About
April Furr, Founder and Etiquette Expert
With a background in healthcare, education, and human services, April Furr has spent her career both observing modes of communication and educating others about how to improve their communication to make it more respectful, kind, and professional. Specifically, as a speech pathologist, she specialized in providing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to individuals with complex communication disorders. In 2016, April studied under national etiquette expert Cynthia Grosso at the Charleston School of Protocol and Etiquette to obtain her Professional Etiquette Certification. April has seen the value of teaching others to communicate more effectively through their words and actions. She believes in helping others be the change they want to see in their home, workplace, or community by teaching life and communication skills that are often overlooked or disregarded.
Originally from the small town of Lucama in Wilson County, North Carolina, April currently resides in Clayton, North Carolina with her husband Ben, their two children Jackson and Georgia Kate, and their Shih-Poo Oscar. When she’s not teaching clients the finer points of professional etiquette and communication excellence, you may find her cooking, painting, or making grapevine wreaths by hand. April enjoys traveling with her family, fine dining with her husband, and surprising friends and family members with tokens of her love and appreciation.
About the North Carolina School of Protocol and Etiquette
The North Carolina School of Protocol and Etiquette offers one-on-one instruction and group classes designed to help individuals achieve their personal best in both their social circles and their careers. We are located in Clayton, North Carolina and will travel anywhere within the state.
Guiding Terms
It’s important to understand that protocol and etiquette go well beyond mere manners. Here are a few definitions to help guide your understanding of what we teach at the North Carolina School of Protocol and Etiquette.
Manners: Polite behavior that reflects an attitude of kindness, consideration, and respect.
Etiquette: True etiquette is not just about table manners. Rather, etiquette refers to the rules of conduct that indicate the proper and polite way to behave in social and professional settings. Practicing proper etiquette makes you less likely to offend or annoy people and more likely to be perceived as charming and sophisticated, and to make a lasting positive impression. Etiquette provides the structure through which a person can demonstrate their kindness and respect.
Protocol: Technically, protocol refers to the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of the state. It is the code of behavior, ceremony, and procedure that is accepted and required for interactions between heads of state, government officials, and diplomats. In a more general sense, protocol is the combination of good manners and common sense that allows for effective communication in formal settings.
Guiding Philosophy:
At the North Carolina School of Protocol and Etiquette, we believe in the following tenets:
Refining one’s social skills and mastering life skills leads to more confidence and a stronger sense of self.
Using proper etiquette in social and business settings translates to greater success and broader opportunities within those same arenas.
Understanding proper protocol and respectful etiquette will set individuals apart from their peers in a positive way.
Honing one’s social skills, so that they regularly demonstrate kindness and respect, increases the positive impact that an individual can have on the world.