SUCCESS LESSONS FROM OPRAH WINFREY

The Makings of a Business Tycoon: Oprah's Early Years

On January 29, 1954, the woman that would make a meteoric rise to become not only the richest female in America, but also the first ever African-American billionaire was born.

Building an Empire: Oprah’s Formative Years

Oprah’s ambition did not diminish with the success of The Oprah Winfrey Show.... After her successful acting debut in The Colour Purple (1985), Oprah’s desire to expand into the film and television industry was further fueled. In 1988, Oprah became the third woman in the American entertainment industry to own her own studio when she created Harpo Studios. Oprah’s name read backwards, Harpo is a television and film production, magazine publishing and online media company in one. “I did this to really expand into the areas I wanted to and take over the show to create more time for me to do features and TV specials,” she said.

Lesson #1: Set High Goals

“I always knew I’d be a millionaire by age thirty-two,” said Oprah in 1987. “In fact, I am going to be the richest black woman in America.” 19 years later, with a net worth of $1.4 billion, Oprah has become not only the richest black woman in America, but also one of the richest people in the world. She ranks 235 on the Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and almost 30 million American houses tune in to her show daily to hear her talk about everything from relationship problems to business investments to human rights abuses around the world.

Lesson #2: Rise Above Your Obstacles

“Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity,” says Oprah. “Don\'t fight them. Just find a different way to stand.”

Lesson #3: Take Advantage of New Technologies

“I don’t care about being bigger, because I’m already bigger than I ever expected to be,” Oprah says. “My constant focus is on being better. Should I be doing multimedia video production? Or seminars on the Internet? How can I do what I’m already doing in a more forceful way?” Oprah’s ability to consistently take advantage of new media and technology is one of the distinguishing features of her massive success. Harpo Studios, Oprah’s brainchild, has successfully grown from a one-show production to a multi-billion dollar media powerhouse thanks to its expansion into different media.

Lesson #4: Be a Good Corporate Citizen

“What I know for sure is that what you give comes back to you,” says Oprah. Proof that philanthropy does not have to be at odds with having a good business sense, Oprah has managed to keep her sense of humility and compassion while still registering ever-increasing profits. Considered one of the most admired entrepreneurs in the world, Oprah has made a living not only amassing a sizeable fortune, but also giving it back.

Lesson #5: Find Your Passion -

“Passion is energy,” says Oprah Winfrey. “Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

How She Did It: Oprah’s Success Factors -

“What I know for sure is that if you want to have success, you can’t make success your goal,” says Oprah Winfrey. “The key is not to worry about being successful, but to instead work toward being significant – and the success will naturally follow.”