There’s no doubt that Oprah Winfrey is one of the most inspirational figures in business, and, while not everyone can have Oprah’s success, there are some very tangible business lessons that you can learn from her multiple decades of business endeavors.
Here are five of my favorite.
Success takes time.
Many entrepreneurs go into business thinking that they have raised enough money to launch the business. But, the foundation of a business doesn’t happen overnight. It typically takes two or three years to build a solid foundation and ensure the business is on steady ground.
I use a phrase that I call “TGFO” (Thank God For Oprah), because when she started the Oprah Winfrey Network, it took her just about three years to get her foundation settled. Now, I have that to point to as a benchmark.
If it takes Oprah, who had every business resource in the world at her disposal — capital, fans, a great brand and more — around three years to have a solid business foundation, that means it will likely take you the same. Make sure you have planned not just for the launch of the business, but to support it — and yourself — financially or otherwise for up to three years before you know if the business will work.
Promote yourself.
Self-promoters often get a bad rap. As someone who often gets accused of this myself, I retort, “Well, if I don’t promote myself, who will?”
Oprah is a noted champion of this strategy. She has built her brand…