Today we’d like to introduce you to Candy Hattingh.
Hi Candy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in South Africa, and I think that early sense of community, resilience, and creativity shaped who I am long before I had language for it. I’ve always been an artist, someone who notices stories, textures, and possibilities in people and places. That lens has guided me through a nonlinear career that always circles back to one thing: helping communities grow in ways that are authentic, inclusive, and creative. I believe we are all the sum of many parts and my community has shaped who I am in a lot of ways.
Over the years I’ve worked across education, youth programs, business support, and the creative economy, and those experiences eventually pulled me toward entrepreneurship development. Today I serve as the Director of Incubate & Programs at Vision Galveston, where I get to design and run programs like MORTAR Galveston, Artrepreneurship workshops, Hackathon High, and other initiatives that support small businesses, artists, and creators across the county.
My work lives at the intersection of strategy and hands-on support,building partnerships, mapping ecosystems, and creating pathways for people who haven’t always been invited into the conversation. I’ve found myself here by following curiosity, trusting the creative process, and saying yes to building things that didn’t exist yet. At the heart of it, I just love helping people imagine what’s possible for themselves and watching that take root in our entrepreneurial and creative landscape.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth or straightroad. My path has been full of pivots, unexpected turns, and a lot of moments where I had to rebuild or reimagine what was next. Coming to the U.S. from South Africa, carving out space learning how to navigate systems has helped me to navigate how better serve my community and all the work has taken resilience and creativity.
Most of my current work sits at the intersection of vision and reality, and that can be a challenging place to stand sometimes. Funding shifts, capacity gaps, community needs outweighing resources, wearing multiple hats at once, and building trust across partners who come from very different worlds,none of that is simple. And like many folks in the social impact space, I’ve had many seasons where I was building the airplane while flying it.
But each struggle sharpened a skill: learning when to speak or shut up, listening more deeply, designing more equitably, collaborating more intentionally, and staying grounded in the work while trying to be high functioning and low key. These challenges help me focus on task while putting relationship at the heart of what I do. And honestly, the road being a little messy is what made me what I am today, resourceful, community-centered, and able to build programs and partnerships that can adapt right alongside the people they’re meant to serve while still learning.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work at the intersection of entrepreneurship, creativity, and community development. At Vision Galveston, I help design programs like MORTAR Galveston, Artrepreneurship workshops, and youth-focused initiatives that make business support and creative pathways more accessible for people across the county.
My focus is on translating big systems into experiences that feel welcoming and useful,especially for folks who haven’t always had easy access to resources. I’m most proud of creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and encouraged to grow their ideas. What sets me apart is the way I blend my artistic background, my South African roots, and my love for collaboration to connect partners and build programs that reflect the community they serve.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happy is seeing people step into their own possibility. I also find a lot of joy in art and making things with my hands, and in the small creative sparks that show up in everyday life.
And honestly, my children and my family are at the center of my happiness. They ground me, make me laugh, and remind me why the work of building strong, connected communities matters in the first place. Sharing meals, hearing about their day, or just having a quiet moment together fills me in a way nothing else does.
All of these pieces,family, creativity, and community,are what keep me anchored and inspired.
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Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.visiongalveston.com
- Instagram: @visiongalveston
- Facebook: @visiongalveston
- LinkedIn: @candy-hattingh
- Youtube: @visiongalveston
