This week on The EnTRUEpreneurship Podcast, Wes speaks with April Bernal-Cleek, President and CEO of EHR (Electronic Health Records) Concepts, a self-sustaining healthcare information technology company that has done over $10M in revenue, whose number one priority is the customer. Later this year, Cleek is also embarking on a new endeavor — Illuminative — a story brand company that helps women develop healthy beliefs about themselves through clothing.

April’s journey from grind to greatness has been sprinkled with highs and lows, but she attributes her success to a mindset filled with gratitude. Even when she found herself in jobs that she did not enjoy, she attributes her hard work and perseverance to thanksgiving and the desire to help others. Join Wes and April as they recount this remarkable journey, filled with takeaways for entrepreneurs of all walks.

The EnTRUEpreneurship Takeaway:

“I absolutely believe in casting vision, seeing where you’re going, taking the steps that are needed to get there, and if you do not see it, it won’t come to fruition.”

“I challenge people to take time to see where you want to go because it wasn’t until I had that opportunity that I knew what was possible.”

“When you give something all you’ve got and maintain that positive attitude both for yourself and for others and take every experience as a learning and growing opportunity, you can accomplish anything.”

“This world is so much bigger and greater than I think we realize. An opportunity knocks at every corner.”

“What are the fears that hold us back? If we can learn to break through these, that’s when personal breakthrough happens.”

“Our belief structure will dictate our future. Period. What people believe is their life.”

“We only get one life, so see the beauty, paint the beauty, create the beauty. And never stop when the going gets tough.”

Key topics discussed:

2:48 – April looks back at her early life and how one experience, in particular, thrust her into leader-like roles and put her on a path towards entrepreneurship.

7:47 – April recounts the beginning of her journey towards establishing EHR Concepts and the circumstance that led her to living a life of gratitude, with a “pay it forward” mentality.

11:58 – April expands on the importance of casting vision, both personally and professionally, and gives some insight into the difficulty of — and the power within — being thankful in all circumstances.

19:08 – April retells her early struggle with self-doubt when she was surrounded by so many experienced professionals and how she overcame those negative thought patterns.

23:27 – Wes and April discuss the idea that, as opposed to being passionate specifically about the health IT systems industry, April’s success has more to do with her love of applying oneself and becoming great at appreciated opportunities.

26:57 – April discusses the specific circumstances that started EHR Concepts and how her reputation for excellent work garnered immediate trust and loyalty from past clients.

33:05 – April highlights the unforeseen event that made the electronic health records industry extremely lucrative — and extremely competitive — seemingly overnight.

38:38 – April gives a look at her newest venture — Illuminative — which helps women succeed in the career and in the mind.

45:18 – April closes with some advice that she would have given herself years ago when she first started her long — and sometime bumpy — road to entrepreneurial success.

Bullet List of Resources –

EHR Concepts

Illuminative

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