April Reed Shares How Her Gratitude Made Her Millions

Pamela Bardhi
Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of Underdog. Today I have an amazing, amazing guest here with me. April, April. How are you?

April Reed
Hi, good. Thanks for having me.

Pamela Bardhi
Oh, it’s such a pleasure to have you here. I think I was mentioning right before this call that I had listened to you. When you were on Sean Kelly’s panel with Unblinded and I was just like, blown away by you and your energy. And I was just like, she’s such a beautiful spirit. I need to speak with her ASAP, I connect with her so, so well and here we are, and I’m just blessed to have you here. So thank you so much.

April Reed
Thanks for reaching out. It’s my pleasure. And when Sean asks, and like then you reach out. It means a lot to me. So thank you.

Pamela Bardhi
Thank you so much and you got I mean, you are just like a superstar across all realms. Four companies, four kids, an amazing story. So, I can’t wait to get into it today with you. So with your journey, what really inspired you to where you are today? And what has inspired your journey sort of most start from there?

April Reed
Ooh, what inspired my journey the most? The first thing that came to my mind when you ask that question and I like this. I just want us to have a conversation and see what happens. But basically, the first thing that came to my mind. I feel like it had to do with my values and my values were always, as a little girl, to love God and love others and to be honest. That has carried me through almost everything and in almost every situation.

And whether we’re looking at the business successes or even relationship aspects. I really do feel like you know what I think loving God and loving others would be one of the things that have got me here. We’re going to talk about gratitude and generosity and a little bit. But as far as like, when you ask that. That was the first thing that came to me authentically.

Pamela Bardhi
That’s amazing. And I always have asked and I asked every entrepreneur, like, what did you want to be when you grew up? What inspires you?

April Reed
Yeah, so funny enough that Pam, I wasn’t like… When I grow up, I want to be an entrepreneur. I didn’t even know what that word was. Like I really didn’t and my dad actually was a chimney sweep owner. And he cleaned chimneys in Massachusetts. Where I grew up and I didn’t realize that my dad was an entrepreneur. I didn’t grow up in a home that was challenging me to think outside the box. So when I grew up, I knew I really wanted to work with people I’ve always been. Which goes with what I just said, I loved people. So in middle school in high school, when you can run for student council, I wanted to not so that I could win.

But it was so that I could lead my friends and it created environments. Where everybody can be involved and then, when I got to high school, you can run for class president. I’m like, of course, I’m gonna run for class president and it’s interesting. Because you don’t know these things about yourself until I look back. And I’m like, but why did I do that? Like, was it for popularity? Was it for you to know why? And it wasn’t, I genuinely just loved to lead. I love to lead and I love to create, and I love to do and that’s like the visionary and me.

So I really wanted to work with people, I grew up in a Christian home actually, so I thought that maybe I would work with teenagers. Or give back in that aspect. Like, what did I do? I wanted to work with people and I wanted to be the leader. But did I know that that meant to be an entrepreneur? No, you don’t, I mean, it just got what it was like, but now it is like my obsession. I love business, the ownership of business, the leadership of business, I love it so much.

Pamela Bardhi
It’s so funny because I too was like a class president in Middle School, in High school and it’s like so funny. And I asked that question because it always somehow correlates to who I am now. Weirdly enough and it’s so, so fascinating. And so, like your career journey to get to your first business what was that like?

April Reed
So great question career to get me to my first business. Because now we just say Identify, I wasn’t going to get my master’s in entrepreneurship. Let’s just start with that. Basically, I was waiting table and I was in that classic working four jobs still wondering, why can’t I pay my bills like. Remember that? Why can I not pay my bills working four jobs? The struggle was real. And I was like, I don’t know, I’m doing wrong.

But anyway, I’m waiting tables and I actually went to church in some random city and heard some random pastor on a Sunday. And he was like. How about tomorrow, when you go to work, start being thankful for everything. Thank you for your boss, thankful for your colleagues, thankful for your job, thankful for and I’m like. I’m waiting tables, you know and at that time I was managing some and actually my boss. It was a carabas and he wanted me to own a carabas. So he was like, sending me to proprietary school and he was trying to advance my career. And I was like, I don’t want to do this, but he obviously saw leadership in me and I think that. That’s what he was provoking me for.

