Candidly

💪 🎉 Power brokers - Category Leaders at the Top of Their Game. Thank you Inc. Magazine Female Founders 500 for the recognition. 💪 🎉 Candidly wasn't born from a whiteboard exercise or total addressable market analysis. It emerged from my family's kitchen table, where as a high school student, I watched my mother, a woman of steely strength, break down in tears trying to navigate the bewildering maze of FAFSA forms and financial aid options. That moment - seeing her overwhelmed by a system designed to help but instead causing confusion and distress - has never left me. Years later, we found ourselves forgoing two decades of savings and retirement savings while paying down six figures of student debt. Enter Candidly. Beyond the urge to solve the obvious need, what continues to drive me is the visceral understanding that behind every data point that helps us optimize debt and savings is a human story. The young professional delaying homeownership. The parents who want a different future for their children. The millennial and mom that can now both make simultaneous progress - building wealth while paying down debt due to SECURE 2.0. These aren't just market segments – they're the heartbeat of why we build. This recognition celebrates founders who bring lived experiences to solving entrenched problems.  These lived experiences fuel a determination that radiates from founders who won't rest until the problem is solved - an unmistakable energy that everyone can feel in their presence. As Inc. advisor Suneera Madhani beautifully noted, we're in an era of women truly championing one another. On that note, allow me to celebrate and elevate other Power Brokers, as it is awesome to be in your company: From Amanda Levay revolutionizing privacy and data redaction, to Courtney Fukuda transforming urban mobility, to Emily Cisek digitizing legacy planning, to Heather Ibrahim-Leathers, CFA creating economic opportunity for widows globally, to Jenny Groberg democratizing financial expertise for small businesses, to Patty Arvielo expanding homeownership across underserved communities, and our work at Candidly transforming student debt into wealth-building opportunities. And the Journey To Lead community, comprised of epic leaders, are showing up all over this list. Celebrating Saskia Sorrosa Michelle Ruiz Shanel Fields Shayna Harris Supply Change Capital and Arian Simone! And, Ana Mahony and Laura Spiekerman as always. Yes!! We're each tackling areas where traditional systems have failed millions. To every person struggling with student debt: your story matters. To every founder building from personal pain: your perspective is your superpower. And to my incredible team making this vision real: this recognition belongs to all of us. Onwards with urgency and purpose! https://lnkd.in/gCQ9BssF

As I reflect on 2024, I am filled with immense gratitude for the extraordinary year of impact we've created together with the employers and distribution partners who have placed their trust in us here at Candidly. I am proud to celebrate the pioneers deeply invested in their employees' financial health and wellness via Candidly's 2024 Impact Report. The accomplishments previewed in this report bear testimony to how innovative technology and partnership across the private sector can transform lives during times of unprecedented change. 2024 began with a stark reality: millions of Americans returning to student loan payments, with 83% reporting increased financial stress, unsure of how to put food on the table for their families while paying rent and reengaging with repayment - a distant memory not visited for many since 2020. And, while the landscape grew even more complex in 2024 through servicer disruptions and federal programs being pulled on and off the shelf on what felt like a daily basis, our mission became even clearer - to be the calm amidst the chaos and confusion, serving hard working Americans through a high tech and/or a high touch approach, depending upon their preferences. Through our partnerships with industry leaders, we achieved extraordinary impact: **$1.8B in projected student debt impact **Pioneered SECURE 2.0 implementation, enabling employees to turn student loan payments into retirement savings. Powered by Candidly's technology, the translation of this broad bipartisan policy into practice brought 13% of your workforce into retirement savings for the first time, while driving a 27% increase in employees maximizing their contributions. Bravo!! **Launched Onward, our API-first holistic debt optimization solution for the entire liabilities side of the balance sheet. To our employer partners: thank you for your bold leadership. By bringing Candidly's innovations to your workforce, you're not just offering another benefit - you're fundamentally changing life trajectories. As Washington continues to evolve policy, we remain committed to being your trusted guide, ensuring your employees have clear, actionable paths from debt to wealth. Read the full report to learn more about our journey. And, then, please come join us: https://lnkd.in/gNhQErcw #StudentDebt #FinancialWellness #Innovation