Savannah James & April McDaniel on Friendship and Building a Business with Your Bestie
Build a business with people whose strengths complement yours, and make room for trust, shared learning, and honest conversations as you grow.
- In a partnership, share control: trust collaborators to work differently and help them bring out their best.
- Before launching a community, test the idea with small gatherings and build the programming and support resources members need.
- If you raise money, learn the financial responsibilities, choose partners who will teach you, and be ready to change course when needed.
Useful founder and partnership perspectives, but there is no detailed business walkthrough. · Best for: Founders considering co-founders, investment, or building a paid community.
Savannah James and April McDaniel discuss friendship, leadership, their businesses, and the development of their podcast and women’s community. Their practical business insights focus on learning to collaborate, testing a community concept, choosing supportive investors, and staying financially responsible.
Learning to lead in partnership12:50
- McDaniel says moving from working alone to partnership meant accepting that she could not control every decision.
- She describes learning to trust collaborators and create conditions for them to contribute their strengths.
- The pair balance McDaniel’s structured, cost-conscious approach with James’s more creative, exploratory style.
How a podcast took shape37:28
- After an initial filmed format felt unnatural, they decided to talk with people directly.
- They posted a phone number on Instagram and used a burner phone to receive callers’ stories; that became the basis of Everybody’s Crazy.
- They describe the show as a space for people to share experiences and get perspective without judgment.
Building a community business1:07:07
- Let It Break is described as a women’s membership community centered on showing up as yourself and growing.
- They spent two years developing it, raised money, and held about 10 tester dinners before launching.
- The offering includes required monthly programming, community events, and a resource hub with referrals such as therapists and doctors.
Raising money and managing a business1:11:37
- McDaniel says they worked with investors who could relate to their experience and were willing to teach them.
- They frame asking for funding as something they had to become comfortable with, and say it can help a business scale faster.
- They stress the responsibilities of fundraising: financial and fiscal knowledge, knowing when to stop or pivot, and having difficult conversations.
Building with identity and values in mind1:13:34
- McDaniel discusses the challenge of not being pigeonholed as a Black, female-owned company and emphasizes knowing your worth.
- James describes community work in Akron as a way to expose people to opportunities and show what is possible.
- They value keeping life simple and grounding business and personal choices in what matters to them.
Step by step
- Clarify what each partner contributes and where their approaches differ.
- Make room for shared decision-making; trust collaborators rather than expecting everything to happen your way.
- Test a community concept with small gatherings and refine the offering before launching.
- Build the membership around specific programming, events, and practical resources.
- If seeking investment, find partners who understand your business and are willing to teach you.
- Learn the financial responsibilities of funding, monitor what is working, and be prepared to pivot.
Tools & resources mentioned
- Instagram — used to post the call-in number that helped launch Everybody’s Crazy.
- Burner phone — used to receive calls from people responding to the Instagram post.
- Everybody’s Crazy — podcast built around callers sharing personal situations.
- Let It Break — women’s membership community with programming, events, and a resource hub.
- Crown and Conquer — April McDaniel’s creative agency.
- Marcy Penn — named as a partner in the business; described as supportive and willing to teach.
Notes are AI-generated from the video's transcript and may miss nuance.