The lesson I learned from meeting Oprah.
As a Success & Style Coach and the author of the book Ms Goal Digger, Success is Sexy! I have been blessed to meet many wonderful people. I’ve worked with and met people from all walks of life. As the founder & CEO of Jackets for Jobs, my company has touched the lives of over 21,000 individuals seeking employment.
Not many people can say that they have met and or interacted with ‘Billionaires’. I can truly say that GOD has placed me at the right place, at the right time to meet the right people. In this blog, I will share how I met Oprah and when you purchase my book, Ms Goal Digger, Success is Sexy, you can read some of the other billionaires that I have met and interacted with.
It was a beautiful fall day in Chicago when my mom and I were lucky enough to get tickets to the Oprah Winfrey Show. At the conclusion of that show, the producer asked everyone in the audience to raise their hand if they would like to have a “makeover” for an upcoming show. As you can imagine, everyone’s hand went up. The producer said, “Since everyone is interested, we will do a quick interview of each person and if we are interested we will get back to you”. Sitting nervously in the lobby, I’m thinking, what are they going to ask? How do I stand out from everyone in the crowd? What are they looking for? My mind was spinning. So when it was my turn for the interview, they asked me, “Why should we select you for a Oprah makeover?” I nervously answered the question by saying “I’m the founder of a nonprofit organization in Detroit called Jackets for Jobs and our goal is to make-over job seekers. We help disadvantaged women enter the workforce and we are always giving makeovers but I’ve never had a makeover for myself” the producer said “thank you and If we are interested a producer will call you back”. On my forty nine minute flight from Chicago to Detroit all I could think about was “did they like me?”, “did I say the right thing?”. Two days go by and I thought to myself, “gee, they didn’t like me”, “I didn’t say the right thing” other thoughts swirled in my mind. Then on the third day as I was driving to the gas station, my phone rang.
Take Note- Here is some advice that I’m about to tell you that has changed my life. Listen up….When the phone rang, I did not recognize the number but I answered the call. Here is my advice- when your phone rings answer. So many people will look at their cell and say, “ Oh, I don’t recognize the number, I’m not go to answer”. So when the phone rang, I answered the phone. Lo and behold, it was the producer from the Oprah Show. They loved me. They invited me to have a makeover on her show. Wow! I was so happy. Having a makeover and being a guest on her show was an experience that I will never forget. I’m an Oprah Fan for life!
Just think, If I had not answered that call, I would have missed out on a wonderful opportunity. I would have missed the opportunity to meet Oprah,I would have missed riding in a limo to her station, missed eating food in the green room and missed everyone from coast to coast watching me on TV. Also, I would have missed out on some fabulous gifts. The show gave me a spa package to a ritzy salon downtown Chicago to have a manicure, pedicure and hair done. So the lesson learned is that you never know when an opportunity will arrive. You never know who’s on the other end of an unknown call.
As I sit back and reflect, I’m thankful for so many wonderful opportunities in life.
To your Success!
Alison Vaughn
Success & Style Coach