Dr. Juanita Bynum...Prophetess,Author,Televangelist,International Empowerment Lecturer, Recording Artist, Author, Conference Host and Entrepreneur

Juanita Bynum was born on January 16, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois and is one of five children, from the marriage of Elder Thomas Bynum Sr. and Katherine Bynum. She grew up in Chicago, and received a starring role in Perry Middle School's annual play, My Fair Lady. Bynum attended Saints' Academy Church of God in Christ (COGIC) High School (a boarding school) in Lexington, Mississippi. She was raised as an attendee at St. Luke Church of God in Christ, in Chicago, a Pentecostal church.

Dr. Juanita Bynum sits as President of Juanita Bynum Ministries and CEO of Juanita Bynum Enterprises, with headquarters in Waycross and Atlanta, Georgia. Over the last two decades, Dr. Bynum has become a fixture of inspiration, hope and new life and served as an inspirational example to men and women everywhere. With accomplishments including being a New York Times Best Selling Author, Gold Recording Artist, Awarded Actress and Television Host, as well as a record breaking Conference Host, Dr. Juanita Bynum has turned her humble beginnings into an inspirational and philanthropic movement educating, equipping and empowering people from all walks of life.

Fueled by a passion for character building, life coaching and spiritual rejuvenation, Dr. Bynum merges spirituality with the practicality of everyday life. Her candid and revealing approach has engaged followers worldwide provoking them to pursue a lifestyle of integrity, success and happiness. Wherever Dr. Bynum goes, she exhorts, encourages and empowers her listeners to reach their full potential in their personal, entrepreneurial and spiritual lives.

Unashamed to use her life as teaching mechanism, Dr. Bynum's in your face messages have drawn thousands of men and women to her conferences and events over the last decade , often addressing crowds of 50,000-70,000 people as the keynote speaker. As one of the most notable conference hosts in America, Dr. Bynum made history as she saw over 68,000 registrants convene on the Georgia Dome in 2006 for her first Threshing Floor Conference to experience this movement. Her previous conferences in Pensacola, St. Louis and Orlando broke records drawing over 30,000 attendees and was broadcast live on major Christian networks worldwide include Trinity Broadcasting Network, Daystar and The Word Network.

In addition, Dr. Bynum has been featured on the front cover of ESSENCE where she is annual speaker at the world renowned ESSENCE Music Festival. She frequents many leading Christian magazines such as Charisma, Ministries Today, Spirit Led Woman, as well as Upscale magazine and many more. Dr. Bynum is one of the most sought after 21st Century female speakers, teachers, lecturers and entrepreneurs.

In addition to her record breaking accomplishments in ministry, Juanita Bynum is also known as an entrepreneurial genius as she sits at the helm of her multi-faceted corporation, Juanita Bynum Enterprises. Through such mediums, Bynum has released several musical projects, including certified gold record A Piece of My Passion through her own record label, now Son Flower Records, and is now slated to release her new project, The Diary of Juanita Bynum in partnership with Music World Entertainment and Mathew Knowles. Bynum has also released several best selling literary works such as Matters of the Heart, My Spiritual Inheritance, Threshing Floor and most notably No More Sheets. Bynum has also played roles in the ABC Family original series Lincoln Heights and starred in the movie Mama, I want to sing starring Ciara, Patti LaBelle, Lynn Whitfield and many others.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Juanita-Bynum-Biography/A8E1A4732F20316D48257A230083C66D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juanita_Bynum

http://www.juanitabynum.com/index.php/about-dr-bynum

B. Smith...Fashion Model,Iconic Restaurateur, Author,Actress and Pioneering Trans-Cultural Lifestyle Expert

B. Smith was born Barbara Smith on August 24, 1949 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Smith merges cultures through a shared appreciation for style.She has been heralded by The New York Times as “a Renaissance woman,” by Chuck Scarborough as a “domestic goddess,” by The New York Daily News as “one of the most important African-American style mavens of all time,” and honored with a 2012 Silver Spoon Award for sterling performance by Food Arts. A broadcast talent, entrepreneurial spokesperson and multiple award-winning recipient across a wide range of fields, Smith also earned kudos when she returned to the stage in her Off-Broadway debut in “Love, Loss, and What I Wore,” the award-winning play by Nora and Delia Ephron. In 2012, Smith was inducted into the American Chef Corps, part of the U.S. Department of State newly-formed Diplomatic Culinary Partnership with the James Beard Foundation. 

