Natasha Eubanks, founder and CEO of the popular black celebrity blog Young Black and Fabulous -- more commonly known as TheYBF.com -- joins three other young entrepreneurs on the cover of the January 2010 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.

The monthly black business periodical chose to profile its "BE Nexters" -- young professionals all under 35 -- making moves in their respective fields.

Eubanks, who launched her blog in 2005 after noticing a lack of African Americans featured on gossip sites, had aspirations of being a lawyer.

"I didn't even really know what a blog was when I started YBF. I was just playing around the 'net, filling my boredom of my hostess job at the Olive Garden and waiting on [law] school to start," she shared with BV Newswire today

In her feature story for BE, the former aspiring lobbyist revealed how her parents discouraged her from abandoning her Loyola Law School endeavors.

"My mom was like, 'Oh, no, no, no, there's no money in that. ...My parents thought it was a really bad move."

But against her parent's urgings, she decided to try it anyway.

"I taught myself everything tech-wise and business-wise since there wasn't much out there at the time to even learn from," she added.

The Texas A&M University grad joked, "Well, it's grown from just my three college roommates and mom and grandmother reading YBF to millions of people reading a month."

That is an understatement.

According to Black Enterprise, the blog averages 15 million page views per month, and 2009 revenues for YBF were $1 million – 90 percent of which was generated from advertisers.

"It's when I overhear random people on the street taking about YBF that I get freaked out actually, or when I hear celebs in passing talking about what they've read on it," she said.

YBF's status has definitely grown within the traditional media world, as well. Eubanks covered the Academy Awards, the Grammys, the MTV Video Music Awards and countless A-list celebrity events. "I love that people recognize the importance of YBF and black celebrity entertainment sites, in general," she said. "Most times, I don't even have to ask for credentials. People voluntarily give them. That's amazing, especially when I have never paid for marketing or advertising YBF to the public. Everything has been word of mouth."

Eubanks, who calls New Orleans home, said she isn't "the least bit" worried about blogs fizzling. "There will always be a place for a blog," says the 27-year-old. But the medium, she says, will "need to evolve into being more than just a hub for pictures and regurgitated info."

Everything hasn't been so peachy keen for Eubanks. Celebrities have threatened to sue her, and user comments have been negatively directed at her. She goes without sleep many nights, because ultimately she approves, checks and writes all of her content.

Still, the experience has been eye-opening. Eubanks noted that she's learned how to place ads and how to do custom campaigns with luxury companies actively trying to reach her niche audience. Now, she's just psyched that Black Enterprise wanted to honor her.

"I didn't even tell anyone I shot the cover and feature for an entire month," she confided.

She initially thought the piece was a mini-story, but when she finally shot the cover with photographer Lonnie Major, Eubanks thought it was too good to be true. "I thought BE would change their minds or something because they'd think I was boring once they got to know me."

A lot shier than you'd think for a celebrity gossip blogger, Eubanks -- who can also be heard on the nationally syndicated radio show 'Big Boy in the Morning' -- offers simple advice to future executives.

"I can't preach ownership enough," she said. "Everybody should have a side hustle, even if you're making six figures at your job."

"I made my hobby a career and a business," she continued. "You can never lose when you're doing something you love."

That's entrepreneurial advice worth taking.