SPEAKERS


Jill Watkins
Write On Target Communications

Cinnamon Bowser
Nail Taxi

Cynthia H. de Lorenzi
Patriot Computer Group, Inc. (PCG),

Elinor Stutz
Smooth Sale

Tammy Freeman
Synergi Group, LLC

Francina Harrison
The Career Engineer

Nikki Woods
Full Circle Marketing and Promotions

Melissa Ward
NewWard Development, LLC

Gail Diggs
GCD Writing and Marketing Solutions

Sanyika Calloway Boyce The Financial Fitness Coach

Kirstin N. Fuller
Reservations

Rebekah L. Pierce
Average Girl Magazin (AVG)

Michelle Pippin Women Who WOW

Annie Jennings
Annie Jennings PR

Audretta L. Hall ALY Enterprises

 

 

B. Michelle Pippin is a speaker, coach, and author with a passion for empowering women entrepreneurs that infects her colleagues, clients and audiences almost immediately.  As the founder of the Wimpy to WOW coaching system, she has positioned herself as a true renegade in the field of entrepreneurship ... always challenging the norm and helping others to break through limiting beliefs that prevent them from creating a business that makes them say “WOW”.   

Michelle’s high energy, inspiring messages are peppered with humor and story-telling but grounded by her “always practical” strategies and wealth of experience in discovering the “WOW” of human potential.  She is repeatedly sought after to encourage and equip women to be more courageous and authentic in their business and their lives.

Michelle is a recognized expert among women entrepreneurs and has been interviewed on many national radio shows, and newspapers.  Her first book, entitled “from Wimpy to WOW: the art of becoming courageously YOU” is due out in 2009.   Michelle lives in Moyock, NC with her husband Chris and three young children.

Contact information:  B. Michelle Pippin
www.womenwhowow.com

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The Career Engineers.com, home of Francina Harrison was voted “The Best Job Placement & Training Site on the Internet,”www.thecareerengineers.com offers  the “Career Talk Radio Show,” “deliver-on-demand” career/business audio training, TCE Networking Memberships, B2B & B2C networking events, resume “sparkle,” e-learning solutions, career development, business building, and recruitment brokering.

The Career Engineer's non-traditional and “soul” stirring delivery of career/business performance motivation has led the sought-after consultant to be interviewed on the nationally syndicated Tavis Smiley Radio Show.  She has also been interviewed on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Women in Business Radio Show, Wall Street Journal and by The Chicago Tribune— a few in a long list of various public venues and national media outlets.

 

The Career Engineer partners with career seekers/career changers, business owners and employers to increase their performance, connectivity, strengthening one’s mind-set and unlocking personal and professional potential while energetically soaring to new heights! The Career Engineer's, synergistic site affiliations on the Internet have branded her presence around the globe. 

 

Personally autographed copies of her award winning book, “A Mind to Work: the Life and Career Planning Guide for People Who Want Need to Work”, are available for purchase on her website!

 

Stay tuned for the 2008 Career Engineers Television Program!

 

Contact:

www.thecareerengineers.com

info@thecareerengineers.com

757-420-1109

Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale and Author, has transformed her highly successful sales career (some clients included Sony, Visa and U.S.G.S.) into a sales training company. Her clientele is comprised of Entrepreneurs, Network Marketers, and beginning salespeople. More information may be found at www.smoothsale.net

Smooth Sale Delivers:
Original work in the form of Professional Sales Training, Licensing of Programs, Motivational Speaking Engagements and the Sales Tips e-zine.
Products Include: Newly published book, Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, The Smooth Sale Toolkit, Sales 101: How to Relieve Sales Stress, Over-achieve Quota and Have Fun Doing, the Smooth Selling 4-CD/4-Hour Sales Training Seminar, and the e-Manual, How to GROW Your Business: mindset, strategies and implementation.

Ms. Stutz has been quoted in the November 6, 2006 business supplement issue of TIME Magazine, ABC-TV KGO San Francisco's View from the Bay, interviewed on numerous radio shows, and is a mentor at the Learning-Cafe. She is readily available for further interviews.


