The story of her life. With periods of some strife. Known to speak her mind. On behalf of her own kind. Born to West Indian parents. After a divorce, forced to pay the rent. Has seen a few breakthroughs in her day. Knowing that having faith did pay. Beauty more than skin deep. Success is for us to reap.

Don’t take only my word. It’s what the history makers and answers.com have heard. When on the brink of defeat. She found a way to turn up the heat. Started her own cosmetics line. Giving women reasons to shine. Caught the eyes of Essence magazine bosses. Working part-time to plug her losses.

Went from a beauty editor. To fashion and beauty creative director. Soon becoming the branding specialist. Putting the magazine tops of the list. Expanding its value in the marketplace. Becoming the magazine’s public face. Writing a column In The Spirit. As Editor-in-Chief and too legit.

Then came time to take a pause. Made the switch to a larger cause. Going full blast with the mentoring campaign. After Katrina’s storm and rain. Saw there was a greater need. To get youth to watch what they read. Recruiting all across the nation. Bringing her own dose of real-life inspiration.

Going beyond her publishing days. Not worrying about getting a raise. Some say she’s financially secure. But in her community hopes to settle the score. Too many kids dropout from school. Need more adults teaching the golden rule. A sense of purpose is her leading role. Passing it on to young and old.

Tip: Everyday you can get up and pray and then turn on your passion to make hay for another day.

Talkback: How has Susan Taylor or any other public figure impacted your success?

 Who’s got next? The muscles begin to flex. Yes, there was Oprah. Now the talk diva is Tyra. Miss O leaving daytime TV. Launching OWN Network with Discovery. Not a day late or dollar short. Tyra plays her part. As a trusted reliable source. And major media force. Who knew? She was a bully too.

Went through a growth spurt. Then bullying others came back to hurt. Saw how her dreams might become true. Because she had a self-esteem breakthrough. Turning the pain of yesterday. Into profit on the runway. Winning the supermodel battle. Her praise and acclaim at full throttle.

Got her start with Will Smith. On Fresh Prince of Bel-Air skit. Invited to model overseas. Contracts flowed as fast as saying “cheese.” First African-American on some magazine covers. GQ and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit lovers. Creates Next Top Model show. A track record of being in the know. 

Helping women tell their stories. Because she’s been there too ladies. TV Mogul, Philanthropist and Business Woman. An eye-catcher for most single men. Wants to do much more. In movie entertainment galore. Showing she’s got IQ. But even more PQ. Personality and presence. That sells her essence.

 Many watched her move. On the catwalk groove. Teenage model on the rise. Based on the cheering fan highs. Found her inner passion. Through self-expression in fashion. With all things considered. Her talent’s in how she’s figured. Singing, writing and modeling. Getting rave reviews and cashing in.

Tip: Success is turning passion into a paycheck, pain into profit and presence into bubbling effervescence.

Talkback: Is it fair to compare Tyra with Oprah, similar to how Oprah was once compared to Phil Donahue?

 Excuse me, but are those Tommy jeans? Looking good from hips to knees. Boot cut, skin tight. Bringing sexy back, right? Wasn’t my idea. It’s Tommy Hilfiger’s work and play. Building a clothing empire. Showing curves not fit for the choir. Still busting out. With more cash and clout.

The breakthrough that made him famous. Like Andy and buddy Amos. As an experiment, bought 150 pairs of jeans. Redesigned them for the party scenes. Ran a one-page ad. Positioning his brand as more than a fad. Listing himself among the finest. With Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Perry Ellis.  

Hilfiger didn’t want to go to college. So bankruptcy earned him some painful knowledge. The school of hard knocks. Success came after the shocks. Worked his way back. With a strategic plan of attack. Developing his fashion eye. Creating a following on the fly. Bringing fresh style that doesn’t die. 

He’s had a love-hate relationship. With some in industry leadership. Accused of outsourcing to sweat shops.  People making his clothes at a cheap pop. He’s been able to weather the storm. Expanding with excellence like a farm. Selling the stable for millions. Before raising the company’s value to billions.

A pretty simple upbringing. In NY with opportunity for the taking. Career, business and living his dreams. Doing whatever it took to boost his esteem. From the frying pan into the heat. #1 not an impossible feat. Take it from me and the maven Tommy. Get past the stigma of fat, dumb or unhappy.

