Below, you will find a selection of entrepreneurs who achieved business success, even when all the lights were not pointing in their favor. That is why it is necessary for you to discover what is behind that triumph and get the inspiration you need to carry out your idea. You’ll see, it’s worth it!
15 successful women entrepreneurs who can serve as an example
Let’s look at some stories of successful women entrepreneurs from the past and present who managed to change the business world.
1. Mary Kay Ash: The Entrepreneur Who Empowered Women To Rule Their Futures
I believe that the greatest legacy that we can leave to the community of children is that they believe that they can do everything in this world because they saw that their mothers could
After experiencing firsthand the “glass ceiling” that obstructed the success of thousands of women surrounded by a corporate world where men had the upper hand, Ash launched Mary Kay Cosmetics in 1963. The founder’s mission with this company was to empower women to transform their lives and, in turn, help more women succeed.
Today, with 3.5 million Independent Beauty Consultants, Mary Kay offers more than 200 premium products in more than 35 countries around the world: innovative skin care, irresistible makeup, and unforgettable fragrances. Without a doubt, of the successful women entrepreneurs, this is one who turned her passion for beautifying lives into a unique success story.
2. Delia Flores: the voice of Argentine businesswomen
It is important to train, be encouraged, overcome fears, grow, dedicate time and invest in yourself
Although it may seem like a man’s job, this entrepreneur is the founder of a customs services and international cargo transportation company. It is the Delia Flores Group which is present in two countries: Brazil and her native Argentina. She is also the creator of the TV show Tacones de Punta.
Delia Flores was another of the women who saw the need for women to unite and thus create ways to enhance their path to success. Thus, she is the founder and president of the Argentine Women’s Business Group (GEMA). The association is dedicated to finding solutions to the problems of Argentine women entrepreneurs and promoting their business development. In this work, she has participated in international forums, for example, at the UN in New York.
3. Blanca Treviño: one of the most powerful Mexican women entrepreneurs in the technology sector
The important thing is that there is talent. Talent has no gender, talent has no nationality, talent has no age
Blanca Treviño is the President and CEO of Softtek, the largest information technology (IT) company in Latin America. The company is valued at a billion dollars and this is large because its market covers much more than the national one. Although Treviño is considered a leader in technology that supports Mexican entrepreneurs, she was not always like this.
When she was younger, she was about to give up her profession (Bachelor’s Degree in Administrative Computer Systems) because it was a job considered for men, but her father’s words made her reconsider. Today, she is a member of the Board of Directors of Universidad Monterrey, Walmart México, and the Employers’ Confederation of the Mexican Republic (COPARMEX). And, as if that were not enough, she appears on the Forbes list of the 100 most powerful women in Mexico.
4. Susan Wojcicki: Example of Balancing Family and Career
I’m not very good at following directions. I’d rather figure out how to do it myself. Sometimes it is not very practical, but it has interesting results
In 1998 Susan leased the garage of her house to Sergey Brin and Larry Page (the founders of Google) and it was there that they developed the Google search engine. A year later she was hired as the 16th employee of this company and she worked on everything from AdSense and Google Analytics to Google Bookstore and Google Images. She advocated for the acquisition of YouTube and in 2014 she became the CEO of the site, a position she still holds.
Susan Wojcicki is a mother of 5 children and knows very well the challenge that the family situation represents for women in business. That is why she established paid parental leave and flexible hours on YouTube and, in addition, she often encourages women to go into software engineering. In this sense, she created the Made with Code project for Google in order to reduce the gender gap.
5. Sheryl Sandberg: The Female Voice of Facebook
Believe in yourselves and negotiate for yourselves. Own your own success
Sheryl Sandberg is an American technology executive, activist, and author. She became an important reference for those who fight for gender equality in the workplace, as she was the first woman to join the Facebook steering committee and today she is the Director of Operations (COO) of Facebook.
She is one of the most powerful and successful businesswomen in the world and a faithful representative of corporate feminism. She is considered by Forbes one of the richest women entrepreneurs in the United States.
6. Emily Weiss: The Millennial Entrepreneur
Your destiny will reveal itself, and it’s a roller coaster you just have to ride
Emily Weiss started her blog Into the Gloss where she offered advice on beauty and hygiene routines. The blog allowed him to build an audience and get an idea of the existing interest. Then, in 2014, she decides to materialize her business project and creates the Glossier cosmetics company of which she is now the founder and executive director.
At just 35 years old, the CEO of Glossier makes this company one of the most popular cosmetic brands in the world. Glossier forces other competitors in the industry to rethink their ideas and readjust to new trends.
7. Estée Lauder: pioneer in the entrepreneurship industry
I never dreamed of success. I worked to get it
Estée Lauder was a pioneer in the business world and made her name a famous brand in the cosmetic sector. She began experimenting with making her own artisanal skin care products, using her uncle’s oven, who was a chemist. And then she would sell them knocking door to door. Years later, she founded the Estée Lauder company with her husband.
Estée was one of the first women entrepreneurs and represents amazing strength and courage in a time when machismo was very present. Today her name is synonymous with beauty and cosmetology. In 2004 she achieved her billionaire status and today she is remembered as the creator of one of the largest cosmetics empires in the world.
