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PivotPath’s Women In Business Features: Marie Metzger

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Michael Jordan, “I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.”

This week we feature another AMAZING #WomaninBusiness: Marie Metzger. Marie is the the Owner and CEO of Marie Metzger Agency, an insurance agency serving the Atlanta Metropolitan area. 

Becoming an entrepreneur takes courage, tenacity, and risk that is fueled by a greater goal and purpose. All business owners have a powerful story behind when/why they took the leap into entrepreneurship and that’s what keeps them going.

“While working for another insurance company, I realized just how important it was to educate consumers and build strong personal relationships with clients… So I took a leap of faith and opened my own insurance agency! I’ve been in business since 2014 and have grown my business into a million dollar book of business. I’m the middle of 6 children. My parents moved to the US from Sierra Leone in the 1970’s, living in Buffalo NY before moving to College Park, GA. I attended the University of Georgia and graduated in 2007 with a Sociology Degree.”

Marie Metzger, Owner/CEO of Marie Metzger Agency

As a small business owner, Marie Metzger has encountered a few challenges on her journey, especially in the realm of marketing and business development. PivotPath founder, Elizabeth Oke, asked her about these obstacles and ways she’s overcome(ing) them.

“Building a team and finding the right talent to fit the agency’s needs. Maintaining sustainable growth. In this business, new business growth is necessary and also a challenge.”

Marie Metzger, Owner/CEO of Marie Metzger Agency

[I’ve overcome the challenges of business growth by] embracing social media and educational vlogs. American Family Insurance (AMFAM) sends out a newsletter about trending topics for the industry, and annual review campaign for interacting with clients outside of. [This helps staying versed on popular trends for sales and marketing]. I also hired a Consulting company to assist with building my team and other outside marketing ideas and tools to think outside the box.

I’m constantly developing a CEO mindset: “Working on your business and in not your business”. This is the idea that as a business owner I try to spend my time generating leads, managing my team, focusing on the bigger picture and long term goals. Working on your business is planning for the future. Working in your business is doing the day to day routine things that usually can be delegated to a team member, like making a payment for example. Working in your business is planning for the today.

Marie Metzger, Owner/CEO of Marie Metzger Agency

Supporting small businesses and nonprofits is an act that acknowledges the tremendous risk and challenges that come from following your dream, pushing your creativity into a business, and starting your own your thing. PivotPath realizes these realities and serves as a median to alleviate these challenges by providing brand development, content management, and social media marketing services, customized to fit your specific budget. Contact us today for a consultation on how we can help you discover your audience and connect them to your Story.

PivotPath’s #CharityFriday Features: Focus Our Future

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Focus Our Future, Inc. is a non-profit organization that helps student-athletes prepare for life after sport for the betterment of communities around the world.

The organization’s goal is to offer services that assist student-athletes with their transition from sport to life-after-sports by exercising our organizational values to be the B.E.S.T: (Blessing to others; Encourage student-athletes; Share time and resources; Teach others)

Their Story

In 2013, Greg Ford challenged Kevin Watson, a young aspiring Track and Field coach, former student-athlete and working professional. Greg wanted Kevin to make a difference in the lives of the student-athletes that he trains. He not only called Kevin to help athletes in sport but assist the athletes outside of the sport. After some consideration, Kevin became inspired to support student-athletes in and out of their respective sports. As a result, they created an organization that addressing the needs of student-athletes. These areas are focused on while they are in school in addition to after they finish participating in their respective sports.

Photo Cred: Focus Our Future

Today, Focus Our Future, Inc. exists with programs such as Focus Our Future (r) Program and Future Flyers.

Focus Our Future has an extremely robust digital footprint, utilizing their website and social media to maximize their online presence. The up-to-date website provides a host of information ranging from project pictures, press releases, videos (website and Youtube), publications, and features. The organization was also featured in a the Richmond Free Press, leading to an acknowledgement from Jennifer McClellan, a member of the Senate of Virginia 9th District for their community leadership.

In addition to their digital presence, Focus Our Future also utilizes the power of volunteers through recruitment from VolunteerMatch. Volunteers and interns are a great way to share an organization’s mission and further recruit without spending too much of the overall budget.