Tip: The school of hard knocks is where you learn in a real way how to live another day.

Talkback: Does advertising work as advertised or is marketing a more reliable form of exposure for the average enterprise?

 As seen on NBC. No, it wasn’t easy. Blazing trails in the classroom. Facing Donald Trump in the boardroom. A young fella from Philly. Doesn’t treat life willy nilly. Entrepreneur, author, speaker. Community servant, history-making leader. Becoming a household name. He strives to elevate his game.

Season 4 Apprentice winner. The finale was a thriller. First African-American to get top prize. Watching his new acclaim rise. There began the public story. Of fame, fortune and professional glory. Featured in print, online and on air. Dude’s got much notoriety with some to spare.

Certified-gold bestsellers. Headed for the league of Rockefellers. Earning something like five degrees. Loaded in tech savvy and biz expertise. So don’t see his success as a breeze. A balancing-act for sure. Between home and workplace allure. A friend to two or three. Family man to the tee.

What separates him from the rest? 100% commitment to giving his best. Stands tall among his peers.  Even from his youthful years. He lights a fire for all to see. How passion can bring front-page victory. Maximizing his assets and how he’s valued. Reinventing himself – to be continued.

Mr. Trump supports him out loud. Family, friends and James Brown singing “black and proud.” Will he run for office one day? Maybe too soon for us to say. Making an impact in the community. As a sought-after business authority. With more to achieve between now and posterity.

Tip: It might take some luck to win the grand prize but it takes persistence to see your value rise.

Talkback: What makes success seem so easy for some people but so elusive for others?

 Catch the buzz. It’s on Facebook, cuz. A social media thing. Where some people meet a new fling. Mark Zuckerberg as founder. His family couldn’t be prouder. Hitting 500 million members. A billionaire on magazine covers. Everybody wants to know. The breakthrough that made them blow.

A way to connect with the masses. In between campus classes. No longer a tale that’s fairy. Now a mainstream public diary. Starting as a flashback in history. Humans are social beings. Interested in each others’ doings. Welcoming fans and friends. Sharing-in life’s twists and bends.

Lots of smart people in the mix. But he came up with the fix. Working with people who are bright. But he’s the one who saw the light. More like a modern day invention. People wishing Facebook was their creation. Seeing a business need. Taking the risk to lead. Attacking the opportunity with speed.

One person tells a sister or brother. Who each tell five others. Post a picture or blog. Maintain a feedback log. Like it or see it as a nag. Watch for content you can tag. It’s where the magic builds. For business and social thrills. Who would have thought? Soon stocks to be bought.

A movie set for release. Maybe even a tool for world peace. Zuckerberg has no shame. For bringing passion to his game. Donating 100 million dollars. To help groom future scholars. Going from 0 to 60 friends in minutes. Gaining more value in digits. A hundred years from now. Many will study how.

Tip: Million dollar ideas are like great athletes. You gotta train them right to put success in flight.

Talkback: What is it about Facebook that makes it so liked?

 BP oil well is dead! That’s what Thad Allen said. After months of flowing. For BP a terrible showing. Will take years before things recover. Lots of damage yet to discover. Some wondering about the economy. Hoping to again make some money. Is the American Dream now history?

President Obama thinks not. Knowing the economy gets hot. Saying GM has made a comeback. By reinventing its brand-pack. Fewer models in the showroom. More innovation in the boardroom. Some dealers shut down. Others working to come around. Gotta be your best, pound for pound.

Banks no longer on the brink. Came close to causing us to sink. All part of the market pressure. Where some have to reinvest in manufacture. Bridges and roads need fixing. Main Street and Wall Street need mixing. Careers and companies sometimes die. But skills and talents multiply. 

Underappreciated or underemployed. Frustrated or unemployed. Take your pick. Times are hard and sick. People looking for hope. Lindsay Lohan admits dope. There’s suicide and the chance to elope. No one knows like you. What you’re going through. Trying to re-invigorate? Yea, it’s not too late.

Raising the American Dream from the dead. Front and center in ppl’s head. Whether affected by the spill. Or struggling to pay your bills. President Obama has his take. On the value of his Stimulus shake. Saving the automakers from going under. Making sure lighting not followed by thunder.

Tip: Tough economic times can introduce a man to his dreams and re-introduce a nation to its ideals.

Talkback: Does living the “American Dream” carry the same meaning across racial/ethnic groups?