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

Hi Dr. April J., we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I started my business, my goal was to leave my full-time job and be home to support my two young children. At that time, both of my boys were nonverbal and had experienced difficulties in attending private preschool programs. As an educator, I did not want my children to be traumatized because others struggled to understand their language delays. So, my children were my original ‘why’ for owning a business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Honestly, I am known as the pivot queen. I have shifted so much in business to discover my zone of genius. Yet, when I got out of my own way and realized that media coaching and speaking were my lanes, I started honing in and being more focused. Out of this process of self-discovery, I am most proud of creating my TV show, Own Your Ish with Doc April, on the Mogul TV Global Network.

I finally arrived at the place of media coaching after pitching to major outlets like the Washington Post, Forbes, and NBC News over a three year period. Was it easy? Absolutely not. I knew that other people were trying to have their voices heard and wanted their pitch to be accepted. I’ve always ensured that my pitches stand out from the crowd and written from a place of authenticity, which has landed me some great opportunities.

There have been times when I wasn’t selected. I would be hard on myself, asking what I did wrong. Once I got out of my “funk,” I started improving my 30-second story line and moved from there. It’s trial and error. Consistency is important.

Some of the main lessons I have learned in the media is that things won’t always happen when you want them to or how you envision them. I can tell you, for example, that I wanted to quit after Season One of my TV show. I literally had only ONE guest to sign up for the platform. It’s a paid opportunity since it’s my business. I was crushed but realized that if I wanted to create an opportunity for other individuals to share their stories, I had to bite the bullet and do it myself. It was challenging. However, it did open the door for me to come back for a second with amazing guests who were ready for the opportunity.

The greatest thing I want the world to know about my brand and story is that you can change the narrative one person at a time despite failing. We have all faced adversities throughout life that have shaken us to our cores. Yet if we are alive to see another day, are mark has not been left in this world. That’s what it’s all about for me. Leave nothing on the table.

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 were in town, we would definitely travel to DC and see the museums. We would go to a nice place to have massages, like the Red Door Spa. We’d get burgers at Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill and maybe do a little jazz in the evening at Blues Alley Club. There’s so many amazing things in the DMV area, especially shopping in Georgetown.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Truthfully, my children have been my reason for living and breathing everyday. Even when I wanted to give up on life, their sweet faces and just being have helped me stay focused to live another day.

Website: www.apriljlisbon.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/askdocapril

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/askdocapril

Twitter: www.twitter.com/askdocapril

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AskDrApril

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrvSmv_teqQFcLenPj-Kwhw

Other: www.tiktok.com/@askdocapril

Image Credits
Virgil Odell Lee Wilson

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