For further information visit www.smoothsale.net/products.shtml

Annie Jennings of the National PR firm, Annie Jennings PR is a National Publicist specializing in promoting authors and experts to the media.  Annie’s vision and insight has revolutionized the publicity industry as many of the publicity techniques, tools and strategies in widespread use throughout the industry today have been developed by Annie Jennings PR.   Annie freely shares her publicity strategies with authors and experts so everyone can have access to PR strategies, both the basics and advanced PR thought, so they can share their messages with millions for the betterment of all. 

Annie created the concepts of media websites and online press kits, defined how to create a powerful platform, developed the most advanced branding concepts known to the industry, created the HOT 35! & HOT 50! Radio campaigns where you are only booked on TOP SHOWS in major BIG CITY markets and on regional and nationally syndicated shows and crafted the revolutionary Pay For Placement Publicity Program that has helped thousands of authors and experts build powerful platforms. 

Annie Jennings PR has over 25,000 authors experts signed up with her company and every morning Annie and her staff have but one thing to say:   “Let’s Kick It Up A Notch Today!” 


A self proclaimed Diva is how Kirstin N. Fuller, a native Washingtonian jokingly describes herself. The youngest of four children born to Willie C. Fuller, Sr. and Carrie Lee Fuller (natives of North Carolina), Kirstin graduated Cum Laude from the Howard University School of Communications in 1992 and went on to a distinguished career in broadcast communications. Kirstin's distinguished career includes working with WHUT (formerly WHMM HU Public Television), Westwood One Radio Networks and FOX5 TV.

With such a varied career in broadcast communications, Kirstin decided in January of 2006 to listen to God and follow her destiny and realize her dream of starting her own media empire. The first endeavor is the launch of her travel magazine entitled Reservations The Ultimate African American Travel Guide.

Reservations, is the first all encompassing travel resource guide for the African American community owned solely by an African American woman. Reservations premiered on March 7, 2007 with celebrated Hollywood actress Vivica A. Fox featured in the cover story. With her background in communications, her dedication and God's favor, Kirstin N. Fuller is destined to make Reservations into an internationally recognized media brand that will take the magazine and entertainment worlds by storm!!!

Reservations, The Ultimate African American Travel Guide - make yours today!
www.reservationsmagazine.com
www.myspace.com/reservationsmag
1-800-611-0051

Melissa Ward
Managing Partner, NewWard Development, LLC™ 

Melissa holds a MBA in Information Systems and a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science. 

Prior to being a business owner, Melissa gained extensive experience working in the IT department developing software for Commodities Trading, Financial Analysis, and Customer Relationship Management for large multinational corporations.  She also has worked in promotional graphic and magazine advertising layout and design.  

Leaving New York City for the greener pastures of Saratoga, Melissa now uses her technical and marketing expertise for the benefit of her clients.  She brings with her over a decade of experience as seasoned and knowledgeable computer professional, graphic designer, Internet Marketer, entrepreneur and business journalist. 

Melissa is a thought leader in the web development and marketing industry, as she shares her expertise and knowledge globally through her blogs, articles, and networking.  Both online and off, Melissa Ward has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs increase their visibility, solidify their market position and improve the performance of their web site via trainings and seminars.  

Let Melissa and the team of NewWard Development, LLC™ help you to "Make Your Web site Your Best Employee.™" 

518-899-5855

www.NewWard.com

Nail Taxi a mobile nail boutique was conceived in 2003 after founder and president, Cinnamon Bowser, couldn't find an outcall nail service to tend to her 9-months pregnant girlfriend. After calling from nail salon to nail salon and searching high and low on the internet, Bowser realized she had discovered a void in the market.

Bowser holds a degree in journalism from The George Washington University and has spent more than 13 years in the communications and marketing field. After deciding to pursue Nail Taxi, she visited her local women's business center, took several classes in entrepreneurship, subscribed to nail industry publications and began flushing out her idea for a mobile nail boutique. 

Nail Taxi was born in May 2005 and found immediate success in the Washington market.  Now, almost two years old, offices are open in Richmond, Atlanta and Chicago and licensing business opportunities are available. 

