Interview Between TribesAndHistory and Nimi Bello
TribesAndHistory: What’s your name, and how would you like to be addressed?
Nimi: My name is Nimi Bello, and you can just call me Nimi.
TribesAndHistory: How can people connect with you?
Nimi: Readers can connect with me in multiple ways. I’m on LinkedIn as Nimi Bello, and on Instagram as agilebae. My personal website, nimibello.com, has all my information, including details on how to connect with me and my different businesses.
TribesAndHistory: Where are you from?
Nimi: I was born in New Jersey, but I left when I was just 18 months old. I’m Nigerian—both my parents are from Rivers State. So, I proudly claim Port Harcourt, the Garden City, home of Burna Boy! I’m definitely a Southy babe, but since I live in Atlanta now, I call myself the South-South Babe.
TribesAndHistory: What do you do?
Nimi: That’s a loaded question because I do a lot of things! First and foremost, I’m a mom to two amazing boys, ages eight and seven. They are the light of my life and the reason behind everything I do.
From a business perspective, I’m the founder of Link Empower, a global ecosystem that creates spaces for entrepreneurs, career professionals, and small businesses. We focus on providing resources, making an impact, and fostering opportunities for people to connect and empower each other.
Career-wise, I’ve spent the last ten years in the Agile and Scrum industry. I’m a creative director, digital transformation leader, and strategic partner. I’ve helped mid-sized enterprises, startups, and corporations scale their businesses by focusing on agility and business transformation. Before that, I worked in sales, then transitioned into supporting applications and technology. And, as they say, the rest is history!
TribesAndHistory: What inspired you to pursue this path?
Nimi: That’s a deep question! Honestly, I believe it’s my purpose. Like many people, 2020 forced me to slow down and reflect on life beyond the hustle and bustle.
I’ve always been a natural connector. Even in my family, I’m the bridge that brings people together. My friends always joked, “If you need something or want to know someone, ask Nimi!” But I never thought of it as a skill, I just assumed everyone knew how to network. Then I realized that for many people, networking isn’t natural or easy.
That’s when Link Empower was born. Initially, it started as a way for me to stay connected during COVID. I was struggling with the isolation, so I reached out to women in my network to join a devotional on Zoom. That first call had 25+ attendees. People loved it and encouraged me to host more gatherings. I wasn’t thinking about business at the time, I just wanted to create a space where people could connect.
Then I decided to take things a step further. In 2021, during the middle of the pandemic, I organized an in-person conference with around 50 attendees. That’s when I realized I had something special, even though the vision wasn’t fully clear yet.
Purpose can be scary, it gets bigger than you expect. But I kept going. I officially branded Link Empower, launched the website and social media, and started building a global impact initiative.
However, I took a two-year break from actively growing Link Empower because I needed clarity on my personal brand. One of the biggest lessons I learned is that if you’re building something centered around community, you must first take the time for self-discovery. That period allowed me to align my personal mission and vision with my work.
Now, five years in, I’ve never been more certain of my mission—to create opportunities and make an impact on a global scale. That clarity came from years of self-development, learning my value systems, understanding leadership, and identifying the right partnerships.
TribesAndHistory: What is Link Empower’s core focus today?
Nimi: Link Empower is all about community, innovation, and growth—these are our three pillars. If you visit our website, you’ll see them front and center.
Yes, we provide services, resources, and workforce development programs, but at the core, we are about transformation. Our goal is to foster a supportive global ecosystem where people can connect, innovate, and grow together. It’s not just about networking—it’s about building something meaningful that drives impact on a large scale.
TribesAndHistory: Can you elaborate on building your personal brand and how you knew it was time to come back to Link Empower?
Nimi: That’s a really good question. My journey started with Clubhouse, which was a significant contributor to both Link Empower and my personal brand. When I joined Clubhouse, many people were transitioning careers, and I took pride in educating others about becoming a Scrum Master and entering the agile industry. At that time, there weren’t many accessible resources or information on the topic.
I had been in the industry for ten years but had not met many people of color in my field. Clubhouse changed that—I began connecting with Black professionals in technology, which was both impressive and inspiring. I started offering educational sessions, sharing knowledge about agility, and establishing myself as a subject matter expert. Week after week, our Clubhouse rooms grew, and recruiters began joining in, inviting me to speak. People started seeking me out, following Link Empower on Instagram, and asking for me specifically.
However, I knew I didn’t want to be the face of Link Empower. My vision was for it to be a community-driven initiative, scalable beyond just me. But as people sought me out for expertise, I realized I needed to establish my personal brand.
At the same time, I was facing a toxic work environment, dealing with discrimination at my job. During a solo trip to Brazil, while journaling in a Link Empower notebook after our first conference, the name Agilebae came to me. I wanted to educate people about agility in a way that was directly tied to me, distinct from Link Empower. I brainstormed my brand’s mission, played around with Canva to develop visual concepts, and came up with “Building, Adapting, Enhancing.”
