Welcome to the first episode of _The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers_ podcast! Hosts _Ricardo Belmar_ and _Casey Golden_ dive into candid conversations with top innovators, change-makers, and disruptors in the retail industry. In this episode, they welcome _April Sabral,_ a renowned leadership and mindset expert, who shares insights on the power of purpose-driven leadership, building deeper connections, and fostering a positive mindset within teams. The conversation dives deep into embracing AI in retail, building emotional resilience, and fostering a positive workplace culture. April shares insights from her upcoming book, _'Positive Accountability,'_ and her latest venture, _Ask April AI,_ a coaching and training platform aimed at transforming leadership in retail, hospitality, and service industries.
Whether you're passionate about innovation, leadership, or the future of commerce, this episode offers insights into leading with positivity, mindset, and AI to transform retail.
Don't miss out on learning actionable strategies to enhance your leadership skills from one of the industry's most inspiring leaders!
*The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers S1:E1*
*Released on July 14, 2025*
*Guest info:*
*April Sabral* - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilsabral/
*April Sabral* is a leadership and mindset expert, bestselling author, and founder of _Ask April AI,_ an AI-powered coaching and training platform designed to support retail, hospitality, and service-based business owners. With over 30 years of experience leading teams at iconic global brands such as Starbucks, Gap, Banana Republic, and DAVIDsTEA, April has trained thousands of managers to become confident, people-focused leaders.
Her proven leadership system, _The Positive Effect,_ has been embraced by top brands including Jimmy Choo, Tory Burch, Sunglass Hut, Victoria’s Secret, and Psycho Bunny. Her bestselling book by the same name was named a Top Global Retail Book by the National Retail Federation in 2025 and is featured in the Forbes Leadership Library.
April has the only coaching certification in the retail industry that certifies leaders and coaches to train and license her proven methods, which is launching this fall.
April is also the _Executive Director_ of the _Design District Chamber of Commerce_ in Miami, where she combines her passion for retail with community leadership. She has been named a Rethink Retail Top Global Retail Expert for three consecutive years (2022–2025) and is on a mission to positively impact one million leaders worldwide through practical business tools and mindset transformation.
Learn more at https://www.askapril.ai/ & https://www.aprilsabral.com/
00:00 Preview
00:53 Show Intro
09:12 Retail Transformer - April Sabral
10:41 Shifts in Retail Leadership
12:12 Importance of Positive Mindset
14:38 Training and Development Strategies
23:54 AI in Retail: Embracing the Future
37:23 Ask April AI: Revolutionizing Leadership Development
41:41 The Role of AI in Retail Training
46:40 Building Technology as a Non-Tech Founder
53:30 Mindset Training in Leadership Development
58:32 Positive Accountability Framework
01:02:29 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Projects
01:04:02 Show Close
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