But I’ll tell you what, Pam. When I started practicing gratitude, even begrudgingly under my breath. When I truly started practicing gratitude, something shifted. And I would even be like, you know what. I am thankful for my boss, but did I really mean it? I didn’t, but I practiced it anyway. And this has taught me so much and this was back when I was 24 years old, a long time ago. But I carried this with me in everything to where it’s like you practice gratitude, and you do what you don’t want to do. Because you know where it’s going to get you.

And it was within a week or two. Someone walked in that restaurant door and he sat down and he was a regular. He said, April, what do you want to do with your life? My former roommate was a pharmaceutical sales rep and that looked glamorous. So I was like, I want to be a pharmaceutical sales rep. I didn’t know what I was saying. But it was like what I wanted to do and he said, how about teaching doctors software globally? And I was like, Yeah, absolutely. Yes. He’s great, send me your resume. Pam, I had no idea what he just said. It was a yes, though. Because it wasn’t waiting tables. So and then all of a sudden, I’m like, I’m not qualified. He wants my resume.

And I work at a restaurant, I worked at a church and worked in a daycare, I did work at a TV studio. But that was about it, you know, other than my degree. To where I’m like, oh, I’m not qualified, what if I’m not smart enough? Does he see my grades? What if I have to put the spiral of self-doubt, the talk, the “not” capable, long story short and this is a long story, as we talk about it as much as you want. I ended up flying to Washington, DC, learning how to train medical professionals within the Department of Defence on the electronic health record. And that was the electronic health record industry. That was all the way back, like I said, in 2004. So we were still on paper very much.

And America didn’t even have an electronic health record until 2010 when Obama mandated it. So not too long ago, we were 10 years ago, we were still on paper. Not sure if you remember that, but just how much it evolved. And so I started learning that because I got that opportunity. When I was completely unqualified when I thought that I was a fraud, even being there. But yet a door, a moment, a sliding door moment happened for me and I walked through it, I never stopped giving gratitude. Never. From that day forward. No matter how good or bad life was ever and I wanted to pay it forward.

So I decided, I want to be the best electronic health record trainer in the world. Like I was like. I’m just gonna be in the world and within a year or two, I was back in Washington, DC to train President Bush’s staff and all the VIPs in Bethesda, Maryland. And that was a true honor. Because they really worked very hard. But I really wanted to be good at what I did, because I saw the opportunity that was given to me and then fast forward. I ended up being a consultant, founding my firm in 2008.

And then we really took off in 2010. When Obama mandated that every hospital in America go paperless and of course, there’s a lot in between that, I fell into it. But I mean, there’s so much in that one story, but that’s how I started my first company that really took off. And I still own it to this day and it still runs its HR Concepts and Electronic Health Record Concepts and we have worked in 40 states, hired 1000s of people. It’s been amazing. All my friends or my family, I mean you want to talk about. How gratifying it has been for me, It’s been unbelievable.

Pamela Bardhi
That is remarkable. And you know what I really, really love about your story so much, like you said yes. You could have easily shut down when he passed you. April, send me your resume, you can be like *squealing sound,* you could allow the fear to be like. But you said yes. And that’s one of the biggest problems that I see out there in the world.

April Reed
Yes. It starts with that. You’re exactly right. You start and then figure it out. So like going back to that moment, and I was sitting in this room, and when I said, Yes, I got the job. I don’t know how I got the job. Clearly, he had connections. So I was grateful, but I’m sitting in this room and I can remember like it was yesterday. I was sitting in the back row and it was so painful and there’s four rows of people that were there to learn. Every single person in that room went around and did the whole introduction thing.

