Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
Back in the day, there was nothing like appearing on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Back when she had her syndicated daily show, Oprah changed lives daily. Everyone trusted her recommendations, so almost any small business that got mentioned to her fans blew up. So every small business dreamt of getting mentioned by Oprah. One day, Lisa Price and Carol’s Daughter were set to be mentioned in Oprah’s magazine — a secondary element for the fans that was created after the TV show — but after a photo shoot, it fell through. Price was disappointed. Her chance to be mentioned by Oprah had disappeared. But what she didn’t know was that disappointment was a bridge to a much greater opportunity.
A year later, in 2002, Oprah’s team called back. They invited Price onto the show. Her longtime dream had come true. She was sitting on the set, talking about Carol’s Daughter with Oprah in front of several million ardent fans. This was an extraordinary opportunity, but one that came with a challenge. During the segment, Oprah said she loved Carol’s Daughter’s foot cream. Carol’s Daughter did not then have a foot cream. They had a foot lotion and a foot butter but no cream. The opportunity had led to a problem. Oprah’s fans ran to Carol’s Daughter’s site looking for the foot cream. Their site crashed from the weight of Oprah’s gigantic crew showing up to show love to Carol’s Daughter.
The brand quickly pivoted and put out a foot cream, and all ended well, but it was a case of beware what you wish for — you just might end up on Oprah with more business than you can handle. It’s also a case of don’t get down in your disappointments because when one door closes, another is opened. You just have to find it.
Watch the complete interview of Lisa Price on “Masters of the Game,” streaming now.
Toure is a host and writer at TheGrio. He hosts the TheGrio TV show “Masters of the Game,” and he created the award-winning podcast “Being Black: The ’80s” and its upcoming sequel “Being Black: The ’70s.” He is also the creator of “Star Stories” and the author of eight books, including “Nothing Compares 2 U an Oral History of Prince.” He also hosts a podcast called “Toure Show.” He is also a husband and a father of two.