Here is the fourth post in the new series from our leadership collection, which highlights some great and not-so-great practices. Today, we’re looking at some leadership hits and misses in the NHL.

Leadership Bull – NHL’s Brendan Shanahan champions player safety message

Nobody wants to sit patiently while a CEO, politician, or their friend’s dad drones on about their childhood for no reason. But in certain situations, a good personal story is what it takes to successfully challenge conventional wisdom and bolster a persuasive argument.

Consider Brendan Shanahan – who played in the NHL for over 20 years and is now the league’s Vice President of Hockey and Business Development – as an example. This leader recently took a very personal approach when addressing a controversial issue at the Molson World Hockey Summit held at the Air Canada Centre last week.

During the event, hockey leaders discussed how to keep young players engaged in the sport. According to USA Hockey's Regional Manager Bob Mancini, 44 percent of USA Hockey's youth players stop playing the game before they reach the age of nine. The leaders agreed that one of the best ways to keep players interested is to eliminate the common practice of introducing body checking to young players.

When asked for his opinion on teaching children to take a hit, the National Post reported that Shanahan simply said: “Don’t do it.” Elaborating later, he said: “I always had a dream of playing in the NHL, but I don’t think my parents ever made any decision that was steering me toward that direction. They never put me in harm’s way to try to obtain that.”

Shanahan also said that he maintained a love for the game because it was fun for him and that he encourages his seven-year-old son to have fun with it too.

By weaving his personal experiences into his argument, Shanahan successfully challenged the common perception that sacrificing personal safety and teaching body checking at a young age will shape better players.

Persuasive speakers can use statistics and research from the leading universities to support an argument, but it’s the personal stories that leave a lasting impression and get heads nodding. Granted, it can be somewhat self-indulgent to talk about yourself all the time. But by finding a personal story that relates directly to the issue at hand, and using it appropriately, leaders can take a bold stance on pressing issues.

Leadership Bear – Gary Bettman dodges NHL Olympic question

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is arguably one of the least popular leaders in the league’s recent history. A prominent figure in two major labour disputes – one of which resulted in the cancellation of the entire 2004-2005 hockey season – Bettman is no stranger to criticism. Many hockey blogs condemn his every move, and at FireBettman.com, fans bond over why he should resign or be removed from his post.

And unless he starts relating to fans and players on an emotional level soon, Bettman isn’t going to gain much in the way of brownie points. Back in November of 2007, Bettman told reporters that, following the Vancouver Olympics, the NHL may no longer suspend play mid-season so that players can compete in the games.

Nearly three years later, Bettman has still not confirmed whether his league will send players to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In the wake of a successful 2010 Winter Olympics – which united an entire country as Canadians witnessed NHL player Sidney Crosby clinch the gold medal for the men’s hockey team in overtime – the pressure has never been greater for Bettman to re-think the idea of not sending NHL players to Sochi.

At the Molson World Hockey Summit, emotions ran high as several panelists, including current players, pleaded for the NHL to continue its presence in the Olympics.

But Bettman dismissed the comments. As reported on the NHL’s official Web site, he said: "Raising this to an emotional level – rhetoric publicly and privately – that isn't going to get this done. When the Board gets together trying to deal with this issue, it is going to be based on a very reasoned analysis that goes to what the issues are both for the Olympics and for the NHL.”

Of course, as Bettman knows, logic forms the basis for sound decisions. Good leaders take a pragmatic approach and carefully weigh the pros and cons of several scenarios before diving in and taking a specific path. But at the end of the day, leaders can’t simply ignore the human side of the argument. Emotions motivate people to buy the latest gadgets, change behaviours, and shell out money for seats at a hockey game.

Whether the NHL decides to send its players to Sochi remains to be seen, but in either case, Bettman will need to acknowledge the feelings of players and fans when justifying the decision. If not, he risks further alienating the very people whose support impacts the commercial success of the league.

The beginning of September and summer is winding down. From a corporate perspective, a new season of business continuity planning is about to start.

We’ve had dedicated a team - Corporate Business Continuity - focussing exclusively on business continuity since 1989. Its emergency preparedness planning has been tested many times in recent years because of a wide range of human-caused and natural disasters and events – from computer viruses, to forest fires and floods to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games and the G8 and G20 meetings in Ontario earlier this summer.

