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J.K. Rowling tops survey on inspiring entrepreneurs

LONDON (Reuters) – "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling topped a survey of female celebrities who inspire Britons to become their own boss.

Rowling beat U.S. talk show queen Oprah Winfrey and U.S. first lady Michelle Obama in the poll commissioned by website OfficeCavalry.com, which caters for the self-employed.

Nearly one fifth of respondents voted for Rowling, dubbed the world's first billionaire author for her hugely popular boy wizard series and the movies it inspired.

In the men's category, more than one quarter of those questioned voted for Alan Sugar, the British businessman and star of the UK version of TV show "The Apprentice".

Sugar was ahead of music producer and TV entrepreneur Simon Cowell, creator of "The X Factor" and "Britain's Got Talent", and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Following are the top-10 female and male lists, based on a poll of more than 2,000 self-employed Britons carried out by OnePoll in October.

Female celebrities inspiring Britons to become own boss:

1. J.K. Rowling

2. Katie Price

3. Karren Brady

4. Cheryl Cole

5. Oprah Winfrey

6. Victoria Beckham

7. Michelle Obama

8. Denise van Outen

9. Dannii Minogue

10. Kylie Minogue

Male celebrities inspiring Britons to become own boss:

1. Alan Sugar

2. Simon Cowell

3. Richard Branson

4. Peter Jones

5. Jamie Oliver

6. Bill Gates

7. Gordon Ramsay

8. Theo Paphitis

9. Jonathan Ross

10. David Beckham

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)