When I returned, I changed my Instagram handle to agilebae and it turned out to be one of my best decisions. The brand has since evolved into not just my personal brand but also a ready-to-wear clothing line. Back in 2021, I had no idea this would happen—it was born from creativity and necessity. Clubhouse helped people discover me, and through my content, I became a recognized expert in agile transformation. My authenticity resonated with people—I wasn’t selling anything; I was just showing up as myself and sharing knowledge. Over time, my presence became a trusted source for career and business insights, and that organic growth shaped my brand’s evolution.
TribesAndHistory: Tell us about your career and business.
Nimi: Absolutely! Link Empower is now in its fifth year—an exciting milestone! We’ve expanded into consulting services, providing innovative solutions that empower individuals, businesses, and communities. Our approach combines proven strategies with personalized support to help clients achieve growth and tangible results.
We offer three core service packages:
Anyone can visit our website, linkempower.com, to explore our services and book a discovery call. We assess where clients are in their journey and provide customized recommendations.
Beyond consulting, we host various events and programs, including our One Path Accelerator Program. This initiative supports career transitions and helps entrepreneurs streamline their operational workflows.
One of our flagship annual events is Agile and Brunch now in its fourth year. We’ll be hosting it in Chicago this June! We also foster partnerships and community-based initiatives. More details about our programs and events can be found on our website and social media—Link Empower is the only one with that name, making us easy to find online.
TribesAndHistory: How has your African heritage shaped your business journey?
Nimi: My African heritage has been a massive influence. When I started Link Empower, I wasn’t thinking on a global scale, but expansion happened organically. We’ve attracted many creatives from Africa who see us as a valuable partner. We upskill African professionals and connect them with international opportunities, particularly in the U.S. This led us to officially register Link Empower as an LTD in Nigeria in November last year.
Our accelerator program is also launching in Nigeria this February, establishing a local team to serve the market effectively. We previously had one accelerator participant in Nigeria, but time zones and logistical challenges made us realize we needed a dedicated team on the ground. There’s a huge demand for our services, and people consistently reach out via LinkedIn and Instagram, eager to contribute to our mission. Expanding to Nigeria is just the beginning of our broader vision for Africa.
TribesAndHistory: What role does your culture play in your career, leadership style, and decision-making processes?
Nimi: Culture is everything. One of the things I love about being Nigerian is our resilience. Nigerians are some of the most tenacious people on Earth. Every time I visit Nigeria, I’m reinspired by people who create opportunities out of nothing despite limited resources. Growing up, I spent time with my grandmother, who was a tailor. Watching her work and witnessing her audacity and persistence shaped my work ethic and leadership approach. That spirit of resilience, problem-solving, and adaptability is embedded in me. In the U.S., we have more opportunities, and I carry the mindset that anything is possible if you put in the work.
This resilience influences how I navigate challenges, make business decisions, and lead my team. Whether it’s scaling Link Empower, expanding to Nigeria, or building my personal brand, I approach everything with a mindset of perseverance and innovation. That’s the Nigerian spirit, and it’s a driving force behind everything I do.
Nimi: That’s a great question. The legacy I want to leave is one of impact—impact is so important. I believe that when we focus on creating opportunities for others, everybody wins.
With Link Empower, my goal, God willing, is to build a global ecosystem that provides opportunities for individuals across the world, especially in Nigeria. There is so much untapped potential, particularly among the youth. The young creatives I’ve had the privilege of connecting with are full of incredible ideas, drive, tenacity, and resilience. What’s missing is the access to opportunities. I hope to use my platform to create that impact and open doors for them.
TribesAndHistory: I love that! When you talk about creatives, it really resonates because TribesAndHistory also focuses on creatives—comic artists, animators, writers, and more. I actually had a conversation with a creative just a few days ago, and he asked if TribesAndHistory had a way for creatives to get paid. While we do have a system in place, it wasn’t quite what he had in mind. Hearing about Link Empower immediately made me think, “Wow, maybe as you continue building it, there could be opportunities for creatives to be part of that ecosystem.”
Nimi: Absolutely! I’d be open to that for sure.
TribesAndHistory: What about your heritage makes you proud?
Nimi: One of the things I love most about our heritage is our pride. Nigerians are a very prideful people, but in a way that celebrates our identity. And what’s beautiful is that we come in different flavors—our culture isn’t one-size-fits-all.
The vibrancy of our traditions, our languages, and our diversity is unmatched. We have over 500 languages and around 300 tribes, yet despite our differences, we share connections that make us uniquely Nigerian.
Recently, I visited Ondo State for the first time. I had been to Lagos and Rivers State before, but never Ondo. That experience made me realize how much of Nigeria I still need to explore. There’s so much richness to our history, and I want to make a conscious effort to visit more states, learn more about different tribes, and immerse myself in our diverse cultures. Even beyond Nigeria, I’ve visited Kenya and Ghana, but Africa as a whole is so vast. There are so many places I still want to explore and learn from. That’s what excites me about our heritage—there’s always more to discover.
Nimi: Keep building, adapting, and enhancing.
Nimi: Not necessarily, but I do want to remind people that if they visit nimibello.com, I have a free resource available! It’s called Network with Purpose—a digital guide filled with tips on effective networking. People always ask me how I navigate networking events, and this e-book breaks down the strategies I’ve personally used over the years. It’s completely free to download, so I encourage everyone to check it out!