Here’s what the team of business continuity planning, health and safety experts at TELUS advises specific to this time of year:

Drivers take care

With more children on the move – whetehr as pedestrians or in cars and buses – it's helpful to remind your employees that slowing down should be top-of-mind, particularly in school zones, says Clement Tang, director, Safety.

“Back-to-school is a time when drivers need to be particularly cautious when passing through school zones,” he says. “Children are often very excited about returning to school and therefore can behave unpredictably. In addition, many drivers are returning from summer vacation and may still be adjusting to work schedules. And, to make matters worse, the shortening daylight hours make it harder for drivers to see pedestrians in the early morning or late afternoon.”

Germs and more germs

As students return to class, they are exposed to a variety of viruses and germs that can affect other family members, who unknowingly bring those viruses and germs to the workplace. So for business continuity planners, the back-to-school season means it is time to dust off the flu and pandemic plans.

“Last year’s H1N1 scare gave us a chance to do some real-life testing of our health emergency planning and put in place processes that will serve us well in the future,” says John Yamniuk, manager, Corporate Business Continuity.

Influenza (or flu) affects millions of Canadians each year, with flu season usually running from November to April. However, flu is not the only concern. Alberta Health Services issued a warning in mid-August after more than 90 cases of viral meningitis had been found in the province since April. Meningitis is a potentially life-threatening infection often caused by bacteria and viruses.

Janet Crowe, director, Wellness, says there is much a corporation can do to encourage their staff to help prevent the spread of germs and reduce the impact of seasonal flu, meningitis and other communicable diseases. Prevention activities include frequent hand washing – particularly after coughing or sneezing - and coughing or sneezing into the elbow if tissues are not available.

From a corporate position, keep well informed throughout the entire flu season and read public information from sources such as Health Canada to decide which flu preparedness steps are most appropriate for you. On the ground, encourage staff to work from home when they’re not feeling well, Crowe adds.  Established flexible work policies will let them be as productive from the home office as they are at the office proper.

Hurricane season

Like back to school, the hurricane season happens the same time every year – from early June to late November. It affects the north Atlantic and northeast Pacific oceans, where tropical depressions and storms may develop into hurricanes.

Experts in the Canadian Hurricane Centre believe 2010 will be especially active and predict there will be more than five category three or higher hurricanes this season. These will mainly affect the Maritimes and Atlantic Canada; however, heavy winds and rain may reach as far west as Toronto. You can follow the hurricane bulletins at weatheroffice.gc.ca if you operate out of in these areas.

Fire season continues to October

Fire is a summer hazard that carries over into the fall. The fire season in British Columbia started early this year because of low snowfall and quick snowmelt in some regions. Thanks to a prolonged hot dry spell earlier this summer, more than 230 fires are currently burning and more than 70 per cent of the province is considered to be at extreme or high fire risk.

Air quality and wildfire smoke advisories have been issued for many areas around British Columbia, as well as neighbouring Alberta. You can find out more about the wildfire situation in B.C. at bcwildfire.ca. Also check out Natural Resource Canada’s Frequently Asked Questions on Forest Fires page.

Is your company prepared for an emergency? Could your organization continue operations and serving its customers in the event of a pandemic or another communicable disease and if so, what tips would you offer other businesses?

My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already successfully accomplished what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post was: How to Find Your Passion Like Oprah Winfrey.

Today I’m going to focus on how you can pair up what you're good at with what you love doing to build a successful enterprise like Ron Joyce who built the multi-billion dollar coffee shop franchise business Tim Hortons.

Must Watch Video

“When you find the niche you love, that becomes your passion. For me it was Tim Hortons. It was my world." – Ron Joyce

Ronald Vaughan "Ron" Joyce, CM (born 1930) is a Canadian multi-millionaire businessman. He co-founded the Tim Hortons doughnut chain as Tim Horton's partner and first franchisee.

Joyce grew up in rural Nova Scotia in a house without plumbing and a wood stove for heating.  When he was three years old, his father died, leaving his mother to take care of the family on welfare. When he was 16 years old he left home with his life savings of $35 to try his luck in the real world.