Every single person in that room was at least 15 years old, my senior, military, and medical, every single one of them. They stand up, they introduce themselves. They’ve been serving in the military in some capacity for anywhere between 10 to 25 years, they had been in the medical field. And then there’s a little old me with bleached blonde hair, sitting in the bag, freaking out and then. I was married at that time to my ex-husband, he happened to be in the army. So I met this guy in Fayetteville, North Carolina, who gave me the opportunity. And I just use that as an excuse, like, my husband is serving in Fort Bragg. I’m happy to be here and just sit down as fast as possible. But the entire time I was there for three weeks training, and every day, Pam I was unqualified.

Every day I felt like a complete idiot, every day, I cried, I was like. When are they going to realize that I’m a fake? You know what I mean? That imposter syndrome. But I made a decision. And again, this was critical in my life by flipping that script, like what you’re calling is. I made a decision to tell myself I am capable, I am qualified, I am smart, I can do this. And I began studying and I began learning. Guess what I started to learn and learn, and then I found mentors.

And then that’s why being the best was so important to me. Because I knew how unqualified I was. But I feel like that also taught me that if I simply say yes, then apply myself. I really haven’t been afraid of much why I started more companies. It’s why I continue to grow like, Okay, I’m capable and smart enough. But I didn’t always believe that at all. I had to choose them like me, literally. So I’m like, Oh my gosh, every time I had breakthrough, it was when Wham I was shut it down and believe something different.

Pamela Bardhi
Wow. That’s incredible and I mean, you know, with imposter syndrome, because I know so many people go through it. And then people go through it quietly and we’ll never tell anybody. What helps motivate you to get past that problem to be like, you know. I am good, I am qualified. Because I mean, this is like it’s senior levels up here in Washington, DC. Whoever wins waiting tables to literally training the president staff. Which I think is so bad as an amazing like. What helps you really get there and be like, No, you know what, I am good enough, you know, wasn’t a mantra. Or a person that inspired you or situation.

April Reed
So I really believe in the power of I am. I believe that it’s so easy for me to say to you, Pam, like, You’re so pretty, you’re so smart. You’re so successful. You know, you’re funny, you’re so like, easy to listen to. That to say you are but if I were to say, hey, PM. Can you say that about yourself where you say I am so pretty? I am so funny, I am so intelligent, I’m so you know, and we look at it. We’re like, Whoa, whoa, whoa. And there’s either this like sense of pride, like, well, I don’t want to be prideful. Or it’s a sense of like, No, it’s not.

And I really believe that if we can begin to like manifest more items in our lives. We begin to allow ourselves to be kind of like who God created us to be. It’s like if we’re here on Earth and what do we need for but so I do believe that there is an IM mantra. But in all sincerity, I really permeate was caring about my job and others. And that goes back to like my core values. Like that’s obviously one of my very core values are other people. So if I’m going to work inside a healthcare organization, I don’t care if it’s the president’s staff. Or if it’s some Hospital in Okinawa that I met.

I just really want to help them do their job better and I want to teach them really well. And I want to care that I’m adding value to their lives and I think that, I just feel like that is what has helped me is I don’t want it to be about me ever. Even like when I’ve been asked to be like on podcasts and speak and I finally have a book coming out. But I’m like, I don’t want it to be about me. You know what I mean? I don’t want to be but I’m realizing Oh my gosh, April, tell your story begin to put yourself out there.

This is one of the first year, I’m finally saying yes. Because I really want to genuinely give in that place. And you know, I think you saw that breakthrough on Sean’s unblinded where Sean was, like you holding back is not giving to others. But I don’t want to make it about me. So I’ve always given from a place. If I’m going to do a job, they really want to serve you in it and do it well for you. And I think that that has served me in business.

Pamela Bardhi
That’s amazing. It’s the law of reciprocity, right? You just be a giver, this is something that like my family taught me. Like my dad had a restaurant, he’s old school, European. If he sees somebody outside, anyway, it could be anybody. In the heat, especially in the spring and summer, you will run out to them and give them a water bottle. And the person’s like, sometimes they know him, sometimes they don’t. But he’s just like Ticket Ticket. You know, it’s hot out here. It’s hot, you know and like, the craziest thing is, I grew up watching that. So I’ve always been weirdly trained to just do that and just give and give and give and give. And it’s like there’s so much beauty in that like you’re watching people.

