By Je’Don Holloway-Talley | For The Birmingham Times
(Women’s History Month Special)
Momentum Leaders’ CEO, April Benetollo, almost turned down her nomination to join its 2013 Executive Class.
When she was nominated, she wasn’t sure she needed it. At the time, Benetollo was a seasoned leader at Daxko, a Birmingham-based software company, and had already climbed the corporate ladder, holding high-level roles in marketing, product strategy, sales, and human resources for over 16 years.
She was reluctant “for a lot of the reasons that we hear all of our Momentum women say,” Benetollo admitted. “‘I don’t have time to dedicate to that.’ ‘I didn’t feel like I necessarily need it’. I had a host of reasons for not wanting to participate.”
But something pulled her in. And on the first day of her Momentum retreat in 2013, she realized she had been missing something vital all along.
“I was stunned by the caliber of women that I was surrounded by, and was deeply moved to be in a room of such high-powered, influential women who also had the same sort of struggles and obstacles and doubts and fears and hopes and dreams that I had,” she said.
It wasn’t just about career advancement. Momentum gave her something she hadn’t realized she needed: a space where leadership, personal growth, and sisterhood intersected. It was a place where women weren’t just succeeding in their careers but learning how to navigate the unique burdens of leadership as women, mothers, and community builders.
Unpaid Office Work
Benetollo, a Birmingham native and Ramsay High School graduate, attended the University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies with a minor in French. The C-suite executive, wife to Emmanuel Benetollo and mother of two — ages 22 and 20 — spoke candidly about the unseen and unsung challenges professional women face, emphasizing that they are expected to be nurturers not only at home but also in the workplace.
“Women do an extraordinary amount of unpaid office work [from] organizing parties and doing the things that women are naturally led to do [such as] nurturing and caring for people, showing people that they matter, encouraging people— we do all of those things in every aspect of our life,” said Benetollo.
“So it poses some interesting challenges in the workplace when you’re the one responsible for being at all of the family events, being at all the kids’ doctor’s appointments, being at all of your mother’s doctor’s appointments, being at all your dad’s surgeries, and the list goes on and on…”
Inspired by her experience, she volunteered with Momentum after leaving Daxko, eventually taking on a part-time role in marketing and strategy. When Momentum’s founder, Barbara Royal, announced her plans to step down—what she called a “pro-tirement”—she encouraged Benetollo to apply for the CEO position.
Benetollo applied and in what she calls her “great fortune,” in 2017, she was chosen to lead the very organization that had transformed her own career path.
Founded in 2002 by Barbara Royal, Momentum was created to fill a void. Women at the top had few peers, no leadership networks, and often navigated their careers alone. The program started as a high-level executive leadership course but over the past 22 years, it has expanded to support women at all career stages.
The Evolution of Momentum
Now, Momentum is Alabama’s leading women’s leadership organization, offering a range of programs tailored to women at different career stages. The Executive Leadership Program is a nine-month development experience designed for high-level executives, while Upward focuses on early to mid-career professionals, equipping them with the confidence to step into leadership roles.
Additionally, Luminary Women serves as a networking initiative that connects senior-level women leaders, fostering mentorship and collaboration. Momentum Works, a newly launched cohort-based program, provides leadership training for women in the workforce who might not otherwise have access to such opportunities.
Momentum Works is a tuition-free program designed to help participants develop the skills and confidence needed to grow both personally and professionally. The program spans six months, with half-day Saturday sessions. The curriculum covers: Emotional Intelligence, Strengths Assessment, Resilience, Taking Initiative, Negotiation, Prioritization, and Building Community.
Participants like LaPorsche Jymi leave the Momentum Works program with a stronger sense of self, a deeper network, and a clearer path forward.
Momentum Works taught her to trust herself and her vision for her brand
H&H (Headwear and Hair Care) even more, Jymi said.
Momentum Works re-energized her faith in her business and that she had something unique to offer the market. “That’s why I love the name Momentum,” Jymi said. “It gives you that momentum to keep going. And when you can’t, it connects you to a pool of women that can pour into you at any time.”
To learn more about Momentum Leaders, visit: www.momentumleaders.org, and find them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, @momentumleaders.