After spending time in the navy he returned home to start a Dairy Queen franchise and also joined the police force where he met Tim Horton. Horton was a Canadian hockey legend who opened up a local coffee shop called Tim Horton's (later changed to Tim Hortons). The little shop was failing when Joyce proposed forging a partnership and bringing his experience from Dairy Queen to save it.

Today Tim Hortons has over 3,500 locations, 100,000 employees, and $2 billion in revenues. Joyce himself owns at least 4 yachts, donates millions to charity, and has so much money he has even offered to fly people on trips anywhere in the world if they can help improve his golf swing. How did Ron Joyce get to where he is today? He did it by building a tiny coffee shop by the name of Tim Horton’s into one of Canada’s most beloved and successful brands.

Action Item #1: Match Your Talents with Your Passion

You can be really good at something but not love it. You can also love doing something else but not be really good at it. To be successful as an entrepreneur you need find the opportunity to combine what you love doing with what you're really good at.

According to Ron Joyce: " I think people who excel in anything are often totally dedicated to it, but are only really good at one thing. I look at the great athletes of all time, like Michael Jordan, who went from basketball to baseball and it didn't work. Or Wayne Gretzky, who probably wouldn't have been great at anything but hockey."

Are you like Michael Jordan trying to play baseball by doing something you love but aren't really that good at? If you're struggling to get your company to the next level try doing some soul searching to see if you've matched up your talents with what you love doing in the best way possible.

Action Item #2: Treat Your Franchisees as Partners

Franchising can be a great way to build a business because you don't need to fund it yourself and you can create an army of hard working managers who have a self-interest in seeing you succeed. However, franchising is not a bulletproof concept and may fail when the franchisors don't provide the right support to their franchisees.

Here's Ron Joyce's advice: "It was my philosophy to treat the franchise owners as partners." He followed through by creating a ‘Donut University’, a central training facility where new franchise owners could go to learn the ropes of running the business and operating in the fast-paced environment. He also established regular meetings, a toll-free phone line, and field evaluations to provide support to his franchisees. He was willing to do whatever it took to get his partners off the ground and running.

The result? Today, only five percent of the company’s stores are corporate, while the rest are locally and operated owned franchises. With average profit margins ranging from 15 to 20 percent, owning a Tim Hortons franchise is a promising venture. In fact, more than half of all franchisees own more than one unit. Treat your franchisees fairly and give them the support they need to flourish and they'll build your business for you.

Action Item #3: Create a Unique Point of  Differentiation

If you want to stand out and win business from your competitors then you need to do things differently from them. If there's nothing different about you, why should customers choose you when there are probably more established companies they could go with?

When Joyce took over Tim Hortons he wanted to stand out from all the other coffee chains. To do that, Joyce implemented a new set of business practices that focused on keeping things “Always Fresh." He began to insist that all Tim Hortons coffee pots be cleaned three times a day and that no coffee be older than twenty minutes from the time the brewer stops dripping. All grounds were also to be thrown out immediately afterwards. But it didn't just stop at coffee. The temperatures of all cheese products and sandwiches were to be checked every other hour, as with soups. Donuts were to have a shelf life of no more than eight hours and could also be made to order. Bagels and other breads were also to be sold for no more than eight hours after they were made, while cookies, danishes, and croissants could go up for twelve hours. Only enough cakes for a given day were to be baked in any one store.

Customers began to come to Tim Hortons because they had the freshest products available and sales soared. What is your unique point of differentiation? Is it really something customers care about and are you very different from your competitors?  If not, it's time to go back to the drawing board and create a value proposition worth betting the company on.

True Story

Despite the fierceness with which he ran his business, in expanding his franchise Ron Joyce strove to always play fair. Once when a man applied for a Tim Horton’s franchise and was turned down, he opened up a competing Robin’s Donuts store nearby and saw his business explode. This time around, management at Tim Hortons became interested in the man, and sought to open their own store nearby. Joyce, who had already left the company by this point, called his friends inside the business and convinced them to cancel their plans. He said it would be unfair to open a store and put out of business someone who had once tried to be part of the Tim Hortons franchise team.

