Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Barnes.
Hi Candice, 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 often say my journey wasn’t planned—it was answered.
I started in the medical field back in 2015, and for over seven years, I gave everything to that world, but it came at a cost. The overwhelm, the silence, the pressure to perform while neglecting my own well-being… it wore me down. In 2020, like so many of us, I hit a wall. Diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and living with PCOS, I had to make a decision: keep breaking down or start building something that could heal me and others like me.
To really understand how I got here, you have to understand what I went through. While I had been helping others heal professionally, I was neglecting my own. I had always been high-performing on the outside, but I was becoming exhausted on the inside. Being a Black woman in professional spaces where we’re often expected to smile through the struggle only amplified that pressure. I lost myself in the process.
My journey truly began with the most memorable start to my mental health journey in 2015. One night, likely feeling the weight of so many personal transitions in my life, I had to call an ambulance. I was taken to the ER for what I didn’t know then was a panic episode. That was when I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Then I began to turn inward.
That same year, even while feeling like everything inside me was falling apart, I lost 30 pounds through consistent lifestyle changes. I started with extreme diets, but after being diagnosed with anxiety, I shed the need to be superficial and exchanged it for sustainability. It was no longer about severe dieting to reach a number on the scale. It became about taking back control of my life and body in small, self-supportive ways.
My true weight loss didn’t come from an extreme bootcamp or starvation diet; it came from showing up for myself every day. I replaced guilt-driven workouts with joyful movement. I stopped punishing myself for what I ate and started listening to my body instead. I swapped processed snacks for real food that nourished me. I built rituals: stretching in the morning, setting bedtime boundaries, cooking meals with intention. And yes, I lost 30 pounds. But more importantly, I gained clarity, peace, and the understanding that wellness is not a goal, it’s a relationship.
But the real transformation wasn’t physical—it was mental. I started sleeping better. My emotional clarity returned. I felt present again. And I knew then that if I could climb out of that place, I could help others do the same. It became clear that just managing the feeling of overwhelm wasn’t enough. I had to start from the root. Through my own experiences, I realized I didn’t want to just treat wellness. I wanted to exemplify a more profound impact: live it and teach others how to reclaim it too.
Then the pandemic hit, and everything shifted. Anxiety resurfaced in a much deeper, darker way. By 2023, I was eventually diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder after nearly four years of trying everything holistically: therapy, routines, supplements. The depression was heavier than anything I’d ever known. I often say I was bedridden—not physically, but mentally and emotionally. For years, I was stuck in my room, in my bed, paralyzed by agoraphobia and the weight of depression. I couldn’t bring myself to leave the house unless absolutely necessary. I wasn’t just dealing with surface-level sadness. I was surviving a complete collapse of my internal world.
But that new mental health diagnosis brought clarity. It opened the door for more intensive therapy alongside the support I had already been receiving. The combination of the grace of God and the steadfast presence of my husband became the foundation of my healing. I don’t refer to anxiety or depression as something I possess. These are things I’ve battled through, not identities I carry. As my therapist says, I’m working to be delivered from them, not defined by them.
That same year I was diagnosed with Major Depression marked one full year after launching my business, ThoroughBred Wellness. And let me tell you: it was something I did scared, unsure, but faithful. I had left behind an eight-year career in medical coding—something that was stable but suffocating—and finally began living in alignment with my purpose.
Through faith, deeper therapy, and love, I started to feel something I hadn’t felt in years: freedom. Gradual. Quiet. But present.
My husband was a huge part of that shift. He and God carried me (often figuratively, sometimes literally) through my darkest seasons. My husband, my best friend, helped me take steps both real and symbolic. He encouraged me when I felt too overwhelmed to move. He sat with me as I cried through panic attacks on the plane for our trip to Vegas, where we got married in what became one of the most joy-filled years of my life, even before my psychological treatment intensified. He even took me to file my business license, physically filling out the forms and signing them on my behalf while I sat crying and shaking in fear due to agoraphobia.
That’s what partnership looks like. That’s what grace looks like.
