Oprah Winfrey

Simply through being compassionate, caring and charitable, Oprah Winfrey has made an astronomically successful career for herself. She shot to fame as an interviewer when her ability to emotionally connect with her guests struck a chord with the American public, and since then has gone from strength to strength. In 2003 she became the first African-American woman to be classed as a billionaire, yet in true Oprah style shares her wealth with those who need it most, having personally donated over $300 million to charitable causes. Oprah's wealth and fame is certainly no accident, as she believes that luck is simply "preparation meeting opportunity".