April Richardson, Esq., DC Sweet Potato Cake | The Untold Stories of MBEs during COVID-19
About the Episode:
Women are changing the world of work, and they are doing it in a big way. Women of color have been making waves in the business world by breaking barriers and reaching success at every level. This is why black women need to take advantage of the opportunities surrounding them. By taking advantage of the resources and opportunities that come their way, they can be successful in any industry or job that they choose to pursue. This episode is graced by one of the admirable women of color, April Richardson.
April Richardson is the President & Co-founder of DC Sweet Potato Cake. April shares with us how her bakery had to pivot during the pandemic, how she and her staff have been coping, the new ventures she has underway, and how her bakery attracted contracts at Starbucks, safe ways, Wegmans, Nordstrom, and QVC.
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Here’s What You’ll Get In This Episode
[00:18] Episode intro and a quick bio of the quest
[06:07] April’s childhood journey and how she met with the host, Sharon
[12:14] How April started her lucrative business after law school in 2001
[16:36] The importance of accountability to people that pour out helpful solutions for survival
[17:40]The steps she took that helped her scale up quickly as a business owner
[22:33] How acquisitions are made in business
[22:58]The risks of working in different careers & how to have a proper plan in schedules
[28:28] The reality of the Covid pandemic and how she had to pivot
[35:56] April’s reasons for making acquisitions and becoming the owner of the bakery
[38:32] Giving a second chance to the previously incarcerated people through jobs
[40:09] Why April created culinary partnerships as a way to grow networks
[41:42] Her goal of elevating the visibility of women of color in the manufacturing space
[43:13] How and where to obtain April’s Sweet Potato Cake
[47:07] Position of April’s son in her career and business world
[48:56] Ending the show and call to action
Notable Quotes
- You are more than just one title!
- Profits will follow if there are stronger processes.
- Always be open to opportunities with a discerning mind.
- Business is a short life that you live under programs.
- It is good to focus on business rather than homes.
- A company’s success is having great products on time and extremely well-crafted relationships with people and companies.
- Business is about relationships and turning those relationships into revenue.
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