April Reed
Why do you think that that’s not innate? For others? Like I love that you were taught that. But what do you think?

Pamela Bardhi
I think it’s because like the US society a little bit is a bit individualistic, right? I’m looking out for my own self, right. But then there’s other cultures that are very family-oriented. And they’re more like heart centered, and they’re more about like the world giving and in my family was just always like, give, give. Like my great-grandmother. There were 1000s of people at her funeral in Albania when she passed. Because she would invite anyone and everyone up for coffee and lunch. Or dinner or whatever, the door was always open.

And like so to me, I learned that at a young age, because that’s what I was observing in my environment. And when I started growing up and started seeing, that’s not like a normal thing that was really hard for me, but like, I still couldn’t give. I’m like, Oh, all these years later, I’m learning. I’m like, wow, this is actually a law of the universe. Like I know it existed.

April Reed
And I think like to add on to that whoever’s listening. It’s not that if you do this than that. If people are listening and they’re not the hospitable ones, they’re like. It really stresses me out to have everybody over in my house. Like to me, I love it, like, come on. I’m the one that my doors open and just keep the door coming. But of those entrepreneurs or the people that aren’t that way, it doesn’t mean it has to be in that environment. It just has to be an element of not looking so much inwardly. And sometimes I think we get caught up with looking inwardly versus looking outwardly.

If we can just take our eyes off of ourselves. We will be able to see where there is places for us. To insert our gifts and talents and not just being like, Well. I’m not that personality of hospitality. But it’s like, what you probably are in analyzing data. Or numbers or being able to add value in those meaningful conversations. Without 100 people around. It’s finding time to have that one on one. So really understanding what our gifts are and then giving of those in who we are as humans.

And as people I believe, there’s two things that make the world go round my belief, core, and core through and through gratitude and generosity. I really do. My book is just on those two things, how gratitude and generosity, maybe millions. And it’s like if we just simply understood that principle, every time Pam, I was thankful. Even in the hardest of times. You can get through anything and you are heal, you breathe, you see. In all of those things and then, also when you just give, just a little bit. It just comes back and those generous people then come around you too.

Like that’s, I would say birds of a feather. If you do not have. Whoever’s listening in for you, it’s like, if you do not have those birds of a feather. That constantly gives to you through gratitude. And you know to mean and generosity and blessing and then open more doors for you. You’re in the wrong crowd. Find that flock because it matters. And we can fly higher together.

Pamela Bardhi
Yeah, amen to that. And I mean what’s really important is energy. Right? You know, I’ve had surrenders like winners will awesome people and I’m like. I don’t expect it you just got to give, I don’t just give you just do your thing. You are grateful. Like you said. You’re generous, you give love wherever you can like and it turns around, and like you said it made you millions. Then that’s the reason why you’re successful. Because you’ve come from a really genuine place in your energy, you can sense it you can feel somebody than you right away. Whether they’re a good person or not. I don’t know I’m pretty intuitive.

April Reed
Funny enough. I just love people as I’m not whatever. But the takers. They love me. So I attract takers and I haven’t really been protected and I newly married, and he is my protector. He’s like you he’s very intuitive and he has like these radars out. And he’s like, baby, baby, baby, baby. Yes, take her alerts a girl and so it’s also like. Who you surround yourself with is being able to like. If someone like myself, who’s such a generous giver, It’s putting those people in place to protect us not to say no to the takers, but just to simply protect us. Are you familiar with Adam Grant? He wrote the book givers and takers and his TED Talk.

So Adams, a good friend of mine, and Adam basically was like. You need to make your husband be your transaction manager. If he’s a year might be the biggest gift I’ve ever received. And he’s like and that’s not necessarily a compliment April. Because I’m a pray for you, no takers and he said, have everything is my husband’s name is Brian. Be your transaction manager, everything has to go through him. And I was like, I love that because I don’t need to put it in place.

