Famous Women Entrepreneurs in History
The saying, "It's a man's world", has never applied to the many women who have become famous entrepreneurs in history. What these women all have in common is their
ability to believe that failure is not an option when faced with challenges and obstacles on the road to success. Where some women came from backgrounds of privilege,
many started out as middle-class kids and even kids with nothing who went on to influence people throughout the world. Let's look at why some of these women have left
such a mark in history.
Famous women entrepreneurs in history share an ability to not only lead others with great leadership skills, but inspire those around them. This has not always been
easy in a male dominated society. Many of these women faced the added challenge of gaining respect from their male counterparts along the way. From beauty and fashion
to manufacturing and publishing many women have pushed the envelope resulting in empires worth millions and even billions of dollars.
The following list of women entrepreneurs prove that there is no limit to what women who set their mind to it can achieve.
List of Famous Women Entrepreneurs in History
- Coco Chanel
- Estee Lauder
- Ma Perkins
- Mary Kay Ash
- Eliza Lucas Pinckney
- Martha Stewart
- Olive Ann Beech
- Brownie Wise
- Debbi Fields
Lillian Vernon
- Mary Katherine Goddard
- Lydia Pinkham
- Elizabeth Arden
- Ruth Handler
Famous Black Women Entrepreneurs in History
- Oprah Winfrey - Wearing many hats, she is a producer, media mogul, network owner, and actress
- C.J. Walker - Coming from very little, she became not only the first Black female self-made millionaire in the United States, but the first female millionaire -
period. In 1905 she developed a line of hair care products
- Tyra Banks - Television personality, producer, novelist and first black woman to grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
- Beverly Johnson - Model who began her own million dollar clothing label
- Maggie Lena Walker - The first women to charter a bank, turning it from the brink of bankruptcy into a profitable business.
- Sylvia Woods - known as the "Queen of Soul Food", she inspired women of color in the 1960s by opening her own restaurant.
List of Some Famous Lesbian Women Entrepreneurs
- Susanne Malherbe - Illustrator and designer
- Irshad Manji - Founder and President of her own company, author and journalist
- Ellen DeGeneres - Comedian, actress and television host
- Suze Orman - Author of several bestselling books, television personality/host, certified financial planner
Today, more and more women entrepreneurs are getting a taste of what the benefits of hard work and perseverance can accomplish at a young age. The women in the list
below know what it is like to be a millionaire under the age of thirty.
List of Some Famous Women Entrepreneurs under the Age of Thirty
- Ashley Qualls - Created a million dollar website by the age of 17 with an $8 loan from her mom
- Juliette Brindak - Launched what would become a multi-million dollar website called Miss O at the age of just 10
- Catherine Cook - Made her millions at the age of 18 with her website MyYearBook.com
- Jennifer Carter Fleiss - Created the website, Rent The Runway, after graduating from Harvard Business School