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100 Most Famous Female Entrepreneurs

What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur and establish a lucrative and long-lasting career? It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. It takes blocking out people who say you can’t do it and your own thoughts that you are not good enough.

Here is the very best list of the 100 most famous female entrepreneurs, not ranked by the most money, but by (in my opinion) the most remarkable.

1. Gloria Steinem ($3MM)

The writer. The women’s rights activist. The driving force for decades behind the women’s movement for equality.

Gloria Steinem co-founded Ms. magazine in 1972, and still works for Ms. to this day (in an editorial consulting capacity). She has been published all over the world through her articles and books, and lectured extensively.

In 1993, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. In 2013, she was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She has too many awards to mention. She is the subject of In Her Own Words, an HBO documentary about her life.

She was born in Toledo, Ohio, and is 88 years old (DOB: March 25, 1934). Steinem has an estimated net worth of $3 million.

On a personal note, Gloria Steinem is one of the women my wife looked to for empowerment. Gloria Steinem’s strong and relentless voice for women made my wife feel like she could do anything, and be anything. She was not limited by being a woman.

2. Sheryl Sandberg ($1.5B)

Sheryl Kara Sandberg is a business executive born in Washington, D.C., a philanthropist, and a billionaire. She was the chief operating officer of Meta Platforms from 2008 to August 2022, rising quickly to that position in the company. She was elected to the board of directors at Facebook in 2012 and became the first woman to serve as a board member.

Aside from her professional accomplishments, Sandberg is known for her #1 national best selling book, Lean In, which caused a movement for women to take their seat at the table in their quest for success.

She started the nonprofit, Lean In Foundation, dedicated “to offering women the ongoing inspiration and support to help them achieve their goals.” She is 53 years old (DOB: August 28, 1969) and has an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion.

Sandberg is one of my wife’s personal favorites, and she attended a free talk that Sheryl Sandberg gave at a local Houston area church, where Sandberg talked with women about her experiences in business and in life, taking questions and giving guidance to the group of women gathered to hear her speak. She even spoke very personally about dealing with grief in the tragic passing of her spouse.

3. Debbie Fields ($200MM)

Debbie Fields (or Debbi Fields) isn’t the richest woman on this list, but she is certainly one of the most inspirational. She came from humble beginnings, got married in college and became a housewife.

With no support from her family and plenty of naysayers, she went in person from bank to bank with fresh cookies and a dream. After multiple rejections, she finally got a loan (with 21% interest1) and off she went, building her empire off a single cookie recipe.

She founded Mrs. Fields Bakeries in 1977, a successful company now in 11 countries, with around 650 bakeries in the U.S. and 80 in other countries. Mrs. Fields Bakeries is one of the largest sellers of fresh cookies in the U.S.

She is also the spokesperson for the corporation and has written cookbooks specializing in cookie recipes. The successful businesswoman’s late husband was Michael David Rose, who served as chairman and CEO of Holiday Corporation and Harrah’s Entertainment.

Fields is 66 years old (DOB: September 18, 1956) and has a net worth of $200 million. She is truly an inspiration to us all.

4. Tory Burch ($900MM)

Tory Burch founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation after launching her fashion brand in 2004. She began her career working in the fashion industry in significant fashion designer houses such as Vera Wang and Ralph Lauren before she set out to create her label. Her brand started with a single boutique in New York City, and an ecommerce site.

In 2009, she launched her Tory Burch Foundation to promote women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship in the U.S., and it also now provides awareness and support to women battling cancer. She is 56 years old (DOB: June 17, 1966), has a net worth of $900 million.

On her LinkedIn profile, she is listed as the Founder, Designer, Executive Chairman of Tory Burch, and the Founder of Tory Burch Foundation.

5. Martha Stewart ($400MM)

Martha Stewart is one of the most famous female entrepreneurs and generally a household name, if not for her recipes than for the various practical household products she sells through Wayfair, Amazon, Macy’s, QVC and thousands of other retailers. (Have you ever tried her frozen carrot cake in the grocery store freezer aisle?)

Stewart began her career in 1997 when she rose to fame as a celebrity chef and published cookbooks and articles until she merged her ventures into Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, the company that manages her branded products and sales.

In 2004, she served five months in federal prison, followed by five months of house arrest and two years of probation for conspiracy, making false statements and obstruction of agency proceedings relating to stock that she sold, but has rebounded and got back to business.

Her net worth is $400 million. She was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and is 81 years old (DOB: August 3, 1941).

6. Oprah Winfrey ($2.6B)

The famous talk show host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ended in 2011, and one of the most influential people in the world, Oprah began her journey from a background of poverty. She worked her way up to build an empire, from news anchor to an inspirational, self-made billionaire.

She has “created an unparalleled connection with people around the world, making her one of the most respected and admired people today” (quoted from her LinkedIn profile on March 29, 2023).