Nail Taxi has been featured in Daily Candy.com (Washington, Chicago and Atlanta editions), Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Lucky, Arrive, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, television, trade publications and dozens of web sites. Bowser is a married mother of three children and a proud and active member of Mocha Moms, Inc. and Ladies Who Launch.

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Sanyika Calloway Boyce is an International Speaker, Top Selling Author and Coach who uses TV publicity as a major marketing vehicle to reach millions of talk show and TV news program viewers.

Best known as "The Financial Fitness Coach" to the thousands of people she has spoken to nationwide and internationally as a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, she has expanded her reach beyond the stage and onto a national television platform appearing on shows such as:

  • The Today Show
  • The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet
  • In The Loop with iVillage
  • The Wall Street Journal Report

She has also appeared on numerous local ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX affiliate news stations as well as regional and cable broadcast shows.

Over a 21 week period beginning November 28, 2007, Sanyika has been booked on television more than 24 times. That's an average of one appearance a week.  And as of April 2008 she is scheduled to appear as a guest expert up to 4 times per month on a national talk show.

Using TV publicity, Sanyika's database has grown by more than 19% and her book sales have increased by 11% even though the books weren't targeting the market she was speaking to.

More importantly, the relationships and opportunities she's received as a result of her major media exposure have allowed her to expand and grow her business through strategic partnerships and spokesperson deals.

She has already partnered with Billionaire Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Mobile USA brand as a spokesperson and the most recent deal in negotiation is with Elance.com, the top site on the web for requesting and providing freelance work.

Sanyika has developed an easy to copy 5-part TV publicity strategy. She's used this proven system to go from not knowing how to leverage a few sporadic television appearances to being repeatedly booked by producers as a television guest-expert that gains millions of dollars in publicity - weekly.

Cynthia H. de Lorenzi serves as Chief Executive Officer of Patriot Computer Group, Inc. (PCG), and affiliated businesses, GoGawGaw (http://www.gogawgaw.com) and de Lorenzi group (http://www.delorenzigroup.com), all woman-owned companies. She is also co-founder of Success in the City (http://www.successinthecit.org), an unconventional social networking organization for executive business women. Her philosophy and the foundation by which Success in the City has generated phenomenal growth is based on her belief that every woman is exceptional, and when women are given the opportunity to really connect on a dynamic personal level the opportunity for personal growth and consummating deals-on-heels is all-but-assured. 

Ms. de Lorenzi is a frequent guest speaker and serial entrepreneur passionate about empowering others and living life on the principle of paying-it-forward.

She refers to herself as Chief Executive Diva and Supreme Being Coordinator. Ms. de Lorenzi has a new blog Powder Room Diaries and is a frequent guest speaker, panelist and media guest on issues related to public policy, workforce and technology and women's issues.

 

Average Girl Magazine (AVG) was founded through tragedy in June 2003 by Rebekah L. Pierce, Editor in Chief, in response to the death of her cousin, Damita Oglesby, a victim of domestic violence. During a time of pain and unanswered questions, the only comfort was God and the freedom of the written word, that would allow women to share everyday life issues with other women by telling their stories candidly and most importantly, giving solace to women who are in bondage of domestic violence and the like. Average Girl Magazine has quickly grown from an online grassroots project to a bi-monthly magazine that serves as an ambassador for everyday women to share their stories of struggle and triumph in life and business. AVG serves as a springboard for women with a desire to reach higher heights in business and a networking resource for pillars of the community. The magazine is currently distributed in bookstores, libraries, women's business centers, convenience stores and businesses throughout the United States and Canada.

Rebekah L. Pierce has definitely defied the odds and can speak from experience that it's not about where you've been, but where you're going! Growing up poor in Stockton, CA with limited resources, she fought hard for the opportunity to attend college and barely escaped the hands of death at the age of eighteen when she attempted to take her own life to flee the harsh road and lies that were whispered into her spirit about her self-worth. The thought of her mother's hard work and struggle to give her and her siblings better opportunities superceded those lies and gave her the strength to press on and become the women she is today. As an African-American military veteran and prevailing entrepreneur, Rebekah knows her purpose is to give a voice to women from all walks of life. Rebekah found purpose through her tragedy and wants to afford that same opportunity to women around the globe.

