by Cortney Cleveland

“Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kandi Burruss continues to expand her empire, one well-chosen product at a time. Fans of the Bravo series are already familiar with Kandi’s new adult toy collection, Bedroom Kandi but the starlet recently announced she was adding digital technology to the mix with Kandi Koated Spades, billed as the first “urban” Spades app for iPhone/iPad users.

Critics of the reality star may find her ventures to be slightly eccentric. However, Kandi is showing a refined sense of business savvy. An adult toy line and a Spades app may seem like random products to build an empire with, but both product lines cater to a niche market and are in line with her personal brand.

By definition, a niche market is a narrowly defined group of potential customers. A business that focuses on a niche market is concerned with addressing the needs of this group with a product or service that is not being supplied by mainstream providers. Most people think that a bigger market automatically equals more profits. But, a niche market makes it easier to give customers what they want because they are easier to find and their needs are more narrowly defined.

On her show, Kandi has often spoken of wanting to introduce African-American women to adult toys with her line. Targeting an underserved group not only allows her to face less competition, but also gives her the opportunity to educate her target audience and establish herself as an authority in her industry. This authority status will draw more customers to her brand.

The case is similar with her new app. There are plenty of card game apps available, but few specifically cater to an urban audience. Kandi and her team noticed a void in the market and filled it with a product tailored to their target audience. Kandi Koated Spades was designed to reflect the fast-paced, “trash-talking” style of Spades popular in the African-American community with features such as “Reneg,” “Deuces Wild,” and “Jokers.”

Kandi might soon be making her own “I’m Rich B****” t-shirts with all the ventures she’s dipping into. In addition to being a singer, songwriter, reality TV star, and sex toy entrepreneur, she’s launched a spades app to reflect the trash-talking game style used by most black players.

The Kandi Koated Spades app is available for the iPhone and iPad and allows multiple players to play online while using features like Reneg, Deuces Wild, and Jokers. Kandi, who calls herself a “Spades Pro,” said she and her family are huge card players so she jumped at the chance to create an app for her fans.

The app is available in the iTunes store for 99 cents, will you purchase?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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