After multiple mental health-related leaves of absence, I was ultimately asked to either return or resign. I chose myself. That decision wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. It was a necessity I didn’t realize until later.
I walked away from a stable career I thought I’d retire from to create something far more intentional. That’s how ThoroughBred Wellness was born. But I didn’t birth a simple fitness brand—I created a full wellness ecosystem focused on helping Black and brown folks, especially women, reclaim their health in a way that honors the whole person: body, mind, and lifestyle. It’s virtual. It’s accessible. And it holds no room for excuses, which marks my slogan: “Say no to excuses. Say YES to your best.” But it’s deeply rooted in the understanding that “no excuses” doesn’t mean “no grace”—it means no more ignoring your needs.
While I was still employed in the corporate world, I became a Certified Personal Trainer. In hindsight, earning my CPT credential was a subtle sign back then. I see now that it was a whisper of action anchored in faith and driven by the silent discomfort of where I was. It was a gentle nudge getting me ready to prepare to walk away before I even knew I would.
Once I resigned, I added Behavior Change Specialist and Certified Nutrition Coach as official titles for the work I already loved. But I do things differently. I don’t exist in this industry to push macros or command orders about calorie deficits. I exist in wellness as a whole to shift mindsets and integrate intersectional principles that aren’t interwoven by others in my space. I serve people—especially women of color—who are juggling work, family, fatigue, and unrealistic expectations. I work with them to disrupt the internal narratives that say, “I don’t have time,” “I’m too tired,” or “I don’t relate to those in wellness spaces.”
And together, we build something sustainable, energizing, and most of all, relatable.
My platform, ThoroughBred Wellness, is a “NO EXCUSES” experience for total revitalization. It’s 100% virtual and live. No pre-recorded fluff—just real, in-the-moment guidance, accountability, and transformation. I’ve worked with clients across professional fields, single and stay-at-home parents, and folks dealing with emotional burnout. What we do isn’t just about sweating. I make sure it’s about restoration and reclaiming joy.
ThoroughBred Wellness is proudly disabled-owned, shaped by my lived experience with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. My ecosystem is more than a business. I established this as a declaration that healing can coexist with hardship, and that mental health struggles don’t make you less capable of leading, building, or transforming lives.
From this foundation, I’ve begun developing additional branches that extend the mission into deeper self-care, transitional coaching, and lifestyle transformation. Each branch is designed to meet people where they are, not just where traditional wellness culture says they should be.
I also teach three community wellness classes each week:
• Parent & Me Yoga: caregivers bond with their children through mindful movement.
• Sunset Serenity: a Monday night release with low-impact yoga to R&B and jazz.
• Glow Up Flow: a Saturday class blending energy, journaling, and breathwork to recenter and reignite.
Every class I teach is steeped in experience and transformation. In Parent & Me Yoga, caregivers stretch, breathe, and simply be—all with their kids by their side, learning that wellness can be a family value. In Sunset Serenity, we release the chaos of the day with soul-soothing sounds and stillness. And in Glow Up Flow, we empower with affirming movement, intentional journaling, and honest check-ins. We sweat, we speak, and we leave stronger. My classes are not just exercise—they are reclamation spaces.
Beyond that, I serve as a LifeGuide, offering B2B mentorship to individuals seeking emotional balance and purpose.
And I host two podcasts:
• On the Strength explores wellness, identity, and healing through the lens of resilience.
• Black by Unpopular Opinion unpacks cultural truths and digs into what it means to exist authentically.
I’m not a trainer who shows up with a flawless aesthetic and no context. I’m a curvy AND fit Black woman who has gained, lost, and regained weight. I’ve battled hormonal imbalances and burnout. I’ve had to start over. So I show up with my full truth, documenting my journey to prove that transformation is possible without shame, without hustle culture, and without erasing who you are.
My mission is to push people not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. I don’t coddle, but I don’t criticize. I hold grace in every space. I both coach and cheerlead people into their potential. My clients know they’ll be seen, challenged, and celebrated. I want them to hear their inner voice louder than their inner—or outer—critic. To show up for themselves even when motivation is low. To make wellness a standard, not a special event.
