7 Inspiring and Successful Women Entrepreneurs

Happy Women’s History month! In honor of businesswomen everywhere, we wanted to share some of the most inspiring and successful female entrepreneurs of the last decade. Our list is by no means exhaustive, but we strive to recognize women who have built global brands through dedication, hard work, and ambition. 

According to the World Bank, only one in three businesses are owned by women, internationally. Though this may not seem like a massive feat, women have been continuously paving the way for entrepreneurs for decades; and we keep climbing the ladder in all industries.

From the tech, media, and biopharma industries to fashion and beauty, countless self-made women have made their mark as successful business owners and executives. Though most entrepreneurs and executives are still men, more and more women are becoming innovators and business leaders. 

There are many women from the past who have built global brands, like Estée Lauder Lauder and Oprah Winfrey, but we wanted to share a list of 7 inspiring female entrepreneurs and business leaders. 

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Company: Biocon
Net worth: $4.2 billion 

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is the founder of the Indian biopharma company Biocon. She started this company in a rented shed, and now, it’s a global, billion-dollar company. With a net worth of $4.1 billion, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is India’s wealthiest self-made woman. 

Janice Bryant Howroyd  Company: ActOne Group
Net worth: $285 Million

Janice Bryant Howroyd is the founder of ActOne Group, an employment agency and consultancy based in Los Angeles. ActOne Group is also the first African-American female-led company to earn more than $1 billion in annual revenue. With over 17,000 clients in 19 countries across the world, Howroyd landed herself on Forbes' 2020 America's Richest Self-Made Women. 

Janice Bryant Howroyd is the founder of ActOne Group, an employment agency and consultancy based in Los Angeles. ActOne Group is also the first African-American female-led company to earn more than $1 billion in annual revenue. With over 17,000 clients in 19 countries across the world, Howroyd landed herself on Forbes' 2020 America's Richest Self-Made Women. 

Arianna Huffington
Company: The Huffington Post and Thrive Global
Net worth: $100 Million

Arianna Huffington launched The Huffington Post in 2005. In 2011, she sold it to AOL but continued to guide and grow the brand overseas. She stepped down from The Huffington Post in 2016 to launch and run a health and wellness startup called Thrive Global. Time Magazine has included her in its list of the world’s 100 most influential people. 

Tory Burch
Company: Tory Burch
Net worth: $850 million

Tory Burch, founder of her namesake company, launched her U.S.-based clothing and fashion line in 2004. Now, Tory Burch rakes in $1.5 billion in annual sales. Burch is also a philanthropist who started the Tory Burch Foundation to support women entrepreneurs. 

 Zhang Xin
Company: SOHO China
Net worth: $3.5 billion

Zhang Xin is co-founder of SOHO China, a real estate development firm in China. Once a factory worker, Zhang Xin later went on to graduate from Cambridge University with a master's in economic development. Before launching her company, she worked for Goldman Sachs. Now, she’s known as “the woman who built Beijing.” 

Rihanna
Company: Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, and Savage x Fenty
Net worth: $600 million

Robyn Fenty, also known as Rihanna, is a global popstar and now, an entrepreneurial idol. Since releasing her inclusive line of foundations, she has become a household name in the cosmetics and skincare industry. In addition to owning Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin, Rihanna also owns Fenty x Savage and Fenty House with LVMH. One of her most recent expansions of the Fenty brand includes skincare for all skin types.

Kylie Jenner
Company: Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin
Net worth: $1 billion

At the young age of 21, Kylie Jenner became the world’s youngest ever female entrepreneur.  Her ever-growing beauty brands, Kylie Cosmetics, and Kylie Skin have been massively successful since their inception. According to Entrepreneur, Jenner’s company has grown at a faster rate than any other beauty brand before her!