We recently connected with April Hiatt and have shared our conversation below.

April, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I was feeling isolated in my current business, so I created a new one to fix that.

For nine years, I owned and ran a website design business. And I loved it… until I started to feel alone.

After my kids all grew up and moved out, I started feeling like I needed something more in my life, I needed connections. I needed business friends.

But not just any connections, I wanted connections with other women business owners who understood what I was feeling and the struggles I was having growing my business, and who understood all the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

I started having some new ideas and I looked for groups that I could share those ideas with and then get genuine feedback from.

But I couldn’t find what I was looking for… everyone just wanted to sell me something.

I wanted a true mastermind group of like-minded women business owners who I could share ideas with and get other perspectives from. Women who would be willing to share their knowledge with me, and in turn I could share my 9 years of knowledge with them.

I didn’t need a business coach. I really just needed connection, collaboration partners, and women who “got it” and who could offer differing perspectives, help, advice, and suggestions from their experience and expertise.

I started looking for what I wanted. And I found bits and pieces in various places, but not exactly what I was looking for or needed.

When I couldn’t find it, I decided to create it–and WISE WOMEN Masterminds was born!

I decided to “just put it out there” and see if other women wanted this too.

So I created a Google doc with all the information (I was a website designer, and didn’t even make a website! I wanted to see if my idea was a good one or not.)

I posted about the masterminds in various Facebook groups and sent out the Google doc to those interested.

And my masterminds filled up in less than a week!

A month later, I added 2 more, and then the next month added another one!

I found that others were also craving the same thing, and true women’s mastermind groups were needed! Not just by me, but by every woman owned business.

In the first six months of creating this business, I opened six mastermind groups, started a Facebook group that is very active, and hosted an in-person conference that wildly exceeded my expectations!

Other women were also craving connection and wanted the same things I did! It was incredibly validating.

After seven months of growth and new ideas, I decided to phase out my website business altogether and grow the WISE WOMEN business since I found it so much more fulfilling. I found that I could share my knowledge and expertise with other women and truly help them grow and scale their businesses. I also found that women were incredibly generous with their knowledge too, and we could build each other up.

One of the most important things I’ve learned so far in starting a new business, is to just GO FOR IT! If you have an idea and wait too long to implement it, you will talk yourself out of it.

I think one of the reasons WISE WOMEN has been so successful is because I moved fast. I had an idea, created a Google doc and sign up form (nothing fancy), and put it out there to the world with all my passion and enthusiasm.

People saw that, and wanted to be a part of it.

Then as I had new ideas, I jumped on them and the business grew and evolved.

I made sure I did the important things in the beginning–set up an LLC, set up a separate bank account, started growing an email list and following, and began creating a brand.

But I think the most important thing I did to go from idea to execution–was to not spend too much time trying to figure things out, but to just go for it, and let things change along the way. That’s the secret, you won’t know everything when you start, and you won’t even know all the questions to ask or scenarios you will come across, but you will learn as you go. As long as you are willing to make adjustments along the way, you can be successful!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the creator of WISE WOMEN Masterminds. I provide a space for women to be seen and heard, to grow their business, and to get new ideas from other women business owners.

WISE WOMEN is different from other businesses because we truly believe in “collaboration over competition” and that “when we help each other, we ALL succeed”. This doesn’t mean we work for free, but it means that when we can help someone else out with what we know, we do.

WISE WOMEN have entrepreneurial hearts of gold and truly want to see others succeed. They are successful in their own business, and part of that success comes from collaborating with others.

I’m also excited to be starting a new membership program within WISE WOMEN where I facilitate women connecting with each other (not your normal “networking”, but making real connections), learning from each other with expert workshops, offering expert panel discussions, and focused-masterminds. This will be in addition to the current mastermind groups.

The most important part of WISE WOMEN is the space to truly work with other women who you know want what’s best for you and your business and who genuinely want to see you succeed. I love seeing the women working together, collaborating, and sharing referrals. And what I love most–how positive it all is!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Hands down, the most effective strategy for growing my clientele is really getting to know people both through in-person and online events.

I am very active online, mainly on Facebook, and make sure that I am adding value and positive messages. I show my face so people know who I am, I share my hiking stories and things I learned that day. I tell stories, and I am authentic.

What’s the most interesting to me is that when I attend local events, people then recognize me and come talk to me. They tell me they have seen me on Facebook and ask about my life (or hiking adventures–I post about those a LOT!) They ask about WISE WOMEN and what’s coming next.

I let people come to me and I am genuinely interested in them as a person and their story. I don’t usually sell (I’m totally not “salesy”), but I let conversations move naturally to business. And if they don’t, that’s fine too.

I also attend online events and make sure I am consistent. Attending one time doesn’t seem to do much, but when I show up every week or every other week, people get to know me and I become familiar to them.

Showing up and being visible has been the most effective for me and fits my personality best.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I keep in touch with clients with email, Facebook Messenger, and the WISE WOMEN Facebook group. I foster loyalty by being interested in them, noticing what they are doing and commenting on it. I also shout out others, watch for new things they are doing and mention it, and helping women feel seen and heard.

Everyone wants to know that others notice them and appreciate them, so I make a point of doing that.

Since I am genuinely interested in people, this comes naturally for me. However, I do have to work at it and set aside time for it too, or I get bogged down in the day-to-day of my business. My philosophy is “relationships are the most important part of my business” so I want to make sure I foster those.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wisewomenconference.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wisewomenmastermind
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-hiatt/

Image Credits

Brit Bennion and Leslee Hiatt