My business is proudly 100% Black-woman-owned and self-funded, started with my own savings and supported by a small grant I received in 2023—because I am serious about the work. My husband has backed me with unwavering support, especially as I navigate mental health barriers that made returning to traditional work impossible. He carries me so I can carry this vision. He’s not just a supporter—he’s been my anchor, my hype man, and the hands of God extended toward me in real time. There would be no ThoroughBred Wellness without him. Period.
Everything I do is for my culture: for generational wellness, for accessible healing, and for people who’ve been left out of the wellness conversation too long. One day, I plan to open brick-and-mortar spaces that are as healing as they are beautiful, with subsidized memberships based on income. Because wellness should never be a luxury. Wellness should, however, feel luxurious for all.
So that’s how I got to where I am now. And I’m STILL here. Still building. Still healing. Still walking in purpose.
And I’m inviting everyone who sees themselves in my story to walk with me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not. It’s been anything but smooth. It’s been self-defining, but not smooth. People think passion means ease, but sometimes, walking in your purpose means walking uphill. I’ve had to unlearn the idea that just because I was called to do this work, the pursuit of my passions would come easily and the success would come naturally. It didn’t.
I already earned a degree 9 years ago in Health Information Technology and Management, and I thought I was done. Done with school, done with the pressure. But when I was led to go back—to expand beyond corporate medical work and simple Personal Trainer, Behavior Change, and Nutrition Coach certifications to actually understand the psychology behind exercise, behavior, mental health, and wellness—I realized how heavy that path would be. I didn’t expect to experience school burnout that mirrored what I went through working for the hospital. But I have.
On top of that, I’ve gone back and forth for years on what the “right” academic path should be. I’ve debated whether I should go straight from my bachelor’s to a PhD to skip ahead to the ultimate degree, or if I need to stop and earn a master’s first. I’ve changed my mind multiple times between adding a double major and, if so, in what, versus completely switching my major—even though I’m only 12 units away from completing my bachelor’s and 15 from completing my minor. The indecision, the fear of making the wrong move, and the weight of doing all this while working, healing, and building a business has been overwhelming. I’ve struggled deeply with the weight of knowing I’m supposed to go all the way through to a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, when part of me thought freedom meant graduating and being done. But calling doesn’t care about your timeline. Purpose keeps tugging, even when you’re tired.
I’ve also struggled with body dysmorphia and internalized pressure around what a “trainer” should look like. People have told me straight to my face that I don’t “look the part.” That because I’m not walking around with 10% body fat and a six-pack, I must not be qualified. And I’m sure many others have thought it without saying it. Meanwhile, I’ve been battling the hormonal imbalances of PCOS, as well as off and on anxiety and depression. But I show up anyway: curvy and fit, healing and leading, and doing what most people in the industry don’t—actually embodying relatability over image.
Starting my business was terrifying. I launched ThoroughBred Wellness scared, with more doubt than clients. For a long time, I was operating in the red. My business account went negative multiple times in those early years. I was cleaning up my personal credit while trying to build business credit and credibility from scratch. I barely got any traction in the beginning. I paid for lead services, ran ads, joined multiple marketing platforms, and paid more for exposure than I ever earned back in clientele. I reached out to the city hoping to build community classes, and for most of that first year, I ended up volunteering more than earning. I gave my time and energy for free: working event after event, showing up at community walks, yoga fairs, and festivals—and still had barely anyone attend my actual classes.
And then there’s social media. I struggled hard with trying to “market” myself. I wasn’t going to be some flashy trainer showing workouts to music in a matching set. I wasn’t tightly toned, giving tips on how I maintain my physique through carefully curated cuisine. I’m a real woman talking about wellness, mental health, and Black healing. My message isn’t aesthetic; it’s authentic. But algorithms don’t always value that. And in a world that sometimes values attention over substance, I often felt unseen and unheard.