But again, it’s creating those boundaries and barriers. I feel like we’re way off-topic but at the same time. Someone who’s listening needs to hear. There are givers and takers and to be careful, but to live in that place of authenticity of giving. But then put that protector in place because I didn’t. Which I’ll get a little personal because again. Whoever is listening, I was married in a very toxic relationship. He was all a taker and a manipulator and unfortunately, it turned into drug addiction. And he wasn’t military. He did go to war and things, some things that happen and so then it’s. You know, he got hooked on narcotics and it just spiraled.

And so again, addiction is a disease and it is a sad disease. I lived in a state and I’ve walked that journey. I’ve walked the journey of divorce and single motherhood and the darkness that comes with all of that. But at the end of the day, I wasn’t protected. Pam, you know, I tolerated a lot of bad behavior. Because of my giving and my generosity and my natural innate place to just love with ease. But it got taken advantage of and it got abused and figuring out. How to finally say no to bad behavior, was the biggest thing for me when I finally said no more.

And I was like, I am brave enough to do this and I packed up as babies and I walked out, and I never looked back. But that takes so much courage, you know what I mean? As a giver to stand up for yourself because it felt like taking you know what I mean? Like I’m taking my kids away and really I was giving myself so much love by doing that. So it really is such a powerful teaching. And we really need to understand who we are and how we are and then. How to build and have successes in our personal relationships. In our professional relationships through it.

Pamela Bardhi
You’re So Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing that and you know, I think that part of sharing our journeys to inspire others, right. And that’s why this organism so powerful and why I love it so much and why I’m always learning. For you in those moments like you were able to stand up. I think it’s so pivotal, so many givers out there. So many entrepreneurs, so many people try to build their lives.

To be able to set those boundaries because it was the same thing for me. I was running myself to the ground 18 hour days. Because I couldn’t say it was hard for me. I’m just like you, so I’m a giver. So it’s like, No, no, this person, like I want to help them in it. And then it got me into holes and I’m just like, oh my god. When you just try to help people and things happen, you’re like, yeah. Setting those boundaries is so important. For people to learn and also through sharing our story, like, that’s so critical. And then for you to stand up and say like, No, I’m not going to tolerate this. That’s so blood. Like you said at the moment. It’s like you said that you really truly are giving to.

April Reed
That has really helped me if there are givers on the call or listening right now. What has helped me in creating boundaries is really prioritizing my time and my schedule. For example, as a mother people are like, how do you afford companies? How do you have four kids? And you’re newly married? Like, clearly, I’m dropping balls somewhere and you know what. Maybe I have an incredible team and I ask them all the time. We have real authentic conversations, but I also have learned how to put people in the right seats.

So from an auditor perspective, who’s my visionary, who’s my operator, who’s my implementer, Who’s on my sales marketing, who’s my finance, and then. How do we function together in order to scale and execute? And then where do we fall in the personality aspects? What are our stressors, what are gross, but that’s business? We’re teaching business, what I was going to say is boundaries. So as a mom, I time with my child. JOHN is in the morning, getting them ready for school from 6:30 until 7:30 when I dropped them off.

And then typically in the evening starting at 5:30 until eight when they go to bed. So just yesterday, someone’s like, Hey, can we connect at like 7 pm? Tomorrow? No, it’s so easy for me to naturally just say, No, I’m not going to compromise that time. Does that make sense? So when you have those uncompromising times. You’re working 18 hour days, that tells me I get it because I used to do that. That you are a free spirit that don’t have those blocks of boundaries and then being able to say no. To where your priority list is.

And then hitting your top priority and what’s going to produce for you. Because as a giver, we forsake the things that are actually going to produce and we’ve chased squirrel, squirrel and it’s a no, no. So protecting ourselves in our boundaries, but then also focusing on what is the most important and what is going to produce for your future and for others and for your children and your children’s, children. And these are some things that I’ve had to mature into lately. You remind me a lot.

