Candice Bar - The Queen of Connections & High-Level Attention
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview
Candice Bar is an internationally recognized PR expert, entrepreneur, and author, dedicated to helping high-level entrepreneurs step into their power and gain meaningful recognition. As the author of Believing Before Seeing, she teaches the transformative principle that belief must come before results—empowering individuals to create success from the inside out.
With a background in media and high-level public relations, Candice has built a reputation for connecting influential entrepreneurs and celebrities with the right audiences, creating real visibility and impact. Her purpose is to help others "Start at the top" and stop hiding behind the business/company. To REALLY be recognized and connect to their ideal audience on a big scale.
You run a top-level PR and luxury media company. What first drew you to the world of high-level connections and networking?
I have always been an excellent listener and observant. People seem to want to tell me EVERYTHING—from Uber drivers to CEOs of major corporations to celebrities, the list goes on. Listening seems to have become a lost art. I have always firmly believed connecting people IS my soul's purpose. I knew that at a young age. I listened, connected the dots, and executed.
I didn't pick PR/connecting people, it chose me, and it grew and up-leveled rapidly and quickly over the years.
What have you learned about building real, meaningful connections?
You have to have skin in the game and actually give a shit about how connections are going to play out. The goal should always be a win-win for everyone involved. You need to take a lot of things into consideration before connecting people, such as personality, business, and energy. They all need to connect and make sense. If not, it will be a waste of everyone's time. I can't stand messy, thoughtless connections. Once someone is connected, you can't disconnect them; that is why I am so protective of my network. They trust me, my judgment, and my intuitiveness because it has served. Trust is incredibly important in high-level networking.
“The goal should always be a win-win for everyone involved.”
Many people talk about networking as a strategy. In your view, what makes networking genuine rather than just transactional?
Well, having a personality helps, and vibes don't lie. If you're going into some things with an agenda, people can feel it; they can smell it. You can't go into something desperate or feel like you don't belong there. You need to own your power, be confident in who you are, and the right people will come to you. You do attract what you are. Know who YOU are and not who others tell you to be.
What is one thing most people misunderstand about high-level networking?
High-level networking is a totally different game from mid-range networking. People don't seem to understand that. You can't come at it with the same mindset or skill set. This is a totally different animal altogether. All I will say is your attitude, and the rooms you decide to be in can be game changers. Focus on a real, deep connection, not selling.
Many entrepreneurs want to connect with influential people. What mindset do they need to succeed in those spaces?
They need to consider what they are bringing to the table. What sets them apart? Why are they interesting? How do they stand out? Influential people are being asked all the time for things. What can you do for them, not what they can do for you.
In luxury industries, trust and reputation matter a lot. How important are these when building long-term relationships?
Trust and reputation are extremely important. This is a relationship and hopefully a long-term one. I build for a long game, not a short one. With anything, if trust isn't there, it dies. High-level circles are very small, they are all connected, and they do talk.
What is one piece of advice you would give someone who wants to build a strong and valuable network?
Start at the top. Invest in a big opportunity. Get uncomfortable. Positioning is everything. Stop doing mediocre shit. You can thank me later ;)
Through your work in PR and media, you’ve seen how visibility can open doors. How does being seen in the right places shape opportunities?
Yes, I have. I help create those experiences for clients through my long-term relationships. When you can go to an event or be on a well-known podcast or connect with people who are respected, you position yourself as someone of influence with other people of influence. Do that over and over again, and you have put yourself in a different world completely. This can take years of struggle off you and your business.
What do you think makes a personal brand truly strong?
The person, the story/journey of the person. We buy the story.
I have countless clients who wanted to hide behind their product, but I wouldn't allow it. The second we turned the conversation to the client, sales increased, visibility increased, bigger shows reach out, and bigger opportunities come when you share the real you.
“Human connection is key.”
Looking ahead, how do you think networking and influence will change in the coming years?
Well, everything is digital, AI, and whatever else they create. Most people are so disconnected, not present or engaged. Human face-to-face connection and energy can't be replicated, though I'm sure they will try. I'm hoping the pendulum will swing back to using less technology. Face-to-face, eye-to-eye is how I built my business. I work very old school. I personally know my clients, my connections, my network. I have cultivated my network with phone calls and lunches, not just texts or emails.
Personal touch. Meaningful gestures. I have never had a website and still don't. It's just not how I operate, and I run a multi-media/PR company! My clients aren't looking for a website; they are meeting me and have seen the results for my other clients. Human connection is key. Authenticity, energy, intention, and results are how I built what we have built...and it works. It's important to remember, especially in these times, you want to be seen as a person of influence, not an Influencer, huge difference.
In a business landscape increasingly shaped by automation and digital visibility, this PR and luxury media leader makes a compelling case for something far more timeless: authentic human connection. With over two decades of experience connecting professionals—and historic achievements in the U.S. media industry—her approach to networking centers on trust, intuition, and intentionality. Whether guiding entrepreneurs into influential rooms or helping clients step into greater visibility, her philosophy remains clear: relationships built on authenticity, energy, and mutual value are the foundation of lasting influence.
To learn more about Candice, follow her on Instagram, explore bio link page, and discover her book Believing Before Seeing.
