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Janice Bryant Howroyd is passionate about her success.  The North Carolina native is one of 11 children who now runs the Los Angeles-based company Act*1 Personnel Services, a global temporary employment and personnel company that is expected to generate nearly $900 million in revenue.

Howroyd says one of her philosophies for success is borne in the following phrase: “I have everything I need to be to do what I want to do.” It’s an affirmation she encouraged everyone to repeat during the “I Am My Own Boss” seminar at the 2008 Unity Journalists of Color Conference. She used that philosophy as the basis to write her upcoming book, “The Art of Work, How to Use What You Got to Get What You Want”. Howroyd says she found the joy of her work after she learned to love herself and what she was doing. Earliers this year, she won a 2008 BET award as “Entrepreneur of the Year”.

Here are some tips from her wealth of experience:

* Follow the ‘ABCs’: Ask the right questions and listen carefuly; Believe in where you’r going to be or where you want to go; Communicate.

* Pursue your next step as if it was the biggest story of your life.

* Use your network: It’s at your fingertips.

* Don’t be shy about making money.

* This is about business so don’t take any of this personally.

* Don’t be afraid to stand out wherever you go when it comes to telling people who you are and what services you offer.

* Make them [people] love you in :30 seconds.

Now, read more from our panelists:

Sidmel Estes-Sumpterand David Honig .

 Over the years, David Honig has been a vocal advocate for increasing the number of minority broadcast owners and for identifying opportunities for capital to purchase properties.   His Minority Media and Telecommunications Council is at the forefront of key legislative issues affecting broadcast media. During the “I Am My Own Boss” panel at the Unity Journalists of Color Conference, Honig took no prisoners when he highlighted that diversity in media companies is at its worse levels in more than two decades.   He remains undeterred by the dismal numbers, and says anybody who has just been let go needs to be strategic and take advantage of the opportunities:

* Retrain. Take this time to retool.  Get a Master’s Degree in a specialty area. Take classes to learn more about digital media, the internet and other skills that could make you more marketable.

* Take advantage of market opportunities.  Buy a TV or radio station.  Become an owner.  Check in with MMTC or the NAB [National Association of Broadcasters] to find out how you make that move.

* Work with ethnic media locally or nationally.  Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American and other media are usually always looking for contributions. Reach out to them and let them know you’d like to work with them.

* Visit Washington, DC. Visit foreign embassies and let them know you worked for the media and you want to help their media in some way, e.g. writing, editing, layout, TV production.

* Start your own website.  The technology is so accessible today. Just do it, don’t be afraid.

* Use your experience and expertise to start your own business.  You know more than the average person. Take advantage of it.

* Take your story to Hollywood. You all have wonderful ideas and are talented writers. Talk to some producers and you may be surprised how you might be able to turn your writing talents into a screenplay.

Now, read more from our panelists:

Sidmel Estes-Sumpter and Janice Bryant Howroyd.

After 27 years as a broadcast executive, Sidmel Estes-Sumpter unexpectedly was offered a buyout about 18 months ago.  She admits she was shocked, depressed and truly felt kicked to the curb.  In her words, she and ‘chardonnay’ become real good friends.

With the help of her friends and faith, she picked herself up. She created a consulting business drawing off her expertise on understanding the media.  Her company, BreakThrough Inc. specializes in helping firms fine tune their messages for the media. She makes a clear distinction: “I’m not out to do just PR, but help people understand what the media are looking for when they’re trying to decide which stories to cover.”

Estes-Sumpter mailed a letter to everyone she knew to let them know she was now on her own and looking for business.   She was amazed at the results.  People got back to her offering encouragement and even inviting her to pitch her business.

Estes-Sumpter says she is still learning and has some rough days when the phone is not ringing and the invoices are not getting paid.  She offers this advice:

* Know yourself  - Understand what you like and don’t like to do.

* Control Yourself - Emotions run high when you’ve just left a job or career that you took for granted would always be there. Be strong.

* Know others - Network, network, network.

* Do something for others - You weren’t successful by yourself so reach out, give back and feel good about yourself.

Now, read more from our panelists:

David Honig & Janice Bryant Howroyd.