To this day, there is a fund in honor of Damita Oglesby in Atlanta and her memory lives on through the mission of Average Girl Magazine.

Gail Clanton Diggs is president of GCD Writing and Marketing Solutions.  GCD is a full-service company dedicated to providing clients with high quality writing and marketing assistance, with a particular interest in working with small businesses.  

Gail has almost 25 years of experience in copywriting, direct mail, and online marketing, and has helped to build the franchises of some of the most successful doctors and financial advisors in the country.    

Having grown weary of seeing the “big guys” get bigger, while smaller, less connected businesses never seeming to get ahead, Gail wanted to do something to help.  So she decided to use the experience and contacts she’d gathered from corporate America to help these emerging businesses soar.  

“I love this work”, says Gail.  “I enjoy listening to the visions of my clients and then working with them to create strong, current web site copy, write press releases,  create ads, develop brochures, and more to help ensure that their professional dreams come true”, she said.

Her happy client base ranges from educators to health consultants to authors.  She takes seriously her responsibility to these companies and sees their success as intricately tied to her own.  

Gail is also a sought-after copywriter for businesses of all sizes, which allows her to keep her writing skills in top condition.  

She has a BA in Communications from the University of Dayton and a MA in Journalism from University of Maryland, College Park.

To learn more, please visit www.gcdwritingandmarketing.com or email Gail at gail@gcdwritingandmarketing.com

“I’ve always wanted to be a promotional writer— even as a kid I used to watch TV commercials and imagine better slogans for fun,” says Jill Watkins.  Born in Bay Shore, NY and raised in Danville, VA, Jill was encouraged early on to build her writing talent. “My 10th grade English teacher urged me to develop my writing skills after she read a short story I had authored,” states Jill.

Jill took her love for writing and combined it with her interest in marketing and headed to the Northern Virginia/Washington, DC area to go to college and take advantage of the robust job market there. She received her Liberal Arts degree from Northern Virginia Community College in 1991, and went on to earn her B.A. in Speech Communications from George Mason University in 1994.

Today, Jill has an enviable skill set that makes her different from most marketing communication professionals. She has over 12 years of marketing experience. Jill has written copy for just about everything including brochures, postcards, booklets, ads, newsletters, Web sites, e-books, reports, press releases, letters, as well as tagline creation—making her a highly sought after promotional writer. Additionally, she is very knowledgeable in direct mail, a result of years of managing major direct mail campaigns for companies large and small. 

Project management is an area in which Jill excels. “It is a vital skill I learned quickly when I worked for smaller firms. Small and even medium-sized companies expect their marketing person to not only write copy, but to complete a project from start to finish. That means one must learn how to design, produce, as well as write marketing literature,” cites Jill. “Thanks to my experience with smaller firms I gained design and production expertise which enabled me to offer these services to my clients.”

Jill has traveled internationally and over much of the U.S. doing tradeshow and meeting promotion work, handing tradeshow & meeting logistics, public relations (PR), and marketing campaigns. Her PR and promotional work has landed stories in many media outlets, including CBS affiliates, The USA Network, The Chicago Tribune, and The Washington Post to name a few.

Not resting on her laurels, Jill is always looking for the next challenge. In 2004, she moved to Virginia Beach, VA after residing in the Northern Virginia/Washington, DC area for 17 years. “I was looking to make a change in my life, live near the ocean and start my own business,” Jill explains, “at the same time I wanted make a difference. I’ve seen so many businesses fail, falter, or grow stagnant because of poor marketing, and I wanted to help local businesses avoid these costly, common marketing mistakes.” So in 2005 Jill started Write On Target Communications, LLC.  The company serves businesses in need of help with their marketing efforts. Services include promotional writing (copywriting), logo creation, light design work, marketing consultation/planning, and project management for printed materials and direct mail campaigns. 

Jill, her husband John, and their two cats Chance and Sammy are enjoying life in Hampton Roads. Jill and John like to travel, cook, fish, and relax with friends and family. Says Jill, “Hampton Roads is a very special place to be, and I’m proud to call it home.”