Photo Cred: Focus Our Future

Focus Our Future is just one example of how nonprofit organizations successfully use digital marketing to increase its online presence and improve its chances of securing new and recurring gifts from supporters and potential supporters. Whether it be via social media marketing or through videos and publications, supports are more receptive to learning about recent activities once you’ve successfully shared your story.

Let PivotPath help you share your story.

Learn more details about our programs by visiting www.focusourfuture.org.

PivotPath’s Women In Business Feature: Ajara Marie Bomah

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Ajara Marie is a professional, business mogul and marketing executive with over 15 years of experience. She specializes in diaspora engagement and investment in Africa with a critical focus on women in business in Africa. She runs a boutique strategic communications agency that empowers African female entrepreneurs and individuals.

Ajara Marie helps her audience develop their brands and businesses to better position themselves for opportunities in their local and international markets. In addition to her career pursuit, she is a humanitarian working to change the lives of young people, especially girls in Africa. 

As the CEO of an established agency, Ajara Marie aids clients in building out their dreams of entrepreneurship and sharing their branding stories to their targeted audiences; however, she, too, has encountered a few obstacles as an entrepreneur. PivotPath founder, Elizabeth M’balu Oke, asked Ajara Marie about the two most challenging aspects of business, especially as a female entrepreneur in Africa.

Starting and growing a business as a female entrepreneur in a developing country isn’t easy. There are many challenges we face daily in trying to start and grow our brands and businesses. Over the years I have learned that this is part of business.

Two main challenges that most of us face as business owners are

1. Accessing funding to develop our businesses and

2. Finding and building networks and mentors.

Ajara Marie Bomah, CEO of Woman Mean Business

1. Access to funding

As entrepreneur, trying to get funding for business is hard. But, as a woman we are often sidelined more than our male counterparts.

Either we [women] don’t have the right information as to where funds are available or know the different types of funding. Also, some of us don’t know how to develop investment-ready portfolios and pitches. In addition, some of us don’t know how to manage money so that affects how we look at funding opportunities.

Ajara Marie Bomah, CEO of Woman Mean Business

Yes, people feel there is money available for female entrepreneurs. However, when you don’t have collateral to apply for loans, or the interest rate is so high and can’t be lowered, there is not much option. [You just have to] to try and manage with what you have. [Unfortunately], sometimes [this] takes up most of your time and you are unable to work on other aspects of the business.

Ajara Marie Bomah, CEO of Woman Mean Business

2. Finding a Business Mentor

Mentoring and support networks are very important. As a business woman, it is imperative to have one or the other.  

Women Mean Business’ #shemeansbusiness Brunch and Learn

Business is about making decisions and choices that can help in making your business succeed or fail. Therefore, having an experienced mentor who has been down this path before can be helpful in keeping you from making some of the same mistakes they may have made.

Unlike our male counterparts, female entrepreneurs find it difficult to get the right mentors. It took me years to find successful female entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone/Africa that inspire me and were willing to work with me. Being part of networks and organizations that empower females who are in business has also been helpful. So, there are quite a few Facebook groups and local networks that I am a part of that have been helpful.

Ajara Marie Bomah, CEO of Woman Mean Business

We then asked Ajara Marie how she has strategically and successfully overcome these challenges using a form of marketing to reach your targeted audience(s).

Leveraging on my networks to build relationships and building my digital media footprints.

I’m a connector and meet with different people all the time. I often times get great leads but either forget to reconnect or foster relationships with these people that I meet. I believe life is about building relationships and harnessing out networks. You have to be intentional about building business relationships and sharing opportunities with others. By doing so, you build genuine relationships where everyone benefits. Collaboration is also key and can open door for you; it’s also a great way to get business leads.

Ajara Marie Bomah, CEO of Woman Mean Business

I’m also a behind the scene type of person, so I do a lot in the background and tend not to share much about my what I do with the general populous. However, a few years back I realize that people were interested in knowing what I was doing and were inspired about my work. With that, I took strategic steps in putting myself out there and sharing some tips, experiences and things that I have been doing to reach where I’m out.

Ajara Marie Bomah, CEO of Woman Mean Business

“I took advantage of sharing my story on my social media links, digital magazines, collaborating with other to host events and programs.”

In this day of technology, having a digital media footprint is necessary. It can serve as your CV and a way for you to inspire others. I am very big on mentoring and this is another way that I can use my space to mentor others as well.  This has also given me the opportunity to connect with other powerful women doing great things across the world.

