Jackson Expose’
Valeria Sims
May/June issue
Entrepreneur Mentor Mogul Read her Amazing Interview!
See
Who’s Who in Jackson Expose’ Mag
Get a Copy of her brand new book!
Lady Juanita Johnson and Kutenia Good Featured!
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F R O M T H E
E D I TO R
6. VALERIA SIMS Entrepreneur, Mentor and Author
12. JUANITA JOHNSON
First Lady, Mentor, and Educator
14. KUTENIA TATE GOOD The Shake Diva
16 WHO’S WHO in Jackson Expose’ Magazine
18. BUSINESS DIRECTORY Brilliant Brands
20. NEW ORLEANS
O N T H E
CO V E R
Valeria Sims Photographer: Sterling Photography
Jackson Expose’ Magazine is honored to present Valeria Sims-Griffin. Valeria is an Entrepreneur, Mentor, Philanthropist, and Socialite! Also featured inside is First Lady Juanita Johnson of the Abounding Grace World Healing Church and Kutenia Tate Good “The Shake Diva”. And check out Who’s Who in Jackson Expose’! As well as our Brilliant Brands Business Directory. Check out the sights of New Orleans too
Sights of New Orleans
T E R R I
LY N N
Editor Publisher.
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The Power Walk for Dress For Success Metro Jackson You can take important steps toward empowering disadvantaged women by participating‌ so come walk with us!
REGISTER NOW! Form a Team!
DATE: 6/11
Renaissance at Colony Park
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Registration: 7:00 AM Walk Start: 8:00 AM ~ Rain or Shine ~
Registration for the Power Walk for Dress for Success Metro Jackson is open!!!
Visit: www.crowdrise.com/metrojacksonpowerwalk Or Email us for more information: Jackson@dressforsuccess.org
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VALERIA SIMS
COVER STORY
TEXT BY TERRI LYNN PHOTO STERLING PHOTOGRAPHY
VALERIA SIMS HUMBLE AMAZING
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ell us about your background, where you were raised, and where you went to school. I am the daughter of Worhty & Dorothy Lucielle Sims. I am the youngest of five children. I was born and raised in California and partially raised in Mississippi. I attended West Vernon Elementary School in California and upon moving to Mississippi at the age of 11yrs in 1979, I attended Johnson Elementary School, Hardy Junior High, Provine High, Alcorn State
University, and San Bernadino Valley College. BELOW The beautiful Valeria Sims poses for celebretiy photographer of Sterling Photography.
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I grew up in a muslim home where my father
Valeria Sims is an entrepeneur, mentor, minister. philanthropist, communitiy activist and overall a caring beautiful person. Check out her interview to learn her back story and where she is headed in the future!
owned and operated W&S Trucking company. It was instilled in me at an early age. Growing up in a muslim home where charity is not just recommended by Islam, but it is required
HOUSE FEATURE
MODERN HOMES
of every financially stable muslim. Giving charity to those who deserve it is part of the religion, so I would have to own my on to help with impacting other’s lives. Zakat which means “purification”’ is considered to purify one’s heart of greed. I knew from the acts of my parents giving of themselves that I wanted to do the same, So I would have to own my on to help with impacting othe people’s life. What was the first business that you started and how did it work out? My first business was babysitting. As a teen I loved children, and from there I opened up Life Covenant Christian Academy. The daycare worked out very well, in fact I still see some of the children today who have grown up now.
Conference in São Paulo, Brazil ABOVE Valieria challenges us to look into the lens of our souls.
BELOW At David Banner’s GpdBox Lecture in Jackson, MS
Tell us about your current business and how you got started? Star Healthcare Registry is my current business. I’ve been a nurse since 1998 and worked for hospitals, nursing homes, and traveling nursing. I knew someday I would own my own nursing agency,
so upon moving back to Mississippi from California in 2005 I decided to open up Star Healthcare Registry, INC. and in 2006 the company’s doors opened to do business. What were some of the challenges along the way and how did you overcome them? Some of the challenges were not knowing where to start to begin the process of opening up a company. . I began to research on how to get started in my particular industry and I also purchased books and looked looked into others state’s websites, like their Secretary of State which had tons of great information. Going to the State of Cali-
fornia’s Secretary of State
Our mission is to empower and inspire women to become independent . . .� will allow you to view step by step directions for starting a business as well as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s website to find a tutorial on how to create a business plan. At the time Mississippi didn’t have such a link. I over-
came that by researching and going to out of state conferences. I understand that you are an ordained Minister, tell me about that:
ABOVE Valeria Sims. Photo by Sterling Photography
Yes. I became an ordained minister in 2002 after completing school at Assurance of Faith Ministerial Training School in San Bernadino, California under Apostle Shirley Cole- Raiford.
Tell us about your Non-Profit
Organization called Family Resource Center (C.B.A) Ladies of Legac-e.
