Reading for Success: Eight (8) Minutes.  

For this edition of the She’s Her Own CEO® Guest Interview, we are excited to introduce you to April Franzino!  April is the Beauty Director at Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, and Prevention magazines at Hearst Magazines. She produces and oversees each book’s beauty editorial content, including pitching, reporting, writing, editing, and market work, culminating with yearly Beauty Awards specials.  She represents them on television, radio, and online, having appeared on The Today Show, The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, NBC New York Live,PIX11 News, and Today.com. April is also a host of the podcast Beauty Is Your Business.

April has also held positions as the Beauty Director of Redbook, Beauty Editor at SELF, Associate Beauty Editor at Fitness, Assistant Beauty Editor at Good Housekeeping, and as a Beauty Freelancer at People StyleWatch.

Franzino received a Bachelor of Arts from New York University’s journalism school, during which time she logged internships at Glamour, Allure, Good Housekeeping, Lucky, and Jane. When not happily engrossed in all things beauty, April can be found with the people she loves, reading, spending time outdoors, traveling, cooking, seeking out great food, and listening to music—especially live.  She is based in Hoboken, New Jersey.

 

Kathryn Brooks, She’s Her Own CEO®:  Hi April, thanks for speaking with us today. Tell us your favorite example of how you Lead, Provide, and Create in your professional and/or personal world!

April Franzino, Beauty Director, Hearst Magazines: One of my favorite parts of my job is that I am creating something every day—and in many cases, something that becomes tangible and touches the lives of millions of people around the country every month: articles in a magazine. It’s my responsibility to bring the best beauty content to our readers—things that inspire, delight, help, and inform them—and to challenge myself and our team to think about even topics or ideas that aren’t new in different, exciting, fresh ways. Both my personal and professional lives have been entirely created, provided, and lead by me, which is something that makes me incredibly proud.

 

Kathryn Brooks, She’s Her Own CEO®:  I love your “Lead, Provide, and Create” emphasis on your personal life and professional career! Being the CEO of your world can take many forms (for example, volunteering in your community, holding a formal corporate position, engaging in creative pursuits, or being a reliable mom/sister/daughter). In your opinion, what is the best way to achieve success and to become the boss of your world?

April Franzino, Beauty Director, Hearst Magazines: The best way to be successful in whatever you do is what my extremely hardworking parents taught me: Give everything you do everything you’ve got. It’s not worth doing something if you’re not going to give it your all. And don’t underestimate your abilities—you’ll often be astonished by how much you can accomplish if you don’t limit yourself. It’s natural to get scared when opportunities or change arise and few people feel prepared or “ready” in these situations, but the ones who are successful push themselves past the fear and do it anyway. They’re surprised by how they’re able to rise to meet the challenge, and that’s usually what brings you to the next level. This has been my experience, and I’ve been fortunate to have several  amazing bosses and mentors who pushed me out of my comfort zone this way. You never feel ready for the next step or bigger responsibility or whatever it may be, but by taking the leap, you truly grow and discover you’re capable of much more than you ever imagined. The only limits in life are often the ones we give ourselves.

 

Kathryn Brooks, She’s Her Own CEO®:  You obviously live and succeed by those words. Any additional words of wisdom you can share with motivated, aspirational readers?

April Franzino, Beauty Director, Hearst Magazines:  My advice is that everything matters! No detail, word, gesture, or interaction in life is inconsequential. It all adds up to the larger picture of success and happiness in every area. Just caring about every aspect of what you do will take you far. It’s often the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t. And what you give, you get! If you put positivity, kindness, and good energy out into the world, that is what you’ll be surrounded by. You make your life what it is—how amazing that we all have that power!

 

Kathryn Brooks, She’s Her Own CEO®:  This is amazing advice coming from a true influencer.  Thank you, April, for sharing your career story and insights with She’s Her Own CEO® !!

Learn more about April via Instagram/Twitter: @aprilfranzino

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xo Kathryn