Bofta Yimam ~ Emmy-Award Winning Journalist, Correspondent, Speaker, Strategist
Bofta Yimam is the Founder of StoryLede, Emmy® & Edward R. Murrow Award-Winning Journalist and International Speaker. She is the first Ethiopian-American newscaster to receive an Emmy award. Today, Bofta leverages her voice and story on a global level by helping leaders and business owners amplify their message, story, and visibility. From London to Washington, D.C., Bofta has captured global crowds with her dynamic style and presence.
From commanding executive presence to implementing savvy storytelling techniques to help you standout from the crowd online or on stage – Bofta’s value-packed content helps entrepreneurs and thought leaders soar in visibility, revenue and impact.
For more than a decade, Bofta reported live on the morning and evening news for top TV outlets, including CBS News, The Black News Channel, and EuroNews. From the White House and the historic 2020 election to the Covid-19 response, Bofta has covered a plethora of stories that have appeared across the country. She also previously worked as the Capitol Hill Correspondent for The Black News Channel, where she covered policies and legislation dominating Washington with a special focus on the impact to people of color.
As a seasoned speaker, story-focused marketing strategist and corporate trainer, Bofta mixes high energy storytelling and insightful content that will motivate your audience into action.
From teenage depression and housing instability to an award-winning broadcasting career to building a successful business from scratch, Bofta is proof that you can merge your creative talents and natural gifts to create your own route to success. Bofta firmly believes that adversity has its advantages and there’s incredible power in owning your story, amplifying your voice and becoming the highest version of yourself.
Bofta is also part of a select group of speakers who have earned the professional speaker designation by the National Speakers Association (NSA). In 2023, she was nominated as the NMSDC Regional Supplier of the Year and also received the Women Enterprising Women of the Year award. Previous awards include the Asian-African Chamber of Commerce & Industry International Leadership Award and the Black Business Review’s Top 40 Under 40 Professionals.
Partial List of Previous Podcasts:
Profitable Joyful Consulting with Samantha Hartley
The Open Mic Podcast with Brett Allan
Women Really Mean Business Podcast with Jeff Biletnikoff
Business Unveiled Podcast with Angela Proffitt
RPRTR with Beau Berman
The Joe Pardo Show
Black Entrepreneur Experience with Dr. Frances Richards
Good Girls Get Rich with Karen Yankovich
Abundantly Clear Podcast with Malorie Nicole
Before the Bestseller with Alex Strathdee
IAMCEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless
Legal Nurse Podcast with Pat Iyer
Podcast Conversation Starters:
- I read that when you were anchoring the news, you were talking to thousands of people on-camera and still felt like you were playing small – what did you mean by that?
- How did you come up with the name behind StoryLede for your marketing agency? What’s the story behind the StoryLede title? No pun intended!
- How do you help your clients play bigger – and go from being virtually anonymous to iconic?
- What do most entrepreneurs miss in crafting their content?
- What’s working on LinkedIn to gain more business organically – and give us a few underrated tips someone could implement in their content today
- You have more than 100 on-stage speaking engagements under your belt, what advice do you have for those looking to land on more stages?
- For organizations out there who might be listening and looking for a dynamic speaker, what’s it like to experience you as a speaker?
Examples of Bofta’s News Reporting:
- Feature Reporting: Bakeries of the Burgh
- Interview With Warrick Dunn, Former NFL Running Back
- Interview With Hollywood Director Deon Taylor
- Interview With Gabrielle Union-Wade
- Interview With Raven-Symone
- Interview with Entrepreneur Muson Steed
- National Reporting from the White House, CBS Evening News
- Interview With Dr. Sharon J. Willis: African American Influence on Opera
- CBS New York: Security High As Hours Count Down To Inauguration
Partial List of Previous Speaking Engagements:
- Hilton
- Ulta Beauty
- Estee Lauder X Vital Voices
- NAACP
- National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
- Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
- Women in Leadership Conference: Institute of Supply Management (ISM)
American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) - Erie Chamber of Commerce
- Carnegie Library
- Global Thinkers Forum
- University of Oxford: Student Union
- University of Pittsburgh: Program of Entrepreneurial Excellence
- EQT
- NAACP Human Rights Dinner & Centennial Celebration
- African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA
- Your Ethiopian Professionals, “Change Agent Cultivating Social Impact Through Media,” Washington D.C.
- Media Forum “From Ferguson To Baltimore: How Facts, Fairness & Firsts Can Collide in Storytelling”
- Coro Pittsburgh Leadership Awards Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Women in Film & Television International Summit Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Elevate NOW Conference Keynote West Palm Beach, Florida
- Prospanica Annual Conference Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council (EMSDC) Stellar Awards Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Mid-Atlantic Podcast Conference Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Pittsburgh Business Group on Health, Corporate Trainer
- BOAT U.S., Corporate Trainer
- University of Pittsburgh Institute of Entrepreneurial Excellence
- Vistage Worldwide
- Africa Fintech Summit
- International Money Transfer & Payments Conference
- Africa Trade & Investment Global Summit
- Global Currency Forum: International Currency Association
Rave Reviews:
~ Ann Rao, Business Development for Endotronics
Website: BoftaYimam.com
Story-Focused Marketing Agency: StoryLede.com
TV Interview with Bofta Yimam by Former HLN Host on America’s Small Business Network
Alumni Spotlight: Bofta Yimam ’04 – University of Maryland