By: Zach Miller

Dr. April Willis, a fascinating personality in the fields of education and consulting, is the founder of April Willis Consulting (AWC). She created the agency in 2018 to provide consultation services for small businesses, non-profits, and start-ups. Dr. Willis has a Doctorate, three Master’s degrees, and vast experience at campus, district, and state levels. She combines academic excellence with hands-on expertise. She’s also the founder of the National Nonprofit Collaborative (NNC), which offers affordable strategic support to nonprofits. In this interview, Dr. Willis shares her journey, insights on strategic planning, and the future of AWC and NNC.

Dr. Willis, can you start by sharing a bit about your journey? What inspired you to establish April Willis Consulting (AWC) and later the National Nonprofit Collaborative (NNC)? 

I founded April Willis Consulting after recognizing an opportunity to scale my expertise and broaden my impact. At the time, I was serving as the Director of Business Operations for a charter school district in Austin, where I realized that the strategies I was implementing could benefit multiple organizations simultaneously. That realization inspired me to establish my own business.

I started small, working evenings and weekends while maintaining my full-time role. My goal was clear: once my consulting income matched my salary, I would transition fully into entrepreneurship. It took 14 months of dedication and persistence, but I made the leap, and now, over six years later, AWC is thriving.

Throughout this journey, I encountered many small nonprofits that desperately needed strategic support but couldn’t afford traditional consulting fees. This challenge sparked the idea for the National Nonprofit Collaborative. I wanted to create an accessible solution that bridges the gap for nonprofits seeking high-quality guidance without the financial strain. That’s how the NNC was born—offering consulting-like services to nonprofits for less than the cost of a Netflix subscription.

This January 2025, we’ll celebrate the NNC’s first anniversary, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see how we’re making a difference for so many organizations!

Strategic planning is a cornerstone of success for businesses and nonprofits alike. How do you define strategic planning, and how do AWC and NNC guide organizations in crafting effective strategies?

Strategic planning is the intentional process of defining an organization’s vision, goals, and priorities while mapping out actionable steps to achieve them. It’s not just about creating a document—it’s about fostering clarity, alignment, and momentum. For me, strategic planning is both a roadmap and a compass, helping organizations stay on course while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances.

At April Willis Consulting (AWC), we approach strategic planning as a tailored process. We begin with an in-depth discovery phase to understand each client’s unique needs, challenges, and aspirations. From there, we work collaboratively to develop clear, measurable objectives, identify key performance indicators, and design actionable strategies to achieve their goals. Our process emphasizes inclusivity, ensuring that all stakeholders feel engaged and invested in the plan’s success.

With the National Nonprofit Collaborative (NNC), our approach is rooted in accessibility and scalability. We recognize that smaller nonprofits often lack the resources for traditional consulting, so we’ve designed tools and templates that guide them through strategic planning step-by-step. Through affordable memberships, nonprofits gain access to expert advice, practical resources, and a supportive community, empowering them to create strategies that drive impact.

Ultimately, whether through AWC or NNC, our focus is on helping organizations align their vision with actionable steps, equipping them with the tools they need to achieve lasting success.

What differences do you observe when creating strategic plans for small businesses through AWC versus nonprofits under NNC? How do you adapt your approach to address their unique challenges?

While the core principles of strategic planning remain consistent—defining vision, setting goals, and creating actionable steps—the nuances of working with small businesses versus nonprofits require distinct approaches to address their unique challenges.

For small businesses through April Willis Consulting (AWC), the focus often revolves around growth, profitability, and market positioning. These organizations are typically driven by revenue generation and scaling operations, so our strategic plans emphasize customer acquisition strategies, operational efficiency, and financial forecasting. Small businesses also tend to prioritize agility, so our planning process incorporates flexibility to adapt quickly to market shifts.

On the other hand, strategic planning for nonprofits under the National Nonprofit Collaborative (NNC) requires a deeper focus on mission alignment, stakeholder engagement, and impact measurement. Nonprofits must balance limited resources while delivering maximum value to their communities, which means we prioritize identifying sustainable funding streams, cultivating partnerships, and leveraging volunteer or community support. 

To adapt to these differing needs, we tailor our approach for each sector. With AWC, we employ data-driven tools and market analysis to drive profitability and growth. With NNC, we focus on accessibility, providing user-friendly resources and a collaborative framework that empower nonprofits to take charge of their strategic planning without being overburdened by cost or complexity.

Ultimately, the key is understanding each client’s unique context—whether a business owner striving for a competitive advantage or a nonprofit working to maximize social impact—and designing a strategy that aligns with their goals and resources.

Many organizations struggle with executing their strategic plans. What are some common barriers you’ve seen, and how do you help clients navigate and overcome these challenges?

Execution is where even the best strategic plans can falter, and I’ve observed several common barriers that organizations face. These include lack of clarity, insufficient resources, misaligned priorities, and ineffective communication.

A frequent challenge is ambiguity—teams may not fully understand their roles, the steps required, or the metrics for success. To address this, I emphasize creating actionable, measurable goals with clear ownership and timelines. Every stakeholder needs to know not just the “what” but also the “how” and “who” to keep the plan moving forward.

Another barrier is resource constraints, whether it’s time, money, or personnel. I help clients prioritize their initiatives for small businesses and nonprofits, ensuring that the most critical goals are addressed first. We also explore creative solutions, such as leveraging technology or partnerships, to stretch limited resources further.

Misaligned priorities can derail even the most well-intentioned efforts. Often, organizations are pulled in too many directions, losing focus on their strategic objectives. I help clients create a disciplined approach, using tools like scorecards and dashboards to regularly track progress and course-correct when needed.

Finally, communication breakdowns are a pervasive issue. When leadership fails to effectively share the vision or celebrate milestones, teams can lose motivation. I work with clients to establish regular check-ins, transparent reporting systems, and a culture of accountability to maintain momentum and keep everyone aligned.

Whether through April Willis Consulting (AWC) or the National Nonprofit Collaborative (NNC), my goal is to ensure that strategic plans are not just written but actively lived. By addressing barriers head-on and embedding practical solutions into the plan itself, we empower organizations to move from planning to impactful execution.

As you continue to shape the consulting and nonprofit sectors, what’s your vision for the future of AWC and NNC? Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives you’re particularly excited about?

My vision for April Willis Consulting (AWC) and the National Nonprofit Collaborative (NNC) is centered on amplifying impact. For AWC, the focus is on expanding our reach to empower more organizations with the tools and strategies they need to thrive. We’re exploring ways to integrate more technology into our processes, such as AI-driven analytics and automation, to provide even greater value to our clients. I also envision scaling our services to serve a broader range of industries while deepening our commitment to measurable outcomes.

For the NNC, the vision is about accessibility and sustainability. I want to see the Collaborative become a go-to resource for nonprofits nationwide, regardless of their size or budget. We’re working on developing a suite of online tools and templates that make strategic planning and operational support even more user-friendly and cost-effective. Additionally, we’re looking to build a mentorship network that connects experienced nonprofit leaders with emerging organizations to foster peer learning and collaboration.

One initiative I’m particularly excited about is creating packages that allow potential clients to work with us on one-off projects rather than the commitment that comes with a retainer. This will open the door to more possible partnerships and continue to make our services even more accessible.

Ultimately, my goal is to ensure AWC and NNC remain at the forefront of innovation and impact, equipping organizations to adapt, grow, and create lasting change in their sectors. The future is bright, and I’m excited to help others shape it!

Published by Charlie N.