8. Ruth Handler: Barbie’s mom
We didn’t know how to run a business, but we had dreams and talent
Ruth and her husband Elliot Handler founded the Mattel toy company. Inc. _ She was an atypical woman for her time and with a brilliant mind for business. It was she who devised the popular doll while she watched her daughter Barbara play and called her Barbie, a diminutive of her name. Her work was crucial in the successful marketing development of Barbie.
However, not everything was rosy for this entrepreneur. In 1970 Ruth Handler was diagnosed with breast cancer and she suffered the loss of one breast. It was at that time that she again used her ingenuity to create a model of more realistic breast prostheses than those that existed at that time. She would thus be born Ruthton Corporation together with Peyton Massey. This is just another example of self-improvement among successful businesswomen.
9. Ana Patricia Botín: the first female representative of a banking family
Women tend to be more conciliatory, we tend to create a team more and, perhaps, we have a greater sensitivity towards all issues related to people
Dolores Dancausa was the first woman to reach the top of the Spanish insurance companies and since 2010 she has been the CEO of Bakinter. According to Yo Dona magazine, she is one of the 500 most influential women in Spain.
Throughout her career, she has been recognized in the financial sector with several distinctions. In 2010 she was named the best manager of the year, in 2013 Forbes magazine as the best CEO of the Ibex 35 and in 2015 this same magazine named her one of the best CEOs in the world.
10. Nely Galán: the Cuban who conquered the television world
Before you can be chosen, you must first choose yourself
For the first time in this list of successful women in the business world, a Cuban appears. This is Nely Galán, the television producer and president of the Telemundo network. She began her career at the age of 22 and created her own production company called Galán Entertainment in 1994. However, before reaching that point she worked for large networks such as HBO, Warner, and FOX in the United States.
From her production company, she has launched channels renowned as ESPN, MGM, and Sony, which has allowed her to become one of the benchmarks for female entrepreneurship in America. Undoubtedly, the success of this businesswoman is the consequence of talent combined with hard work.
11. Ana Patricia Botín: the first female representative of a banking family
Women deserve to have more room. But beyond helping us, leaving us space in the world, which is still selfish, run by men.
Ana Patricia Botín as President of Banco Santander marks a milestone as a woman by leading a family of four generations of male bankers and one of the world’s leading banks. Botín became president of the company in 2014 after the sudden death of her father, Emilio.
During her career, she has focused her efforts on defending entrepreneurs, and supporting small businesses and women-owned businesses. According to Forbes, she appears in the top ten of the list of the most powerful women entrepreneurs in the world.
12. J.K Rowling: the creator of Harry Potter
Perhaps those who are most suited to power are those who never sought it.
In the midst of a precarious situation marked by a failed marriage, a young daughter in her care, unemployed, and suffering from depression, Rowling decided to dedicate herself fully to writing. The result was the story of the most famous magical universe in the world: Harry Potter.
This led her to become the world’s second highest-paid author, although her main source of income comes from Universal Studios ‘ Wizarding World attractions. To this day, Rowling is listed on the Forbes list of the highest-paid celebrities in the world.
13. Jimena Flórez: an entrepreneur whose work generates a huge social impact
I believe that entrepreneurship consists of launching ideas that provide punctual solutions, but that can also occur to others, even at the same time, the trick is to carry them out quickly
Colombian Jimena Flórez is one of the most recognized women entrepreneurs in Latin America. What is this about? The main reason is that she is the founder and director of Chaak Healthy Snacks: a company that makes healthy foods for export to the United States.
Thanks to her entrepreneurship, this woman has managed to transform the eating habits of 90,000 American children. But not only that! In her work, she supports Colombian peasants to practice sustainable agriculture. For this reason, she managed to receive recognition from the then President of the United States Barack Obama.
14. Carolina Herrera: the Venezuelan who made history in the world of fashion
The woman only has one defect: she does not recognize how valuable she is
Certainly, we have all heard this name at some point, and it is that Carolina Herrera is one of the most recognized fashion designers worldwide. This Venezuelan was interested in the world of fashion from a young age, but it was not until she was 42 years old in 1981 that she founded her own fashion house in the United States based on her name.
From there it has created an emporium of clothing, perfumery, and makeup where the elegance and sophistication of women stand out. Although she is currently retired, the Venezuelan will always be the emblem of the company.
15. Payal Kadakia: Who set out to create a company in two weeks and ended up creating a million-dollar business
Be honest with yourself and have positive people around you
Can you imagine devising a business project in just two weeks? Tired of her job at Warner Music and eager to start her own business, young Payal took on this challenge in 2010, when she was just 27 years old. Being a faithful lover of dance and aerobic exercise, she came up with the idea of setting up ClassPass, which she finally launched in 2013.
This is a website that brings together the dance and gymnastics classes offered in a given city. Users, in addition to choosing the ones that suit them best, can make the reservation from the website or the app. Today this platform leads the physical entertainment and wellness industry, based in New York, but is also present in other countries.
Final words
For a long time, it was thought that the world belonged to men. However, great women in different eras have changed this philosophy with their success stories. However, even though more and more women are launching into the business world with very attractive ideas, it is still a challenge to be able to deal with all the domestic responsibilities. This is one reason so many dreams are thwarted, even though they shouldn’t be.
The truth is that today entrepreneurship comes to life and the female sector is not far behind. There are many women entrepreneurs in different fields who have managed to position themselves and make a name for themselves in the corporate world.
Keep something in mind: women are just as capable as men of making a mark in this society in which we live. Therefore, define what you want and set your goals. Start writing your own success story!