SiriusXM Radio Celebrity

Smith has teamed up with husband and business partner Dan Gasby (pictured) for their first-time radio show with the world’s largest radio broadcaster. “The B. Smith and ‘Thank You Dan’ Show” is a daily, three-hour show on SiriusXM’s Urban View station, channel 128. More than 23 million subscribers can join in on their insightful conversations about healthy living, food, entertaining, succeeding in business, as well as sharing their secrets to a successful relationship. 

United States Culinary Ambassador

In September of 2012, the U.S. Department of State and the James Beard Foundation launched the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership, a collaborative initiative to elevate the role of culinary engagement in America’s formal and public diplomacy efforts. As part of this endeavor, B. Smith was inducted into the newly-created American Chef Corps, the official network of chefs from across the country who have agreed to serve as resources to the Department of State. In this position, Smith assists the Department in preparing meals for foreign leaders, and participates in public diplomacy programs that engage foreign audiences abroad as well as those visiting the United States.

Groundbreaking Fashion Model

A native of Pennsylvania, Smith began her career as a fashion model, gracing the covers of 15 magazines and becoming the first African-American woman on Mademoiselle’s cover in July 1976.  Her image can be seen on a line of olive oil, as well as Betty Crocker and Pillsbury products. In addition to TV commercials for Mercedes-Benz, she has served as a spokesperson for Verizon, Colgate Palmolive Oxy and McCormick’s Lawry seasonings products.

Multi-Faceted Media Personality

A respected expert in affordable-yet-elegant living, B. Smith brings style to everything she does. For nearly a decade, Smith hosted the nationally syndicated/cable television show “B. Smith with Style” that aired on NBC stations in more than 90% of U.S. households and in 40 countries.  Her effervescent personality and creative ideas also impact audiences via her appearances on programs such as “Good Morning America,” “The Today Show” and. She and Gasby produced four specials for TV One, the lifestyle cable network for African-Americans. A former columnist for Soap Opera Digest, Smith was the host of the “B. Smart Tips for a Better Life” radio program.

Stage acting

Smith accepted a role in the off Broadway play Love, Loss, and What I Wore for an April 27 through May 29, 2011 run with Conchata Ferrell, AnnaLynne McCord, Anne Meara, and Minka Kelly.

Successful Restaurateur

Smith extends her lifestyle expertise as the owner of three successful B. Smith restaurants. Recognized by Elle Décor as one of America’s ten most outstanding non-professional chefs, she opened her first restaurant in 1986. Her longtime establishments include those on Restaurant Row in New York; in the historic Beaux-Arts Union Station in Washington, D.C.; and the scenic Long Island Hampton village of Sag Harbor.

Transcultural Lifestyle Pioneer

Smith is at the forefront of a trans-cultural movement across all her brand extensions. Her flair for décor, demonstrated in the ambiance of her restaurants, led to the development of her first home collection, which debuted at Bed Bath & Beyond in 2001.  The B. Smith with Style Home Collection is the first line from an African-American woman to be sold at a nationwide retailer and includes bedding, tabletop and bath products. 

From duvets to doormats, Smith’s décor line continues to grow with a variety of pieces for entertaining and home and incorporates her signature “Afrasian” design concept, which merges core African and Asian elements.  Her specialty serve ware, launched in 2004, has expanded to include over 300 sku’s.  In 2009, Smith introduced B. Smith Home featuring home goods; an upholstered furniture line with Miles Talbott; as well as area rugs from Surya, and wall art from Picture Source. Her first foray into food products is a line of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil from Italy that is sold in more than 2,000 stores across the country and online. 

