Meet Apryl Burton | Business Concierge

We had the good fortune of connecting with Apryl Burton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Apryl, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve been in love with entrepreneurship since I first learned the word in elementary as a vocabulary word! I was never really sure how but my answer to the age old kid question ” what do you want to be when you grow up” was always “an entrepreneur”. As an adult trying to navigate how to turn that passion for entrepreneurship into a career came with it’s own unique set of difficulties and uncertainties. One of my greatest strengths is being multitalented. However, when you’re trying to pin down a particular skillset, being multitalented can also feel like a disadvantage. I felt like I wasn’t an expert of one specialized field with a decade of experience behind me. I always felt like there was no space for me to do what I love and be successful. For years, I would partner with people who were starting businesses or needed assistance with their business tasks. Whether they needed help with a business plan, marketing, monetization strategies, or formation, I jumped at every opportunity to just be of assistance. The funny thing is, I did it absolutely for FREE! (lol) It wasn’t until speaking to my best friends in a very heartfelt venting session, I realized my services had value and so did I. I believe the hardest charge to myself was empowering myself to realize my worth. Once I mastered that thought, the process began. It no longer was about me finding a space to belong in as much as it became me creating the space for myself. I gathered all of my experience and the things I love doing to help other business owners and Voila! When naming the business, I wanted a name that was a positive reflection of the business’s multi-functional nature. My mother, Robin (who passed away in 2016) became my inspiration. She was diligent, bold, courageous, multi-talented, and extremely capable. She was one of those people who could complete any task and she passed all of those qualities on to me. It was only fitting to pay homage to the hardest working woman I knew and my biggest fan. The Robin Brand was born.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Robin Brand,LLC. is a minority (and woman) owned business consulting agency. Services offered range include but are not limited to virtual assistance, business formation, marketing services, funding research, and project management. Every year over 600,000 businesses are created in the US alone. Approximately 20% of those business won’t make it through or past the first two years of operation. I love being able to couple my servant heart with my passion for entrepreneurship. I believe that is what sets me apart. My first goal in partnering with a business owner is to see myself as a servant for them. My goal is to give voice to their vision and implement strategies that will take some of the stress and burden from them so they can lead in their business effectively. Therefore, the business slogan is “We undertake the overwhelm”. Where I am presently is still evolving. I believe a large portion of my current and growing success is due to networking and not seeing everyone as competition but as a potential partner or someone I may be able to serve. It is not easy, but nothing worth having is. I approach all challenges that present themselves by prioritizing and planning. I’ve learned to say no to opportunities where I feel my contribution is not valued. Some of the most common reasons businesses fail include not having the right team, and poor planning (project management), The Robin Brand is here to help with that. I want the world to know that The Robin Brand, LLC is committed to being the go-to agency for businesses and their needs, no matter what they are.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many fun places that I looooooove in the DFW area. The dining experiences for the week would include DaLat ( Vietnamese cuisine), Up Kitchen in Plano, Moxie’s, Malai Kitchen ( Thai-Vietnamese), Andrha Mess (Indian cuisine), and oddly enough, pizza from Costco LOL. I know it sounds weird but I absolutely love the pizza at Costco! For drinks we would go to Gloria’s and Times Ten Cellars (winery). For relaxation we would spend a day at Spa Castle and for adventure we would go to indoor sky diving at iFly (unless they’re game for real skydiving, fuuuunnnn!). We would also make appearances at Top Golf and professional sporting events.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Sometimes I feel like God’s favorite because he blessed with the most amazing circle of friends and family who support me. My mother, Robin (before she passed away unexpectedly in 2016) was my biggest fan. We were each other’s superwoman 🙂 My father, Marion (who passed away unexpectedly in 2003) is where I get my hard work ethic from. I have a wonderful band of biological sisters who have given me an equal balance of friendship and annoyance over the years lol ( Tristian, ShaQuallin, LaVesha, and Sydney). My mentor Lenay Okeke and my (step) mother Audrey for teaching me to be patient with myself and to be ladylike. My aunts Glenda and Teresa for being the parents I didn’t ask for but I can’t imagine my life without. My close friend and mentor Demetria Anderson for always reminding me that I am capable of obtaining any goal, realizing any dream, and to not limit myself or God’s ability to use me. Lastly, my closest and best friend, Stacy Omo-Iyase, who’s friendship has taught me immeasureably about love, grace, and beauty.

Website: robinbrand.com

Instagram: the.robinbrand

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/apryl-burton-a4873b35