 Visit Jill online at: http://www.write-ontarget.com. 

Audretta Hall holds a degree in Advertising from Michigan State University and has spent the last 27 years in the relationship selling business. Audretta says by "applying what I have learned in college accompanied with life skills learned along the way, I have helped to make millions for companies like Staples, Zales and Sears Portrait Studios".
 
Now, As Vice President of Marketing for A L Y Enterprises Ms. Hall provides support for a small business owner's dreams by teaching them how to combine affordable advertising with effective marketing and community networking. Participating small business owners are seeing an increase in their market share as well as their profits.
 
To get a better understanding of Audretta does and how she does it visit the web site that has gotten over 500,000 hits in less than 5 months.  www.support4yourdreams.com

Tammy Freeman

Tammy Freeman is “The Lifestyle Entrepreneur”. Ms. Freeman’s passion is empowering women to achieve financial freedom through entrepreneurship. She leverages her knowledge of economics, marketing, business strategy and process improvement to help entrepreneurs achieve explosive results.

Tammy started her first business at the age of 8, and hasn’t stopped since. Tammy is Founder and Chief Strategist of Synergi Group, LLC an entrepreneur empowerment company for women. Through Synergi Group Ms. Freeman seeks to help entrepreneurs grow businesses that are sustainable, profitable and competitive. A maven to the core, Ms. Freeman provides a platform and a vehicle to enable other women to spread the word about their product or service. She believes that “everyone has a message that someone needs to hear”.

Out of the Box Strategies, her consulting firm, helps women take the road less traveled to business success. She advises women how scale economies, running a lean enterprise and powerful yet, often overlooked, marketing strategies such as joint ventures and cause marketing can catapult a business to new heights.

 
Tammy Freeman is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Economics and International Business from the Smeal College of Business. Ms. Freeman over years 7 of experience as a management consultant for both government and private sectors; specializing in the areas of business strategy, lean six sigma, organizational development and change management. Tammy is a Six Sigma Greenbelt.


Ms. Freeman is a vehement champion of financial freedom and wealth building. She seeks to inspire others to live out their dreams in order to have a life filled with purpose, joy and abundance. Ms. Freeman believes that by creating multiple streams of income combined with sound money management principles anyone can amass wealth and become financially free. A native New Yorker, Tammy now resides in Northern Virginia with her young son. Tammy is a member of New Life Anointed Ministries in Woodbridge, VA. In addition, she is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 

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Radio personality and author, Nikki Woods, said to be a cross between Terry McMillan and Kimberly Lawson Roby, has written a poignant new novel about love featuring a skillfully created cast
of characters that are so full of life
they breathe, dream, and shout right off the page.

Nikki was born in Rock Hill, Missouri, just west of Saint Louis,
where her family was an integral part of the community.
Her father,Kennard O. Whitfield, is a former Rock Hill Mayor and Alderman.

An avid writer since grade school, her daydreams became her short stories and her journals became the home for her thoughts and memories.

She pursued Education at Howard University and also has a BA in Journalism from the University of St. Francis where her aspirations to enter the field of broadcast journalism came to light.

Her family has ties in Jamaica, and Woods relished the opportunity to teach elementary education overseas in Portland Parish, Jamaica before switching careers.

She eventually began her journey in Broadcasting when she became a news reporter
for KMOX-AM [St. Louis], then on to  a spot as morning co-host and news director
at WILD-AM [Boston].

After meeting with Elroy R.C. Smith (Operation Manager/Program Director of WGCI), she joined The Crazy Howard McGee Morning Show, which she co-hosts with comedian Tony Sculfield. Woods can be heard everyday delivering the latest scoop on such notable Hollywood stars as  LL Cool J, Steve Harvey and Queen Latifah to name a few.

Nikki Woods spends some of her spare time doing volunteer work with The Nikki Woods LeadHerShip Foundation, The Big Sister, Little Sister Program, Chicago's Rape Crisis Center and the Walter S. Christopher School for Children. She lives in the Chicago Suburbs with her family.

 

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