GirlGeek of the Week
May 2001

Candice Nelms

When Candice Nelms' father brought home a Commodore64 she was not impressed. Programming in BASIC kept her interest only for a short time. Ultimately, she was more interested in her Atari console and a sketchpad on which she recreated architectural structures found around her neighborhood.

Computers weren't her thing but Candice loved technology and engineering. She took apart electronics just to put them back together. Audio-video was a specialty. She would mix music using a 6-channel soundboard from Radio Shack and multiple turntables. And she always had a camcorder handy for producing short movies with her brothers.

Sound engineering/designing became a career for Candice after graduating from NYU in 1993. At that time she also discovered the Web and was fascinated with its multimedia possibilities. She says, "The computer had finally ALMOST caught up to the speed at which the human brain can think and react, and that was what I needed. I needed something that could multi-task in a non-linear fashion to keep my interest, something that would progress and change day to day and something that could only be limited by my own thought and no one else's."

From there, she taught herself HTML, video editing, graphic design, JavaScript, Perl, CGI, video compression, and everything else she could get her hands on. For Candice it was a great feeling to be doing everything she loved as a child and do it on a far greater level, at far greater a capacity, with far more reach.

When did you first discover your love and/or obsession with computers and technology?

When I realized computers where now capable of being my "right-hand machine" — working as fast as I could think, changing and progressing everyday and bringing my every thought to fruition.

How do you earn a living?

As an individual I make a living doing a lot of sound engineering — working with both theater and music. As an entrepreneur I co-own a business with partner Emily Hofstetter, siliconsalley.com an online magazine, broadband news/talk show, Internet radio station and consulting firm for not only the IT and small business worlds, but for the entertainment industry as well.

Do you consider yourself a Geek?

Indeed.

What is your favorite Website?

Scripts.com, Yahoo.com, AdCritic.com, ScaryLoner.com

What do you do when you are not working?

Well, it's hard to even think of a moment's peace when I am not working or even thinking about work and current projects at this time in my life, but I love to travel and visit places I have never been. I also love to read and go to the movies and hang out with people NOT in this industry! Again, balance is key.

What's your motto?

If you're in a hurry to get up — you're gonna hurry up and fall.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Emily says Neve Campbell, but I say Natalie Portman.

What would be the title of your autobiography?

"Janice Rossi Can Do Whatever She Wants!"

Who is the person you most admire?

I admire anyone willing to "risk" in life. I guess if pressed to pick one person, I would have to say my grandmother Joie Marshall who just recently passed away. I think "fear" was even challenged by her, she was full of courage.

When and where were you the happiest?

Well, I'm pretty happy right now - but there was one time when I learned how to hang glide on Kill Devil Hills, NC (where the Wright Bros. First flew) — that was pretty damn exhilarating!

If you could have one super power what would it be?

The ability to fly.