How have you matched up your talents with your passion? What part of Ron Joyce's message resonates the most with you? As always, I’ve love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!

Evan Carmichael

To learn more check out my list of Ron Joyce articles  or my website, EvanCarmichael.com.

Welcome to our App of the Week series where we highlight Smartphone and iPad applications for business.

How many different user ID's and passwords do you have?  Start with the basics like email or a Google account and then add in business specific passwords such as alarm codes, wireless routers and bank or purchasing account numbers.  It's not uncommon for a business user to have 20, 30 or more passwords, PIN numbers or secure phrases.  But how do you keep track of them all?

The most common solution is really not a solution at all: use the same password for everything.  Managing your website login for movie tickets with the same password as accessing your business banking records isn't a balanced approach.  Another solution is to write down all of the passwords in a notebook, attach sticky notes to your computer or use the virtual notes feature on a program such as Microsoft Outlook.  Not only do these options put your data at risk, they aren't the most mobile friendly (just imagine losing your notebook and a thief finding your password list – jackpot!). 

1Password Pro ($14.99 from the iTunes store) is an iPhone based solution that securely manages all of your passwords, logins and other important codes on the go.  When you think about it, managing passwords using a Smartphone app makes really good business sense – you always have the phone with you so management is convenient and in real-time.  The same goes for an iPad as more business users work on the go with a tablet style device (the Pro version works on both an iPad and iPhone).

When it comes to passwords, security is the number one concern.  1Password Pro uses 128 bit AES encryption to store passwords and control program access.  This level of security is similar to what financial organizations use to secure Internet banking data.  For those who are interested, a full description is available on the Agile Web Solutions website.

Using the App

Accessing the program is done through two layers of security – a 4 digit pin code to access most passwords and a master password (anything you choose it to be) to access restricted areas or to make program changes.  If you already use a password to secure your iPhone, it's a good idea to make these passwords different in order to take advantage of the second layer of security.

The app itself is very clean looking and friendly to use.  A new user can get up to speed and add their password data within seconds.

Once in the program, 1Password has four main category icons to sort existing data:

• Logins –  Simple website login/password combinations. This is where you would keep items like your Gmail, Aeroplan and TELUS Talks      Business logins. 
• Accounts – Stores more complex account information. For example, databases where a server, port, user ID, password, etc, are all required. 
• Wallet – Secure personal items including credit card numbers, memberships and licences.
• Passwords – Generates and stores a complex password.  Probably the most useful section as it helps you create unique and highly secure passwords that you would be unlikely to remember without assistance.
• Notes – Once you add your first note, Notes will replace Passwords as one of the main category icons. Consider this feature a      secure version of your sticky notes and add whatever text you desire.

When you want to add new passwords, you can go directly through the main category icons, however I have found it much better to select the last category – More – and then selecting Add.  From the Add screen, options are easily available to add everything from Software activation codes to generating a new password.  Very easy to use.

Backing up the items in 1Password Pro has both an automatic and a manual side.  First, like all iPhone/iPad applications, 1Password Pro is backed up during every iTunes sync.  Second, 1Password Pro offers the ability to both save an encrypted copy of the password database to a computer or wirelessly sync (over Wi-Fi) to a computer running the full desktop version of 1Password (which costs extra but does make all of your data easily sharable between business computers).

Conclusion

Passwords and security is often brushed to the side in favour of convenience.  1Password Pro provides an easy to use method of securing password data and managing its access all from the convenience of an iPhone.  Although its asking price may cause some to shy away, it's a small price in comparison to the value of your business data.

Today is the 5th post in the "Work Shift, Work Styles, Work Anywhere – Flexible Work across Canada" summer blog series

As a Calgary Social Media Professional being connected and ready to serve the needs of Calgary business when called upon is not a luxury but a must for our small Calgary business.

I truly value my time out of the office and I truly love being a road warrior. I spend a lot of my time traveling and seeing new parts of the city, province or country and when we combine this with the opportunity to serve Calgary small business plus business across Canada and United States is what truly gets me up every morning. This is what our team at Ulistic is all about, service and making sure our clients get the right social media advice, search engine optimization and online marketing consulting, education and result their business craves.