Pamela Bardhi
But it helps so much and you just become that much more powerful. It is the same thing you had to start setting the boundaries. I had to start prioritizing because I’m like, I don’t want to run dry over here. And like, if my cup is not all how am I able to give? Right? Like, it’s just, all those concepts, but I love your journey so much in where you are, where you’re going in the future. And with your businesses, what was it like in the beginning? What was your aha moment shift into your own company? Because you were employed? Firstly, you made that shift. I know a lot of people always say, hold off. I’m like, launching, I’m gonna start my business. It was like, What made you go Oh, okay. It’s time for me.

April Reed
Oh, yeah. And I actually teach this tonight. So this is a very key question for somebody who’s like, Okay, I have these ideas. I want to start this business. I just haven’t yet. Oh, yes, I teach this big time. Because several things. There’s a lot to unpack there. But let’s just start small for me. I was already in that space that I knew. That’s key. I was in a space that I knew. I knew electronic health records, I knew training, I knew I had relationships with organizations key. I’m getting to why that is so key and I met and my dad had his third heart attack, my mom had just lost her job. And my grandmother had just bought her home, in a hurricane, so she’s meeting families and all these things are like spiraling my family.

So I’m like, good. I have to step in and help, so I called mom and I was like. Why don’t we try to start a company doing what I’m doing? I was working in healthcare organizations helping with their HR. Whether in the training side, the support. Whatever it may be and it was like, okay. We didn’t know we were doing, we looked up Google and say Google. How do you start a business? You’re already like, legit? Well, I told my mom, why don’t I work and take my paycheck and slice it up as much as I can. We tried to do this and so all live off, as little as they can in order to invest it in you and the company.

And do what we need to do to get this business up and let’s just give it six months and see, like, let’s at least try. So I took my salary and I took an industry that I knew. And I tried to start a company in the first six months. I had six people working for me, I think we had done like a half-million dollars. So I was like, Oh, I think we’re onto something. But I’m still working full time, so I am still working in healthcare organizations. Also trying to build this business and you would say a half-million-dollar was proof of concept. Don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t know what I was doing. But my mom, who’s very wise, came to me after we had six people and she said, I think you need to make a decision.

Either we really try to give this business a go and grow it or you keep working. But working with security. That was my you know, I mean, that was my security blanket. So I was like, well, but what I did write in all of this. I think it was in the Wall Street Journal for this, so while I go like four or five years was the fact that I took a paycheck. And I divided it up into business and I invested in my own business. While investing in myself working and I was also investing in industry that I knew. So to me, it was like No wonder why one like it was like winning, winning, winning. I didn’t know I did all those things right back then.

But I’m about to tell you a story and where I did things very, very wrong. So sure enough, I think that year we did like two and a half million the very first year. Where I didn’t work and actually paid attention to the business. So obviously I was happy I made that right decision and it was right timing in this industry. It was right when everybody was going gangbusters. And that was as fast as I could work, I probably could have done a lot more. But it was as fast as we can work, so let’s fast forward several years, Pam, and here, April over here is like, Ooh, look at my successful business. Let’s start another one.

This sounds so fine and I’m thinking like now. I’ve surrounded myself with so many entrepreneurs and friends and whatever. So I go to this like passion of mine. And I’m like, Let’s all make clothes. I’m going to cut fabric, I’m going to find manufacturers, I’m going to go overseas and I’m going to put on my clothes. I am statements, I am brave, I am beautiful. I’m smart and I go overseas and I do all this stuff. And I mean, I literally build a brand from scratch of clothing. I order, 60,000 pieces of clothes, I don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t know inventory, I don’t know supply chain, I don’t know three pls, I don’t know digital marketing, I don’t know what I’m doing. But I was so passionate about it. It is that company is called illuminative and it’s still open.

And it’s an e-commerce business and we ship all over the country. But I will tell you, I have not once turned a profit in that business. Because it was an industry I didn’t know. I was uneducated, I invested a tonne of money into it. But the only thing I have continued to do is invest in a business. And I can’t turn a profit that I’m still trying. You know, when we have done over a million dollars again, like yes, I can scale another million-dollar business, but the reason why it still has cost more money and energy, and time is because I didn’t know the industry. I didn’t have that distribution channels lined up. It’s not my industry, but somebody who’s already in that space. They could probably just add on a new women’s line, but I’ve been like, it’s been two years.

