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Anyone in a place of looking to transition to leveraging entrepreneurship to power a calling of theirs would do well to absorb this conversation between Bonvera CEO Bob Dickie and April Zeilinger, as she helps to keep her husband’s family legacy alive in the challenging arena of American textiles.
April does double-duty these days. She is the Vice President of Operations with Zeilinger Wool Company- a fourth generation fiber mill producing thousands of pounds of natural fibers per week into yarn, socks and other items enjoyed within the craft and wool lovers market. but also the heart and soul behind the Brand Awareness and Marketing for the company.
Additionally, April is the creator of Foodie Yarn, a fun yarn line that is dyed the colors of food and launched it during the pandemic.
Previously, April worked 20 years in financial institutions before leaving everything that was comfortable around her, for half of her salary and took the risk to join her husband Jon in his family business. (The first half of this podcast recalls the challenges surrounding that transition.) The business had no presence on social media and a twelve year old website to start her entrepreneurial journey. She is a self-taught business gal who never wants to stop learning with a certificate in leadership from Great Lakes Bay Hispanic Leadership Institute through Saginaw Valley State University in Saginaw, Michigan.
The final third of the visit deals in more real-time with her company dealing with the challenges relating to the COVID-related lockdown in Michigan, how they got creative in responding to it, and the principles behind your local business circumstances can be best addressed. (Spoiler alert, that crisis of yours can produce opportunities to succeed where they might not have existed before!)
Key Learnings:
A break-up with your job isn’t fun, but you have to break-up sometimes.
You will experience resistance, so get ready for it.
Don’t let fear guide your decisions.
When you work with your spouse, you learn to have a mutual respect for each other’s strengths.
Learning to take knowledge and experience it in action is true learning.
No one tells you how to be an entrepreneur; you figure it out.
Ask people, especially women, where they see their career going.
Write good things to yourself and speak them to yourself.
Two things to do to grow in your own leadership abilities? Spend time by yourself and be curious.
God bless. #HAGDOW#