Ajara Marie Bomah, CEO of Woman Mean Business

Supporting small businesses and nonprofits is an act that acknowledges the tremendous risk and challenges that come from following your dream, pushing your creativity into a business, and starting your own your thing. PivotPath realizes these realities and serves as a median to alleviate these challenges by providing brand development, content management, and social media marketing services, customized to fit your specific budget. Contact us today for a free consultation on how we can help you discover your audience and connect them to your Story.

PivotPath’s #CharityFriday Features: Hello, My Name is King.

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When you know your name, you should hang on to it, for unless it is noted down and remembered, it will die when you do.” Toni Morrison

This week, PivotPath’s #CharityFriday features an amazing nonprofit impacting global communities: Hello, My Name Is King (HMNK). The nonprofit’s mission is to empower men and boys of color to challenge themselves, break barriers, and make a difference.

HMNK’s vision is a positive global movement that serves as a learning and bonding experience for people of all races and backgrounds.

Time and time again nonprofit professionals state how marketing agencies don’t fit within their annual budget. Because of this, we asked HMNK’s talented and heart driven founder, Whitney Stovall, how she’s utilized marketing to spread her mission and connect her audience (and donors) to her story.

“We were born on social media, what started as an Instagram campaign grew into a nonprofit. Since then I’ve continued to use social media to spread our message and reach volunteers. In turn, a substantial percentage of our fundraising dollars, new partnerships, and supporters are people who’ve found us on social media.”

Whitney Stovall, Founder of Hello, My Name is King

Being confident in your organization’s direction is key to a successful marketing program. Organizations like HMNK has mastered The Art of Storytelling and connect with their audience in a way that resonates with them, creating loyal and passionate supporters, volunteers, and donors. For more information or to join the Hello My Name is King movement, visit hellomynameisking.org.

PivotPath’s #SmallBusinessWednesday Feature: ActiveNP

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To continue in the spirit of National Nurses’ Day, we feature ActiveNP for this week’s #SmallBusinessWednesday!

ActiveNP specializes in mobile and SEO-friendly websites, and online marketing for nurse practitioners and nurse entrepreneurs.  The company helps nurse entrepreneurs achieve and increase online visibility for their businesses. With this, they reach a greater audience and serve more patients.

As a nurse entrepreneur, you can:

  • Choose your own schedule to create a better work-life balance.
  • Be your own boss
  • Speak up about topics that are not typically acceptable within the healthcare setting.
  • Amplify your CONFIDENCE and INDEPENDENCE in your field

Nurse entrepreneurs and nurse practitioners (NP) who own their own practice not only benefit themselves. They are also helping the health industry by lowering healthcare costs. As a result, patients who have NPs as their primary care provider have fewer ER visits and shorter hospital stays. In addition, they also provide a great deal of patient education by participating in research, and serving as mentors.

Are you a nursing professional interested in working with ActiveNP to boost your business? Contact them today! Contact@activenp.com

Charity Friday Feature: Lift Up

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This week, we highlight a nonprofit extremely dear to our hearts: Lift Up.

Lift Up is a nonprofit organization that allocates 100% of public donations away. Donors can choose which project 100% of their funds are allocated to, and see the impact their generosity makes around the world. Lift Up’s mission is to “Lift Up tangible projects with the greatest impact around the world”, with a vision of “[exist(ing)] to bring healing to a hurting world.

The organization caught our eye with its heart-felt storytelling and social media marketing. Lift Up uses Social media, Google AdWords and the hashtag #LiftUpFridays, a day where donors share and spread awareness of the organization’s impact, posting Lift Up’s swag on their personal pages. This marketing strategy not only helps spread the nonprofit’s societal impact, but also increases the viewership, followers, and enhanced branding.

Learn more about this amazing organization at weliftup.org!

Whether you have a large marketing budget and ample time on your hands, or are just doing the best with the resources you have,  we have several proven (and easily implemented) marketing tips that you can use to boost conversions, connect with your audience, and save you a pretty penny. 

Being confident in your organization’s direction is key to a successful marketing program no matter what your budget is. You have to start somewhere, right? With PivotPath’s help, you can take advantage of the open source tools and software in the market might just be a good starting point. Converted by your message, your client base will want to share what they’ve found.

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