Building Better Businesses #007 - "Unlocking Revenue"
In this occasional series we talk about the inner workings of for profit / for good businesses: we surface common challenges and pitfalls across the various elements of a business, and talk with experts about how to address them.
Up next: "Unlocking Revenue"
When you have worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and the accelerators and incubators that serve them, as Candace Chance of the VPI Firm has, you see patterns of what’s really getting in the way of commercial success. You might think “I need more marketing”, when the real issue is positioning. Join us for a chat about identifying and unblocking common obstacles to generating revenue.
Candace Chance isn’t just a strategist—she’s a systems builder with soul.
She knows what it’s like to lead with vision and still feel the weight of holding it all together. Through The VPI Firm, she helps leaders trade burnout for aligned momentum—structuring strategy, culture, and operations so their vision can move without breaking them in the process.
Her firm is trusted by integrity-based businesses, nonprofits, and institutions who want more than a plan on paper—they want a path they can actually walk with ease, clarity, and evidence that they’re moving the needle. Candace brings deep expertise in systems innovation, organizational development, and resilient growth strategies. From advising public-private coalitions to designing multi-stakeholder initiatives, her work blends lived wisdom with technical precision both domestic and abroad.
What makes her different is how she and her team show up.
Born and raised in Baltimore, with formative experiences abroad, Candace understands what it means to navigate brilliance and barriers at the same time. Her work is grounded in a core truth: the most enduring solutions rarely come from the usual places. They come from leaders willing to listen differently, invest wisely, and build alongside the customers, clients, and communities they serve.
In addition to leading The VPI Firm, Candace is a co-founder of EASE, a civic-tech, data cooperative tackling data inequities by putting narrative, context, and ownership back in the hands of communities. She also serves as the founding Executive Director of BCIITY (Baltimore City Intergenerational Initiative for Trauma & Youth), building resilience infrastructure that keeps leaders of youth-serving organizations from burning out before their impact takes root.
She volunteers as an investment committee member with Ignite Capital, where funding decisions prioritize underinvested entrepreneurs.
Candace’s work is as much about legacy as it is about logistics. When institutions design for dignity—not just efficiency—they unlock new levels of trust, innovation, and impact. The VPI Firm exists to help them build the strategy and structure to get there, without burning out the people leading the charge.