We had the good fortune of connecting with Sabrina Merritt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sabrina, what do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my willingness to try new things and persist no matter the outcome. I know that might sound a bit cliche as there are many old adages that point to those very things, but when I think back on the person and businesswomen I am today, those are two of the most prevalent contributors. In the course of my professional career, I have reinvented myself many times over. I’ve been a professional singer and songwriter with a record deal in Japan, I’ve been an event planner -planning celebrity fashion shows and poetry readings. We even planned a family reunion for the late Afeni Shakur (Tupac’s mother) and had DJ Drama as the DJ.  I hosted a YouTube show, called Friday Girl TV and am the Co-Founder of a creative technology festival called Women Interactive that took place for 4 years at Spelman College. I’ve been a social media manager, leading the social media team for a Fortune 500 across their four brands. Someone on the outside looking in, could easily think a resume like that means you’re all over the place, but you have to fail and persist many times over to ultimately find your unique path. Today, as the Founder and CEO of October Social Media, a social media management, training, and consulting agency, I use the skills I acquired from my different roles to create great content and complex social strategies for some of the leading brands and government agencies in the southeast.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I started October Social Media in March of 2016 after being laid off from my job. The lay off was unexpected and happened a few months before my wedding. My husband and I were paying for the wedding ourselves so needless to say, I felt immense pressure to figure out my next move. However, after my last experience in corporate, I was not very eager to return to a corporate environment and had concerns about getting another corporate job. Luckily, during my time at my last job, most of my team was outsourced which allowed me to work with a social media agency based in Los Angles. The agency had an impressive roster of clients and worked with really large brands. Once I decided I wanted to open my own social media agency, I was able to use what I learned from working with them to develop my initial business model. October Social was profitable within the first month of business and now 4 years later we work with some of the leading brands in the southeast – like Emory University, Smith Douglas Homes, Black Health Matters, the Consulate General of Canada in Atlanta, and Georgia Public Broadcasting. The road has not always been easy, but I wouldn’t trade being an entrepreneur for any other career. I absolutely love spending my days helping people, growing my business, and mentoring the young professionals who work with me to accomplish their career goals.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hmmm…good question. I absolutely love to eat and people watch at Bartaco on Howell Mill and Vickery’s in Glennwood Park. They both have amazing food and cool people! Pre–CoVid we’d then head to The Sound Table and MJQ for a night of dancing, drinks, and great music. I’d also take them to The High Museum, Ponce City Market, and whatever cool art event is happening at the moment. If they’re game I’d definitely want to sneak in some nature and take them for a day trip just outside of Atlanta to visit one of our state parks. My new favorite state park is High Falls. They have amazing waterfalls and wooded trails.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to. I’ll start with my husband, Eric, who is adventurous and courageous enough to want to marry an entrepreneur…lol! Thank you for all of your help, encouragement, and love as we navigate entrepreneurship together. I also want to thank my tribe of phenomenal entrepreneurs who listen to me vent, give me great advice, and support my dreams. Shout out to Ashia, Ali, Sherri, Eboni, Kenzie, Don, John, Monica, Sarah, Malla, and HaJ.

Website: www.octobersocialmedia.com
Instagram: @sabrinarosemerritt @octobersocialmedia
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinarmerritt/
Twitter: @slickrose

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