Being based in Calgary but being able to cover the needs of North America helping small business (managed service providers, real estate professionals and general small business) is a job that starts early in the morning and finishes late in the day.  This is why mobile Internet, mobility and the right tools to round out our mobile office is essential.

Who said the Internet would cut down on travel? I would like to meet this person. You know you travel a lot when the staff at the Edmonton International Airport - Maple Leaf Lounge know you by first name. Business in North America still requires the "human element" and this sometimes requires travel from time to time.  If it is a quick trip across town or a flight across the country, we still need to meet people and thoroughly understand their needs and embedded our services into their organizations without any hiccups. What does my portable office look like?

Mobile Phone - My mobile smart phone is an essential part of my portable office. Having the correct plan is also essential.  Having freedom to work from anywhere is crucial in my business where clients can call on us at anytime with any need.  A great mobile phone with a flexible plan is essential.

The Right Laptop - I  use a MacBook simply because it works without a hitch and if I have an issue with it, well I can take it to any Apple Certified repair shop and get it fixed. Having the right equipment is very important whether it is a MacBook or DELL Latitude laptop running Windows 7, you need to have something that work and works for you.

Cloud Technologies - Ulistic is a firm that teaches people to leverage the Internet therefore we need to have access to technologies no matter where we are.  The right cloud solution is just as important as your mobile phone or laptop.  There are many great solutions out there, do your homework and get one that works for you.

Mobile Internet - Last but definitely not least is having the right mobile Internet solution for our business needs.  Hotels, Airports and Coffee shops offer Wi-Fi however for me, I need something fast and reliable. I often turn to my Mobile Internet device.  Having mobile Internet provides the reliability that this road warrior requires every single time.  I may forget my phone or my server maybe down, but without my mobile Internet, I would be disabled.

No matter where you work you need to right tools to do your job. For this Alberta-based road warrior without my tools...well I would be lost and lose my competitive advantage. What would hurt the most...I wouldn't be able to serve my clients and take care of them.

Leave a comment for your chance to win a Bluetooth speaker set from @TELUSBusiness and @Ulistic.

About the Author: Stuart Crawford, ULISTIC Inc. Senior Advisor/Partner and Guest Contributor

Stuart Crawford is a member of the Ulistic team as senior advisor and partner bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience as it relates to IT and how business today can use the Internet is safe, secure manner to grow their overall business. Since retiring from active service in the Canadian military in 1997, Stuart has served the Calgary business community by providing information technology consulting services as part of the Microsoft, DELL and SonicWALL partner . In 2001, Stuart founded IT Matters, a Microsoft award winning computer and technology partner he served as the Vice President of Business Development for 8 years.  In 2009, Stuart played a vital role in the merger of Bulletproof InfoTech and CompuConsult.com and helped this new upstart IT firm can a competitive edge in the Alberta small business community.Over the years, Stuart has worked with leading junior Oil and Gas firms, Accounting and Legal offices and regular small businesses all across Alberta, throughout Canada and across the globe.

What is Mobile Internet?

Mobile carriers continue to expand and grow their service offerings.  The demand for these services is undeniable, as Canadians further adopt 3G+ and head towards the next wave of technology. Data only devices, like the iPad are becoming more prevalent, as is the term Mobile Internet.  Mobile Internet can mean a number of different things but mainly it’s the combination of 2 technologies or services, broadband and cellular (or wireless).

Broadband (you may also know it as DSL, Cable or T1 connections) is a common term for wired Internet service that offers high speed data transfer rates. As technology advances, these connections provide more bandwidth. In other words, you get faster connections that can more easily manage the transfer of larger packets of data (e.g. larger file sizes) that we’ve come to take for granted in today’s networked world. This connectivity is crucial to businesses that need to operate efficiently outside the confines of their office walls.

Adding the word 'mobile' means taking your connectivity with you through portable devices.  Mobile Internet for most people means Internet access on a smartphone.  However, wireless modems have been around for well over a decade and in the last few years new types of devices have begun to emerge, making Internet access for mobile users even easier.