Ladies of Legac-e is a 501©3 organization which strives to help build healthy families with emotionally stable children, positive parent/children relationships, and character building with a focus on self-esteem building. Our goal is to also reestablish morals, values, and integrity. Our mission is to empower and inspire women to be independent and self sufficient citizens who make positive contributions to society through education, parenting skills, character building, safe transitional housing, health education and employment. We will give them the tools that they need to go out and turn their
lives around and the lives of their children. You have an upcoming Women’s Conference to be held September 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 2016 at the Rose E. McCoy Building. What is it all about and who are some of the speakers? Yes! The upcoming women conference title is “State of Emergency” this will be a annually empowerment conference to empower women to continue building within their communities. Mary McLeod Bethune once stated, and I quote “The true worth of a race must be measured by the character of its womanhood,” therefore we must take our rightful place in building our communities back up. We have some dynamic, powerful
speakers like Dr. Cindy Trimm from Trimms International Ministries who wrote the book Commanding your Morning. Dynamic Power House Pastor Jennifer Biard from Jackson Revival Center, and Amazing Overcomer Pastor Tonia Ware who wrote the book “Life is a Song, Discover Your Voice! from Church Triumphant Global.
Tell us about your mentorship activities. Who do you mainly mentor to and what topics or issues do you mainly focus on? We mentor young women from many walks of life. Our main focus is on women who have/ or are incarcerated. We touch many topics such as how to dress for interviews, parenting
VALERIA SIMS
COVER STORY
Valeria has a new book out called Beyond (Out Of The Box) Thinking; Subtitle: How to transform your life, Your Business, Your Career, and Your Organization, in 8 Simple Steps. Thinking outside of the box is a metaphor that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective. The book touches base on many different topics like, learning your gift, embracing who you are, forgiveness, excepting corrective criticism, and building your business and organization. It will be available soon at: www.beyondoutoftheboxthinking.com
LEFT Valeria Sims Photo by Sterling Photography
skills, communication, rasiing children etc. Tell us about your upcoming conference: The upcoming conference information is www.ladiesoflegac-e.com and the Headquarters office address is 1900 Dunbarton Road suite I, Jackson, MS. 39216. The telephone number: (601) 812-0005. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Blog. Business Contact: Star Healthcare Registry, INC. www. starhealthcareregistry.com you can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Office address 1900 Dunbarton Road Suite J, Jackson, MS. 39216 Telephone Number: (769) 251-5602.
BELOW Valeriea ministers to homeless woman in Las Angeles, CA.
GIRL TALK WITH LADY J
Ju a ni Juanita Tal
Jackson Ex
“My motivation behind establishing GIRL TALK,MS was based on a need to inspire young girls and women to love Christ, others, & most of all themselves.” 12
ita J oh n son lks “Girl Talk” With
xpose’ Magazine!
Lady Juanita Johnson is founder of GIRL TALK, MS. Girl Talk is unique because most events or conferences are usually just for women, or teens, or little girls. But GIRL TALK, MS allows mothers to come with their daughters. During their fellowship several needs are met spiritually, emotionally, mentally, & physically. This EMPOWERMENT Conference for ladies & girls of ALL ages 5 & up in the state of MS. Lady J says she uses the platform that God has graced upon her to share her
personal testimonies and to reach out to both hurting and confident girls & women of all ages to help guide them along life to the next step. Juanita serves alongside her husband, Senior Pastor Dr. M. J. Johnson at Abounding Grace World Healing Church in Jackson, MS. She is the youngest of 4 children and the mother of 3 beautiful children, Genesis, Jonathan, and Abigail. Lady Johnson is an alumnus of Jackson State University and a certified teacher in the State of MS
where she has been a dedicated educator in the Jackson Public Schools system for 12 years. During her tenure there, she has served as Lead Teacher & currently serves on the State Early Childhood Advisory Council for the State of MS. Lady Johnson believes that it is through her training as an educator along with her passion and love for God’s people, that has prepared her to found GIRL TALK, MS. She believes that through intercessory prayer, she is her sister’s keeper and she actively teaches other girls and women how to do the same. 13
“I think of my business as my ministry. I love people and building relationships.�
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KUTENIA T. GOOD
THE SHAKE DIVA* Tell Us about Your Business: I often describe it as a healthy bar. People sit around and talk while having a healthy meal in a cup and energy tea with a shot of aloe. When they leave not only are their bellies full but there’s been an emotional exchange as well. There is networking, we support each other, we challenge each other and we motivate each other. As a result, many of my clients and friends become friends. It’s a happy place with great energy. What motivated you to go into business? It was definitely a God send. It kind of just fell in my lap. The previous owners were about to close it and one of my clients, who has lost 120lbs now, said “we” can’t let it close. God gives me confirmation that this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
The rest is history and I have never regretted the decision. How would you describe your Brand? The healthy meal replacement shake taste so good. They make you feel good. If done consistently you will slowly transform and look so much younger. The before and afters are unbelievable.
SHE WENT FROM 50 LBS OVERWEIGHT TO HEALTHY HAPPY AND ENERGETIC!
