transitioning out of unstable living situations and looking for a true place to land and start their next chapter.
I also work in life insurance, where I help protect families and create financial security, but at the core of everything I do is service. One thing that really stands out to me about this season of my life is that, for the first time, my work doesn’t feel like work. A lot of things I’ve done in the past required effort, grind, and survival mode. What I’m doing now feels natural—it feels like helping people in the way I’ve always known how to help.
I come from a legacy of women who showed up for others. Whether that meant cooking a meal, sending a card, opening their home, or helping someone get back on their feet, service was just part of how we lived. Serenity Society is an extension of that legacy. It’s something I would honestly do for free, so being able to do it consistently and be financially rewarded for it feels aligned and fulfilling.
At Serenity Society, we believe this is where new chapters begin. Being able to offer stability, dignity, and community to people during a vulnerable transition brings me real joy. I’m excited to continue growing this work, expanding into more homes, and eventually developing a larger facility. I truly believe I found this industry at the right time in my life because now I have the character, clarity, and purpose to do it well.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
The person who taught me the most about work is my mother. She’s been both a corporate warrior and an entrepreneur for as long as I can remember. I watched her work Monday through Friday in the office, and then on weekends she would be at festivals selling products and finding ways to bring in extra income. Work was just a part of life; it wasn’t something you questioned, it was something you did.
I used to go to work with her, sit in the office, and learn how to get on the phone and sell. She taught me how to sound professional, how to communicate clearly, and how to represent myself well, because that’s what work required. That exposure is honestly why I never struggled with corporate roles later on. I always knew how to sound the part, how to sell myself, and how to show up confidently in professional spaces.
Selling, communicating, and working hard became second nature to me because I grew up around it. I watched my mom work consistently, without excuses, and I understood early on that if I wanted something, I would have to work just as hard. It wasn’t something she had to say, it was something I learned by watching her every day.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that held me back the most in life was failing especially failing publicly. I’ve always been a pretty scholastic person, even from a young age, so failure wasn’t something I was used to. As I got older, I started to notice that when people fail in public, it’s often treated as humiliating or embarrassing, and I never wanted that experience for myself, especially in business.
For a long time, my mindset was that I wanted to build in silence, figure everything out behind the scenes, and then just pop back up like everything was perfect and my business was thriving without anyone seeing the struggle or the missteps. I didn’t want people to see me fail.
But what I eventually realized is that nine times out of ten, the people who have the most to say about someone failing ain’t even in the game. They’re not on the field, they’re not touching the ball, and they’re not taking any real risks. Once I truly understood that, my perspective shifted.
Every entrepreneur we admire has failed at some point. Failure is part of the process. I’ve failed before, and yes, some of my businesses didn’t work out but I always got back up. I’ve learned how to fail forward, and until you’re actually in the game, you won’t even understand what that really means.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A belief I’m committed to no matter how long it takes is family. Family is the one thing in my life that I will try again and again and again for. Everybody else does not get that kind of grace from me. I don’t play like that, and I don’t even make people feel like they have unlimited chances to play with me.
But family is different. There’s just something about family that I’ve always loved. Growing up, I watched families come together to cook, to travel, to celebrate, and just to be with one another. That sense of togetherness, support, and showing up for each other really stuck with me.
No matter how long it takes, no matter how many times we have to try, family is the one place where I stay committed. That’s the one area of my life where I don’t give up easily, and I don’t plan to.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I think what people will most misunderstand about my legacy is that I’m too hard or too serious. I hear it all the time ‘you’re too hard, you don’t have enough fun.’ And that’s really not the case.
I’m hard on myself because if you’re not hard on yourself, who do you think is going to be? You owe you your best self. I’m actually harder on me than I am on anyone else, so when people feel like I’m being hard on them, it’s really just a reflection of the standard I hold for myself too.
I genuinely want us all to win. But I also understand that winning requires the old version of you to die. And I’m okay with that. I’ve already had the funeral. We did the burial, the whole thing. That version of me is gone.
What I wish people understood is that we already know what life looks like doing the same things we’ve always done because it’s gotten us exactly where we are right now. But when you’re willing to change the trajectory, make small shifts, and build better habits, life can look completely different. And better.
So yes, people may misunderstand me as being too serious or too strict, but I actually love fun. I’m a big ball of fun. I just believe the work gets done first. That’s it. That’s the order.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.serenitysocietytx.com
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/nicolette-canady-119368184
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nic.dynice
