This Birmingham CEO Wants Women to Stop Apologizing for Success

For more than 20 years, April Benetollo has dedicated her career to helping organizations — and people — reach their full potential. As CEO of Momentum, she leads one of Alabama’s most influential leadership organizations, empowering women to grow their careers, expand their networks, and create lasting change in their communities. We sat down with her to learn about her path to Momentum, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and the surprises that come along with being a high achiever.

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How did you find your way to Momentum?

When I left my first career in a tech startup after 16 years, I thought I might lean into another startup venture. The startup life is exciting, and the upside, if it works, is worth the pain. As I assessed my life, I began thinking about applying my strengths to something that brought me more meaning and joy. I decided to do some part-time work with Momentum because the program had been life-changing for me.

During that time, I continued to assess the developing tech startup environment. That year, when we conducted the Momentum executive class retreat, I knew I was hooked. Seeing how the Momentum experience transformed others, I knew I was on the right path. Less than a year later, I applied for the CEO role and was so fortunate to be selected.

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What does it mean to you to have such an impactful role?

The role I have is a tremendous responsibility, because so many people place an enormous amount of trust in Momentum. We deliver expert-level instruction with excellence and intention. We also go really deep on some aspects of life and leadership that are not always comfortable.

I know we ask a lot of participants, so it is incumbent upon us to make sure they have a safe space to do the work while gaining the skills and relationships they’ll need to get to the next level of their life game. 

In the next chapter of Momentum, we have an opportunity to really expand what we provide to more professionals, no matter where they reside or where they are in their careers. I take that responsibility very seriously. 

If you weren’t CEO at Momentum, what would you be doing instead?

I would travel with my dear friend and journalist, Stephanie McCrummen, to the far corners of the earth to interview strong women from various cultures and write a beautiful book.

What does the work-life balance look like for you?

Work-life balance is a total myth because there is always more to do in a day than we have time and resources for!

A good friend of mine and fellow Momentum alumna, Anne Marie Seibel, wrote a whole chapter on work-life management over work-life balance. I like that shift, because we all deal with a certain quantity of obligations, time, and resources. The goal is to manage these, not balance them.

For me, at this stage in my life, my ideal work-life week includes meaningful progress on Momentum’s strategic plan, four to five workouts to maintain strength and vitality, cooking dinner at home most nights, eight hours of sleep, and as many pop-in visits as I can do with my Mom, because she is wonderful, and I am so blessed to have her nearby.

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What do ambitious women still apologize for too often?

Their success! This happens all the time. I would love to see more women stand in their power, embrace their success, and bring others along. When we make ourselves smaller, more demure, or overly humble, we deny others the opportunity to see what success looks like for a woman.

What’s one thing people are surprised to learn about you?

When I share an area of my life where I don’t have it all together (and there are many), the response I usually get is, “That surprises me. You strike me as so confident and put-together; I assumed it would be the same for you in XYZ” (name your life challenge).

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What quality or approach has had the biggest impact on your success?

My entrepreneurial mindset. I am very curious and full of ideas. I’m energized by getting the right people in a room to come up with new ways to solve a problem and a plan of action to go with it. Second to that is effective prioritization. I have always had the desire to take on more than I have the capacity to execute, so prioritizing what’s most important is the only way to make significant progress! 

What keeps you optimistic about Birmingham’s future?

We have so many members of our community who care deeply, invest generously, and are willing to do the hard work to honor our history while starting new chapters.

I think about how many cool things I’ve seen come to fruition in the last 20 years: the food scene, breweries, parks (Railroad, Avondale, Red Mountain, etc.), the Rotary Trail, a vibrant downtown, Sidewalk Cinema and Film Festival, Pepper Place Market, City Walk, the amphitheater, the stadium, and so much more. All of those have required small armies of committed leaders, donors, and volunteers to make them happen. It’s really an exciting time to be part of Birmingham’s growth. 

What’s a small luxury you’ll never give up? 

Weekly muscle work and chiropractic care from my friends at Motivity, and my memberships at the YMCA and Battle Republic. My strength and mobility are really important to me, and I rely on the professionals at these places to keep me moving!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

I’ve received so much good advice over the years, it’s hard to pick “the best.” Probably the one I have most consistently lived by is, “If it is to be, it’s up to me.” If I see something that needs changing, I set about changing it. If I see something that needs doing, I set about doing it.

This trait now runs so deep that autonomy is one of my deepest values. But so is community, because “If it is to be, it’s up to me” does not imply that you have to do things alone! To me, it simply means don’t wait around for someone else to take the reins.

LIGHTNING ROUND!

Favorite Birmingham shop? I like to invest in good shoes, coats, and handbags, then play with everything in between, so I love a good consignment shop! My go-to is Clotheshorse in Vestavia; they have a great selection, and it’s within walking distance from my house!

Favorite book? I always have more in my “to read” stack than I could possibly get to, so I don’t reread much! I do have one book that was given to me in college, which I have reread over the years, called Living Philosophies: The Reflections of Some Eminent Men and Women of Our Time. I always find new wisdom in those essays.

Your carry-on travel essentials? Moisturizer for the dry cabin air, gum for ear pressure, and a book or earbuds for entertainment.

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Birmingham women are doing inspiring work. Meet more of them over at our FACES archives!