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Po Johnson More than A Reality Star, A NV Mover and Shaker

Check out the video interview with Po Johnson

NV Magazine has established its 15-year history as a "new vision" of business publication for urban professionals around the country. Whether scaling the ladder within corporate America or creating a successful venture from scratch, NV has chosen to not only acknowledge but honor, many of these ground-breakers with its annual Movers & Shakers Awards.

For the past five years, Founder, Kyle Donovan and Publisher, Christopher Chaney and their team have solicited recommendations for and researched their selections to identify honorees from the well-established, even famous, to the less celebrated but ascending innovators, executives and business "hustlers" within the multicultural community. This isn't for the sake of taking nice pictures and having a cocktail, NV's mission is to empower communities of color through the recognition of these trendsetters and inspire collective collaboration to generate wealth and long-term economic stability for the black and Latino market.

Singer, Po Johnson, of La La Anthony's Full Court Life reality show fame was one of the honorees. We started with Po's thoughts on the evening. Is it exciting, a surprise?

"It's a surprise," said Po with a combination of merriment and wonder. "When they called me to do the shoot with them I didn't realize what it was so once I realize that they thought I was awesome it made me feel really cool and then they were like, yeah we're going to have a little thing and this is way more than I thought it was going to be. Yeah, yeah this is all very surprising but I'm having a good time and very happy to be here."

Being a reality star veteran, is this event a big deal still for Po?

"It absolutely is, it's a blessing," she said. "We're like in our 5th season that's about to air, so that means that people like us and I get to work with my best friends and we still get to respect ourselves, respect our families and you know, set a good example for kids, so I'm proud to be a part of it."

What's coming up in terms of music, in terms of creative content? "

"Aw, thank you for asking me that," Po responded. "Well the show's about to air in March and then I just got a deal that I can't talk about now with a record label, so we're about to push my single project in a couple of months, I'm very excited and then I'm going to do UltraFest and you'll start seeing a lot more of me on not the independent realm but I actually got a name for myself now, so I'm happy yeah."

Po you're blowing up but I have to ask, who are you wearing?

Ooh, um, this is all SKINGRAFT actually, yeah, yeah, yeah, SKINGRAFT, he's huge, I love him...naw he's really dope and I like his stuff yeah."

Christopher Chaney Sees a Bright Future for NV Magazine

VIDEO Interview with Christopher Chaney: 

NV Magazine has established its 15-year history as a "new vision" of business publication for urban professionals around the country. Whether scaling the ladder within corporate America or creating a successful venture from scratch, NV has chosen to not only acknowledge but honor, many of these ground-breakers with its annual Movers & Shakers Awards.

For the past five years, Founder, Kyle Donovan and Publisher, Christopher Chaney and their team have solicited recommendations for and researched their selections to identify honorees from the well-established, even famous, to the less celebrated but ascending innovators, executives and business "hustlers" within the multicultural community. This isn't for the sake of taking nice pictures and having a cocktail, NV's mission is to empower communities of color through the recognition of these trendsetters and inspire collective collaboration to generate wealth and long-term economic stability for the black and Latino market.

Publisher, Christopher Chaney, could hardly contain his excitement when asked about tonight's event.

"Definitely excited about tonight, simply because it's going to be a packed house, it's always an amazing group of dynamic people, the magazine is 15 years old, we started doing this 5 years ago and it's like let's bring this group of people together, bring the network together and let all kind of possibilities happen. I mean the aftermath of the Movers & Shakers is that people are building businesses together, people are creating all kinds of new circles and typically people get promotions at their corporate jobs after this event, so it's a lovely night."

So how does NV magazine select its honorees for the Movers and Shakers Award?

"They typically happen probably 2 to 3 months before and it's a whole dynamic of past recommendations from prior Movers & Shakers and who they want to share with us and fit our group," Christopher replied. "We're always looking for people doing unique things, we're always looking for people who have really a strong voice in their industry and we definitely look for people who may be on the come up, so those you never really haven't seen in press before and you're like when you read about them you're like wow, I didn't know we were doing that, this is cool."

So, what's next for NV and how does it plan to build on what it has established with the Movers and Shakers Awards?

"What we definitely are doing is bringing back our marquee event, which is the NV Awards, which is our black tie gala where we honor only 10 people and all of them really at the top of their game, so we're doing that in 2015. In addition and what's coming up really quickly is that we have an app that we're about to release and that will be available on our website which will really be able to connect people in a totally different way so people should look for that on nvmagazine.com."