Military Partnership

B. Smith Enterprises joined with the Armed Forces as another way to give back to our country. In a unique partnership with Ready Pac, Smith is bringing delicious meals to our servicemen and women that reflect their true cultural diversity. Among the products Smith serves our troops domestically and abroad are Pablano Corn Chowder, Collard Greens, Maple Honey Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Red Beans & Rice, and Jambalaya.

Distinguished Author

Smith has authored three home entertaining books:  B. Smith’s Entertaining and Cooking for Friends (Artisan Press), the first tabletop entertainment and lifestyle book by an African American; B. Smith: Rituals and Celebration (Random House), a James Beard Foundation Award nominee, one of Food & Wine magazine’s best cookbooks of 1999 and an American Library Association Black Caucus Literary Award winner; and B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style (Simon and Schuster), boasting 200 recipes and flavorful tips for reducing calories.

National Spokesperson and Multiple Award Recipient

Smith is a coveted speaker whose accomplishments include a role in the prestigious Harvard Business School’s Dynamic Women in Business Conference and the honor of being a presenter at the American Museum of Natural History’s Global Weekends celebration, Kwanzaa 2012: First Fruits of the Harvest. She has been honored with the Earl Graves Entrepreneurial Award (2008), a BET Honors Award for Entrepreneurship (2009), a Black Enterprise Legacy Award (2010), the Visionary Leader Award from the National Kidney Foundation (2011), the Washington, D.C. Chamber of Commerce (2011) and Amas Musical Theater with its “Rosie Award” (2012) in celebration of her transcultural approach to fashion, food and décor.  Smith is also the national spokesperson for the African American Experience Fund (AAEF) of the National Park Foundation (NPF) to raise awareness of our country’s National Parks and Historic Sites.

A tireless advocate for healthy lifestyle choices, Smith has also been a national spokesperson for Merck’s “Journey for Control” program and addressed the Congressional Black Caucus. Currently along with her husband, they serve as national spokespeople for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Most recently, she was on a White House Minority Health Town Hall panel with Cecilia Munoz, Director of Domestic Policy Council, The White House; Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; and Dr. Regina Benjamin, Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. 

http://bsmith.com/about/about-b/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._Smith

Kandi Burruss is an American singer-songwriter, actress, record producer, and television personality.

Kandi Burruss was born on May 17, 1976, in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up the younger of two. Kandi has stated she was definitely a daddy's girl before her father left the family when she was 4. Kandi was very close to her brother Patrick, who was older by 7 1/2 years and later died in a car accident when Kandi was a young teenager. Her first major appearance, on BET's Teen Summit, introduced her to the public and helped launch her career. Kandi attended Tri- Cities High School in East Point, Georgia.

Kandi Burruss puts a brand new spin on the term “POWERHOUSE.” Being phenomenal at taking her career to the next level, the beautiful risk taker entered the entertainment business a teenager as a founding member of the iconic multi-platinum selling girl group, Xscape. Now twenty years later, Kandi is a “fan favorite” on Bravo’s #1 Housewives show, “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” That’s not it: this superstar has catapulted her success of the last few years as a “housewife” into creating and executive producing her own TV show on Bravo, “The Kandi Factory,” a much talked about online weekly relationship show, “Kandi Koated Nights,” and a top- selling iTunes app, “Kandi Koated Spades.” Kandi is also the owner of two trendy boutiques, T.A.G.S. and T.A.G.S.II in her hometown of Atlanta, and the award winning intimate toy line, “Bedroom Kandi,” where she has added an in-home multi-level marketing service as well.

“I’ve always believed that if you can dream it, you can achieve it. I’ve been blessed with a lot of success. To some, it seems that it has happened overnight, but after 20 years in entertainment, that’s hardly the case,” states Kandi.

