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Speech Transcript

Unknown Speaker  0:00  

Hey there this is April strength with driven outcome and if you really want to learn how to level up your life you should be listening to the time to shine today podcast with my friend Scott Ferguson

Unknown Speaker  0:10  

time to shine today varsity squad it is Scott Ferguson and we are at Episode 129. With my really good friend and kind of pretty much a neighbor here in South Florida April Sprint’s from driven outcomes. She is a military she is just a fantastic baller. She is all about serving and giving. She has a fantastic story from Miss Harper when she was a younger you have to you have to tune in sit back, get your notebooks out relax, because here comes my good friend April Sprint’s.

Unknown Speaker  0:54  

Time to shine today podcast squatted Scott Ferguson and it began many years ago. At the age of six, a boy in my class and I were working on a project during recess, he pointed out that my jeans were too short. My mom should buy me another pair flustered. I told him I only got jeans at the start of the school year, not in the spring and despite despite my explanation, he quickly stated Oh, you’re poor. That is from my good friend April Sprint’s about me story on her website driven outcomes and I am super stoked to bring you April. She has the company driven outcomes she started her career in the Air Force. So his fellow military over here what though the air for I’m kidding, I’m Navy. So we’re both there. And then specialize in sales operations and marketing supporting fortune 500 clients, April generated over 1 billion that’s billion with a B peeps and combined additional revenue for clients based on the principles of the generosity culture, and so April, I am again at Use the word soak a lot. I’m sorry. You’re here to help us level up. So I want you to come on and introduce yourself to our time to shine today squad but first, what emoji Do you use the most when you’re taxed?

Unknown Speaker  2:11  

Probably the laughing crying emoji

Unknown Speaker  2:13  

laughing crying kind of the tilted side are straight up.

Unknown Speaker  2:17  

Straight up.

Unknown Speaker  2:19  

I love it. What’s your favorite color?

Unknown Speaker  2:21  

favorite colors? Pink?

Unknown Speaker  2:22  

Pink? Why?

Unknown Speaker  2:24  

I know like the strong pink like a hot pink. Behind me there that

Unknown Speaker  2:29  

gotcha.

Unknown Speaker  2:30  

I call it driven outcomes pink because it’s part of my company.

Unknown Speaker  2:34  

Jake, look at your website and everything. It kind of fits your branding is beautiful. It’s fantastic. So, you know, like, folks, if you’re watching on YouTube, you have a beautiful woman you can she’s very successful. It’s hard to believe that she had to go through what she had. She was a child with the floods that we used to call them with the short pants we used to call you waiting on a flood. So give us the origins if you don’t mind, April of kind of where you started and how you came up. Driven outcomes in the generosity culture.

Unknown Speaker  3:02  

Sure. So I grew up very humble background, single mother, substance abuse problems, didn’t graduate high school, that kind of thing. And that story that I tell I didn’t know I was poor until that very intelligent little boy told me. And he took me through a list of things that said, that’s what it was. And in that moment, there was just this deep desire, like, I don’t want to be poor, I want to be something totally different than that. And so from a very young age, I was constantly plotting and what what kind of job do I want? And I would ask different adults, how much money do you make, not make a way to do like, How much money do you make doing this to see if this was the kind of thing I wanted to do? And I mentioned the substance abuse issues with my mom, we were actually exceedingly fortunate. She worked at a factory where the head of Human Resources actually gave her the option. Look, you know, you’ve self identified as having alcohol problem. We will pay for you to go to rehab You’re going to lose your job. And she came door woman told us that. And she was actually the impetus for the generosity culture long before I knew what to call it. Because in this moment, there was this beautiful, statuesque, very successful woman in my home, who was more successful than anything I’ve ever seen. Most people in my family hadn’t even graduated high school. And here was this amazing woman. And in addition to offering my mom this second chance, she took an interest in me, and she said, April, you’re special and I want to be your friend. So she wrote me letters, she came to school function, she became like a second aunt or a second mother to me. And her investing in me, then changed my focus from how much money can I make to I want to be Sue Harper for someone else. I want to make that big of a difference in somebody’s life. So for the rest of growing up, it was okay and you To go to college, I need to be successful. I need to help people. And it all kept going with that theme of how can you give and help someone else? And how that ultimately always leads to amazing success.

