We had the good fortune of connecting with April Diaz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi April, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
One of the biggest deterrents to taking a leap of faith is asking “Am I ready?” You’ll never be ready to do what’s necessary for your next transformation journey. The better question to ask yourself is, “Am I committed?” Commitment supersedes readiness. The very nature of risk-taking implies that you’re not ready. You can be prepared, informed, and supported, but rarely will we be ready for the kinds of risks we need to take.

In my 20s I had a boss ask me, “Where’s your edge?” She could see that I wasn’t taking the risks I needed to grow as a leader. She could see my risk-aversion because it was so tightly linked to failure and vulnerability for me. But I’m guessing that she also knew the only way to become your whole self is to take risks.

Over the last 20 years of my life and leadership, that question comes to mind anytime I start to play it safe. Taking the risk to quit a job, start a business, hire a team and so many other choices have been prompted by challenging my edget and making the commitment to go for it, even if I don’t feel ready.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Ezer + Co. is a coaching company all about activating women to live and lead with wholeness in full partnership with men. There are several distinctives of our coaching: 1) We focus on your whole self, not specific skills or areas of your life because you were designed an integrated human being. 2) We focus on coaching groups, not 1:1 because transformation happens better together. 3) We created a universal yet customized pathway for your wholeness journey. 4) We practice the developmental science of coaching not an “expertise” or “advice-based” approach to reactive coaching.

While Ezer + Co. is only four years old, I’m super proud that we’ve survived a global pandemic that has disproportionately impacted women, especially WOC. We not only survived, but we are thriving. We are among the top 10% revenue of women-owned businesses nationally. The last couple years during Covid were profoundly challenging personally and as a business owner, but we have build a strong foundation, system, offer, and team to be able to scale quickly and serve even more women.

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve had to learn over and over again is that the most important person I lead is myself. The best investment I can make is in myself. The degree to which I hold myself accountable for my mindset, behaviors, and habits have a direct impact on my company.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting, honestly, we’d probably spend most of the weekend in our PJs on the couch or laying by our neighborhood pool. We wouldn’t be bothered by going out. But if we felt adventurous, we’d go to Newport and Laguna Beach. I can’t share all my favorite little spots, but there would be wine at McClain Cellars, tacos and margaritas at Javiers, a stroll through the Montage Beach resort, and poke at Bear Flag. We’d probably take a hike at Top of the World in Laguna and grab an acai bowl afterward.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Dr. Jack Groppel was the first coach I ever had. As a pioneer in the coaching and human performance world, I had no idea what a gift my 25 year old self was given. He helped me shift the trajectory of my life and leadership so I could not only perform at my highest level but also recover well. There’s NO doubt that I’d be in a very different place if it weren’t for Jack’s influence on me. Being coached by him nearly 20 years ago planted the seed for me to be doing what I’m doing today. For all of that, I’m profoundly grateful.

Website: www.ezerandco.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ezerandco/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ezer-and-co/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ezerandco

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