The first wireless modem that really made a big splash about five years ago was the Aircard. This device plugged into a laptop (or desktop) to access the Internet wirelessly across a cellular network.

Two years ago theAircard was replaced by the Mobile Internet Key, a USB key which plugs into the laptop’s USB port.

Now more and more laptops carry a built in module that allows users to put a SIM card under the battery (just like in a cell phone).  The common example of this is the new tablet computing device from Apple, the iPad.

For users who want to share a connection there are ‘mobile Wi-Fi’ devices coming out that act as a portable modem/router combo, such as the TELUS Mobile Wi-Fi, soon to be released, which allows five users to share a wireless high speed connection.  This type of connectivity is really just like wired broadband service, only coming in from a wireless (cell) network – hence Mobile Internet.

Now you may be thinking, how can a mobile device or network offer the same level of service as a wired Internet connection like DSL?  As technology continues advancing, networks are also evolving to support these new devices and provide faster connections for clients. Take TELUS for example.  In just 3 short years TELUS will have evolved from wireless data speeds of up to 700 Kbps down on EVDO (CDMA) to up to 42 Mbps on HSPA+ Dual Cell (coming soon).    These enhancements become increasing important to businesses as more ‘shared’ data devices hit the market.   A Dual Cell network is  the difference between 5 people sharing what was essentially dial-up Internet (700 Kbps of bandwidth), versus sharing 30 or 40 Mbps of bandwidth (broadband speeds).   The dual cell network allows for increased mobility without having to be close to a modem, providing internet access in places such as a taxi cab or airport.

A great example of Mobile Internet in action is with event marketing. Experiential marketing or event companies now have access to the Internet quickly and effectively, providing new and exciting marketing opportunities that they may not have had before.  For instance, outdoor sporting events are now showcasing gaming consoles to event attendees, with the ability to go online for new content, game demos or to allow users to interact socially with other gamers.  These marketing activities are made possible by a device that creates WiFi or by a Mobile Internet Key via USB.  Additionally, devices like the TELUS Smart Hub and Mobile Wi-Fi are cost effective substitutes for temporary Internet connections at trade shows and conferences where venue Internet rental fees can run hundreds of dollars a day.  Just the install cost of a landline and Internet service on a construction site could equal the cost of a being able to use a Smart Hub for months or even a year!

How to leverage Mobile Internet for your business

The devices and tools hitting the market are evolving with the demand of the ever growing mobile workforce.  Mobile Internet Keys and Mobile Wi-Fi devices keep getting faster and smaller.  Mobile workers from sales to insurance claims adjustors to engineers can work at offsite client locations easily connecting to their email and back-office systems.  This means they can update purchase orders, resolve client issues or download the latest project documentation on the go, from virtually anywhere.

“IDC predicts the number of worldwide mobile workers will reach 1 billion - including nearly 75% of the U.S. workforce - by the end of 2011.” This also means more of the top talent will be looking for employers who offer flexible or mobile work styles. My colleague Allison Vale elaborated more on this in her post: Canada’s mobile workers take the job where they are.

New Mobile Internet devices, like the Apple tablet iPad are also becoming more common in the business community.   Laptop computers let business users carry just one computing device with them, loaded with apps, files, and embedded with Mobile Internet access.   The iPad is the newer, faster, smaller version.  Companies are arming their sales teams with the iPad to walk clients through presentations and browse company websites with in-depth product and online ordering info.

Deciding what the best option for your business is as simple as asking yourself, “how do I enable my employees to do more outside the office, whether at a client site or working remotely?”

My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already successfully accomplished what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post was: How to Find Your Next Big Business Opportunity Like Ray Kroc (McDonald's).

Today I’m going to focus on how you can find your passion like Oprah Winfrey, the billionaire entrepreneur who some consider to be the most influential woman in the world.

Must Watch Video

“Follow your instincts. That's where true wisdom manifests itself." – Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) is an American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century and beyond, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was once the world's only black billionaire.

While Oprah had begun her media career working at her high school radio show, it was in her freshman year when she got her first true opportunity to work in local media. She became both the youngest news anchor and the first black female news anchor at Nashville’s WTVF-TV. In 1976, Oprah relocated to Baltimore to co-anchor WJZ-TV’s local evening news. Her popularity led to her being recruited as co-host of WJZ’s local talk show, People are Talking.

