Episode 24: Building a Community of Like-Minded Entrepreneurs with April Elaine Powell

In this episode, I interview April Elaine Powell. April is the founder of ID +Collective in Portland, Maine. ID +Collective is an organization that gives small to medium-sized businesses in the hospitality, retail, and wellness industries a one-stop solution for their design and business development needs. Moreover, members benefit from shared resources and pooled talents while building a collaborative community.

What’s unique about April is her mission to foster collaboration over competition among the small business owners in her community. Additionally, we discuss how April’s experience in corporate America early in her career inspired her to start her own business and make high-quality resources available at a lower price point. Furthermore, April shares how she uses a simple agreement to attract and motivate talented entrepreneurs to join her collective. At the same time, it helps streamline the proposal process when pitching new clients.

April also shares her biggest challenge as an entrepreneur: being seen and heard in a crowded market. Nevertheless, her passion for problem-solving allowed her to carve out a unique space for herself and other creatives in her community. It also helped her find creative ways to survive the pandemic, which was particularly challenging for her industry.

Finally, be sure to listen to the end, where April shares the mantra that completely changed her definition of success. So, whether you’re interested in learning how to build a community or want to find out how April and her colleagues differentiate themselves in a crowded market, I hope you enjoy this episode of The Retiring Entrepreneur Podcast with April Elaine Powell.