Leading Teams
& Building Leaders.

Meet April Sabral: A Transformational Leader in Retail and Beyond

April Sabral is a seasoned retail executive with an impressive career spanning over three decades. Her journey began at just 17 when she embarked on a path of self-reliance, starting as a part-time sales associate. With determination and an innate ability to lead, April rose through the ranks to become a Senior Vice President overseeing 300 stores. Her career has spanned three continents, contributing to iconic brands like Paul Smith, Apple, Starbucks, Gap, Banana Republic, Holt Renfrew, Laura Canada, Armani Exchange, and DAVIDsTEA.

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A cornerstone of April's success lies in her ability to instigate positive change that ripples throughout organizations. In 2018, she channeled her expertise into founding RetailU, an innovative online leadership development platform designed for field leaders. RetailU delivers essential leadership skills through bite-sized learning modules and practical exercises, seamlessly integrating into the demanding schedules of retail professionals.

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April's commitment to personal and professional growth led her to pursue multiple coaching certifications, including those from the John C. Maxwell Team and the World Association of Business Coaching. In 2019, her talents were formally recognized when she was named an emerging leader to watch in the Marquis Who's Who Directory.

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Building on her expertise, April authored The Positive Effect, a transformative leadership book and workshop series designed to equip leaders with actionable tools. Her workshops have been adopted by global brands such as Luxottica, Compass Group, and Indochino. April recently expanded her influence with the launch of The Positive Effect Series, now including a second book tailored for educators, which she co-wrote with an industry expert. This addition achieved #1 status on Amazon in the New Releases for Teachers category, cementing her reputation as a thought leader across industries.

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In 2023, April’s impact in retail leadership was recognized as she was named one of RETHINK Retail's Top Retail Influencers for the third consecutive year. Her thought leadership extends beyond retail trends to her core mission: empowering leaders to scale their teams, retain talent, and develop the next wave of leadership.

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In 2024, April was celebrated as one of the Global Women’s Club Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs of the Year, ranking #49 on this prestigious list. That same year, she co-founded RetailConX in partnership with Microsoft, bringing a fresh dialogue to retail leadership. RetailConX bridges the gap between technology and retail, fostering connections and collaboration to integrate people-focused strategies with innovative tech solutions. This event set a new benchmark in the industry, creating a space for leaders to align on the future of retail.

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Looking to the future, April has launched her latest venture, AskApril.Ai, an AI-powered platform designed to revolutionize coaching and communication for leaders. Building on her belief that leaders don’t need more information but more skill-building opportunities, AskApril.Ai provides leaders with tools to practice and enhance their coaching abilities. Set to launch in early 2025, this platform aims to fulfill April's vision of transforming workplaces into positive, empowering environments for employees and supporting the development of one million leaders worldwide.

Today, April dedicates herself to coaching, speaking, and facilitating leadership sessions, inspiring organizations to embrace positive leadership practices. Her mission is clear: to transform teams, drive results, and make workplaces better for everyone.

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