There are people who enjoy remote working and there are those who live the digital nomad life.
For our leading woman, a remote environment means the opportunity to work from anywhere.
Enter April Holland, the self-proclaimed “Salem (Massachusetts) girl,” who has a lot more up her sleeve than New England small-town stories and a few adventures.
1. Pack up All of Your Things
Her story begins with a running start out of Salam State University carrying a dual major in communications and public relations and a minor in international marketing.
“I was the newspaper editor when I was there, and I worked in the PR office at the college for a long time, it was fun,” says our star too casually.
When she graduated, she worked within a nonprofit organization that helped support war veterans called Run to Home Base. Here, she helped to event plan and lead volunteer efforts at fundraising events.
“I thought for sure I wanted to end up in some kind of a marketing role for either nonprofit or education so I pursued the education route for a while. I still have a super soft spot for education and higher ed.”
Before reaching Brafton, she had the chance to collaborate with The Real School of Music and Songbird Sings. She lobbied in DC for music education rights for audiences with different abilities and vets with PTSD. She worked on songwriting workshops and advocated for grants to support these efforts.
2. Load Up the Van
When our star decided she was ready to move on, she spotted Brafton’s project management role.
“I was attracted to the project management role but during the interview process, I really had to demonstrate how my unique skill set fit in because it wasn’t clear on paper. So that in itself was a huge success for me. It’s exciting to have a more niche position.”
But she didn’t stay in the project management role for long. When she was on a call with a client on her own, she said our director of account management would support her. One day he approached her about joining the CMS team.
“Please keep it up,” he said, and then after a few months of that, he was like, “you should just be in this position. If you have any interest, you should consider it.”
And consider it she did.
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3. Hit the Road
In just a matter of months, she switched departments and has been striking every pose, hitting every note and inspiring people all around her with every move she makes.
“I think that’s where it stems from: I like the creative and strategic side. Now I get to be a part of what my clients are working on, and I’m able to make recommendations on how we can take a mini idea and make it a bit larger – a full campaign!”
She can continue to work in industries that inspire her still at Brafton by working on accounts relevant to both the military and nonprofits.
4. Give the Performance of Your Life
What keeps April on her toes? Well, April starts her day like any of us: with a homemade latte and a walk by a nearby Christmas tree farm.
“The Christmas tree farm doesn’t deliver lattes, so I make them here.”
She’s a Virgo sun, which keeps her focused and detail oriented (super helpful for her role). She also loves a long walk with her two adorable beagles, Wolfe (10 months old) and Bruno (11 years old).
“We’re up at the same time. We’re doing our thing. We go hiking every weekend, so the dogs help. They help hold me accountable.”
When she’s not hiking or rocking out on content strategy, she’s on the road with her almost-husband.
“He’s in a heavy metal band, As I Lay Dying, so I go on tour and travel with him as often as I can. It’s really heavy metal too. It’s not for the faint of heart. You’ll find me on weekends or if it’s summertime traveling with him to festivals and wearing my headphones to save my ears,” she said half laughing. “Brafton helps because I can work remotely.”
Don’t worry — April brings her doggos with her on tour (like the serious rockstar she is).
We can’t believe you’ve brought your talent to Brafton, April. We’re so lucky to have you on the team, building us up and showing us what working remotely can really do. Thank you for that.
