Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. April Willis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dr. April, appreciate you joining us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I wasn’t nervous when I started April Willis Consulting, I was excited. I knew I was ready, and I knew I had something valuable to offer.

Before launching my business, I served as the Director of Business Operations for a school district. I had already been doing this work at a high level: strategy, operations, systems, problem-solving, just for one organization. Starting my firm was about doing that same work for multiple clients who needed it.

To get the word out, I placed my first ad in the Junior League of Austin’s magazine. It was a simple but intentional move. I wanted to put a flag in the ground and say, “This is real.”

Donna Raskin, the founder of Austin Kids Can!, saw the ad. We knew each other through the Junior League, but she didn’t know I had launched a consulting practice. She reached out to learn more and to ask a few questions about her new nonprofit.

We met for lunch, talked through her vision and challenges, and the conversation naturally turned into how I could help. That meeting ended with her signing my very first contract.

That first dollar felt meaningful, not because it was a surprise, but because it confirmed what I already knew: the work I had been doing successfully in a full-time leadership role could translate into real impact for multiple organizations. Austin Kids Can! became not only my first client, but my longest-standing one, and we’re still working together today.

That first contract didn’t just launch my business. It set the tone for everything that followed.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m April Willis—an operator at heart, a strategist by training, and someone who genuinely loves helping organizations work better, grow smarter, and create real impact.

My path into consulting wasn’t accidental. Before launching April Willis Consulting, I served as the Director of Business Operations for a public school district. In that role, I sat at the intersection of strategy, compliance, people, budgets, and execution. I wasn’t just advising—I was responsible for making things work. That experience shaped how I approach everything I do today: practical, outcomes-focused, and grounded in the realities leaders actually face.

When I started my firm, I wasn’t trying to reinvent myself—I was scaling what I already knew how to do well. April Willis Consulting supports nonprofits, education organizations, and mission-driven businesses with strategy, operations, grant development, communications, and capacity building. My work often includes helping organizations clarify their direction, strengthen their internal systems, secure funding, tell their story effectively, and move from ideas to execution.

Clients come to me when things feel complex, overwhelming, or stuck. Maybe they’re growing quickly and their systems haven’t caught up. Maybe they have a powerful mission but struggle to articulate it to funders or stakeholders. Maybe they’re doing great work but lack the structure, data, or strategy to sustain it. I help bring clarity, structure, and momentum—without losing sight of the human side of the work.

What sets me apart is that I don’t just “advise from the sidelines.” I bring an operator’s mindset. I understand budgets, compliance, boards, staff dynamics, and the pressure of being accountable for results. I’m equally comfortable in the weeds and at the big-picture level, and I tailor my approach to each client rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions.

I’m most proud of the long-term relationships I’ve built. Many of my first clients are still working with me years later, which I believe speaks volumes about trust, consistency, and impact. I’m also proud of the tangible outcomes my clients achieve—millions of dollars secured in grant funding, stronger organizations, clearer strategies, and leaders who feel more confident and supported in their roles.

At its core, my brand is about partnership. I don’t see myself as a vendor; I see myself as a thought partner and problem-solver who is deeply invested in my clients’ success. If there’s one thing I want people to know about me and my work, it’s this: I bring both heart and rigor. I care deeply about the mission—and I make sure the work stands up strategically, operationally, and financially.

That balance is what drives everything I do.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

More than ten years ago, while working as a hiring manager, I kept running into the same frustrating problem. I was meeting talented, capable people who were clearly qualified for the roles—but their resumes weren’t telling their story. As someone responsible for hiring, I couldn’t ethically provide resume help to people applying for jobs I was managing, but I also couldn’t ignore how many opportunities were being lost simply because candidates didn’t know how to translate their experience onto paper.

So I started a side hustle writing resumes.

From the beginning, it wasn’t about maximizing profit—it was about access. I created a name-your-price resume writing service because I wanted people to have a fair shot at jobs they were already qualified for, regardless of their economic situation. That model allowed me to help students, career changers, laid-off workers, and professionals at every level without cost being a barrier.

Word spread quickly. One resume turned into five, then ten, then referrals. Over time, resume writing expanded into interview prep, career strategy, and broader consulting work. Eventually, the demand became consistent enough that it was clear this wasn’t just a side project—it was the foundation of something much bigger.

One of the biggest milestones was realizing I had built a service people returned to. To date, I’ve written more than 1,100 resumes and continue to update and refine them as clients grow in their careers. Many of those early resume clients later became consulting clients, nonprofit leaders, executives, and founders themselves.

What began as a way to solve a very specific problem—helping qualified people be seen—scaled into a full consulting practice rooted in strategy, operations, and impact. The through-line has always been the same: leveling the playing field, removing unnecessary barriers, and helping people and organizations show up at their best.

That side hustle didn’t just turn into a business. It became the blueprint for how I approach my work today.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Despite current trends that push constant collaboration and open workspaces, I intentionally built my business around silos. My team members don’t work together, meet each other, or overlap on projects. That structure is by design. Each person on my team is a subject-matter expert in their field—HR, PR, grant writing, content creation, web development, and more. When a project comes in, I evaluate who is best suited to lead it, assign ownership, and that person runs the project start to finish.

There’s no committee decision-making, no diffusion of responsibility, and no waiting for consensus. Each team member knows they were chosen because they are the best person for the job, and they have full autonomy to execute it—aside from my final review before anything goes back to the client. That level of trust is incredibly empowering. It eliminates blame-shifting, prevents dropped balls, and keeps work moving forward efficiently and confidently.

High morale also comes from being genuinely valued as a human, not just a contributor. I encourage open communication when someone is dealing with real life—whether that’s family challenges, grad school exams, or personal stress. I’d rather adjust expectations temporarily than burn out good people.

I also believe appreciation should be tangible. I celebrate birthdays, provide holiday bonuses, and offer regular raises or promotions to retain strong talent. When people feel trusted, respected, and rewarded fairly, they do their best work—and they stay.

For me, managing a team isn’t about managing personalities or constant collaboration. It’s about putting the right people in the right roles, getting out of their way, and showing them—consistently—that their work and well-being matter.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aprilwillisconsulting.com/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/dr.aprilwillis
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/draprilwillis
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/draprilwillis/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjOZ8-ZRkj9J04W_zKfqQFw
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