Oprah is the founder of Harpo Films, which began in 1986, as well as O (The Oprah Magazine). She is also the co-founder of Oxygen Media and the founder and CEO of OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). She is 69 years old (DOB: January 29, 1954) and was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. According to Forbes, has a net worth of $2.6 billion. She is on Forbes list of Self-Made Women (2022).

7. Arianna Huffington ($100MM)

Arianna Huffington is originally from Greece, and moved to England when she was 16, later graduating from Cambridge University. She co-founded The Huffington Post in 2005, where she was the editor-in-chief and continued to be involved with it until 2016. (In 2011, she sold it to AOL.)

Huffington is also a published author. Her first book, The Female Woman, was published in 1974 and a bestseller. Despite that success, she was rejected by over 36 publishers when trying to get her second book published. But she persevered, and I have personally counted 18 books that she has written since that first bestseller.

At the age of 72 (DOB: July 15, 1950), she is the founder and CEO of Thrive Global, a wellness site she founded in 2016 that offers courses on health and wellbeing. She also launched The Sleep Revolution, a book series, and has a net worth of $100 million.

8. Diane von Furstenberg ($1.2B)

Starting life as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Diane von Furstenberg went on to marry a prince, begin her career in fashion as a model, and eventually become one of the most renowned fashion designers in history, thanks in no small part to the fact that she introduced the now iconic wrap dress in 1974. The dress became a major success that propelled von Furstenberg to fame and fortune.

A member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, von Furstenberg doesn’t rest on her laurels. In fact, she’s cultivated a well-earned reputation for being an advocate for human rights. As of this writing, she is 76 years old (DOB: December 31, 1946) and has an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion.

9. Gloria Allred ($20MM)

An inductee into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, Gloria Allred is among the most famous attorneys in the United States. She is a founding partner of the law firm Allred, Maroko and Goldberg, which handles high-profile cases involving women’s rights.

Additionally, Allred founded the Women’s Equal Rights Legal Defense and Education Fund. This organization strives to ensure women always receive equal legal treatment. At age 81 (DOB: July 3, 1941), she has an estimated net worth of $20 million.

On a personal note, though the practice of law has become more diverse over the years, the managing partners and most senior partners in law firms are still mostly male. For my wife in her beginning years of law practice, Gloria Allred was one of the female attorneys she looked to for continued motivation.

Despite the lip service and smart marketing tactics of law firms, my wife has shared with me some of the unjust incidents and events that she, and many women lawyers, often still face at the hands of other lawyers inside law practices today.

10. Jane Fonda ($200MM)

Yet another inductee into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, 85-year-old Jane Fonda (DOB: December 21, 1937) is much more than simply a famous Hollywood actor.

She’s also long been an active participant in the womens’ rights movement, cofounding the Women’s Media Center, a nonprofit organization that strives to boost visibility and decision-making power for women in the media. With an estimated net worth of $200 million, she’s also among the most financially successful celebrities in the world.

11. Coco Chanel ($100MM) (Deceased)

Does Coco Chanel belong on this list? Though deceased, she was and still is iconic. She is a legend, so yes.

Coco Chanel began her career in fashion in the early 1900s, starting with a hat store, later expanding her business, and subsequently returning to the industry in 1954. She began with little money and developed a unique style that went on to dominate haute couture.

Coco Chanel lived until 1971 and had a net worth of $100 million. She was born on August 19, 1883, and passed on January 10, 1971. To this day, her handbags retain one of the highest resale values of any brand.

12. Jessica Alba ($340MM)

Jessica Alba is an American actor and entrepreneur with a net worth of $340 million. She is 41 years old (DOB: April 28, 1981) and the co-founder of The Honest Company, which offers non-toxic household, and beauty products. The company is valued at approximately $500 million.

13. Sara Blakely ($1.2B)

Sara Blakely is a 52-year-old businesswoman (DOB: February 27, 1971) from Clearwater, Florida who founded Spanx in 2000, a company specializing in leggings and pants. She bootstrapped Spanx with $5,000 of her own money.

Time Magazine named her in the publication’s top 100 most influential people in 2014, and she was listed in the top 100 most powerful women worldwide by Forbes.

She describes herself on her LinkedIn profile as a mom of 4, inventor of Spanx, who is afraid to fly, refuses to give up her scrunchie and believes it’s her calling to support women. Go Sara! Not that she needs my support…she’s worth $1.2 billion.

14. Giselle Knowles (Beyonce) ($440MM)

Beyonce began her career in the 1990s in the entertainment industry, becoming one of the top musical artists globally and an influential, successful entrepreneur. The 41-year-old (DOB: September 4, 1981) owns her brand, Parkwood Entertainment, founded in 2008.

Parkwood Entertainment is a wide-ranging production company which produces music, films, video, and even clothing. She also makes money off of lucrative endorsements. She has an estimated net worth of $440 million.

15. Reese Witherspoon ($400MM)

Reese Witherspoon has long been a household name thanks to appearances in such hit films as Legally Blonde, Walk the Line, and Cruel Intentions.

