Today we’d like to introduce you to April Butler.
Hi April, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey has been shaped by purpose, resilience, and legacy. I didn’t start out with a single plan, I started with a calling to serve, create, and lead in spaces that truly impact families and communities.
I began my professional path working in early childhood education and nonprofit programs, where I spent more than a decade supporting children, parents, and underserved communities. Those experiences grounded me in the importance of structure, compassion, and leadership, especially in environments that shape lives at the earliest stages. Over time, I grew into leadership roles, managing programs, staff, compliance, and community partnerships, while also pursuing higher education to strengthen my impact.
In 2017, my life shifted profoundly when I lost my father to leukemia. He was a pillar in our family and community, and his passing inspired me to turn grief into purpose. That’s when I founded The Strozier Community & Family Foundation, named in his honor. The foundation focuses on fatherhood, youth empowerment, mental health, and community engagement, work that reflects his values and the legacy I want my children to inherit.
At the same time, I was raising my children and building multiple entrepreneurial ventures, including managing and operating an event center, consulting in early childhood systems, and later stepping into executive leadership overseeing multiple education centers. Motherhood has been my greatest teacher, it taught me time management, emotional intelligence, and how to lead with both strength and empathy.
As my journey evolved, I began sharing my experiences through social media content, speaking openly about leadership, healing, entrepreneurship, faith, balance, and generational wealth. What started as transparency became influence. My content is rooted in authenticity, and I’m intentional about using my platform to encourage others to build legacy, heal forward, and lead boldly, especially women and parents navigating multiple roles.
Today, I stand at the intersection of entrepreneurship, author, nonprofit leadership, motherhood, and influence, continuing to grow businesses, expand community programs, and pursue my doctoral studies, all while staying anchored in the purpose that started it all: creating impact that outlives me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road, and I believe that’s where the real growth happened.
One of the most challenging seasons of my life came in 2017. In the span of just a few months, I lost my father to leukemia and finalized a divorce. Grief and transition didn’t arrive separately, they collided. I was forced to navigate profound personal loss while still showing up as a mother, a leader, and a woman determined not to let hardship define her future.
During that time, I learned how to lead while healing. There were no pauses on responsibility, children still needed stability, work still required excellence, and vision still demanded movement. That season reshaped my understanding of strength and deeply influenced my voice as an author. Writing became a space for clarity, reflection, and reclaiming my identity, not just as a survivor, but as a builder.
Professionally, I’ve also faced the realities of leadership in systems not always designed for women, especially women of color, to lead with both authority and emotional intelligence. I experienced moments of being underestimated, navigating resistance, and having to consistently prove credibility despite experience and results. Those challenges tested my confidence but ultimately sharpened my leadership and boundaries.
Entrepreneurship brought its own obstacles, financial risk, long hours, and uncertainty, often requiring me to invest in vision before resources were visible. Balancing that with single motherhood meant releasing perfection and embracing presence, resilience, and adaptability.
As a content creator and author, vulnerability was another hurdle. Learning how to share my story publicly, without oversharing or shrinking, required discernment. But through that process, my voice became more intentional, my message clearer, and my impact deeper.
None of these struggles stopped me, but they refined me. Each challenge added depth to my leadership, weight to my writing, and purpose to the legacy I’m building.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work lives at the intersection of leadership, legacy, and community impact. I am an entrepreneur, nonprofit founder, author, and executive leader specializing in early childhood education systems, nonprofit development, and community-centered leadership. At the core of everything I do is the belief that strong families and emotionally healthy leaders create sustainable communities.
Professionally, I lead and support organizations that serve children and families, overseeing operations, compliance, staff development, and program quality in early childhood education. Through my nonprofit, The Strozier Community & Family Foundation, I design and lead initiatives centered on community, fatherhood, youth empowerment, mental health awareness, and workforce development. Each program is intentionally built to meet people where they are while equipping them for long-term success.
As an author, my work focuses on healing, identity, leadership, and breaking generational cycles. Writing allows me to tell the truth about growth, especially the kind that happens after loss, transition, and reinvention. My books and content are rooted in lived experience, emotional intelligence, and the belief that clarity and boundaries are acts of self-respect.
I’m also known for using digital platforms to lead with authenticity. As a content creator, I share real conversations about entrepreneurship, motherhood, faith, healing, and building legacy. My audience connects with me because I don’t just talk about success, I talk about the process, the discipline, and the emotional work required to sustain it.
What I’m most proud of is building meaningful impact while raising my children and showing them what resilience, integrity, and purpose look like in action. I’m proud that my work creates both immediate support and generational change, that it doesn’t just serve communities, but empowers them.
What sets me apart is my ability to merge structure with heart. I bring systems, strategy, and accountability, but I also lead with empathy, emotional intelligence, and lived experience. I don’t separate leadership from healing or success from service, I believe they belong together. That integration is the foundation of my work and the legacy I’m intentionally building.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a blend of strength, creativity, and determination. My mother and stepfather raised me with tough love, they taught me how to hustle, stand on my own, and never shy away from responsibility. While that foundation gave me resilience, my childhood also came with moments of intensity. There were times when my parents were absent, and I was exposed to situations that required me to grow up quickly and remain in unheal child trauma. Those experiences didn’t harden me, they motivated me. They made me want more for my life and more for my future family.
Despite the challenges, I was joyful and expressive. I was always singing, dancing, laughing, and surrounded by a big family. Creativity was my outlet, and leadership came naturally. I loved teaching, organizing, and guiding others, even if that sometimes showed up as being a little “bossy.” Looking back, it wasn’t about control, it was about structure. I learned early that structure creates stability, especially when life feels unpredictable.
I was outgoing, well-liked, and deeply observant. I paid attention to people, emotions, and environments, which shaped my empathy and emotional intelligence. I often stepped into leadership roles in school, church, and group settings, not because I was seeking attention, but because I felt comfortable taking responsibility.
Those early years shaped everything I do today. The combination of creativity, toughness, and compassion became the foundation of my leadership style, my motherhood, my writing, and my work in the community. My childhood taught me that struggle doesn’t define you, how you respond to it does.
Pricing:
- Books (Author): Pricing varies by format (digital and print) and retailer. Signed copies and bulk orders for organizations, book clubs, or events are available upon request “Breaking the Narcissistic Bond”.
- Speaking Engagements & Panels: Fees vary based on audience size, location, and scope (keynotes, panels, workshops). Topics include leadership, emotional intelligence, motherhood, healing, nonprofit development, and legacy building.
- Workshops & Trainings: Custom workshops for organizations, schools, nonprofits, and community groups are available, with pricing based on duration, customization, and participant count.
- Consulting (Education & Nonprofit Systems): Consulting services are tailored to organizational needs, including program development, leadership coaching, compliance support, and strategic planning. Rates vary by project scope.
- Community Programs (Nonprofit): Many community-based programs offered through The Strozier Community & Family Foundation are free or low-cost to participants, supported by grants, partnerships, and donations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://a.co/d/65Nn41l
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mizzlovelaughlive
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/april.butler.982292
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/thestrozierfoundation