I went to countless SBDC business advisors looking for guidance. Some were helpful. Some gave me conflicting advice. And one of them flat-out told me I was wasting my time preaching wellness and mental health within my fitness model. That “fitness and nutrition is wellness,” and I should just stick to that. I left that meeting in tears. I genuinely considered quitting. That was one of many times I felt like an imposter.
I applied for larger grants to help grow and scale my business and was denied over and over again, aside from the one small grant I received that helped me keep going. That took a toll too. It’s hard not to internalize that kind of rejection when you know what you’re building is valuable. But I kept showing up anyway.
I’ve also had to battle through agoraphobia while trying to build a business that required me to physically leave my house. There was a time when the idea of stepping outside felt like a mountain. I thought I could just stay behind my laptop and WiFi, train people through Skype, my training app, and never have to be fully visible or physically present. But growth doesn’t let you hide. And I couldn’t fulfill my purpose without facing the very things I was afraid of.
None of this came easy. Not the mindset, not the mission, not the visibility, not the credibility. But every obstacle sharpened my clarity. Every challenge refined my voice. Every no gave me deeper conviction to keep going. This road has been made of grit, grace, and growth. It’s been steep, yet I’m still walking it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
People often assume wellness work is about physical fitness, but for me, it’s about transformation in every sense of the word. I help people reframe their entire relationship with wellness—body, mind, behavior, and spirit—and guide them into rebuilding trust in themselves through sustainable, culturally resonant practices.
I work with individuals—especially Black women and other culturally grounded people, parents, and professionals—who have been left out of traditional wellness spaces. I serve people who are busy, burned out, battling through trauma or fatigue, or who’ve simply been told they don’t “fit the look” of wellness. I support them in showing up fully and healing holistically.
ThoroughBred Wellness is where that mission comes to life. What sets it, and me, apart is that it isn’t just about programs or plans—it’s about presence. Everything I do is rooted in real-time coaching, deep listening, and personalized attention to emotional wellness, movement, and lifestyle alignment. I provide 100% virtual one-on-one coaching, allowing anyone the flexibility to optimize their best selves from anywhere in the world. But I also show up in my local community every single week, teaching wellness classes that blend movement, music, journaling, breathwork, and generational healing.
I’m a Certified Personal Trainer, Behavior Change Specialist, and Nutrition Coach, but I didn’t chase these titles just to collect credentials. I pursued them as tools to serve. I’ve gained a multitude of priceless insights by returning to school to pursue formal education behind the very concepts that drive my integrative work. I am increasingly proud of, and confident in, my growing value as an asset in this space—not just someone with a collection of acronyms behind my name. I wanted the depth and understanding to support clients from all sides—not just to tell them to sweat, eat, and sleep better. Everything I’ve learned has helped me bring more value, more empathy, and more results into the spaces I lead.
Again, I am also proud of the three classes I lead through a partnership with the city I reside in:
• Parent & Me Yoga gives caregivers and children a space to bond, stretch, and breathe together.
• Sunset Serenity helps busy professionals slow down, using R&B-based yoga and intentional stillness.
• Glow Up Flow energizes participants through expressive movement, affirmations, and breath-led self-connection.
These classes aren’t just about working out—they’re about reclaiming. I’ve also consistently donated my time to city events, festivals, and wellness fairs simply because I believe people deserve to see what healing can look like up close. Visibility matters—especially in communities that have been historically underserved and overlooked.
What I’m most proud of is that every single one of my classes has been described to me as “so unique” and “refreshingly unexpected.” Participants are positively startled—in the best way—because they didn’t expect the affirmations, the music, the energy, or the level of care and customization that goes into every session. I craft each one with intention. My classes, my sessions, my training—none of it is copy and paste. It’s creation cultivated with them in mind. That speaks to the grounding in my work across all tenets and facets of ThoroughBred Wellness. I don’t do anything cookie-cutter or based on predetermined standards or algorithms. That’s what makes me proud. And that’s what sets me apart.
