5 Ways Oprah Taught Us All How To Be Entrepreneurial
Whether you own a local spa, consult from home or manage a company, Oprah may have touched your life in ways you didn't realize. As she wraps up her show of 25 years, it's not her spiritual musings so much as her business acumen that will leave a lasting effect on thousands of people. Are you one of them? Read on to see if you've learned any of these crucial lessons for succeeding in business... 1. Have Confidence - In an old 1980s interview with Barbara Walters, Oprah was asked about whether she ever imagined being so successful. Without missing a beat, Oprah stated she was destined for greatness and finished the comment with "I just always knew." There was no sense of arrogance, simply self-assuredness. Start acting on your business dreams with this boldness.
2. Find Your Calling- Even non-committal Oprah viewers know that she often discussed giving into the urge to adopt a particular way of life or career: the one that best suited you. And if she didn't talk about it, then she had countless guests who did. Not everyone gets their calling at the age of 21 and handed to them in the form of a revelation. Colonel Sanders only started the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in his 40s and stuck with it despite not seeing success until many years later.
3. Be Generous- Give cheerfully and without abandon. Perhaps you can find a charity that matches your values or start fundraising on your own for a cause. Or maybe you can give away cars. A more realistic solution would be to add money to someone else's parking meter (an idea shared on the Oprah Show, of course). The point is: your success is never yours alone, so share your blessings.
4. OWN Your Life- Speaking of blessings, Christians talk about only being able to offer their time, talent and treasure to the world. It's all any one has really. Time is self-explanatory (and we only have 24 hours of it daily). Talent is about your skills, education and life experience. Lastly, treasures include money and resources. Instead of giving away her time to a job she didn't like, waste her skills in a profession that didn't motivate her regularly, or horde her money, Oprah created OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). How much of your time, talent and treasure do you own and put into fulfilling your business goals?
5. Replicate Yourself- Nate, Phil, Suze, Mehmet. The list of Oprah's protegees - all of whom have shows of their own - is long and varied. They all have one thing in common: alignment with Oprah's views. Oprah can't physically be everywhere at once, but she built a team of friends and allies who are able to spread her popular message of 'living your best life.'
...but there's another one too...
6. Grind Like It's Easy - And while it's true that Oprah can't be everywhere, it pretty much seemed like she was, didn't it? Her TV show extended into a vast media empire that included satellite radio, movies and television specials. Requiring many early mornings and late nights, Oprah always spoke positively of her business.
And there you have it: the many ways in which Oprah's 25 years of talk show syndication may have affected your business life.
Until she writes a business book (I've already asked her and am sure I'm not the only one to have done so), her legacy will be our guide as entrepreneurs.
Do you have a business lesson that you learned from Oprah? Share it below...
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