Queen of Southern Cuisine

After many years and countless fried chickens, Paula now has two popular restaurants, five best-selling books, two television shows and a magazine. She has turned her $200 into a $20 million empire. How'd she do it? "I worked like a damn dog," she says.

When Paula first started her catering company, she says she stood over a hot stove 16 to 20 hours a day, but she never imagined this level of success. Her main objective was much simpler. "What I wanted for us was if we needed to go to the grocery store on Wednesday, we could do it and the check would not bounce," she says. "That was my idea of success."

Paula also believes that God's generosity helped her realize her dreams. "I made a commitment to work," she says. "God blessed it."