Unknown Speaker  5:14  

Wow. That’s That’s amazing. So what was the aha moment that kind of got you started within the driven outcomes? And like, I’m just curious about that name. I understand Sue Harper kind of planted that. But what how did that name come about?

Unknown Speaker  5:29  

Well, so it’s interesting. So I decided to start my company I had been recruited to a very successful startup actually had a huge IPO yesterday in the financial world, and I was their top salesperson moving in shape and doing lots of great things. And I kept feeling like okay, there’s something more and one of the things I was known for in all the companies I worked with was making things happen. And in my head, I kept saying, you know, if I I’m always driving For results driving for things to happen, I’m like, because I care about the outcome. Right and name came to me before I had started my company. I was like, if I ever have a company, I’m gonna name it driven outcomes. And then the initials will be due. Because I like to do

Unknown Speaker  6:13  

I love it. Action. It’s fantastic. So I got to dig before we dig a little bit deeper. I want to go back to that childhood. Tell me the the rock story. Yeah, tell me where that came in how you pulled that forward into where you’re at now to make it make sense if you are under if you’re under my story page folks at driven outcomes comm slash about. It’s a fantastic story to me. It kind of touched me because I have kind of a story like that myself. But this interview is about April and I want to hear about this rock story.

Unknown Speaker  6:47  

Sure. So same thing that you started with that little boy told me that I was poor. And when I realized that that was was the case I thought, you know, I’ve got to handle this. And in my little six year old mind, I thought My mom knew how to handle this, we wouldn’t be poor. So I’m not even going to consult her. And she worked nights from seven years old with me. And I was like, Okay, I got to make something, I’m going to sell something. Let’s start a business. And like I said, lived in a little two room house, like there wasn’t a lot. So we had gravel in the driveway, and I had markers. And I was like, here’s what we’re going to do. I need your help. We’re going to color these markers blue, or these these rocks, blue with the markers. And we’re going to we’re going to make a magic because if someone has this rock, and they believe in themselves, they can do anything. And then I’m some school tomorrow. So I did and I went to school the next day, and it’s funny thing is my hands were blue. Like I didn’t do a great job, right? Because I was holding on. I’ve got a little like grocery store bag full of these rocks. I go to school, and I’m telling the kids, hey, I have these magic rocks. If you have them and you hold them and believe in yourself, you can do anything. And there I priced them at a quarter, which was a little bit of a mess. And the reason I chose a quarter was four quarters made $1 I felt like I could get rich quick Quickly, right like it added up very fast. But at the time school lunch was 80 cents. So what kids had leftover after lunch was just 20 cents, which had I priced it that way this business could have lasted for a while. Right? I get it. I put it at a quarter and I sold them before lunch.

Unknown Speaker  8:19  

You put that market placement there at the right time there. There you go in that, but how many? How many kids? Did you make go hungry?

Unknown Speaker  8:25  

Well, so Okay. That’s actually how the business got shut down. So an unbelievable amount of kids who charged their lunch that day, which you know, they’d allow you if you forgot your lunch.

Unknown Speaker  8:36  

That’s right. Yeah. No.

Unknown Speaker  8:38  

So many because it was a classroom of like, 24 kids, and I think like 20 of them charged their lunch. And so one lady told the teacher and she’s like, what happened and all the kids were like, we had to get a wrong.

Unknown Speaker  8:51  

Okay,

Unknown Speaker  8:52  

so I got found out they told my mom sat me down and we’re like school is to learn about business not to start a business. Like, I was like, the only thing I did wrong was price it where people found out like, I’m gonna make another

Unknown Speaker  9:07  

have gone from there.

Unknown Speaker  9:08  

That’s all.

Unknown Speaker  9:11  

Me I didn’t know how to do what I was setting out to do, but I knew what my goal was and I knew I could make it happen. And that has continued throughout my entire life.

Unknown Speaker  9:21  

And that’s planted at six years old. That’s amazing that you had were with all at six years old to do. Was that after the SU Harper visit, or is that

Unknown Speaker  9:30  

yeah, it was about three years before I met.

Unknown Speaker  9:32  

Wow. Okay. And so you still had that plan. That’s fantastic. I just wanted to hear it, you know, cuz I’ve read it and it’s just like, I got to hear this. So if I’m out networking, and pressing flash, which we’re starting to be able to do that a little bit, folks, by the time you hear this, hopefully we’ll be a little bit further out of the pandemic. But if I’m out networking, what kind of things are people saying to me, that would make them a good prospect referral or connection for APR.