Oprah’s warmth and big smile were quickly gaining appeal across a wider audience. In 1984, she relocated to her current home of Chicago, Illinois to host WLS-TV’s AM Chicago. Following a massive jump in ratings with Oprah’s takeover, the show was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show and extended to a full hour. With her powerful screen presence and friendly demeanour, the show went national just two years later. It became the highest-rated talk show in television history and would retain its leading position for the next twenty years.

Today Oprah's company, Harpo, has 410 full-time employees, a modest turnover (10% to 15% a year) and earns over $275 million in revenues. It is a media powerhouse that competes with giants like Lifetime and AOL Time Warner. And, Oprah remains as committed as ever: "I believe I'm just getting started.”

Action Item #1: Find Your Passion

If you study any famous entrepreneur and why they started their business you'll almost always find that it wasn't for the money - it was to make a difference in something they felt passionate about. When you create a business around what you're passionate about you're more likely to be the best at it, overcome hurdles put in your path, and ultimately achieve success.

In Oprah's own words: “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you... What I know is, is that if you do work that you love, and work that fulfills you, the rest will come. And, I truly believe, that the reason I’ve been able to be so financially successful is because my focus has never, ever for one minute been money.”

In order to find your passion, Oprah says you need to “pay attention to your feelings. The path to discovering why you are here is through your feelings.” The most important thing, she cautions, is to not let others prescribe your path for you. “You can be pursuing a profession because your parents say it’s the best thing. You can be pursuing a profession because you think you will make a lot of money. You can be pursuing a profession because you think you are going to get a lot of attention.” But, she warns, “None of that will do you any good if you are not being honest with yourself.”

Action Item #2: Rise Above Your Obstacles

Entrepreneurship isn't an easy road and you'll probably have moments of doubt where you're not sure if you should continue running your business or just go get a job. Stay strong - if you can make it through those early moments of crisis you'll end up with a business that you can be proud of, provides an income, and makes a difference.

Born as a poor, black, and out of wedlock child, Oprah already had the odds stacked against her. Raped at the age of nine and sexually harassed by family members for the next four years, Oprah turned to a life of rebellion and drugs. It was not until she went to live with her father, who imposed strict discipline on the young Oprah and encouraged her education that she began to turn her life around. With a renewed focus on school and the encouragement of her father, she overcame the mental trauma of harassment and went on to win a scholarship at a reputable university.

Reflecting on her youth, Oprah says, “You can take from every experience what it has to offer you. And you cannot be defeated if you just keep taking one breath followed by another... We are each responsible for our own life – no other person is or even can be. That is why it is crucial not to let challenges, be they your own characteristics, events, people, or other uncontrollable factors, act as barriers between you and your goals."

Action Item #3: Set Big Goals

When you have a big goal that you're aiming to accomplish it can help keep you motivated and get you through the day to day problems that you'll face with your business. Make sure the goal is something that gets your blood pumping when you look at it - it has to be a goal that truly excites you if you want it to motivate you through the tough times.

“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.” 23 years later, with a net worth of $2.4 billion, Oprah has become not only the richest black woman in America, but also one of the richest people in the world. She ranks 141 on the Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and millions of homes 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.

Gut instinct has been one of the largest driving factors behind Oprah’s success. “Be quiet,” she says. “Part of your responsibility is to honour the quiet inside yourself so you can hear the call.” Her prescription for doing so is to “take five minutes to centre yourself in the morning…set your intention every day…if you don’t have five minutes, you don’t deserve to have the life of your dreams.”

True Story

While Oprah's company, Harpo (Oprah spelled backwards) is known for paying its employees well, they must sign a lifelong confidentiality agreement, barring them from talking or writing about Oprah’s personal or business affairs and those of her company for the rest of their lives. This has resulted in some disgruntled workers, but no legal challenge against Harpo to date has been successful.

What is your passion? Why did you start your business? As always, I’ve love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!

Evan Carmichael

To learn more check out my list of Oprah Winfrey articles  or my website, EvanCarmichael.com.