Martha Stewart's Apprentice Decides to Cook Up Her Own Success

ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (January 23,2007) - Martha Stewart's Apprentice, Dawna Stone, ends her yearlong apprenticeship with the domestic diva and her Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia company this Friday, with a plate full of opportunities and some thoughts on Stewart's nemesis, Donald Trump.

Stone, a former Wall Street investment banker and top-tier strategy consultant, will resume full-time operational duties with her award-winning national women's sports and fitness magazine, Her Sports + Fitness. The magazine, focusing on real women, was what motivated Stone to apply to be a contestant on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.

Stone is putting Martha's lessons to good use as she builds her own omnimedia empire. Her first book, Winning Nice – How to Succeed in Business and Life Without Waging War, hits bookstores Aug. 29. She recently signed with the Home Shopping Network as an on-air fitness expert. The first segments with Stone air Jan. 24 on both the HSN and America's Store channels.

For the past six months, Stone has been a celebrity spokesperson for the American Heart Association's "Go Red For Women" campaign. She is also developing treatments for several health and fitness related television shows and has an active schedule as a motivational speaker.

Stone credits Martha Stewart with inspiring her to take on such a demanding workload. Stone said, "Martha is incredibly passionate about what she does, and her energy constantly amazes me. I'm committed to helping women lead healthier, happier lives and have chosen to become involved in businesses and organizations that support that commitment. Martha showed me if you are truly passionate about your work, you can accomplish anything!"

During her apprenticeship, Stone appeared on Stewart's daytime show MARTHA, hosted her own radio show "Health and Fitness Talk with Dawna Stone" on Sirius Radio, helped launch a yoga and Pilates DVD series and gained invaluable advice from Stewart herself.

On the feud between Martha and Donald Trump, Stone remarks, "As I write in Winning Nice, you never get ahead tearing other people down. Last year with Martha and this year with Rosie O'Donnell, Trump promotes himself by attacking someone who has come back from hard times. It's unfortunate he is held out as a role model on how to be a success. Martha has always treated me incredibly well, and I am extremely lucky to have been her apprentice and not Trump's."

For more information on Dawna Stone visit www.dawnastone.com

About Her Sports + Fitness
Her Sports + Fitness is the premier women's sports and fitness magazine. Through inspiring stories about real women and practical guidance on training, health and nutrition, Her Sports + Fitness motivates women to achieve their fitness goals and stay healthy and active for life. www.hersports.com