Unknown Speaker  9:56  

So basically, folks who To understand that the greatest way to become successful is by helping other people become successful, and who really want to grow and want to succeed in their business, I tend to play in the small to medium business market. And I can play in the fortune 500 market. And I’ve definitely done some help there. But I find that you can make a huge revenue impact, but it’s still a revenue, it’s still like a rounding error for them. It’s not as impactful. So what I love to do is in those small to medium sized businesses really help change the culture, and what the experience is like for the employees, the clients and the community. And those folks who understand the value of that are really open and add a place where I can help them exponentially.

Unknown Speaker  10:49  

Love it. And what do you think makes a great coach though?

Unknown Speaker  10:53  

I think that depends on the person. It’s a good fit for where that person is. And I think it’s really important that anyone who’s doing any kind of work with other folks can meet those folks where they are. And they can help them from the point that they’re at, get to that next point. And also recognize when maybe you’re not the best fit for someone that someone else could help them better than you could. It’s why I know lots of people in my industry, lots of consultants, lots of folks that work with companies, I call it coopertition. Sometimes I’m not the best person for you, but I know someone is and I’ll be happy to hook you up with them.

Unknown Speaker  11:29  

Right god I love that. So if you’re not the right horse for the course, that’s you can put them with the right person. That’s what we do actually have time to shine today. So I wanted to have you on so I have someone to send people tips that will fit your business profile. So if you’re bringing in a new prospect or kind of maybe even in discovery process, what is some of the secret sauce driven outcomes that you have to help them find their blind spots?

Unknown Speaker  11:59  

So I think part of the way that I’m able to help folks is I see things in a different way part of that, because I have worked in so many different industries, that sometimes the insights that I have for someone that seemed brilliant, aren’t necessarily brilliant. They’re just the way another business goes to market. And since I’m industry, agnostic, and I work with anyone from a trucking company to an interior design company, it doesn’t matter manufacturing, I can see things that are maybe commonplace in another industry that could really help this business. And it’s, it seems like a revolutionary idea, because it’s not the way that they normally do things. And one of the things that I do in my business, I think, very important is that ability to give back. So I do a three call process with anyone who’s interested in it. It’s completely complimentary. No sales pitch, none of that. Because what I find is a lot of times, I can give people a roadmap on that three call process and they’re good, they don’t need to hire anyone. They have the insight they need and then they go To be successful. And I think that’s important because everybody’s at a different place from a financial perspective. And maybe you’re not at a place where they can invest, but I can still help them move forward.

Unknown Speaker  13:10  

I love it. I love it. So when you’re bringing people in, and you are kind of going through your three part kind of discovery process, what you’re talking about, is there any good questions that you wish they would ask you, but never do?

Unknown Speaker  13:27  

How can I improve my mindset?

Unknown Speaker  13:30  

Because I would tell you 80% of the work that I do with everyone is about mindset for the business for the individuals for the leaders, and then the other 20% is business specific, and people usually think it’s the inverse. But I will tell you that personally, there’s nothing that has impacted my life in my business more than the work that I’ve done on mindset. Absolutely. The same for my clients.

Unknown Speaker  13:56  

Beautiful. I love that answer. Fantastic. Usually people kind of stumble on that one. But you were like, Oh, that’s awesome. So let’s get in our I don’t know your agent. I don’t want to know it, but you know who Marty McFly is? Of course. Okay.

Unknown Speaker  14:09  

Three, two. I have no shame.

Unknown Speaker  14:11  

Wow, look at that. Okay, peeps. Awesome. So Marty McFly. It’s getting the DeLorean with Marty. Let’s go back to the 22 year old. So okay, two times two decades behind you right now. What kind of knowledge nuggets are you dropping on her with the wisdom you have experienced you have now to help her level up and maybe shorten their learning curve just a little bit

Unknown Speaker  14:32  

for number one APR hunting. It is not a race. It is not a race. There is no finish line. And the only person that you want to be better than tomorrow is you today. Well, those are the two because I was always so competitive and in such a hurry to do I don’t know what but I was in a hurry. And I think that if I could tell anyone and I actually think are younger Generations now get it a little better than we did that the process is is really beautiful and fun. Sure, and you’re gonna look back and say I wish I’d paid more attention before I hit that first seven figure deal before I was you know, in the whatever it was that I thought I was

Unknown Speaker  15:17  

mindful, enjoy that journey. Right?

