Role Model: Oprah
Have you ever wondered how Oprah got started on her path to becoming a billionaire? I bet most people have heard of Oprah, but they never really took the time to learn about her past or her methods. They simply see the TV show and "O Magazine" and assume that she's always been famous. Well believe it or not, this wasn't always the case and it took Oprah a lot of hard work to get to where she is at. No one could deny that Oprah is at the pinnacle of success in the US; in fact it would be hard to see how she could become any more successful than she already is. Looking at her progression, it is really fascinating to see how she skyrocketed from nothing into a business empire that is worth billions. Let's take a look to see how she did it and to see how future women can follow her footsteps to fame and fortune.
Oprah started off as a nobody, just like many other people. However, after some time in the traditional "hard work" mentality, she realized that she'd found a niche that she could use to define herself. So what did she do? She hit it fast and hard and started branding herself as the owner of this niche. She didn't settle for letting the network define her or her success, she kept pushing and reaching for new heights. She targeted a specific audience and kept pushing until she separated herself from the pack. Pretty soon, when people thought about her niche, they thought about Oprah. She became as dominant in her niche as Kleenex did with tissues. She didn't become one of the names, she became THE name.
This is one of the most important keys to business success that many people overlook. Learning how to own your niche is the difference between becoming just another girl at the office or THE girl at the office. You have to dominate your space and learn to take more with every step.
Once Oprah dominated her niche, she started reaching out to new niches and new horizons. Eventually she became a fitness icon for her constant weight loss and weight gaining episodes. She made several people famous, one of which went on to start their own empire - you might have heard of Dr. Phil (he in turn catapulted his wife and son to success). She started her magazine, bought the company that owned her show, and created her own production company. Can you see what I mean when I say pushing for new horizons and stretching the boundaries?
So many people confine themselves to the basic environment without realizing that they are preventing themselves from succeeding. YOU have to take charge of your own personal brand, your own space, and then start to dominate it. Don't settle for being labeled by others and instead become a household or workplace name. You'll find that you will reach much more than business success in the process and I promise that your career will be much more than fulfilling.