Ep 162 Claudia Kandel: From Corporate to Caregiving as Co-Founder of Sidekick Concierge

Claudia Kandel’s professional experience spans various industries and sectors, from small start-ups to established corporate giants. She began her career at the National Endowment for the Arts before moving on to brand management and new product development at General Mills and Kraft Foods. However, her true passion project emerged recently when she teamed up with a pair of like-minded former colleagues seeking professional change in a personally meaningful field—navigating care for their aging parents. Claudia co-founded Sidekick Concierge to provide an ideal solution for busy professionals with active but aging loved ones who occasionally need support. Sidekicks are not medical aides; they are highly vetted personal assistants who can step in on-demand to help seniors tackle to-do lists, run personal errands, troubleshoot technology and organize paperwork, engage in social and cultural events, and, most importantly, provide cheerful companionship. In this episode, Claudia shares how her personal experiences inspired the creation of her new business, how to transfer valuable skills from previous industries, and what it takes to overcome the fear of failure when starting your own venture in a completely new landscape!