I’m also proud of how I’ve crafted my own lane in fitness—especially in how I design yoga and fitness classes. I blend nontraditional sounds into our sessions. Our classes include yoga and other gentle or strengthening movements set to Kendrick, SZA, Tupac, Mariah, Jhene Aiko, Nicki, H.E.R., and so many others, as well as lo-fi and jazz. I thought of it at a time when I wasn’t even on social media. I just didn’t want to do it the traditional way—because I’m anything but. I’m just not traditional.
I created Parent & Me Yoga to be interactive, immersive, and paired with a collaborative experience where parents and children bond and paint the pictures of paradise during their performances. I’m so proud of how liberating it is to have children and parents co-author their wellness journeys, giving them a proper head start in paving generational wellbeing.
Incorporating journaling into my classes has been just as powerful. Movement clears the way for clarity, and I’ve been intentional about creating space for people to reflect and reclaim that clarity through writing right after we move. I’m proud that my classes provide more than just sweat—they create space for release, self-awareness, and reconnection.
Alongside my coaching work, I also serve as a LifeGuide with LifeGuides, a peer-to-peer platform that connects employees from partnered organizations with trained Guides to help navigate life challenges, transitions, and healing journeys. It’s not a public-facing service—it’s B2B, available only to employees of companies that partner with LifeGuides. But it allows me to bring empathy, mentorship, and cultural awareness to people navigating real-life issues in their work and personal lives.
I’m proud of many things: my growth, my business, the vision I keep pressing toward. But I’m especially proud of the people who show up—to my classes, my training sessions, and my talks—for themselves. I always affirm them in those moments. I remind them, “I’m proud of you. Be proud of yourself too.”
Most of all, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. From battling depression, anxiety, burnout, and being mentally-sanctioned bedridden—to now showing up with clarity, purpose, and joy. I found my way through therapy, love, and a mustard seed of faith, courage, and willpower—at times when mental health tried to convince me to give up on myself and everything I’ve overcome and built. And I’m proud that my story heals others when I speak it aloud—because people have told me it does. They feel relief that someone who looks like me understands—that they’re not alone. That, in and of itself, is everything.
Sometimes, when I’m in seasons where I only have a few clients, I remind myself that chains of change start with one link at a time. Even one person changed can shift a whole generation. History has proven that through the very people who paved the way for someone like me. I may not be speaking to thousands every day, but I am speaking into someone’s legacy. And that’s more than enough to keep going.
I’m proud of being myself, showing up authentically, and people appreciating it. I no longer feel like an imposter in my own skin and space—the very space I carved within my own lane.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
A lot of us initially believe that finding a mentor and building a network is just about making contacts, but it’s not. It’s about finding community, accountability, and wisdom. I’ve learned this through both triumph and heartbreak.
Since starting my business, I’ve been working with organizations like Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, SCORE, the SBDC, NAWBO-LA, Golden State Marketing, NPE, Alignable, and LinkedIn. Each one has offered me insight and access to people who’ve been where I’m trying to go. But I had to be intentional. It takes asking questions, being open about what you do, and—more importantly—being honest about what you need.
Vulnerability is powerful. My very first On the Strength podcast episode, “Strength Ain’t Just Physical,” speaks about the power of asking for help, especially within my community, where asking for or requiring help is often perceived as weakness. No one builds a dream alone. You need people who believe in you, who’ve paved the way before you, and who want to help—but you have to let them.
My husband has played an enormous role in that journey. In 2023, during his master’s program, he chose to work with the NAACP for his practicum. During a conversation with the chapter president, he told her what I do, and without hesitation, she told him to refer me to the SBDC. That single moment opened the door for everything to shift. Up until that point, I had done everything alone. That introduction, sparked by someone who deeply believed in me, changed how I saw mentorship. It made me open to receiving help.
But discernment matters. Not everyone who gives advice is equipped to guide you. The first person who made me question whether I belonged in this space was someone I trusted, who looked me in the eye and told me I didn’t “look the part.” That because I didn’t fit the stereotypical image of a trainer, I couldn’t succeed. I almost gave up.