Unknown Speaker  15:20  

Special. Yeah, love that.

Unknown Speaker  15:22  

I love it. So then we talked a lot about the dash here and time to shine today. It’s that little thing that’s in between your life date and your expiration date. Okay, so how do you want your dash remember what kind of legacy statement or what kind of maybe epitaph Do you want for April?

Unknown Speaker  15:43  

That Wow, man, that’s a good one. I love that. So, like, Here lies April, that kind of thing?

Unknown Speaker  15:51  

Well, I think, honestly, we cook out in life in your journey. You’re living your legacy right now, but I’m just kind of wondering what you want people to to like make

Unknown Speaker  16:01  

everything better than she found it.

Unknown Speaker  16:03  

Yes, you

Unknown Speaker  16:05  

love it, love it love it love it

Unknown Speaker  16:08  

everything better than she found it.

Unknown Speaker  16:10  

So, what are three things that April cannot live without? And when I say things I mean it could be person places or things now. So what are three things that people can’t live without three

Unknown Speaker  16:20  

things they can’t live without number one cowboy the shitzu. Good. Old He is my rider die number two sunshine because I am super motivated by sunshine. And number three a goal because I’m always working towards something

Unknown Speaker  16:38  

good love that in squad without full disclosure like April’s literally a neighbor. We’ve never met each other anything like literally I was just on to the summit in Australia, you know, an hour before April and then I get when I get to interview people here in South Florida where we live in our vert my version of Paradise and we get sunshine all the time. A little hot now but it’s better than snow. I’ll tell you that being from Detroit. So April What’s one thing you know for sure.

Unknown Speaker  17:03  

One thing I know for sure that all the success you want comes from helping other people be successful that

Unknown Speaker  17:09  

you sounds like you give till it hurts. You know, it sounds like you are good in a good way. Let me finish there. It’s in a good way. I love it. I love it. So, April, what’s your definition of a life well lived

Unknown Speaker  17:23  

someone who was truly happy and who made an impact on others.

Unknown Speaker  17:28  

Well, gotcha.

Unknown Speaker  17:31  

So I’m curious so you come from a place of lack growing up so did I okay, but like, when do you think it really hit this giving because the first thing you did at six years old you were still living kind of in a place of lack monetarily. There might have been love in the house but a place of lack monetarily. So what was the switch because you’re talking a lot about go giving you know like Berg says, you know, that switch start into being a go giver from because first thing you did was win. Want to make money? At the time you do that for you? Pure. There’s nothing wrong with making money for yourself. But when did that switch to really helping others and wanting that legacy that you left the place better because of how you gave came from.

Unknown Speaker  18:12  

So some of that happened. Like I said, At nine years old with what Sue Harper did for me. Some of it was for all the things that my mom had his challenges she always used to say, you will never go without because you gave to someone else. And I believed that and I saw that work in my own life. And as a kid when I wanted all this money, and people would say, Well, how rich Do you want to be April because I would talk about it and I would say I want money until money doesn’t matter. Until I can help anybody I want to help. An emergency becomes an inconvenience. That’s what I want. And what I found was that happens way earlier in your financial road than you think. Right so it made it easy for giving to be a focus from a variable Neat.

Unknown Speaker  19:01  

That’s beautiful. You know, I should have caught that with Sue Harper. They’re really planting that seed about how she stepped in and helped you when she didn’t have to. She was just there. Somebody could have called when in their school that your mother walked out, got in their car and drove away. But she took the time. So yeah,

Unknown Speaker  19:15  

we’re still close. That’s all it was almost 90 and we are so close. And what is so interesting, I did an interview with her. And I asked her I said, Wow, what made you do this amazing thing. And the thing that was so beautiful to me and so precious and tells me about how we impact others without even knowing was. She said, April, I offered that to everyone that I interacted with. You just took me up on it.

Unknown Speaker  19:39  

That’s beautiful for her it was just a Tuesday.

Unknown Speaker  19:43  

Right? I love that. I love it. So as we wind things down a little bit, we can have our little leveling up lightning round, and we got five or six questions you and I could talk for 1520 minutes on each one of these, but we my producers flashing five, five Five seconds, they all can be answered like that. So the first thing that comes to your head, your mind, let’s answer you ready? Got it. What’s the best leveling up advice you’ve ever received?

