After reading about Oprah Winfrey as an entrepreneur, I would place her in the top half of my pantheon. Oprah started out in radio broadcasting at the age of 17, and shortly after switched to doing talk shows. Eventually she founded her own company, Harpo Studios, and hosted the Oprah Winfrey Show—which became the highest rated talk show in history. Her outreach was incredible and she stayed humble through the process. Although Oprah’s impact on her viewers was spectacular, I’m not sure she is as great of an entrepreneur as Gates and Zuckerberg. I would argue that Gates and Zuckerberg found an opportunity and made their products a need for our society. There is not a person today whose like has not been affected by the work of Gates and Zuckerberg, however I would argue that as an entrepreneur, Oprah did have as great of an …show more content…
She does not consider herself a businesswoman, but rather says that she’s in the business of “soothing souls.” I think this is very commendable and what makes people admire Oprah. Although she had a net worth of $2.9 billion in 2014, it is not about the money. Oprah is driven by the impact she is able to make on the lives of others and she loves helping people improve their lives, and her viewers put their trust in her. I would not characterize Oprah strictly as an entrepreneur, and I think she would say the same thing about herself. She is an entertainer and inspiration; Oprah is her own brand, she is the face of her company. Her website, book club, talk shows, speeches, and magazines help are all in the best interest of her fans, and I think this is what makes Oprah great. In fact, I would characterize Oprah as not as the model entrepreneur, but the model leader. Humility, drive, perseverance, and impact are all characteristics entrepreneurs must have, but she goes beyond entrepreneurship and excels at