Inspiring Women in Business And Their Net Worth

Inspiring women in business are all around us, and we want to spotlight some of today’s most famous female entrepreneurs, female leaders, and businesswomen. These women all have remarkable stories, have built empires (some even unicorns), and have positively influenced the trajectory of household brand names. They all have powerful messages to share and sought-after attributes that anyone can cultivate.

Join us as we delve into the lives of some of the top women entrepreneurs, uncover their impactful messages, and draw inspiration from their incredible stories. 

Recommended Reading: The Top Characteristics of Ambitious Women Uncovered

16 Inspiring Women in Business in 2024

1. Sheryl Sandberg

Image source: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

Sheryl Sandberg is an iconic leader in tech. She worked at Google as a sales executive and, most notably, was instrumental as the COO of Facebook. She made a large sum of money after selling her stake in Facebook’s parent company, Meta. 

According to Forbes, Sheryl Sandberg’s net worth is now around $2.1 billion. 

Her Message: Being one of the few female tech leaders, Sheryl is a huge advocate for women at work and the founder of Lean In, a company dedicated to helping women achieve their ambitions and companies build inclusive workplaces. 

Sheryl asks us, specifically women, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

2. Whitney Wolfe Herd

Image source: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of the dating app, Bumble, has been a buzz for a while now. She is just 35 years old and quickly became one of the world’s youngest female self-made billionaires. She has built a brand that provides a platform for women to make the first move – Bumble has experienced over 1.5 billion first moves. She is an inspiring mompreneur, one of the most popular female entrepreneurs, and a huge advocate for women’s rights – we can draw a lot of inspiration from her. 

According to Forbes, Whitney Wolfe Herd’s net worth is around $510 million.

Her Message: Whitney’s ambition and ideas unfortunately stem from misogynistic culture, and she wants to fight for equality in the dating world and beyond. She is honest, motivated to derail ingrained social behavior, and make authentic connections.

Herd shares, “Look at what is broken in society, figure out how to make it better, and then, around that, formulate a business.

3. Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez has recently reached billionaire status. The producer, singer, and famous female entrepreneur is now one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the United States. Most of her impressive fortune (roughly 81%) comes from her beauty brand, Rare Beauty. Her vegan and cruelty-free brand is designed to make you feel good. And 1% of Rare Beauty’s annual sales will go directly to the Rare Impact Fund to expand mental health services in underserved communities.

According to Today, Selena Gomez’s net worth is $1.3 Billion.

Her message: For Selena, her focus has always primarily been on the impact and product development of Rare Beauty, and money has never been at the top of her priority list for the company. She has inspired millions of women as an advocate for mental health who recently opened up about not being able to carry her own children. Her vulnerability, openness, and influence make her among the most inspiring young female entrepreneurs.

Selena says, “Success is nothing if you don’t have the right people to share it with; you’re just gonna end up lonely.”

Recommended Reading: 9 Young Female Entrepreneurs Transforming the World Today

4.  Julie Sweet 

Image source: Hollie Adams—Bloomberg/Getty Images

Julie Sweet is one of TIME’s most influential people and Forbes‘s most powerful women. She is the CEO of Accenture and has helped the company through multiple digital transformations while focusing on sustainability and inclusivity. She continues to lead through the AI revolution, effectively combining technology and leadership.

Julie’s estimated net worth is around $72.6 million.

Her Message: Her inspiring vision and her committed focus on doing good make her one of the most important and successful women in business. Diversity is a priority for Julie Sweet, and she actively supports women in the workplace.

She says, “A culture of equality helps everyone. It is not a zero-sum game.”

5. Sara Blakely

Image source: Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Fast Company

Sara is the founder of Spanx, an undergarment company for women. From a fax machine salesperson to one of the most popular female entrepreneurs, her story is remarkable. Sara is now one of the most successful female entrepreneurs, a passionate philanthropist, and a bit of a celebrity herself – known for her motivational messages, authenticity, and reliability.

According to Forbes, Sara Blakely is worth $1.3 billion. 

Her message: Sara’s story is one of perseverance, wit, and boldness. She wants to live her life to the fullest and finds mortality not disheartening but motivating. She is an internal optimist and this filters into every aspect of her life, even when failing. She is gritty, positive, and a problem solver and these qualities have made her one of the most successful women in business.

She says, “There is a hidden blessing in the most traumatic things we go through in our lives. My brain always goes to, ‘Where is the hidden blessing? What is my gift?”

6. Katrina Lake

Image source: Getty Images under a David Paul Morris/Bloomberg license.

Katrina Lake founder, chair, and former CEO of Stitch Fix, an online personal-shopping service. Stitch Fix uses data analytics and personal stylists to bring women style and confidence. In 2017, she became the youngest female founder to lead an IPO. 

According to Forbes, Katrina Lake is worth $760 million. 

