We’re looking forward to introducing you to Dr. April Willis. Check out our conversation below.
April , so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Outside of work, one of the biggest sources of joy in my life is my Goldendoodle, Kingsley. We adopted him from a rescue just one year ago, and in that short time, he has absolutely flourished. He’s completed four dog training courses, earned his AKC Good Canine Citizen certification, and is now an official Therapy Dog through Pet Partners. In the next few weeks, we’ll begin volunteering together in schools and libraries, which feels incredibly meaningful. Watching his growth, gentleness, and impact on others has been deeply rewarding. He brings me so much joy every single day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Dr. April Willis, founder of April Willis Consulting. I work at the intersection of strategy and impact, helping nonprofits and mission-driven organizations turn big ideas into clear plans, sustainable funding, and measurable outcomes. My background spans education, program design, and leadership, which allows me to see both the big picture and the details that actually move the needle.
What makes my work unique is that I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Every organization has a story, a set of constraints, and a community it serves, and my role is to help leaders clarify their vision, back it up with data, and communicate it in a way that funders, partners, and stakeholders can’t ignore. I’m deeply outcomes-driven, grounding creativity in metrics, and inspiration in execution.
Whether I’m helping secure millions in grant funding, launch new initiatives, or guide leaders through complex change, my goal is always the same: to help good work scale and last.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful happened in first grade. My teacher, Mrs. Beaver, was speaking with my mom in private and said she believed she would one day see me on the cover of Time magazine, making a huge difference in the world. She didn’t realize I could hear them, but I did. In that moment, something clicked. I felt powerful in a way I didn’t yet have words for.
While I haven’t graced the cover of Time (yet), that seed never left me. Today, I feel incredibly close to that early aspiration as a member and contributing writer for the Forbes Coaches Council, using my voice and platform to influence, lead, and help others create meaningful impact. That moment in first grade was the beginning of understanding the power of belief, especially when someone sees your potential before you fully see it yourself.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self that all of this hard work will pay off. Every high school party skipped, every job worked whenever there was a chance, and every leadership role carried will matter. She will earn a full-ride scholarship, build a life rooted in discipline, and create a business she can’t even imagine yet. It will all be more than worth it.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
I like to think the public version of me is always the real me. I just use a volume knob, amplifying certain parts of myself in some situations and turning others down (but never erasing them) in different spaces. I’m always excited to connect with people, I’ll always have an opinion when asked, and I genuinely enjoy sharing my enthusiasm with those around me. At the same time, I know how to read a room. I understand when it’s appropriate to be loud, funny, reflective, or serious. So yes, I’m always me, just the right balance of my many traits, out of respect for the room I’m in.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
This is a hard question for me because I’m an achiever by nature. Every personality assessment I’ve ever taken confirms it, I work for the gold stars. Some people love gardening, some love skiing; I genuinely love achieving. I thrive on awards, recognition, and professional milestones. If I’m being completely honest, if all of that disappeared, it would be difficult to say I’d continue giving my absolute best in the same way. I’m externally motivated, and if that motivation were removed, I likely wouldn’t reach my full potential right away.
That said, I believe it’s important to understand what truly drives us. Self-awareness gives us the ability to adapt without pretending to be someone we’re not. If external validation went away, I would quickly recognize how my work ethic had shifted, and that awareness would give me the advantage of finding new motivations to keep moving forward. Knowing what fuels you isn’t a weakness; it’s a tool.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://aprilwillisconsulting.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/dr.aprilwillis
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/draprilwillis/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/draprilwillis
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjOZ8-ZRkj9J04W_zKfqQFw
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Dr-April-Willis/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ADr.%2BApril%2BWillis
