Today we’d like to introduce you to Omi Bell.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I often say my work sits at the intersection of spirit, strategy, and storytelling. I started out as a technologist and creative, always drawn to building things that solve real problems for people. That passion led me to launch Black Girl Ventures, a nonprofit that has funded and supported hundreds of under-resourced entrepreneurs across the U.S. Over the past decade, I’ve built a career rooted in creating access to capital, capacity, and community for founders who are often overlooked.
But along the way, I hit a wall. The work was impactful, but my pace wasn’t sustainable. I was burned out, running on fumes, and ignoring the signals my body and spirit were sending me. I took a sabbatical, something I had never allowed myself to do and that time completely shifted my path. I discovered breathwork, Yoga Nidra, and sound healing not just as practices, but as medicine. They helped me restore my health, deepen my creativity, and reconnect with purpose.
Today, my work blends all of these worlds: I lead BGV, I host on SiriusXM’s Urban View, and I create immersive wellness experiences through Sparks of Sabbatical (1:1 deep rest immersions), The Sabbatical Lounge (group pop-up spa-style events), and Boardrooms & Breathwork (corporate wellness and leadership experiences). Whether I’m in a boardroom, on-air, or guiding someone through a sound bath, my mission is the same to help people reclaim rest as a pathway to power.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been deeply rewarding, but definitely not smooth. There’s the external challenge of building something that doesn’t fit into traditional boxes, convincing funders, partners, and audiences to see the value in spaces they may have never experienced before. There’s the personal challenge of shifting from a high-performance, “always-on” mindset to one that honors rest and sustainability, especially when much of my identity was tied to achievement.
As a Black woman founder, I’ve had to navigate systemic barriers, funding gaps, and the invisible weight of representation. And as a creative, I’ve had to embrace that my work evolves with me. The biggest growth came from allowing myself to be both visionary and vulnerable to run a nonprofit making national impact while also stepping fully into my role as a wellness practitioner and spiritual worker.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Black Girl Ventures, I specialize in designing programs that democratize access to capital for under-resourced entrepreneurs. Our signature pitch competitions often run “Shark Tank”-style with a twist, have funded over 450 founders, built vibrant business ecosystems, and shifted narratives about who gets to be an innovator. I’m known for being both a builder and a bridge, connecting communities, capital, and culture in ways that feel authentic and human.
As a creative and wellness practitioner at Omi’s World Media, I’m most proud of how I’ve woven rest into the fabric of leadership. Through Boardrooms & Breathwork, I bring meditation, breathwork, and sound healing into corporate spaces, showing leaders that wellness isn’t a perk. It’s a performance strategy. Through Sparks of Sabbatical and The Sabbatical Lounge, I create spaces where people can exhale, reflect, and reconnect with themselves.
What sets me apart is my ability to move fluidly between worlds from investor meetings to meditation mats, from national radio to intimate healing circles while keeping my work rooted in community, equity, and spirit.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people don’t know that I’m a classically trained technologist and tinkerer at heart. I built a platform called Raisify which democratizes access to capital by allowing competitions where people garner votes as donations to support their businesses or social efforts.
I love building systems as much as I love guiding meditations. They also might be surprised to know that my journey into wellness wasn’t planned at all; it came as a necessity to save my health and spirit. What started as personal healing has become part of my life’s work.
And here’s a fun one…I host on SiriusXM, which means some days I might start my morning guiding thousands of listeners through a conversation about leadership, politics, or culture, and end my evening leading a sound bath under the stars. It’s that mix of real-world strategy and soulful practice that keeps me inspired.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.omibell.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/omibell
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omibell/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Boardroomsandbreathwork
