Today we’d like to introduce you to April Boyde.
April, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story started in Memphis, Tennessee. That’s where I spent the earlier part of my childhood. My parents split when I was around four years old. Although it broke my mom’s heart, she felt it was best for my sister (Toya) and me to stay with my dad until she could get her footing. Toya and I were raised by my dad until I was about 12 years old. Because…well…my dad had some legal obligations to tend to. Thankfully, by then, my mom was on her feet. That’s how I ended up in Virginia.
Coming out of high school, I was hit with the realization that there was no money for me to attend college. So I enlisted in the United States Air Force. Right before I was set to leave for boot camp, my mother was diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer. The doctors said she’d only live for six months. She lived for two and a half years past her diagnosis.
We buried my mom two weeks before my 21st birthday. There I stood motherless, with an 18-month-old daughter and two of my three brothers who were 14 and 16. I had no clue what I was going to do, but failure wasn’t an option. So I dove into my career. As much as I hated IT, it was lucrative and paid me way more money than other jobs would have based on the experience I had. I had a mortgage, a toddler, and two teenage boys to feed. Let’s face it, I needed the money.
Life as a single mom and sister was certainly not for the faint of heart. I dated. A lot. I had my heart broken. A LOT! I could write an entire book on my dating life, and it would likely be a best seller. I thought I’d never experience true love. And do you know what the turning point was? Brunch with a friend.
In 2019, my sister-friend, Nayrha, introduced me to the love of my life, Marcus. By the second date I knew God himself had made Marcus just for me. What took him so long to find me? Well, only God knows the answer. In 2020, we relocated to the Richmond area for my government job. By 2022, we were married.
My career in IT saw many changes and challenges. But in April of 2025, I walked away from my government job. Yes, that same job that I moved to Richmond for. People thought I had lost my mind. And I probably did. But after a lot of prayers, tears, and many conversations with my husband, leaving that job was the best decision I could have ever made for my mental health, peace of mind, and my nervous system.
That’s how I ended up being an entrepreneur, because it was never a part of the plan.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Let me tell you something. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, about the road that I’ve traveled has been smooth. Some of my earlier struggles came from being a single mom and sister. Most of my peers were in college, finishing college and getting married. Meanwhile, I was at football fields on Friday nights and ballet recitals on Saturday mornings. On top of that, I was climbing the corporate ladder, in a male-dominated field, trying to date, stay in shape, and have a social life. It was absolutely a struggle. I felt like my life was being held together with duct tape and grade school glue.
By the time I met my husband, my brothers were grown and out of the house. But guess what? My husband was a single parent, and he had full custody of his two children. I don’t know if you’ve ever blended a family. Let me tell you this: it’s not easy.
At this point in my life, I’ve raised five children, and they’ve all graduated from high school. That is more of an accomplishment than most people realize. After that, I thought for sure I could handle anything.
Until, in June of this year, I lost my sister, Toya, unexpectedly. That shook me to the core. She was already here when I entered the world. She was my biggest fan, and I honestly didn’t know how I’d continue my work. But I know that I’m in alignment with the assignment that God has for me, and Toya wouldn’t want me to stop. So I do it for her. I do it for the girlies that can’t see their way out because they feel life has beaten them down.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Boyde & Co., LLC?
Boyde & Co. is a financial advocacy and education company focused on curating comfortable spaces for women to have difficult money conversations, make more informed decisions, and rebuild when life changes the plan.
I’m known as the creator of Stop Eating Your Money™, a tool that helps women recognize how everyday decisions, expenses, and financial pressures can eat away at their money. Food is often the entry point, but the work is much bigger than food. It is about helping women better understand where their money is going so they can pay off debt, establish an emergency fund, create financial stability, and have a little more breathing room to make decisions that fit the life they are actually living.
Another important part of my work is The 49th Hour, which comes from my own story. I’ve experienced a great deal of trauma, loss, and rebuilding in my life, and people often ask me, “How do you keep getting back up?” It’s what I do on the 49th hour. It explores resilience, rebuilding, and what happens when life requires more from you after you already feel like you have given everything you have.
Through Boyde & Co., I offer speaking engagements, workshops, lunch-and-learns, facilitated conversations, and educational programs for organizations, employers, community groups, conferences, and other spaces serving women. My work centers on money, financial stability, rebuilding after setbacks, and the real-life decisions and circumstances that affect how women manage their money.
What sets my work apart is that I’m not interested in creating more shame around money or talking at women about what they should have done differently. I create space for honest conversations, relatable education, and tools women can use to put what they learn into action.
I’m most proud that Boyde & Co. is becoming a brand where difficult conversations can happen with dignity, and where women can leave feeling more informed, supported, and equipped to move forward.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I work with organizations, companies, and community partners through speaking engagements, workshops, lunch-and-learns, facilitated conversations, and educational programs. I also collaborate on events and initiatives that support women through honest conversations about money, rebuilding, and financial stability.
The best way to support my work is to bring me into rooms where these conversations need to happen, refer me to organizations looking for a speaker or facilitator, or partner with me on programs and events that align with the work I’m building.
I also have a book coming, and the best way to keep up with what I’m doing is to follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.boydeandco.com
- Instagram: @theaprilboyde
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theaprilboyde
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilboyde/
