About the Author

Known as a "corpora-preneur," Alicia Bowens is a woman of many talents. She is an IT professional by day, and a sought after speaker, author, coach, and radio host outside of her 9-to-5. The certified life coach is the founder of two businesses - BE IT LLC, an IT staffing and consulting company, and BE L.O.V.E. LLC, a company whose mission is to connect teen and single moms to re- sources, education and information through books, coaching and workshops. A 2015 Crown Jewel Award recipient and 2016 BOSS Influencer, Alicia has been a frequent guest on a number of shows and programs as well as events where she speaks about career planning, entrepreneurship, vision boards, relationships, and her experiences of being a teenage mother. Alicia became a teen mom at the age of fifteen. However, she didn't let that stop her. Immediately after high school, Alicia went on to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, taking her then three-year old son with her. In 2001, she graduated, and soon after began a career in the IT industry. In 2006, she obtained her Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School. Alicia is an active member of the National Black MBA Association, Chicago Chapter, having served on the Executive Board and Marketing & Communications Committee from 2006-2010. She also participated in their Leaders Of Tomorrow (LOT) program, a mentoring program for high school students. Alicia has also been involved in other teen mentoring programs, such as The Legacy Initiative, and Your Time Is Now (YTIN), and the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Program. In 2010, Alicia became a certified life coach. As a life coach, it is her desire to share her experiences - both successes and failures - in an effort to empower others to achieve their goals despite the obstacles that may present themselves in life. She brought those beliefs to the airwaves 2011, when she partnered with a close friend to create and co-host "The L.O.V.E. Perspective" radio show, which focuses on encouraging and inspiring others to live Lives Of Vision & Empowerment. Alicia believes that if you have a vision for your life, God has already instilled within you the skills and abilities that you need in order to make that vision a reality. She has been a frequent guest on various media outlets and at events speaking on career planning, vision boards, relationships, as well as sharing her experiences of being a teenage mother. Tanya Winfield beat out 250,000 prospective con-testants to become one of the last six finalists on season 15 of NBC's weight-loss reality show, The Biggest Loser. Winfield - a top fan favorite - may not have won the big check, but she's won something even more valuable: she won a new, healthy lifestyle that have changed her life for-ever. Her journey and her story has inspired millions to begin fighting for their own healthy lifestyle - and she couldn't be more thankful. Winfield is the first to admit that her experience on the show was as much a far cry from the lifestyle she'd grown accustomed to as anyone can get. Often referred to as the "people's champ," throughout the season, Winfield's impressive 87-lb weight loss advanced her to the final week of the competition as one of the last six contestants compet-ing on the show. Initially, her drive and determination to not let obe-sity win made her a top fan favorite but her vulnerability - when she opened up and shared the innermost details of her life - was the turning point in her journey. It served to deepen her connection with viewers across the nation who witnessed her breakthrough. Winfield's raw recollection of her gruesome, child-hood experience at the hands of an abusive, drug-addicted mother and a family who failed to come to her rescue was a personal tipping point in her journey. The heartbreaking memory she shared with her trainer on the show also be-came known as "The Most Inspiring Moment" in Biggest Loser history. Winfield's phenomenal weight loss success is just one more extraordinary accomplishment that she has al-ready achieved in her life begun anew. She also earned her first million dollars by the time she was thirty-five years old, as an entrepreneur, restaurateur, and corporate leader-ship/management executive with Fortune 500 companies during her 20-year tenure in corporate America. Becoming COO of an iconic Chicago franchise is yet another triumph in Winfield's life. However, all of these achievements are only a taste of what's to come for this fearless woman of excellence. A proponent of quality, empowerment, distinction and now forgiveness, this teen mother has shed emotional baggage that far outweighs any pounds she's lost. Her pride in her personal victories comes in second to her determina-tion to follow where this new path is leading her. Along with plans to release a cookbook, open healthy soul food franchises and spin clubs across the nation, Winfield's new path is all about sharing her message of hope and inspira-tion. Winfield is proud to be a beacon of encouragement, inspiration, motivation, and transformation to anyone who needs a little light to break down the barriers set up by the mind and often obeyed by the body. To that little girl who may be thinking she'll never amount to anything because of her upbringing, or that young woman who needs a little motivation to push past the challenges she's facing in her business; or the millions of people who don't believe they can lose weight because "It's just too hard," Winfield's message is simple, yet passionate: Lose your emotional baggage in order to win your life back - because you are worth saving. Connect with Tanya: Website: www.tanyawinfield.com