We were lucky to catch up with April Watkins recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi April, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
I came up with the idea of doing paid virtual sessions where individuals would join via Zoom or Teams call and I would discuss different topics each session. These individuals would learn about improving financial health and credit as well as walk away with great content (PPT, PDF, Excel Documents). However, I made the decision to upload these sessions on YouTube where ANYONE can watch these videos free of charge. I’m taking the risk of not receiving payment upfront but it’ll benefit me long term if I get enough Youtube likes and subscribers.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is April and I started credit and financial assistance/advising late 2017. I hold three degrees, including my Masters, majoring in business, a certificate in small business, and a certificate in business communications. I am a member of the National Society of Leadership & Success: Sigma Alpha Phi.
I began monitoring and balancing my own assets and liabilities at the age of 15, which is when I started my first job. This all initiated because I wanted to have a Sweet 16 birthday party, but my mother said she did not want to be 100% financially responsible. So, I developed a bi-weekly plan setting aside $100 from each paycheck until I saved enough money. I liked the way it felt being financially responsible at such a young age and being able to pay for something I wanted on my own. I did the same thing when I wanted to move out my mother’s house at 18. I set aside a specific amount of money each paycheck until I saved enough money for my security deposit, three month’s worth of rent, furniture, and appliances.
I’ve continued utilizing my budgeting plan throughout my teenage years and now throughout my adulthood. Since the age of 15, I’ve been financially stable and as an adult I’ve also maintained exceptional credit.
Great credit and being financially stable are extremely important. Sometimes we don’t realize how important they are until we’re ready to finance a car, buy a home, or simply saving money for a dream vacation.
April-Ajlal Financial and Credit Assistance is here to assist, as well as advise, when it comes to making the best financial decisions and enhancing your credit. I started my credit and financial services late 2017 after realizing that helping people become financially stable and improve their credit is my passion.
Receiving assistance with your finances and credit should not cost you an arm and a leg and by utilizing my services, IT WON’T! I assist with both finances and credit. There is a $70 non-refundable consultation fee. I will review all necessary information and discuss the ‘next steps’ process with you. The $70 will be deducted from the total cost if you decide to move forward with receiving service/assistance. I also honor a 60-day grace period from the date the $70 is paid; giving clients time to decide which, if not all or any, services they wish to receive. There are absolutely NO recurring monthly fees! Assistance/Services will resume when total balance is paid in full.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I created my IG business page https://instagram.com/aprilfinancialhelp?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= to get my name out there. I already gained clientele through “word of mouth,” but Instagram and Facebook definitely helped me reach a broader audience.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to understand that I shouldn’t be bothered by the fact that some people are not serious about improving their financial health and credit. It used to frustrate me that people would seek assistance, pay a consultation fee, but not move forward/continue with their journey to becoming financially stable and improving their credit rating.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://aprilfinancialhelp.wixsite.com/april-ajlal
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/aprilfinancialhelp?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Other: YouTube channel COMING SOON!