I later gained valuable mentorship from a very tell-it-like-it-is veteran in business at the SBDC. In addition to working with her, I regularly attended SBDC webinars and was excited to seek guidance from another advisor there who revealed that he was also a personal trainer.
The excitement came from believing that unlike my original advisor, who ran marathons but didn’t fully understand the trainer side of the industry—this guy would directly understand my role, not just business strategy.
Much to my dismay, however, he analyzed my business plan and told me to drop the wellness and mental health elements from my business and “just stick to fitness and nutrition.”
He was more harsh than my primary mentor ever was. She encouraged me through tough love, always trying to make me the best version of a business owner I could be. He, on the other hand, had altogether limited vision.
So his words hurt—deep.
It made me second-guess my entire mission. And when I turned to my original SBDC mentor and shared the conflicting advice I’d been getting from other consultants, she reminded me of something crucial: I had to be careful about who I listened to, or I’d drown in other people’s opinions and lose my own vision.
Your mentors need to be people who understand your business, your vision, and your passion—and who see you in it. Ask questions. Do your research. Know their background and their values. You can’t just accept advice based on someone’s title—you need to know they’re actually tapped in.
And don’t be afraid to reach out, follow up, and try again. This semester, I had a guest speaker visit one my Nutrition Entrepreneurship class. His insight was so impactful that when his original contact info didn’t work, I kept reaching out to my professor until I got through. When he finally responded, he was kind, generous with his time, and excited to help. He met with me, reviewed my work, gave me thoughtful feedback, and even followed up to ask how my most recent speaking engagements went. That’s what mentorship looks like: genuine investment.
But the most impactful mentorship I’ve ever received came from someone I’d never even met in person. When I was at one of my lowest points—crying in bed after being told by the same SBDC mentor who discouraged my wellness concept, and that I wasn’t unique and should drop my message of cultural healing—my husband called his cousin George, a successful gym and business owner.
George, who lived in another state and time zone, took the time to pour into me, affirm me, and speak real wisdom into my journey. I had just met him, by phone, in that moment on that day. But the words he gave me changed everything. He echoed my husband, affirming me that not only did I belong in this space—I was needed in it.
George recently passed, and I will forever treasure his love and genuine concern for me as family and a professional in a shared industry. The confidence and clarity he helped restore in me will never fade. And it was my husband, my biggest supporter, who made that moment happen. In a world that has often tried to discourage or silence me, my husband has been my anchor and became a catalyst to everything else I’ve been able to seek guidance in.
So here’s my advice:
• Ask questions boldly. Mentorship starts with curiosity and courage.
• Be clear about your values and vision. If someone can’t align with them, they’re not your mentor.
• Vet people. Just because someone has experience doesn’t mean they have your experience or your best interest at heart. You also want to know they know their stuff, including within the industry and expertise that ignites your specific dreams, passions, skills, gifts, and talents. Or else, you’ll be stuck getting distant, fragmented, generic—or worse, cookie-cutter—advice that can lead you into detriment or altogether discourage you from declaring your dreams, pursuing your passions, and persevering in your purpose.
• Be persistent. If someone doesn’t respond, follow up. If they decline, thank them and move on.
• Build reciprocal relationships. Know what you need, but also be prepared to offer gratitude, respect, and someday—guidance to someone else.
• Let people show up for you. Especially when you don’t have the strength to show up for yourself.
The right mentors will sharpen your vision, affirm your worth, and make you feel less alone in a world that too often tells you otherwise. The right network will remind you that you don’t—and should never have to—do this by yourself. Get you a mentor, partner, or entire support system who’s willing to go as far as filling out your business paperwork when you’re too scared, broken, and discouraged to do it yourself—because they believe in you THAT much.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thoroughbredvitality.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoroughbred.wellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThoroughBredWellness/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicecbarnestbw
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/thoroughbred-wellness-rancho-cucamonga-2
- Other: https://medium.com/@CiCiB
Image Credits
LifeGuides and NAWBO-LA
