"I think that when you invite people to your home, you invite them to yourself."
It seems to me when Oprah said what she said above, she had thoughts of her own upbringing, which in her early years was extremely difficult. She eventually ended up being sent to live with her father at the age of 13, who was a strict disciplinarian, and made sure Oprah followed his rules.
"Vernon Winfrey saw to it that his daughter met a midnight curfew, and he required her to read a book and write a book report each week. 'As strict as he was,' says Oprah, 'he had some concerns about me making the best of my life, and would not accept anything less than what he thought was my best.'
Oprah obviously feels home is an extension of yourself, and what lives there has a huge impact on the type of person we'll be.
The reason I mention this is the obvious impact on who we are, but also, in Oprah's case, one of the secrets to her business success.
When you think of her talk show, it's like being invited into her living room. It's personal. Intimate. Passionate. When you visit Oprah on TV, you're being invited into Oprah. I believe it's one of the great secrets to her extraordinary success.
I also believe if you were to visit Oprah at here home, who you saw on TV wouldn't be that different to who you met in real life.
In our own businesses, we could do much worse than making people feel comfortable in a way that they feel at home. If we can recreate some of that magic, like Oprah, who could compete against it? That unique person, home and business you would represent, simply can't be reproduced or copied. If it could, there would be another Oprah - and there isn't! Think about it for your business or division.
Other Oprah Resources:
Oprah Winfrey - About.com Readers' Most Admired Entrepreneur
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