What has social media meant to NV's readership and how is the magazine playing in that space?

"That's exactly what our app is all about because it's a way of really connecting people and then having them build a network because if you have a great net-work, typically you have a great net worth, it builds access and it builds the ability to really grow wealth. Because you start making those relationships and start to have things click and it really comes through events like this and if you can take this to social media, if you can have them connect on your Facebook, on your Twitter and bridge your own apps where people can connect, then you really start building a change in our community, cause really our ultimate goal, is to build a community of wealth or community of wealth builders, where everyone comes in is like, okay, I can employ someone, wow I have a black-owned company you can do business with. So I think we need those kind of alternatives in our communities that's something we've been missing and that will bring up the hope and we'll have less hopelessness, we'll have less crime, we'll have less people struggling to get into the middle class and we'll have more middle-class looking at wealthy, we need more than one billionaire like Oprah."

To see our videos as soon as they are posted, subscribe to our YouTube channels: WhatsThe411TV and 411SportsTV

Tren'Ness Woods-Black NV Mover and Shaker Carrying on the Sylvia Woods Tradition

Check out video interview with Tren'ness Woods-Black

NV Magazine has established its 15-year history as a "new vision" of business publication for urban professionals around the country. Whether scaling the ladder within corporate America or creating a successful venture from scratch, NV has chosen to not only acknowledge but honor, many of these ground-breakers with its annual Movers & Shakers Awards.

For the past five years, Founder, Kyle Donovan and Publisher, Christopher Chaney and their team have solicited recommendations for and researched their selections to identify honorees from the well-established, even famous, to the less celebrated but ascending innovators, executives and business "hustlers" within the multicultural community. This isn't for the sake of taking nice pictures and having a cocktail, NV's mission is to empower communities of color through the recognition of these trendsetters and inspire collective collaboration to generate wealth and long-term economic stability for the black and Latino market.

Tren'ness Woods-Black, granddaughter of soul food restaurant icon Sylvia Woods was a recipient of the NV Movers and Shakers Award.

How excited are you for this recognition?

"I'm really excited," Tren'ness said. "First of all, NV Magazine, I've been a fan and a supporter from day one."

Your grandmother was a legend, so loved and dearly missed, thank you for continuing her work, what did she impart to you?

"Everything, she was a true legacy builder in every sense of the word. She was all about the community, she often would say, 'I am Harlem', she loved her family and that's one of the reasons why our business is still going on, three generations, hard at it, making things happen."

In terms of opportunities, things you're looking forward to, please share with our fans...

"Exciting stuff," Tren'ness responded. "Just last year we acquired the last bit of real estate that was available on our avenue, so our avenue is actually going to be renamed Sylvia Woods Way. We're building a brand new, beautiful, sexy restaurant that's going to last us another 51 and a half years, we are educating our youth with our scholarship foundation and we sent over 85 kids to school in just 12 years, so we're looking to double those numbers. So that's what we're all about, our food product company is doing amazingly well, so we're looking to grow that, so a lot is to come from the Sylvia Woods brand."

Are you still looking at expanding outside of NY?

"YES, we actually have some things cooking on the stove right now, so you'll have to stay tuned for more, but you'll definitely be seeing a lot more Sylvia's in hot states near you."

To see our videos as soon as they are posted, subscribe to our YouTube channels: WhatsThe411TV and 411SportsTV

New York Life Eugene Mitchell Helping to Build Black Multi-Generational Wealth

Check out the video interview with Eugene Mitchell 

NV Magazine has established its 15-year history as a "new vision" of business publication for urban professionals around the country. Whether scaling the ladder within corporate America or creating a successful venture from scratch, NV has chosen to not only acknowledge, but honor, many of these ground-breakers with its annual Movers & Shakers Awards.

As the Presenting Sponsor for the event, New York Life's Corporate Vice President and Manager, African American Market, we posed to Eugene Mitchell, what an exciting night...

"Absolutely, it's always wonderful to be here to be inspired by the entrepreneurs, the folks making a difference here in New York City, the business owners, the entertainers, and what a beautiful event and beautiful venue," Eugene enthusiastically responded.

NY Life has a serious mission and goal to improve black wealth in the community, how many years has New York Life been working with NV and what's it look like for the future?

"We've been working about 7 or 8 years with NV Magazine trying to support the mission that they have, similar to ours, to change the financial future of black America and what we can do through our tools and products is to help build multi-generational wealth, so that's what we're looking to do," Eugene replied.

