Today we’d like to introduce you to Nimi Bello.
Hi Nimi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey has never been linear — but it has always been intentional. I started my career in sales and later transitioned into technology, project management, and Agile consulting. For years, I found myself naturally stepping into roles that required connection, strategy, and building bridges across teams, communities, and opportunities. I didn’t realize it then, but those experiences were shaping the foundation of the ecosystem I lead today.
In 2020, during a season of deep transition, I launched Link Empower with a simple mission: to create pathways for people to grow, lead, and thrive — no matter where they are starting from. What began as a consulting practice quickly evolved into a multifaceted organization supporting entrepreneurs, professionals, nonprofits, and community leaders across Georgia and beyond.
The real turning point came after I was laid off from Deloitte in 2024. Instead of letting that moment define me, I used it as fuel. It pushed me to refine my purpose, elevate my voice, and build with more clarity. Since then, Link Empower has grown into both a for-profit consulting firm and a nonprofit foundation, driving impact at the intersection of business, culture, and community.
Today, I’m known as the “Olivia Pope of Networking” — not just because I connect people, but because I create environments where transformation happens. From our ONEpath Accelerator to Agile & Brunch, from strategic consulting to ecosystem development, my work centers around empowerment, access, and helping others step into their full potential.
My story is one of reinvention, resilience, and alignment. Every chapter — the wins, the pivots, the losses, and the leaps of faith — brought me here. And I’m still building, still learning, and still committed to showing others that you can rewrite your narrative at any stage of your journey.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not — and I don’t think entrepreneurship is supposed to be a smooth road. My journey has been a blend of grit, grace, and growth. Behind every milestone, there were seasons of uncertainty, reinvention, and quiet rebuilding.
One of my biggest challenges was navigating entrepreneurship as a single mother, balancing my responsibilities at home with the demands of building a business and a community. There were moments where I had to make hard decisions, prioritize stability, and rebuild my confidence after experiencing setbacks — including being laid off from Deloitte in 2024. That moment forced me to confront fear, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to “have it all together,” even when I was starting over.
I also faced the internal battles that many leaders don’t talk about:
– the fear of choosing the wrong path,
– the pressure of building without a roadmap,
– the emotional weight of carrying a vision bigger than your resources, and
– having to advocate for myself in spaces where I wasn’t always seen or understood.
Growing Link Empower also meant learning how to navigate partnerships, funding gaps, and systems that are not always built for Black women founders. There were seasons when I had to be both the visionary and the executor, the strategist and the fundraiser, the leader and the entire team.
But every struggle shaped my resilience. Every setback sharpened my clarity. And every obstacle reminded me why my work matters — because the very gaps I had to navigate are the same ones I’m now helping other leaders bridge.
The road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been purposeful. And I’ve learned that alignment, community, faith, and consistency will carry you through any season of uncertainty.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At my core, I build ecosystems. Through Link Empower, I help people, organizations, and communities unlock their potential through strategy, connection, and intentional development.
My work spans three major verticals:
1. Consulting & Organizational Strategy
I support businesses, government partners, and nonprofits with strategic planning, operations, Agile transformation, workforce development, and implementation. I specialize in helping leaders build systems that create clarity, improve team dynamics, and position their organizations for scale.
2. Workforce & Entrepreneurial Development
I’m the creator of the ONEpath Accelerator, a program designed to help professionals and founders develop the skills, mindset, and confidence to navigate the future of work. It bridges community, coaching, and career mobility — and has become one of the initiatives I’m most proud of.
3. Community & Ecosystem Building
I’m known as the “Olivia Pope of Networking” because I create spaces where connection becomes transformation — from Agile & Brunch to community partnerships, leadership events, and consulting ecosystems. What sets my work apart is that it’s not just networking; it’s intentional, strategic, and rooted in impact.
Across all my work, the common thread is this:
I help people and organizations grow with clarity, courage, and community.
I’m most proud of the fact that Link Empower bridges both profit and purpose. What started as a consulting company has now expanded into Link Empower Foundation, our nonprofit arm focused on access, equity, and empowering underserved communities. Being able to serve across both spaces — corporate and community — is something I carry with deep honor.
What truly sets me apart is my ability to see people. I don’t just work with organizations; I work with the humans inside them. I build relationships that turn into partnerships, opportunities, and long-term impact. I bring both structure and soul — the strategy to scale and the empathy to sustain it.
Whether I’m coaching a founder, hosting a brunch experience, designing a strategic roadmap, or consulting with a team — my focus is always the same: build leaders, build systems, build community. And that’s the heart of Link Empower.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I believe risk is a prerequisite for purpose. Every transformative chapter in my life required me to choose faith over comfort and alignment over approval. I don’t take reckless risks, but I take intentional risks — the kind that require self-trust, clarity, and courage.
One of the biggest risks I ever took was betting on myself after being laid off from Deloitte in 2024. Instead of rushing back into a traditional role, I made the decision to build Link Empower full-time and expand it into both a consulting firm and a nonprofit. I stepped into that season with no guarantees, no roadmap, and no safety net — just conviction. That decision fundamentally changed the trajectory of my business, my leadership, and my life.
Another meaningful risk was rebuilding my brand publicly — allowing people to witness the evolution, the pivots, and the parts of entrepreneurship that aren’t always polished. I showed up as myself, not as who I thought people expected me to be. That level of authenticity is a risk in a world where the pressure to perform is real, but it’s also the reason my community is as strong and connected as it is today.
I’ve also taken risks in how I build community. Creating spaces like Agile & Brunch and ONEpath required stepping into visibility, cultivating partnerships, and investing time and resources into experiences that didn’t have a guaranteed outcome. But those risks opened doors I couldn’t have planned for — opportunities, relationships, and impact that still grow today.
My view is simple:
Risk is not about jumping blindly — it’s about moving boldly.
It’s asking yourself, “What is the cost of staying the same?” and trusting that the version of you on the other side is worth the leap.
Every risk I’ve taken has pushed me closer to alignment, expanded my capacity, and strengthened my resilience. I wouldn’t be who I am — or doing the work I do — without the risks I chose to take.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.linkempower.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linkempower
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linkempower
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/linkempower
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@linkempower
- Other: https://www.nimibello.com/
Image Credits
Herd hunny and Willens