But it has been such a pain fall learning curve, that people who start businesses are like, Oh. Why is this so hard? The first thing I ask when I am coaching somebody I’m like. How much do you know this space and what do you know of this space? And if you don’t then, find a mentor to hold your hand and mentor you through it? Because that is where I have where it’s cost me the most time energy and money. It’s not just money but time and energy. Because I feel like I say I got a Ph.D. in retail and marketing and e-commerce and three PL I have my own fulfillment center.

Now for goodness sakes, people are like you have your own fitness and like. But it hasn’t been easy. It has been so hard. So that first business was like. This is so easy because I knew it. I knew that space, this is, because they didn’t you know, doesn’t make one right? Or they’re wrong. But when you start, it’s actually asking yourself. Can you take your paycheck and invest in yourself? Go into something that you’re very comfortable in knowing? And then, if not definitely have those right mentors and coaches in place. Before you pull the trigger? And are spinning your wheels trying to do something that you know nothing about?

What Would April’s Older Self tell Her Younger Self

Pamela Bardhi
I love that advice, I mean, thank you for sharing that. Because there are struggles and then there are successes, right? And with that being said, you know. What would your older self tell your younger self based on what you know, now,

April Reed
There’s a lot of things. Obviously, there’s a lot of things I tell myself. So I’m going to turn it into what I’ve been learning lately. Sometimes everything when you’re learning something that comes full circle to what you’re learning right now. So I have been learning enneagram and I don’t know if you’ve ever done the enneagram test. It’s like a personality test. You know, there’s Myers Briggs. There’s disc, there’s all that enneagram is rocking my world, and let me tell you why. When I did this enneagram your numbers one through now and you have to go do it because it’s fascinating. And there’s free tests.

Let’s use Google enneagram test taker, I turn out to be a seven. The seven is the adventurer, the visionary, the free spirit, the like, let’s go for it. Very risk likes chances and there’s a song that’s like. Let’s climb the mountain before we cross the bridge and I’m like, Yes like, it’s the enthusiasm, like everything about it. I’m like and most entrepreneurs and I have learned our sevens like a lot of I’d be curious to hear. But if you’re a seven, we also have like 100 ideas all the time and which is squirrels like, oh, let’s do that. And so like I look at my journey of my younger self, and I’m like, I was such a seven. But I ultimate visionary so I know how to get it done.

So the seven have when they’re stressed. They go into a one and when they are growing and that they’re like best high self. They’re going to five, so let’s first talk about the one. The one or the perfectionist get it done, then check it off, hold control, do it yourself. When I’m stressed, I am like, get out of my way, I will do it. And I’m gonna do it better and I’m gonna get it done. I’m going to show you. You know, you’re laughing because you get it right and I’ll work 18 hour days. And you know what? Never mind. I’ll do it and guess what we always get it done with that visionary because we have the vision.

So let me take control and let me get it up. But even if we get it done, are there processes? Did I create a repeatable process, did I create a scalable business, did it create? No, but guess what, I got it done. But I didn’t set myself up for growth. So a five is when I’m growing is when I was a seven is I’m growing. And a five is the investigator and they want to learn. They want to understand, they want to look at facts and data. Then make logical decisions according to their vision, and then execute that plan. Which is more in that one space. Well, it’s interesting, because anytime I’ve ever slowed down. To think, to read, to listen to analyze has actually been. Where so much fruit and like wisdom and wealth of knowledge.

Then come up where I can then deliver it to that visionary seven side of me versus me going into my stress. And so like you saying, Okay, what would I tell my younger self. I would tell them go understand your five. What I’m really saying is, if I was mature enough to understand that if I just slow down. To analyze data, to get wisdom, to understand facts and knowledge, and then, make those entrepreneurial decisions. I feel like the maturity of all my businesses and where I am today, and now I’m 41. But now like in my 40s, I just feel like I’ve kind of come into this. It’s like I’ve been planting beautiful roots and I’m finally coming into this oak tree. That’s like maturing and it feels amazing.

