3 Truth Bombs I Got From Oprah’s Executive Producer Sheri Salata
Sheri Salata, author of Beautiful No, and former executive producer of The Oprah Show.
It sounds insane to devote an entire weekend on Zoom with strangers around the globe for the sake of work. But my mentor Selena Soo was hosting her big event, Impacting Millions LIVE, which is like a dance party, spiritual retreat and business mastermind wrapped up into one.
Plus I wasn't going to miss the chance to meet Oprah's former co-president and executive producer Sheri Salata. Her story of how she rose up the ranks of Oprah surprised everyone and reinforced a core belief I have about the power of personal storytelling.
First, Sheri had a twisty career path – with no fancy credentials or degrees. Before Sheri got in on the ground floor at Harpo Studios, Sheri worked as a typist, toy store manager, 7-11 store manager trainee, and a secretary in an ad agency.
She landed her entry-level job on the Oprah Show when she was 35 years old. Imagine starting your career when you're approaching mid-life. She never imagined one day she'd become the co-president AND executive producer of OWN.
Despite how her career looked on paper, she bet on herself. Every. Single. Time. In the middle of her hodgepodge of jobs, she even moved in with her parents. At 7-11, she delivered a baby in the parking lot. She's very proud of that!
She attributes her success to following this one piece of advice. In the early days of Oprah, someone said, "Do what they ask you to do, and do it really well. Keep your eyes on your responsibilities and don't focus on the next big thing." While others were strategizing how to get up the ladder, Sheri focused on delivering excellent work, staying true to who she was.
When Oprah offered her the big job, Sheri said, "I don't think it's a good idea." The day Sheri was called into Oprah's office the room was full of people. Fancy people. People with years of experience. Convinced Oprah had made a mistake, she announced to the whole room, "Please tell me why you think I should be your Executive Producer."
The reason Oprah chose her to lead wasn't what most people expected. "Because you know my heart," Oprah said. So very Oprah, right? But what I love most about this story is the message it sends.
Who you are, what you do, and why you do it all matters to your dream people.
Sheri demonstrates so beautifully my belief that:
✨ You are the authority of your own experience
✨ When you understand your true worth and bet on yourself, you can be joyfully visible
✨ Showing who you are is the magic you bring to your brand -- live it out and you become unstoppable
If you're ready to uncover the magic of your own twisty story, join me at my free, upcoming workshop Brilliantly You: Use Your Personal Story to Attract Dream Clients and Grow Your Impact.
