Introduction to April Young Monkarsh
April Young Monkarsh is the CMO and co-founder of MarCore, a Salt Lake City-based digital marketing agency. She’s a powerhouse marketer deeply invested in supporting initiatives that help advance women in business and leadership. As a LinkedIn expert, April helps startups and business owners build their brands, connect with their audiences, and establish thought leadership to take their businesses to the next level.
Table of Contents
- Who is April Young Monkarsh?
- Current Projects that April is Working On
- Tactical and Strategic Digital Marketing Advice from April
- Where Does April See the Future of Digital Marketing?
- How to Get in Contact with April
- Additional Insights from April
- Advice to Her Younger Self
- Books, Podcasts, and Leaders That Currently Inspire April
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Who is April Young Monkarsh?
Southern Roots and Early Career
April is a Southerner born and bred and has lived in the South for most of her life before moving to Salt Lake City a couple of years ago. She attended East Tennessee State University in Johnson City where her digital marketing journey began.
From Photojournalism to Digital Marketing
While at university April worked for various local newspapers in East Tennessee as a photojournalist, writer and reporter. As the digital world evolved she added digital to her skill set for these publications.
2009 Economic Shift
2009 was a turning point in April’s career. With the journalism industry in shambles she knew she had to get with the times. So she began to focus on creating digital strategies for publications struggling to go from print to online.
A Defining Moment: 2009 Tornadoes
A series of tornadoes hit East Tennessee in April 2009 and it was a defining moment in April’s career. She was working for the Maryville Daily Times and led their social media efforts to provide real-time updates and connect the community during the crisis. She learned the power of social media and digital communication in a time of emergency.
Current Projects that April is Working On
Silicon Slopes Marketing Chapter
April is a member of the Silicon Slopes marketing chapter where she’s working on the marketing summit in April. The summit will have both B2B and B2C tracks and will leverage April’s event marketing expertise.
Advancing Women in Business
One of April’s main focuses is to bring more women into the Silicon Slopes community and the broader Utah business world. She’s committed to creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in business.
Ginger Organics
April is the owner of Ginger Organics, an e-commerce brand of clean, real and gentle skincare products for adults and babies. She gets to use her marketing skills on her own brand.
Tactical and Strategic Digital Marketing Advice from April
Focus on Email Marketing
April emphasizes the importance of email marketing as a cornerstone of digital strategy. She advises:
- Start with your existing customer list and import it into an email platform like MailChimp or Klaviyo.
- Craft authentic messages that resonate with your brand and audience.
- Give people a compelling reason to subscribe to your emails.
- Focus on providing value in every email you send.
- Create a two-email journey to start:
- First email: Capture the audience’s attention and set expectations
- Second email: Deliver on the promises made in the first email
Leverage LinkedIn for Personal Branding
April recommends using LinkedIn as a powerful tool for personal branding and networking:
- Focus on crafting your personal story and mission.
- Search for and connect with like-minded professionals and communities.
- Engage authentically with your network.
- Set goals for reaching out to new connections regularly.
Prioritize Your Audience
April stresses the importance of focusing on your existing audience:
- Nurture your current audience through email engagement.
- Ask your audience questions to understand their needs better.
- Provide value consistently to turn customers into loyal fans.
Be Authentic in Your Communication
Authenticity is key in all marketing efforts:
- Share your brand’s “why” in a concise, compelling manner.
- Be transparent about what customers can expect from your brand.
- Fulfill the promises you make in your marketing messages.
Where Does April See the Future of Digital Marketing?
April sees the future of digital marketing centered around building and nurturing authentic relationships with audiences. She emphasizes:
- The growing importance of email marketing as a stable, owned channel.
- The need for businesses to adapt to changing social media landscapes.
- The value of creating genuine connections with customers.
- The potential of AI in marketing, while maintaining a human touch.
How to Get in Contact with April
To connect with April Young Monkarsh or learn more about her work:
- Follow her on LinkedIn
- Visit the MarCore website
- Attend Silicon Slopes marketing chapter events, including the upcoming marketing summit on April 10th
- Check out her skincare brand at Ginger Organics
Additional Insights from April
Overcoming Challenges as a Woman in Business
April shares her experiences and advice for women in business:
- Recognize that the business world can be unfriendly to women, but don’t let that stop you.
- Take the leap into entrepreneurship if that’s your goal.
- Seek out partnerships and funding opportunities specifically for women-led businesses.
- Use your experiences overcoming adversity as fuel for your entrepreneurial journey.
Supporting Working Mothers in Business
April advocates for better support for working mothers:
- Businesses should offer flexibility to accommodate the needs of working parents.
- Create a culture that allows employees to be authentic and open about their responsibilities as parents.
- Lead by example by being transparent about your own challenges as a working parent.
Continuous Learning and Inspiration
April shares her sources of inspiration and learning:
- Podcasts: She recommends the “New Mama’s Podcast” for working mothers.
- LinkedIn influencers: Nicole Harra and Rachel Koman for authentic content and support for women in business.
- Personal mentors: April credits Natalie Hastings for encouraging her to start her own business.
Advice to Her Younger Self
If April could go back in time, she would advise her younger self:
- Don’t stress so much about every task or detail.
- Recognize that not everything is as “do or die” as it seems in the moment.
- Put in your best effort, but learn to let go and not obsess over perfection.
The Power of Early Writing Skills
April reflects on how her early passion for writing has influenced her career:
- Writing from a young age helped develop strong communication skills.
- These skills translated into effective storytelling and audience connection in her marketing career.
- Creative writing can enhance strategic thinking and the ability to “see around corners” in business.
By following April’s advice and drawing inspiration from her journey, aspiring entrepreneurs and marketers can navigate the challenges of the business world while staying true to their authentic selves. Her emphasis on building genuine connections, leveraging digital tools effectively, and supporting women in business provides a roadmap for success in the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing and entrepreneurship.
Advice to Her Younger Self
What would she tell her younger self?
“It would be not to stress so hard about whatever is right in front of me. I have always had ADHD and a lot of anxiety. I didn’t even know what those were growing up but I definitely had them. Everything was always important all the time whatever I was doing and working on. My grades were super important and I stressed about every single test, every single presentation. Every single thing I had to show up for was do or die.”
April says this mentality carried over into her professional life and she stressed about client presentations and deadlines. Looking back she says:
“When you look back at those moments, none of them really mattered. No one cares what my GPA is anymore. And that was super important to me for no good reason. No one cares about this one presentation I had to give this one time. You never think about those moments later but at the time they’re so stressful and it just isn’t worth it.”
Her advice to her younger self would be:
“It’s not as do or die as I think it is. Just relax, do your best and then let it go.”
Books, Podcasts, and Leaders That Currently Inspire April
April shares her sources of inspiration and learning:
Podcasts
- For April, podcasts are her go to source of continuous learning and entertainment.
- As a new mom she’s currently listening to parenting podcasts:
- “New Mama’s Podcast” is one she listens to.
Books
- April uses books for escape and enjoyment, fiction only.
Leaders and Inspirational Figures
April finds inspiration from real life leaders, especially those she connects with on LinkedIn:
- A fellow working mom in the Utah community
- Also part of the Silicon Slopes marketing chapter
- April loves her authentic presence on LinkedIn
- Recommend following Nicole to learn how to build an audience on LinkedIn authentically
- Rachel Koman
- A Utah business leader
- Very active on LinkedIn
- Focuses on supporting women in business and creating a space for women to thrive in Utah
- A personal friend who encouraged April to start her own business
- Helped April see herself as a working mom
April recommends following and engaging with these leaders on LinkedIn for inspiration and insights into women in business and authentic social media presence.
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