And so if I could look back and say, okay, little April. I would say get just understand wisdom and don’t push it away and slow down. And don’t just go to control and honor everybody’s role in this world and making sure, that you route yourself in it. Surround yourself with the right people to help you make decisions. Because as an entrepreneur, we’re like, well just do it ourselves. But I feel like now that I’m rebuilding with not rebuilding, but what I’m building my business is like. I just launched another business in the healthcare space and Institute. And we’re actually offering telehealth training because now with COVID. There’s so much telehealth, but there’s no education around it.

So if you go Google education training for the patients. Or for the elderly or for the healthcare organizations or the hospitals or for the providers, specialties you name it, there’s nothing. So I want to be one of the first global institutes. That we can then go to all the nations training specifically around telehealth reducing carbon from the atmosphere to give back. Every time a patient drives to the healthcare innovation. They’re putting themselves at harm from being second germs. But then also, you can really do almost everything the same through technology these days and remote patient monitoring where we’re going.

And so it’s like if I can just add a little bit of value through education and training. That’s what I want to do. But as I’m building this institute and looking at it from a global perspective, I’m like, April, you’re so much wiser. Because you’re slowing down and you’re taking your time. Does that make sense? So it was a lot of advice. But that would be my advice is to understand that and then, make your business decisions and your life decisions based on that. I wish somebody had told me.

Pamela Bardhi
I love that so much. Go down. And you gave us a little bit of a sneak peek of what you’re up to now. But you also mentioned the book too. So what’s up in April’s world boogers though.

April Reed
So you know, just recently actually the biggest thing that I’m up. I just recently launched this year, I am April reed.com, so I’m formerly known as April Cleek and I’m going through this new like or this naming crisis. But I’m newly married and my new name is Reed. And I was like. You know what, I’m so honored to be married to this man. I want to own his name. So we launched I am April Reed, which is actually a coaching program. I’m not trying to solicit or put this out there to everybody listening. Because I’m like, Oh my God.

Go find your time, but the reason why I’m launching this Pam is. Because I want to upgrade people’s life. It’s called you’ve been upgraded and it’s upgrade people’s lives with business IQ, financial IQ, personal IQ, and spiritual IQ. And I’m bringing in speakers from all over, including myself to say, basically. What are those things? I would have told me younger self, kinda, I didn’t I didn’t think about that question till now. But it’s like, what do I not know in a business IQ perspective? And how can I bring people into that place and help upgrade people financially? Like no one taught me how to invest in and with trading, and was taxed like they never. But until we find those coaches.

And knowing that we expand our portfolio and diversification and enhances. Like how to truly upgrade and I really want to bring people. From like, coach sitting and coach to like owning their own plane. Like screws screw up to first class to. Then private charter and it’s like, no, you’re not playing, like. Let’s upgrade., let’s believe, let’s see that in that feeling and what this life should be like. So that is a new fun project and that’s where my give-back project. I’m not looking to, like. You know, make that a career. But that’s my way of saying. How can I pay it forward with the things that I’ve learned in the network? That I have and give it to others? And it’s a membership fee, it’s less than 100 bucks, it’s not even anything a month. It’s like, that could be a lot.

I’m not trying to diminish that, but it’s just kind of how can I add value into what area of their life. So that’s kind of fun for me, newly married that’s what I’m up to. That’s even more fun and yeah. And then, of course, the institute, and my other business and I’ve really learned. How to be the visionary and I’m the owner and not be so much the operator and the implementers. So I really like being able to nurture my team and do that and help others. Invest in open doors for them and stuff, so just trying to enjoy life work hard, play harder, you know travel.

Pamela Bardhi
Now the world’s got to know. Where to find you April?

April Reed
Go to I Am April Reed, that’s probably the easiest thing go to iamaprilreed.com. I am April Reedd on Instagram. You can find me on LinkedIn. Yeah, April Bernal Reed, you might find me or April. I am April Reed is probably the easiest way.

Pamela Bardhi
I love it so much. You’re such a rockstar in every respect. I’m so honored to have you here today. Thank you so much, April.