Having helped to sell more than 60 million records worldwide for iconic recording stars such as TLC, Destiny’s Child, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and more; Kandi has also amassed a number of high profile awards in music that includes: winning a Grammy, being nominated for an American Music Award and making history as the first woman to win the ASCAP “Songwriter of the Year” award in 2000 in addition to being awarded with a “Living Legend” award. Her ability to write hit songs for some of the most contemporary artists in the business gave her the necessary confidence to think outside of the box, broaden her audience, and experience. She recently worked with double Grammy Award-nominee and multi-platinum country sensation, Jo Dee Messina and Gospel great Marvin Sapp on a duet that hit number 1 on Billboard’s “Gospel Digital Songs” chart. Both in-studio sessions were shown on Kandi’s hit TV show, “Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

“Working on country songs, in particular, is so different from R&B and Pop,” states the prolific songwriter. “You truly experience the whole recording moment with live instrumentation and records being cut on the spot with one take.”

Kandi showcases her innate skill for creating hit records and turning seemingly unskilled people into stars with her new show, “The Kandi Factory.” Successfully transforming RHOA cast mate, Kim into a diva, Kandi remembers being constantly approached by people on the street that would say, “If you can do that for Kim, I know you can do that for me!” Not too long after, with the help of Bravo, “The Kandi Factory” was born from a special and immediately green lighted to become a series.

In 2012, Kandi surprised even herself when her Midas touch took home one of the top awards in a different industry: adult entertainment. “I won the AVN award in less than a year of conceiving the product. I truly wasn’t expecting the win but was really excited that I did,” exclaims Kandi. She recently was nominated for five of AVN’s O Awards that recognize the companies and products that raise the bar for the novelty and pleasure products industry.

After partnering with Ohmibod in 2011 for “Bedroom Kandi,” together they thought up the most ingenious designs the industry had seen. “I wanted to make something discreet that women would be comfortable owning,” Kandi states. Many of the products are made to look like make-up containers. “Make Me Over” is designed as a compact, while “Kiss Me” is made in the shape of a lipstick. With over 2000 people signed up as ambassadors for Bedroom Kandi, Kandi is ready to take the line to the next level: door to door.

Forever spontaneous, Kandi spawned her weekly online relationship show, “Kandi Koated Nights,” during the uStreaming promotion of her last CD release, “Kandi Koated” (2010 — Warner Bros.) after a fan began making risqué comments that Kandi didn’t deem appropriate. She simply told him to wait until after 10PM and she would have those conversations with him then and she did just that. The after-hours conversation was SUCH a HIT that Kandi decided on doing a weekly show and has been doing such for more than three years.

Known as one of Rolling Out Magazine’s Top 25 Renaissance Women in Atlanta, Kandi’s willingness to go beyond marginal barriers, and her entrepreneurial spirit has allowed her to delve into other business fields as well. Her trendy and expanding Atlanta- based boutique, T.A.G.S., is known for providing affordable, quality threads for style-conscious women. She has also moved into providing apps for smartphone users. Feeling like African American consumers that buy apps outweigh companies that create apps, Kandi joined Konsole Kingz to make Kandi Koated Spades.

“They reached out to me asking how to play the card game spades,” says Kandi. “I told them how I play and the way most of my friends play, where the deuce is wild and people can call you out on reneging. I’ve put all of that in my game.”

Even with so many projects underway, Kandi is also working on her actor’s reel, having guest starred on the TBS television comedy, “Are We There Yet?” and BET sitcom, “Let’s Stay Together.”

Kandi says, “Since I was in high school, it’s been my dream to be an actor. I’ve been going forward in making that happen. Now I have an agent and I’ve made a few cameos. If someone doesn’t pick me for his or her movie, I’ll produce my own,” she says, chuckling. “That’s just one of my aspirations for 2013.

Kandi Burruss is always looking ahead, planning her next move — it’s the stamp of a mogul. “So many people are afraid of failure, but not me. The only way you’re going to be successful is if you’re fearless. I try to go into everything with that state of mind.”

http://kandionline.com/bio/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandi_Burruss

Wendy Williams is a radio DJ and TV talk show host known for her no-nonsense attitude and brash on-air personality.

Author, television and radio talk show host Wendy Williams was born on July 18, 1964, in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Williams' oversized, brash personality made her a force on the New York City FM airwaves. She is now the host of the BET television program,The Wendy Williams Show.