Kyle Donovan: Inventor and Media Entrepreneur with a New Vision

Kyle Donovan, an inventor and CEO and founder of NV Magazine, has much to be excited about. He established NV Magazine 15 years ago with a "new vision" for a business publication for urban professionals around the country.

"In addition to our print publication we also have a robust website, www.nvm.com," said Founder Kyle Donovan. "And, apps built to connect and inform our audience on how to create economic power and wealth."

Five years ago, along with his publisher, Christopher Chaney, they created the NV Movers & Shakers Awards. What's The 411TV's host, Glenn Gilliam, caught up with Kyle at this year's Movers & Shakers Awards.

Whether scaling the ladder within corporate America or creating a successful venture from scratch, NV has chosen to not only acknowledge, but honor, many of these ground-breakers with its annual Movers & Shakers Awards.

However, this isn't a party for the sake of taking nice pictures and having a cocktail, NV's mission is to empower communities of color through the recognition of these trendsetters and inspire collective collaboration to generate wealth and long term economic stability for the black and Latino market.

An inventor, Kyle holds a patent for the iFork, which he describes in the video below.

5th Annual NV Movers & Shakers Awards

NV Magazine has established its 15-year history as a "new vision" of business publication for urban professionals around the country

 

Check out the video from the NV Movers and Shakers Awards:

Whether scaling the ladder within corporate America or creating a successful venture from scratch, NV has chosen to not only acknowledge, but honor, many of these ground-breakers with its annual Movers & Shakers Awards.

For the past five years, Founder, Kyle Donovan and Publisher, Christopher Chaney and their team have solicited recommendations for and researched their selections to identify honorees from the well established, even famous, to the less celebrated but ascending innovators, executives and business "hustlers" within the multicultural community. This isn't for the sake of taking nice pictures and having a cocktail, NV's mission is to empower communities of color through the recognition of these trendsetters and inspire collective collaboration to generate wealth and long term economic stability for the black and Latino market.

Ericka Pittman, Vice President, Brand Strategy at Blue Flame Agency, was honored to be on the cover of the Movers and Shakers issue.

Tren'Ness Woods Black, granddaughter of soul food restaurant icon Sylvia Woods, has been a fan and supporter of NV Magazine from day one.

Singer, Po Johnson, of La La Anthony's Full Court Life reality show fame, was also enjoying the excitement. Po found the NV Movers and Shakers event to be much more than she imagined.

As the Presenting Sponsor for the event, New York Life's Corporate VP & Manager, African American Market, Eugene Mitchell proudly proclaimed that, "we've partnered with NV Magazine for the past 7 or 8 years in an effort to change the financial future of black America and with our tools and products help build multi-generational wealth and that's what we're looking to do."

Here's the 2014 Class of NV Movers & Shakers:

• Caleb Denis, Director of Fiat Studio in Manhattan
• Gloria Alvarez, Project Manager at Ghetto Film School
• Yesi Morillo-Gual, Founder, Proud to Be Latina
• Ericka Pittman, VP Brand Strategy - Blue Flame Agency
• Ashley Mackel, Worldwide Marketing Manager at Ogilvy & Mather
• Modia Butler, State Director to U.S. Senator for New Jersey, Corey Booker
• Thomas Felder, 5LINX Enterprises, Inc., Senior VP
• Tren'ness Woods-Black, President and Chief Strategist of Tren'ness Woods- Black, LLC and third generation owner of Sylvia's Restaurant
• Kimberly Hogg, Associate Brand Mngr., Brisk Tea at PepsiCo
• Nicole Hall, VP Human Resources at Edelman
• Hassan Heyward, Field Representative at New York City Mayor's Office of Film
• Chantelle Fraser, CEO at Flawless Event Casting and Entertainment
• Mack Wilds, pop music artist and actor from HBO's "The Wire"
• Po Johnson, musician and personality on VH1's "La La's Full Court Life"
• Unique Zayas, musician
• Cole Cook and André Leon King, Co-Founders, Brother Bs Bag Collection
• Carla Gentry Osorio, celebrity hairstylist, and co-owner of STYLES NEW YORK SALON
• Ray Williams, President, Music Marketing Inc.
• Chef Kristopher Edelen
• Karen Dupiche, Emmy Award-winning makeup artist for "The View"
• Antrel Rolle, Pro Bowl strong safety of the New York Giants

NV always engages amazing entrepreneurs and professionals to share their obstacles, failures, and successes in the pages of its magazine and you can find it all at www.nvmagazine.com

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