In the beginning...  God created BGP :-)

Veda Brown is the Founder of Black Gospel Promo and this is my story...

In 1995, I volunteered for AOL and NetNoir for 3 years as a channel manager for a gospel site that I launched on NetNoir via AOL which I named "The Black Gospel Chapel.”  It was there that I learned how to do email marketing because I had to drive traffic to the gospel channel to remain online.  I gathered email addresses from the gospel chat room, message boards, and AOL profiles and invited members to the gospel chapel which became so very popular that NetNoir hired me as a consultant.  I spent six years with NetNoir prior to them selling the company. 

By that time... 2001, I had 80,000 names in tote and just held on to them until one day I was able to use them to promote a friend's ministry.  I sent emails from my AOL screen name which was Black Gospel Promo... only because "Black Gospel Promotions" was too long.  After promoting some of my friends, other people started asking "how much would you charge to promote me?"  I just pulled a number out of the hat and they went for it.  The demands and requests kept coming which forced me to house the database under a major email company... on the application they asked me... "what is the name of your company?" and I said... “umm... I don't know... let's call it "Black Gospel Promo" since that was the EMAIL ADDRESS.” :-)  Well, next I received a check from a client and it was addressed to Black Gospel Promo and the bank told me they couldn't cash it... well, that forced me to get the company incorporated and Black Gospel Promo was born... little did I know that my email address would become the company’s name.  God knew!  It also happened around the time that I was looking for a job and couldn't find one... little did I know that BGP would become my place of employment and that of others.

BGP didn't have a website for at least a year- umm... maybe two years. We were doing e-blast marketing without a website... how funny was that?  Why?  For one, we couldn't afford one in the beginning, but, also, we wanted to prove that our focus was email and not a content driven website since that was my reputation and experience.  I served as the content channel manager for AOL's NetNoir Black Gospel Chapel for six years and wanted to position myself into e-blast marketing because it was different and no one was doing it on the gospel side.  Everybody and their grandma was launching gospel websites... nobody had mastered the email marketing blitz.  I started out by doing template emails until one day I sent my newsletter to a friend (DeAndre) to proof/approve and when he sent it back it had photos flashing, music playing, and all the bells and whistles.  Being the first e-blast company in gospel to provide HTML emails, BGP needed a home to store samples as a portfolio. It was Veda's first designer/sidekick/son, DeAndre Littlejohn, who surprised Veda with her first portfolio website to showcase samples of the designed promos... the list grew.  Needless to say, we have been so very busy designing promos over 1,000 to date that we haven't had time to design a new site.  The gospel music industry, pastors, and Christian businesses and corporations have all embraced us with open arms. 

Moving Forward...

In 2003, the Lord sent us Jason Muscarella and Jason helped take our promos to the next level.  It was Jason who helped us brand the BGP Newsletter/e-flyer template that so many designers now use across the board.  Jason has become our eyes, ears, nose and mouth... I can't function without Jesus and Jason. :-)  As the company and the popularity of the site grew, we knew that we needed a redesign.  Jason designed this new website.  He is our Creative Operations Manager.  Jason has strong design, scripting, and development experience in a web-based environment.  He has over seven (7) years of web design, animation and graphic design experience.  He specializes in Macromedia Flash 8, ActionScript 2.0, Adobe Photoshop CS2, 3D Studio Max R8, Macromedia Dreamweaver 8, Adobe Illustrator CS2, Adobe After Effects 7.0, Macromedia Director MX, HTML, JAVA, PHP, ASP, SQL & MYSQL database, Microsoft Office, Traditional Media (ink, pencil, paint, etc.), and Final Cut Pro.  He used all his skills plus some on our new website.   Don't you just love it? :-)

Along the way we picked up other creative designers who have helped as God enlarged our territory.

Where we are now...

Takiyah "Kiki" Smith is our VP of Marketing & Operations... (my cousin, like a daughter, buddy, confidante).  Kiki is the glue that helps keep me and the company together.  I always say that she was sent to me in time on time during the right season.  Kiki is young, smart, sharp, and will do anything you need her to do... no job is too small and she understand the vision of the company and me.  BGP is growing and we are branching out in other directions and building viable relationships.  In 2004, we launched our consultant services to labels.  Bajada Records was our first client and we used BGP's branding campaign to brand new artist, Antwaun Stanley.  In 2005, we launched our publicity division with Kurt Carr as our first client and it has been a wonderful venture. Kurt has taken me to Japan, Holland, Germany, and Africa with him.  The learning experience has been awesome.  In 2006, Veda completed a Business Development Course at Wharton Business School.  In 2006, we also celebrated our 5th Anniversary in style at the Bobby Jones Gospel Industry Retreat in Hollywood, FL with a luncheon sponsored by The Word Network and the first Gospel Industry Red Carpet Event.  We also moved into our new 1,800 square feet office.  We are now building new partnerships and about to launch a new division of the company. 

The ride has been a blessing.  I realize that God's hand is on my life and the company and that He ordained BGP to be a part of my life and to help fulfill my purpose for myself and the body of Christ.  I always say that BGP is for all of us so that we all can get blessed.  God anointed and appointed me to this position and has proven it by providing the funds to keep it functioning, opening the doors, and giving me favor with the clients, artists, labels, and pastors.  That's when you know its God... you don't have to fight, beg, borrow, steal, lie, cheat, plot, or plan to get it... God just showers you with His blessings and make the way easy.  I've learned to "seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things are added to me."  I've also learned that "no good thing will He withhold from them that walk upright before Him" and that "No weapon formed against me will prosper."  It's that word of God, the love of God, the favor of God, the strength of God, and the Peace of God that has kept me grounded and I'm grateful.

Along the way, we have had tremendous help from many key people who have played an integral part in the growth and success of our day to day processes.  We thank God for DeAndre, Jason, James, Aziz, Michael, and Greg (my designers/contractors), Richard (my attorney), Donna (my bookkeeper), Sandra (my business development consultant), Kiki, Christina, Brittney, Tia, and Chris (all of my helpers/brats), Quinton and Charles (my accountants),  Ameen, Yolanda, Myra, Francis, Tiann, Milton, and Bill (my helpers/friends).  I couldn't have done it without them. 

So many people have helped me down through the years and I would be naming for years... but, all my friends and family members know who they are and I truly appreciate you!  I couldn’t have done it without you!

Enjoy the site, tell your friends about it, join our mailing list as we will keep you abreast of what is going on in the Gospel Music Industry, the church, and the African American community.  One day we will give away a car... so, make sure you are on the list to be a recipient. 

God Bless as He enlarges your territory for His glory!

Veda