Unknown Speaker  20:11  

Spend the first 30 seconds of your day being grateful and focusing on all the things that are amazing.

Unknown Speaker  20:17  

Love it, love that share one of your personal habits that contributes to your success

Unknown Speaker  20:23  

without spending that first wake up focus.

Unknown Speaker  20:28  

So not the book you’re reading now not the flavor of the month mean that one book that if I was in the doldrums and you said Scott, read this, this is this will help you level up.

Unknown Speaker  20:39  

Oh, hundred percent go give her

Unknown Speaker  20:42  

up. There you go. We met right. Beautiful, beautiful. So physically, what age would you be if you could stay that way for the rest of your life?

Unknown Speaker  20:53  

Oh, I would see 42 because I feel like

Unknown Speaker  20:57  

when you reach 50 I’ll take 42 and a I always say between 38 and 41 That’s like my that’s my sweet spot. Okay, so your favorite charity and organization you’d like to give your time and or money to.

Unknown Speaker  21:09  

So there’s a charity in South Florida called handy that helps disadvantaged youth. It is my heart.

Unknown Speaker  21:16  

Wow, that’s beautiful. And last question, it’s a little bit harder. What is the best decade of music? 6070s 80s or 90s

Unknown Speaker  21:24  

Oh gosh, I’m gonna go with

Unknown Speaker  21:29  

who?

Unknown Speaker  21:30  

I’m gonna go with 90s because that’s when I was radio DJ. And I know all that music and really appreciate it.

Unknown Speaker  21:38  

No, that’s that’s a great decade I come up from the big hair don’t care 80s you know, but we rolled into the grunge 90s and the hip hop’s and stuff like that so I can jam with both of those. Alright, so how can we find you April

Unknown Speaker  21:52  

it’s actually easy. I have a hard to say last name, but I am the only April sprints in the United States so you can find me on LinkedIn and follow me. I put A lot of content there, my website is driven outcomes calm there are a lot of free resources that can help our business on the site.

Unknown Speaker  22:07  

Awesome in every all those will be in the show notes, folks. And just we had a basically a free masterclass with my friend, April, who really believes that the best way to success and become successful is to helping people. If you’re a small to medium sized business, even if you’re a bigger business, she’s fantastic resource. If you’re small to medium size, she loves that. That’s kind of a sweet spot. And when you meet, how can I want to say this, make sure when you’re working with a coach, you ask them how they can help you improve their mindset. And if you are a coach, she reminds you that if it’s not your sweet spot of what you’re working with somebody refer that out and I have a lot of coaches that listen to this show. So make sure you take that advice because that’s one thing that I was given at a young age to where I just really work with real estate agents and help them level up so I don’t try to do without Can’t do but APR is kind of industry agnostic she kind of crosses all the paths. So she will be able to help out really industry, any industry that’s out there and you will never go broke serving others that kind of stood out to me which is you know, it’s fantastic and nothing thing that should remind you of is that you want to make money money’s not a bad thing, make money and so you don’t have to worry about money so you can really help people. A lot of people think that’s selfish, but it’s not you’re really it’s kind of like the airplane when they tell you to put on that mask first. Before you give it to help somebody else make that money so you can help others level up and make that money in the best of all be a Sue Harper everybody offer up your help to help them level up they’re not always going to accept it like my friend April did, but still offer it up be that go give her give till it hurts in a good way and April just gave us again a masterclass she levels Health levels up her wealth. She’s humble yet hungry. She’s just fantastic. You’re part of our squad now you can’t go anywhere. So thanks so much for coming on April.

Unknown Speaker  24:09  

Thanks so much for having me. Absolutely.

Unknown Speaker  24:11  

Hey, thanks so much for listening to this episode of time to shine today podcast. Proudly brought to you by Southern Nugent real estate real estate excellence who can be reached at 561-249-7266 and online at www dot Sutter in nugent.com. If you’re a business owner or professional who would like to be interviewed on top to shine today, please visit time to shine today.com slash guest. If you like this episode, please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, I Heart Radio or wherever you get your podcast. There’s a link in the show notes to our website. Also there you will see a recommended resources. We hope that you will support our show by supporting them. If you like what you’ve been listening to, it’d be great if you could just give us a five star rating and tell your friends how to subscribe while you’re at it. I’m your host Scott Ferguson. And until next time, let’s level up. It’s our time to shine.

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