How One Single Sentence Made Oprah Very, Very Rich

Oprah is an icon of course, and you likely also know she grew up dirt poor. But it was the super savvy move she made early in her career that made her the big bucks!

(BTW, if you’re ready to get a juicy corporate brand deal/contract, there are a few spots left in my upcoming course. You can find out more, here!)

Born in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother, Oprah endured a childhood marked by hardship, poverty, and even abuse.

That said, she had something that set her apart - drive and ambition.

By her twenties, she had made a name for herself as a local news anchor and talk show host. Yet, despite her growing success, she was still just an employee.

That is, until she made one brilliant move that changed everything.

Her Breakthrough

In 1984, Oprah was offered the opportunity to host a low-rated morning talk show in Chicago called AM Chicago.

But, Oprah being Oprah, within months, she turned that show into a ratings juggernaut, outperforming even Phil Donahue, the king of daytime television.

Oprah’s Big Move

That success soon led to an offer of a syndication deal.

For most talkshow hosts, that would be the deal they had been yearning for. The deal to say yes to.

But Oprah isn’t most talkshow hosts.

In fact, she isn’t even most entrepreneurs.

Oprah turned the deal to say yes to into the Deal. Of. A. Lifetime.

Instead of signing the traditional contract, Oprah insisted on owning a part of the rights to the show; a move virtually unheard of at the time.

Owning your own Intellectual Property, owning most of the equity in your business … As Jon Lovitz might say, “That’s the ticket!”

Hello Money, Goodbye Poverty!

That single sentence, that clause, meant that instead of just earning a salary, Oprah became part owner of the show.

She controlled the syndication, profits, advertising revenue, creative direction - the whole enchilada!

The show was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986 and went national. It quickly became the most-watched daytime talk show in history.

By owning her content, Oprah amassed hundreds of millions of dollars, eventually leveraging that power to launch Harpo Productions, Oxygen Network, and her own TV channel, OWN.

Yep, that was a billionaire baller move, that one.

The Takeaway

These days, most entrepreneurs are creators of one kind or another. And whether it’s content, a secret handshake, equity in the business, or some other type of asset, the key is to retain ownership (or as much as you can). THAT is where fortunes are made.

Personal example: When USA TODAY created USATODAY.com, I was the first columnist they ever hired. But because this was the early days of the internet, Gannett (USA TODAY’s owner) didn’t think to keep the copyright to my column. I owned it.

And that “mistake” made me a fortune. I syndicated that column for almost 20 years!

Steal This Strategy

📖 Book – What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey - Oprah’s personal reflections on success, gratitude, and owning her future.

🎥 Video – Oprah on Negotiation - Oprah on negotiating with a boss

🎙️ Podcast – Super Soul Conversations - Oprah interviews thought leaders on mindset, business, and personal growth.

 📖 Book - Never Split the Difference - Negotiate like a pro!

Overnight Challenge

What is something you are creating or building right now? Whether it is a business, a blog, or a side hustle, find one way to take more ownership of it today—negotiate rights, launch a newsletter, or secure a domain name.

Small moves now can lead to huge ownership wins later.

About Steve

Steve Strauss is the best-selling author of The Small Business Bible (and 17 other books), Inc.’s small business columnist, a lawyer (non-practicing), and an entrepreneur. He sold his last venture, TheSelfEmployed.com to Mark Cuban & Zen Business. Need a ghostwriter or a newsletter for your business? Contact Steve!