5 Tips for Success for Women in Business: Q&A with April Mason, Founder and President of Violet PR

In honor of Women’s History Month, we talked with Violet PR founder and president April Mason to learn more about her career, her path to becoming an entrepreneur, and her advice for women to succeed in business.

You started working in the economic development industry in the ‘90s. Tell us what it was like for young women working in a predominantly male industry 30 years ago.

It was a very different world when I started working in the economic development industry in the ‘90s in Kansas City. The year before I started, women at my organization had just been given permission to wear pants to the office! But most days, we were still expected to wear skirts, pantyhose and heels. As a woman, I was lumped in with the assistants and secretaries, and I knew I needed to work harder than my male counterparts to prove I was capable of becoming an executive. I dressed “above my pay grade,” volunteered for extra projects, worked weekends, and took graduate classes at night to obtain a master’s degree. That said, I had few role models, and many female executives seemed to act more masculine, with short hair and scarves that resembled ties.

In 1999, I met a woman executive at a PR agency who made a strong impression on me. She was confident and authentic. She didn’t try to hide her femininity and was proud to bring a different perspective to the table. I remember thinking I wanted to be like her, and within six months, I went to work for her agency in NYC. I never wore pantyhose to work again!

After decades of working at public relations firms, you started your own business. Violet PR was founded in 2010, and in 2019, the agency received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise. Tell us why you were ready to be your own boss and why it was important to obtain the WBE certification.

I didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur. I was a VP at an agency managing our luxury real estate division, and in late 2008-2009, business took a sharp downturn. The country was in a recession, we were losing clients and I saw the writing on the wall. I had also reached a point in my life where flexibility was something I didn’t want to compromise, as I had two young daughters.

I began interviewing at other firms, but no one was willing to allow me to work from home, even one day a week. (One firm actually rescinded an offer to me after I made the request!) In the meantime, because my firm had reduced our salaries, I began to take on clients on the side to supplement my income. I realized that starting my own firm was the solution. I cobbled together enough clients to go out on my own, and Violet PR was born.

Being certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) helps promote the fact that we’re a women-owned business. It gives us a leg up in securing certain government contracts, and it enables us to be more intentional about seeking out female-led organizations as clients. It’s also been a helpful recruiting tool; many of our staff have told me they want to work for a woman-owned business.

How has the industry changed throughout the years?

Thankfully, since 2010, the pendulum has swung in favor of workers in general, with a bigger emphasis on work-life balance, mental health, and shared childcare responsibilities. The pandemic made working from home the norm rather than a perk. And many, many more women executives have broad decision-making power today.

However, the gender pay gap persists. According to Pew Research Center, women’s median earnings in 2021 were about 84% of men’s among those working full-time, year-round. Plenty of work remains to be done.

What advice do you have for young women in business?

1. DO YOUR RESEARCH, AND KNOW YOUR WORTH

When applying for a job, don’t be afraid to negotiate. You don’t have to take the first offer. As a business owner, I’ve noticed men negotiate harder for their salaries, irrespective of their qualifications. Women tend to underestimate their capabilities and still find it difficult to promote themselves. At the same time, you may still want to work longer hours in your 20s in order to separate yourself from your peers and prove yourself. It takes time to build skills!

2. FIND A FEMALE MENTOR

While any sort of mentorship will be beneficial to your career, a female mentor will be better able to understand the unique challenges you face. Finding a mentor in your office or joining a professional organization to learn from female leaders will help you develop the skills and confidence to succeed.

3. USE YOUR STRENGTHS

Women bring a lot to the table in terms of our communication skills, intuition, and ability to listen and plan. Don’t be afraid to use your unique skills and personality at work!

4. PUT IN THE TIME WHEN YOU’RE STARTING YOUR CAREER

I didn’t have kids until I was 33, so I was able to spend a full decade building my career. This gave me more flexibility when I needed it, as I had the experience and contacts.

5. LEARN TO COMMUNICATE WITH CONFIDENCE

Don’t let Imposter Syndrome stop you from advancing in your career. Women often need to exude more confidence at work to be taken seriously. Whether taking a public speaking class, assuming a leadership role in a professional development organization, or practicing before an important meeting, make sure you learn how to communicate with confidence. This can take years, but it will be worth it!

Q+A with Melanie Willoughby, Executive Director of NJ Business Action Center

You have spent most of your career at state and local levels of government as an advocate for businesses of all sizes. Since 2018 you have been the executive director of the NJ Business Action Center (NJBAC). Tell us about the organization and the work you do.

The NJ Business Action Center’s (NJBAC) mission is to help businesses thrive, grow, and succeed across New Jersey. Government has many business opportunities, resources and funding opportunities, but navigating the government can be very complex. Government agencies do not have the budget to advertise, so many businesses don’t know about the resources available to them. That’s where we come in. NJBAC is the connector for businesses. We use our deep understanding of the current business landscape to connect businesses with the appropriate experts to reach their goals, whether a startup, a small business on Main Street or a large company. We help them navigate. NJBAC can assist with relocations, permits, workforce development training, grant applications and obtaining capital from the economic development authority — we can help a company through the entire process.