It has often been compared to the show “Cheers” where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came. We exercise together on Mondays. We call it TGIM (Thank God it’s Monday) Fit Camp. We also have a Healthy Happy Hour on Fridays from 5-7pm where people can come sample shakes, protinis and energy Jell-O shots. We make getting healthy fun! To contact Kutenia call: 6019060149 She is located at: Good Life Nutrition 1491 Canton Mart Rd, Suite 15 (Canton Mart Square) Jackson, MS 39211
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Who’s Who in Jackson Expose’
Natasha Scruggs
Shanna Pegues
James & Natasha Roach M & MR Marketing, LLC
Limited Practice Attorney
Strategic Planner
MISSION: To create one free nation that will hold the government accountable for crimes against it’s citizens.
MISSION: To know, at the end of each day, that I have helped at least one person
FAVORITE FOOD: Authentic Mexican Cuisine
FAVORITE FOOD: French fries
FAVORITE FOOD: Spinach Dip and Crackers
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Law & Order
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Shark Tank
PET PEEVE: Rude people
PET PEEVE: Negativity
CONTACT: 228-523-5000
CONTACT: www.mrandmrsroach. com
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Grey’s Anatomy PET PEEVE: a lack of integrity and honor among professional people. CONTACT: 314.591.1418
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MISSION: It’s our mission to Impact, Inspire and Initiate Purpose in the lives of 10 Million people.
Who’s Who in Jackson Expose’
Jennifer L. Thomas
Shawn Headley
Pauline Erskine
Founder/CEO, On Broken Pieces Youth Home; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Diversity and Leadership
Each One Teach One, a Non-Profit Service
ON MY WAY HOME BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY NONPROFIT
MISSION: To empower, inspire, and reignite hope in the lives of sexually abused victims FAVORITE Food: Capellini With Spicy ZucchiniTomato Sauce FAVORITE TV SHOW: Dateline PET PEEVE: People who do not keep their word CONTACT: (601) 631-7951
MISSION: The start is what stops most people in starting a nonprofit organization, we’re here to make your beginning easier.
MISSION: To help families make decisions in their bereaving time of need.
FAVORITE FOOD: Ice cream
FAVORITE FOOD: Italian
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Super Soul Sunday
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Shark Tank
PET PEEVE: People who doesn’t keep their word
PET PEEVE: Procrastination
CONTACT: 3474.99.8440
CONTACT: 256-348-1016
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Brilliant Business Directory
Call Us Today (601) 826 - 8304
Smart and Targeted Exposure 5 Qualities of a Brilliant Business • • • • •
Location is in a Developed Area. The location has Attractive Decor Very Clean and well kept Professional and Friendly Staff Offers great Products or Service
Tracey Wells-Harmon, WRAPACTIONDIVA Skinny Wraps and more Tel. 901.308.5870
@JacksonExposeMagazine
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Let’s Geaux Places 200 Mary Street Mendenhall, MS 39114 Tel. 601,808,2072
@jacksonexpose
Elite Printing Design & Planning 1000 Highland Colony Parkway PMB 0009; Suite 5203 Ridgeland MS 39157 Click for Website
Mississippi DJ Services P.O. Box 720072 Byram, MS 39272 Tel. 601.373.5300
http://jacksonexpose.com/services.html
For a Limited Time Only!
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Premium Businesses!
Dr. Felicia King 2084 Dunbarton Drive Suite C Jackson, MS 39206 601-709-3769 email: drking.thehealingdoctor@yahoo.com
RMcGeePhotography 121 Millsaps Street Jackson MS 39202 Website : http://rmcgeephotography.wix.com/rmcgeephotographyjxn 601-260-6129
MADE Printing and Designing 5562 Queen Elizabeth Lane Jackson, MS 39209 601-572-6967 email: madeprintinganddesigning@yahoo.com
MS Regional Housing Authority IV 2180 Terry Rd. Jackson, MS 39284
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STRAP GOES HERE
NEW ORLEANS L I V E! 20
New Orleans’ continues to enthrall visitors and garner accolades, most recently being named the No. 2 city in North America for visitors according to a Travel + Leisure reader’s survey. Photography: Courtesy of New Orleans CVB Article Source: New Orleans Visitors Bureau Press Release 2-22-16
“New Orleans is a consistent choice for travelers because of its authenticity, historic charm, and beauty,” said Mark Romig, President and CEO of the New Orleans Tourism and Marketing Corporation (NOTMC). “Those qualities allow us to deliver on a fantastic experience and we
are honored the readers of Travel + Leisure have singled out our nightlife and dining.”
accolades including one of The Washington Post’s “10 Best Food Cities in America,” the number one “Most Visited The designation as one of the Destination Across the Globe” “Best Cities in North America” of 2015 by AFAR magazine, is New Orleans’ most recent one of the “Best Big Cities recognition in a string of in the U.S.” by Condé Nast Traveler and more.
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Scenes from New Orleans Credit: New Orleans CVB
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Scenes from New Orleans Credit: New Orleans CVB
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Scenes from New Orleans Credit: New Orleans CVB
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