Oprah Winfrey

When it comes to being successful in business, Oprah Winfrey knows a thing or two about how to succeed. "I think she's the first person that ever showed me that you don't have to be some greedy jerk to be successful," says Alicia Keys to iVillage exclusively. "You know, you can be just as successful by doing things that really do something for somebody. So, you know, she's a big, big, huge inspiration for me." This year, Keys is even giving Winfrey special honors at her annual Black Ball, which raises funds for the singer's Keep a Child Alive foundation. "I think so many times we’re made to think that you have to be a shrewd businessperson who doesn’t think at all about others, but she showed me differently," says Keys.