Her message: Katrina worked in the changing retail industry before starting her company, and identified an opportunity. Katrina is passionate about helping women achieve everyday confidence. She has a customer-centric mindset and is creative, which have helped her build a widely loved and used company. 

She says, “Ultimately, I didn’t quite find the company I wanted to join, but I met more than 100 entrepreneurs and realized that all these entrepreneurs were just as unqualified as I was. If I wanted to be this retailer of the future, or if I wanted to join the retailer of the future, I could just start it.”

7. Anne Wojcicki

Image source: 23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki. Katie Thompson

Anne Wojcicki is the founder of personal genomics company 23andMe, a revolutionary at-home DNA testing kit that could help you live longer or save your life. Her work has empowered millions to understand their ancestry and health risks, paving the way for personalized medicine.

According to Forbes, Anne Wojcicki is worth more than $270 million. 

Her message: Anne’s journey started with investing in healthcare on Wall Street where she became frustrated by the money-making healthcare system, and started an at-home DNA testing to empower others by giving them easy access to their DNA. While her company recently has faced some challenges, she has been steadfast in her mission of helping others. 

She says, “The goal has always been: How are we empowering individuals and how are we changing the trajectory of healthcare?”

8. Rihanna 

Image source: PHOTO: AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN/FILMMAGIC

In 2022, Rihanna became the youngest female billionaire in the world and the richest female musician. She reached this status after starting her beauty brand, Fenty. Her brand focuses on inclusivity, featuring multiple shades, and model shapes and sizes. 

According to Forbes, Rihanna has an estimated worth of $1.4 billion. 

Her message: Rihanna is not only a famous singer but a famous female entrepreneur. She has diversified her offering to build an empire and become the second richest female entertainer in the world. She is involved in every detail of her brands and has come up with some strategic collaborations and advertising. She isn’t afraid of risks, gets bored easily, and likes to keep moving. 

She says, “I used to feel unsafe right in the moment of an accomplishment – I felt the ground fall from under my feet because this could be the end. And even now, while everyone is celebrating, I’m on to the next thing. I don’t want to get lost in this big cushion of success.”

9. Arianna Huffington

Image source: Arianna Huffington (Getty Images)

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder of The Huffington Post, a liberal news and political blog, and the founder and CEO of Thrive Global. Thrive Global company connects well-being with productivity. She is also the author of multiple best-selling books and the most inspiring women in business today.

According to Leaders, Arianna Huffington’s net worth is estimated to be around $100 million. 

Her Message: After leaving her media empire and verging on burnout, Arianna now talks about how women can incorporate balance, happiness, and sleep into their lives. She helps women to thrive beyond conventional success, and see the big picture. 

Arianna famously said, “We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in.”

Recommended Reading: Work-life Balance for Women: Find Focus and Fulfillment in 4 Easy Steps

10. Melanie Perkins

Image source: BEN BAKER FOR FORTUNE

At just 19 years old, Melanie conceptualized the design software platform and unicorn startup, Canva. She was at university teaching design programs when she realized they could be more simple and accessible. 

Now according to Forbes, Melanie Perkins is worth $4.4 billion.

Her Message: She focused on building the most valuable company possible and then doing as much good as possible with that company. She is an avid problem solver and a big believer in goals and growth. She is often quoted as one of the most successful female entrepreneurs.

On Canva, she speaks about her 10-year journey and says, “There’s always been forks in the road [where we could] do what every other company is doing, or just do what feels natural. Every time we do what feels natural, it always ends up being the thing that we build on.”

11. Emily Weiss

Image Source: Glossier

From beauty blogger to owner of Glossier, a sensational beauty brand. Her brand was built on dewy skin, pastel shades, and barely-there make-up. Glossier was celebrated as a rare beauty unicorn in 2019 and is still popular today.

Emily’s net worth is unclear.

Her Message: Emily leveraged her social media and online community that she built through her blog to do market research and kickstart her line of products. She built a direct-to-consumer line that was unique at the time and fuelled her strategy for creating products that people genuinely loved. 

Emily says. “The single guiding principle that I try to follow, assuming blindly that the rest will fall into place, is to operate squarely in the present. I think it’s one of the most difficult things for anyone to do.”

12. Anne Boden

Anne Boden started one of the first digital banks in the UK, Starling Bank. The bank won Best British Bank at the British Bank Awards for three consecutive years. Anne worked in finance for over 30 years and then sold her house to start her own bank and become an inspiring woman in business.

According to Yahoo!Finance, Anne Boden is now worth more than £203 million.

Her Message: Boden grew up in Wales, her dad was a steelworker and her mother worked in a department store. She is a short woman, middle-aged, bubbly, and likely to chat with someone in the “ladies” – she is not your stereotype but she is certainly breaking them. She reimagined banking and wanted to disrupt it by giving power to consumers. 