From an early age, Williams stood out. One of three children born to Thomas and Shirley Williams, she moved with her family at the age of five from Asbury Park to the middle class community of Ocean Township, New Jersey, where she spent the rest of her childhood.

At the outset, Williams says, she "spoke too loud, too fast, and too much," a characteristic that was in sharp contrast to her older, more bookish sister Wanda, a straight-A student who attended Tufts University at the age of 16.

Williams, on the other hand, was not an academic wonder. She was a big girl who, by the sixth grade, already stood 5'7" and wore a size 11 shoe. With her parents pushing her, however, Williams became involved in many extra-curricular activities. She was a girl scout, played clarinet in the marching band, and competed on her high school swimming team. When it came time to select a college, she followed in Wanda's footsteps and relocated to Boston, where she attended Northeastern University and graduated in 1986 with a degree in communications and a minor in journalism.

Prior to achieving success in daytime television, Williams built a devoted audience of fans throughout an enormously successful 23-year career in radio. “The Wendy Williams Experience” was Williams’ top-rated, daily radio show. Syndicated nationally, it aired on WBLS in New York and was listened to by an audience of more than 12 million people. One of the most popular personalities in radio, Williams was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in November of 2009 – one of only a handful of women with that honor.

Williams leveraged her success on the radio into other opportunities, authoring a pair of New York Times bestsellers (Wendy's Got the Heat and the Wendy Willliam Experience); writing a few novels; and landing on television. She hosted her own show on VH1 and, in the fall of 2007, made appearances on NBC's Today Show to dish on the latest celebrity gossip.

In the summer of 2008, her television exposure enhanced significantly with a trial run of BET's The Wendy Williams Show. The program's ratings motivated network executives to greenlight a full-scale run of the show the following summer. In November 2008, while waiting for the premiere of her new program, Williams was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

On July 13, 2009, Williams debuted her new television program. The show drew from her radio show's format, mixing in celebrity dirt, celebrity interviews and advice to audience members. Several weeks later, on July 31, 2009, she announced her retirement from radio. On November 19, 2009, Williams' producer announced that the show was confirmed for the 2011-12 season.

Expanding her media footprint, Williams and her husband Kevin launched the non-fiction television programming company Wendy Williams Productions (WWP) in 2013. The joint partnership with Debmar-Mercury, the producers of “The Wendy Williams Show”, sees WWP finding, developing and producing original programming.

2013 also saw the launch of another entrepreneurial endeavor with Wendy’s own line of wigs: Wendy Williams Hair World™ Collection. Having been diagnosed over a decade ago with a thyroid condition that causes thinning hair, Williams has long been a proud and outspoken supporter of hairpieces. Following years of wearing, styling and openly talking about wigs on her show, Wendy is a recognized expert in the field.

With TV, Broadway and film performances to her name, Williams is a seasoned performer, both as herself and in character. Her television credits include an appearance on NBC’s “30 Rock” as herself, competing on Season 12 of ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars,” hosting Game Show Network’s original series “Love Triangle,” and appearing as a featured guest on ABC’s “One Life to Live” and Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva”. In 2012, she made her major motion picture debut in Steve Harvey’s “Think Like A Man.” More recently, she made her Broadway debut, taking center stage as Mama Morton in the Tony-winning revival of the musical “Chicago”.

Williams is the author of The New York Times best-seller “The Wendy Williams Experience” (Dutton Books), as well as several novels including “Ritz Harper Goes to Hollywood.” She contributes a regular celebrity hot topics column to the entertainment magazine Life & Style Weekly.

Williams earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with a minor degree in Journalism at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Both of her parents were university professors and Williams remains an advocate for education at all levels. Williams credits the start of her career with her decision to take an internship at a radio station on St. Croix, Virgin Islands immediately following her graduation from college.

Williams grew up in Ocean Township, New Jersey and currently lives in Northern New Jersey with her husband and their teenage son Kevin, Jr.

http://www.wendyshow.com/wendy/meet-wendy/

http://www.biography.com/people/wendy-williams-524056?page=1