Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs and CEOs

Here are some of the most successful female entrepreneurs, who have not only broken through the glass ceiling but have also created some of the most innovative and successful companies in the world:

1. Jo Malone – Founder of the popular fragrance and cosmetics company, Jo Malone London. 

Malone started her business from her kitchen in 1994, and by 1999 she had opened her first store in London. In 1999, she sold the business to Estée Lauder Companies (EL), but she remains involved as a creative consultant.

2. Martha Lane Fox – Co-founder of the travel and leisure website lastminute.com (LMN). She is also a board member of several organizations, including Twitter and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Lane Fox has been recognized for her entrepreneurship and philanthropy, and was appointed as a member of the House of Lords in 2013.

3. Tamara Mellon – Cofounder of the luxury footwear brand, Jimmy Choo (CHOO). She started her career at Vogue magazine, and then worked as accessories editor for British Elle before launching Jimmy Choo in 1996. 

Mellon left the company in 2011 to start her own eponymous brand, Tamara Mellon.

4. Whitney Wolfe Herd – Founder of Bumble (BMBL): Wolfe Herd’s dating app puts women in control, giving them the power to initiate conversations and make the first move. At 31, Wolfe Herd is the youngest female founder to take a U.S. company public. 

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Wolfe Herd attended Southern Methodist University and started her career at the dating app Tinder. After leaving Tinder, Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014 with the aim of creating a more inclusive and empowering online dating experience for women.

Wolfe Herd has been recognized for her entrepreneurial achievements, including being named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. She is a prominent figure in the tech industry and a vocal advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

5. Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss – Founders of Rent The Runway (RENT): Hyman and Fleiss co-founded Rent The Runway, a fashion rental service that has disrupted the traditional retail industry.

The company revolutionised the fashion industry by allowing women to rent high-end designer dresses and accessories for special occasions. Both women attended Harvard Business School, where they met and developed the concept for Rent The Runway.

Hyman and Fleiss have been recognized for their innovative business model and leadership in the fashion industry, with Hyman named on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list and Fleiss on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. They have also been vocal advocates for women in business and entrepreneurship, sharing their insights and experiences through speaking engagements and media appearances.

6. Anne Wojcicki and Linda Avey – Founders of 23andMe (ME): Wojcicki and Avey co-founded 23andMe, a DNA testing and analysis company that has helped millions of people learn about their ancestry and health risks.

Wojcicki, a former healthcare industry analyst, and Avey, a biologist with experience in biotech startups, founded the company in 2006 with the goal of making genetic testing more accessible to the general public.

23andMe’s DNA testing kits allow customers to learn about their ancestry, genetic health risks, and inherited traits. The company has also partnered with pharmaceutical companies for research purposes, leveraging its vast genetic database to develop new treatments and therapies. Wojcicki and Avey have been recognized for their contributions to the biotech industry, with Wojcicki named on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list and Avey on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. 

7. Sara Blakely – Founder of Spanx: Blakely started her company with just $5,000 and turned it into a billion-dollar enterprise, revolutionising the fashion industry with her innovative shapewear.

Born in San Francisco, Lake attended Stanford University and went on to earn a degree in economics from Harvard Business School. She founded Stitch Fix in 2011 with the aim of revolutionising the way people shop for clothes by using data science to create personalised recommendations based on customer preferences and feedback.

The company went public in 2017 and has since expanded to include a range of clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. Lake has been recognized for her innovative approach to fashion and entrepreneurship, including being named on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list and Forbes’ America’s Richest Self-Made Women list. She continues to lead Stitch Fix as it grows and adapts to changing consumer preferences and trends.

8. Dr. Kathy Fields and Dr. Katie Rodan – Founders of Proactiv: The dermatologists turned entrepreneurs disrupted the beauty industry with their acne treatment, Proactiv. Their groundbreaking three-step acne treatment system has helped millions of people achieve clearer, healthier-looking skin.

Dr. Fields and Dr. Rodan’s success with Proactiv has led them to become some of the most successful female entrepreneurs in the beauty industry. In addition to their innovative products, they are also passionate about empowering women to take control of their careers and become successful business leaders. Dr. Kathy Fields and Dr. Katie Rodan’s dedication to innovation and entrepreneurship has made them icons in the world of business and beauty.

9. Melanie Perkins – Founder of Canva: Melanie Perkins is an Australian entrepreneur and the co-founder of Canva, a graphic design platform that has taken the world by storm. Her vision was to create a user-friendly and accessible tool that would allow anyone, regardless of design experience, to create professional-grade graphics.

Under Perkins’ leadership, Canva has grown to become one of the most valuable software companies in the world, with over 55 million users in 190 countries. Perkins’ innovative approach to design and her commitment to creating a positive impact in the world has earned her numerous accolades, including being named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. 

10. Emily Weiss – Founder of Glossier: Emily Weiss is an American entrepreneur and the founder of Glossier, a beauty brand that has revolutionised the industry. After working in fashion and beauty journalism, Weiss identified a gap in the market for a brand that put the needs of the customer first. Glossier was born out of that idea, and has since become one of the fastest-growing beauty companies in the world.

Weiss’ approach to building the brand has been focused on creating a sense of community and engagement with her customers, who she sees as the key to Glossier’s success. Her innovative use of social media and customer feedback has helped to shape the company’s products and messaging, and has earned her a devoted following of beauty enthusiasts.

While there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality in the business world, there have been some significant advancements in recent years to support women entrepreneurs and CEOs. 

Here are some of the most notable:

• Women-focused venture capital funds: In recent years, there has been a rise in venture capital funds that focus on investing in female-founded startups, such as Female Founders Fund, BBG Ventures, and The Helm.
• Mentorship programs: Many organisations, such as Girls Who Code, Lean In, and Women’s Startup Lab, provide mentorship and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs and CEOs.
• Business incubators: Business incubators, such as the Women’s Business Center and the Tory Burch Foundation, provide resources and support for women-owned businesses.

Women entrepreneurs and CEOs have come a long way in recent years, breaking through the glass ceiling and shattering gender stereotypes in the business world. While there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality, the progress made so far is cause for celebration. With the rise of women-focused venture capital funds, mentorship programs, and business incubators, the future looks bright for women entrepreneurs and CEOs. However, continued support and investment are needed to ensure that women have equal opportunities to succeed in the business world.