I’m particularly proud of our Business Advocates program, which is the outreach team to businesses in the state. Beyond our numerous contacts on the state level, the business advocate team has excellent working relationships with county and local government entities throughout New Jersey. They are dedicated to solving problems and maximizing growth opportunities for your business. NJBAC’s Business Helpline (1-800-JERSEY-7) offers English and Spanish-speaking advocates who are ready with guidance on incorporating small business and minority certification, accessing government resources and much more. There is even a live chat option where a business owner can chat with a real advocate in our offices.

As the executive director of NJBAC, I manage a team of 40 employees who run all aspects of NJBAC. I also serve as a spokesperson, talking with chambers of commerce and organizations across the state about what NJBAC offers, and I bring with me all the benefits of all the agencies. I’m also the idea person! I’m always coming up with new ways to support our businesses. NJBAC is here to retain every business in the state, and we are very sincere about that.

One of the ways NJBAC supports small businesses is through the New Jersey State Trade Expansion Program (NJ STEP), funded partly through a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Can you tell us more about it?

The NJ STEP program is a federally funded program for export promotion. Eligible small businesses can get a grant from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to help fund their trade show internationally, translation services, and/or export regulation training.

This year, we’re focusing on new export companies in the food and beverage industry, specifically in underserved communities. We are bringing these businesses to the table to help them export. We’ve been very successful in finding companies to do this. One of the exciting things NJBAC is doing for these businesses is hosting a pavilion at the 67th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City at the Javits Convention Center in June. It’s the largest trade-only specialty food and beverage event in the United States, attracting thousands of makers, buyers, brokers, distributors, and other industry professionals for three days of product discovery, networking, and business opportunities. The pavilion will feature 10 New Jersey companies that are brand new to exporting.

NJBAC has been designated by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission to provide no-cost technical assistance, training and mentorship to recreational cannabis license applicants. Tell us more about the NJBAC Cannabis Training Academy.

We’re very excited about the Cannabis Training Academy! We are the only state agency in the country offering this type of program. It’s a technical assistance and training program that aims to ensure equitable representation and to support qualified applicants impacted most by the enforcement of cannabis prohibition — people of color, people deeply impacted by high poverty and in disproportionately affected areas. This support is critical to ensure that applicants in the social equity, legacy, Impact Zone, diversely-owned and microbusiness categories get the support they need.

The Academy will walk applicants through everything they need to know. The initial training is a 10-week module combining pre-recorded webinars and live, virtual question-and-answer sessions twice a month. Applicants will learn how to fill out complex applications, obtain municipal approvals, write a business plan, write SOPs, the type of insurance needed and how to equip and secure their dispensary. Mentors can answer specific questions and offer non-legal guidance and direction. All classes in the Academy will be taught by faculty who are in or have supported, taught or consulted about the cannabis industry.

How does working with Violet PR help highlight the work of the NJBAC?

NJBAC has been working with Violet PR for over five years. The agency has been extraordinarily helpful with our press relations and creative with our marketing materials and social media campaigns. Working with Violet PR ensures that NJBAC is well-known in the business world.

It’s Women’s History Month, so we would be remiss if we didn’t discuss your history-making career. You were among the first class of women to be admitted to Rutgers College in 1972. You were the first woman president of the college’s Student Government Association and the first woman to receive the Rutgers Alumni Association’s highest honor, prompting the association to change the name of the award to Loyal Sons and Daughters. You have also spent your career advocating for women — crafting domestic violence and displaced homemakers legislation and creating employment opportunities for women receiving government assistance. Tell us why this advocacy means so much to you.

This advocacy means so much to me because when I started in life, women were only considered viable candidates for some of the positions held by men. Women were relegated to secretaries, nurses and teachers. Women were not even encouraged to go to college because it was considered “a waste since they were just getting married and raising their children.” But these cultural norms were rocked in the 6os with the women’s rights movement to end discrimination and harassment and provide financial equity and access to jobs typically held by men. I was part of this movement and felt strongly about empowering women to believe in themselves to be all they wanted to be despite the cultural chains that still existed. But to move forward, we needed to change the laws that impeded women’s progress and pass laws that protected women in the workplace and the home. I continue to advocate for women every day by mentoring young women, hiring them and encouraging them to live their best lives without feeling restricted by cultural norms that still exist.

You’re hosting a friend in New Jersey for the weekend. What are some not-to-be-missed spots in the Garden State you take them to?

We would start our weekend at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park because it’s THE place for the history of the music of Bruce Springsteen, who is a New Jerseyan and, let’s face it, an American legend. Next, we would visit Red Bank and its delightful downtown district and have lunch at one of the many fantastic restaurants in town. After lunch, we would head to Princeton and visit Morven (the former New Jersey Governor’s Mansion) and Drumthwacket (the current official residence of the Governor of New Jersey) and learn about the state’s history. Next, we would stroll through the Princeton University campus, the fourth-oldest college in the United States. Finally, we would end our weekend down the shore at Cape May — a must if you’re visiting the state! It’s such a beautiful town with historic Victorian homes. People think of New Jersey and think about the Turnpike or ask, “What exit?” on the Garden State Parkway. But, although the state has a rich manufacturing past, the Garden State is filled with beautiful landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history.