We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth M’balu Oke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth M’balu, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
My parents are originally from the land of diamonds and royalty: Sierra Leone, West Africa. As a first-generation African American, I have always had a passion for aiding Sierra Leoneans in-country on their paths towards economic self-sufficiency, development, and increased livelihood.

As many may know, the civil war in Sierra Leone lasted for almost 11 years (1991 to 2002), taking the lives of thousands and affecting millions worldwide. Although my parents did not enter the United States as refugees, many of my family members and friends embarked on that journey towards their entry into the states. Their stories are rough, heartbreaking, and some of the most horrific life events anyone could ever experience. With this innate passion to serve and positively contribute to the upbuilding of the country, I accepted active roles in Youth for Sierra Leonean Improvement organizations, volunteered time towards Sierra Leonean diaspora projects, and held the title of Miss Sierra Leone USA 2007-2008.

In 2014, I secured a position as an Employment Specialist (later turned Interim Program Manager) for the International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s leading refugee resettlement agencies. After 3.5 years, I transitioned from my role, yet maintained very active in Sierra Leone initiatives.

With the establishment of my marketing and communications agency PivotPath in 2018, I have been blessed and fortunate enough to continue my mission by partnering with the Freetown City Council (Freetown is the capital of Sierra Leone), the European Union Delegation to Sierra Leone, in-country nonprofit organizations, and many talented creatives. I also recently opened the Freetown Office in early 2021, aimed at providing economic opportunities for young Sierra Leonean adults in the creative industry.

Mama Salone (Sierra Leone) has seen its strife, its hurts, its pain. But through it all remains my forever home and has made me who I am: A proud Sierra Leonean female boss.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At PivotPath, we believe that developing a trusted, recognizable brand is the key to penetrating the communities you serve. With a collective 80+ years of experience, we have focused on building our expertise in the services that help municipalities, intergovernmental and nonprofit organizations, and businesses effectively communicate with stakeholders, donors, and strategic partners.

Providing marketing and communications consulting services for clients such as the European Union (EU), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the Freetown City Council has provided opportunities with clients and strategic partners to collaborate in a way that is real, recognizable, and relatable.

Our team creates brand tools that tell authentic stories and welcome audiences in a way that is memorable through brand development, strategic marketing plans, messaging, and graphics. We also help our clients stay connected with their audience(s) through engaging websites, social media, direct mailers, and smart communications strategies. We have two locations: the Metropolitan Atlanta area and Freetown, Sierra Leone in West Africa.

With every project, we are provided with new and valuable insights that we pour back into our clients’ projects through the execution of our work. This focused experience has helped us deeply understand the issues and challenges related to branding, visual communication, and marketing to a targeted base that is constantly changing and evolving.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Breakfast/Brunch – Negril Village ATL (yasss!)

Lunch – Sun in my Belly

Dinner – The BQE Restaurant & Lounge

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband Doyin, children, parents, sistergirlfrans, and loving and supportive extended family.

Website: www.pivotpathdigital.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pivotpath/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pivotpath

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pivotpath/

Image Credits
Kola Adetola

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