Anne says, “The thing that all these businesses [Amazon, Facebook and Google] have in common is they are disruptors. The foundations of their businesses are not unique. They have identified a problem that a large number of people were experiencing with an existing business or service and then found a way to make it more accessible / fast / cheap / efficient. If they pitch it right, in a short space of time, the disruptors become successful enough to replace, or at least displace, the conventional product or service in the sector they’ve made their own.”

13. Lisa Price

Lisa Price founded Carol’s Daughter’s line of beauty products. Her product range started in her mother’s kitchen and since then, has expanded exponentially, been featured on Oprah Winfrey’s show, and was later bought by USA Loreal. 

Lisa’s net worth is around $4.42 million.

Her Message: She is a black female entrepreneur and one of the most successful women in business. She acknowledges the hurdles that black women entrepreneurs have to go through, especially from a wealth disparity perspective. She prides herself on being resilient and strategic throughout her journey. 

In an interview with the Cut, Carol said, “Don’t be like a horse with blinders and no peripheral vision.”

14. Zhang Xin

Zhang Xin, the co-founder of SOHO China, is a real estate mogul and famous female entrepreneur who is often described as the “woman who built Beijing.” She changed Beijing’s skyline from a dull one to an interesting silhouette of colors, shape, and captivating architecture – a perfect backdrop to a bustling city. She is now regularly named one of the most successful women in business. 

According to Forbes, Zhang Xin is worth $1.1 billion. 

Her message: Her journey from factory worker to billionaire entrepreneur is a testament to perseverance and vision. Her love for design, building, and collaborating with architects was instrumental to her success. 

In an interview with CNBC, She says, “Today, of course, it’s unthinkable that anyone can start any business that way. But that’s how, back in the mid-90s, Chinese business started. By just telling people the vision and asking people to believe in the vision and start working on it.”

15. Susan Wojcicki

Image source: PAMELA LITTKY FOR VARIETY

Former CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki, is cited as one of the most inspiring women in business. She was the 16th employee at the then startup, Google, and climbed the ladder to become one of the most influential leaders and decision-makers at the tech startup.

According to Forbes, Susan is worth $800 million. 

Her message: Susan convinced Google founders to purchase an up-and-coming video-sharing service called YouTube and gave Google the idea of Adsense. She talks about women in tech, is a huge advocate for maternity leave, and is an inspiring woman in business. 

Anne says, “The reason I like my job is that I have this desire to create. I have this desire to create things and build things, and Google has enabled me to build and create things and to build products that are used by people all over the globe.”

16. Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul who made her mark early in her career as a news broadcaster and the first woman to produce her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. She also created her own films, has sprawling real estate properties, and is one of the top female motivational speakers and most inspiring women in business. Plus, she is a well-known philanthropist.

According to Forbes, Oprah Winfrey is worth $3 billion. 

Her message: There is a lot we can learn from Oprah, and she has not stopped inspiring women around the world. Ultimately, she was never afraid to try something new. Oprah is a benevolent risk-taker who is authentic and intentional. She is revered for these exact qualities and is one of the most famous women in business.

Oprah says, “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life because you become what you believe.”

Characteristics of Inspiring Female Entrepreneurs and Women in Business

Each of these successful women in business has their own unique story, challenges, and success factors but there is a golden thread that weaves these stories together. 

Key Takeaways from Successful Women in Business

• Every woman on this list dared to think big and had an idea or a vision. 
• These women were all risk-takers and were brave enough to follow their intuition.
• Resilience is another factor that every woman on this list shares. They were able to keep going and growing in the face of obstacles.

Lastly, most of these women’s success is more than their net worth – they are empowering and supporting others through stories and philanthropy.

Recommended Reading: 9 Principles of Entrepreneurship: A Checklist for Women 

What Are The Top Challenges for Female Entrepreneurs?

The challenges for female entrepreneurs vary, and some may surprise you. Here are the top 5 challenges for female entrepreneurs:

• Female Entrepreneurs Tend to Take on More Work and Delegate Less

• Women Entrepreneurs are Typically Less Confident than Men

1. Women Often Have Less Entrepreneurial Experience Than Men 
2. Women Have Fewer Female Role Models

• Female Entrepreneurs Struggle More With Work-Life Balance

Hopefully, these inspiring women in business will inspire you to overcome these challenges, tap into your biggest ambitions, and chase your biggest goals.

The Women in the Workplace Study shows women are more ambitious than ever, so we are more determined than ever to help them succeed. 

Recommended Reading: 5 Challenges for Female Entrepreneurs in 2024 and How to Overcome Them

What is Your Story?

Do you have a burning idea or are you building a brand? If you are, remember to be bold and take risks – these are essentials for successful women in business. 

Celebrating our successes and uplifting each other is essential for inspiring the next generation of bold women. Do you want to honor a fearless woman who’s impacted your life? Custom Medals are the perfect symbol of strength, leadership, and resilience—a tribute to powerful women who inspire us daily. 

What to read next? 16 Business Books For Women That You Need to Read in 2024