Perhaps noticing that the entertainment industry’s male-centric stories seriously outnumbered female-centric stories, in 2012, Witherspoon cofounded Pacific Standard, a production company (now part of the Hello Sunshine brand) focused on promoting female voices in film, TV, and literature.

With an estimated net worth of approximately $400 million, many now consider the 47-year-old (DOB: March 22, 1976) to be the world’s richest actress.

16. Susan Wojcicki ($765MM)

Susan Wojcicki is a Polish-American entrepreneur born in Santa Clara, California. She started her first business when she was 11-years-old, selling spice ropes door-to-door. Both of her parents were educators, and she went to college at Harvard where she was initially focused on going into academia until she became interested in technology.

This 54-year-old (DOB: July 5, 1968) is one of the top business leaders and has over twenty years of experience in the tech industry. She was involved in founding Google, where she became the first marketing manager in 1999. She acquired YouTube through Google in 2006, becoming the CEO in 2014.

She has an estimated net worth of $765 million and has been an advocate for several causes, including getting more female students into the computer science field. Interestingly, her sister, Anne Wojcicki, is the co-founder and CEO of the DNA genetic testing company, 23andMe.

17. Lynda Resnick ($5.3B)

Lynda Resnick is a well-established philanthropist and entrepreneur, and she co-founded The Wonderful Company, a holding company she created with her husband, Stewart Resnick. This holding company houses Lynda’s and Stewart’s various business and personal investments.

The primary stated objective of The Wonderful Company is to offer high-quality, healthy foods and beverages for consumers. Some of its brands include Fiji Water, POM Wonderful, and Wonderful Halos (small peelable oranges).

The firm has an annual revenue of over $4 billion, and the 80-year-old (DOB: 1943) has a net worth of $5.3 billion. She is on Forbes list of Self-Made Women (2022).

18. Laurene Powell Jobs ($21.1B)

Laurene Powell Jobs is the president and founder of Emerson Collective and has a net worth of $21.1 billion. Her late husband, Steve Jobs, was the founder of Apple, and Emerson Collective aims to create system changes to improve climate, education, and immigration. She is 58 years old (DOB: November 6, 1963) and lives in Palo Alto, California.

19. Kimora Lee Simmons ($200MM)

Kimora Lee Simmons started her career in modeling at the young age of 13. Going on to represent the works of some of the world’s most iconic fashion designers, she achieved even greater fame as a judge on the popular show America’s Next Top Model.

Kimora Lee Simmons didn’t stop there. As a fashion designer, owner of brand Baby Phat, and more, the 47-year-old (DOB: May 4, 1975) has reached an estimated net worth of $200 million.

20. Linda G. Alvarado ($230 MM) 

Linda G. Alvarado is another female entrepreneur who has managed to thrive in an industry that has primarily been dominated by men. Although she experienced harassment due to her gender during her early years working in construction, she didn’t let this deter her, going on to start her own company, Alvarado Construction.

Alvarado is also noteworthy for being the first Latino owner of an MLB team, an inductee into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in America according to Hispanic Business Magazine. Now 72 years old (DOB: 1951), Alvarado has an estimated net worth of $230 million.

21. Judith (Judy) Faulkner ($5.5B)

Judith Faulker is the CEO and founder of Epic Systems. She has an estimated net worth of $5.5 billion, and she began her business as a computer programmer in her basement. The 79-year-old (DOB: August 1943), self-made billionaire’s company works closely with major medical centers, including the Mayo Clinic.

She is on Forbes list of Self-Made Women (2022).

22. Johnelle Hunt ($4.3B)

You may have seen the name J.B. Hunt emblazoned across trucks and shipping containers throughout your travels. You might not know the inspiring story behind the company.

Johnelle Hunt co-founded the J.B. Hunt Company with her husband Johnnie Bryan Hunt in 1961. While Johnnie may have served as the public face of the company, his wife, Johnelle, served as the default business manager from its early days.

She earns a spot on this list not only because she helped her husband build one of the most successful trucking empires in the United States. Johnelle Hunt serves as an inspiration because she thrived in an industry that employed few women when she and her husband started the company.

The 91-year-old (DOB: January 4, 1932) approached her job with the goal of making sure her gender didn’t stop her from earning the respect she deserved. As of this writing, she has an estimated net worth of $4.3 billion.

23. Sofia Vergara ($37MM)

Sofia Vergara is a model, actress, and successful entrepreneur with a net worth of $37 million. She has worked with many companies, including Cover Girl, Head and Shoulders, and Diet Pepsi. Sofia Vergara is 50 years old (DOB: July 10, 1972), and she is originally from Colombia.

24. Thai Lee ($4.1B)

Thai Lee’s early years didn’t necessarily set her up for success. Born in Bangkok, she spent most of her childhood in South Korea before moving to the United States as a 15-year-old to attend high school. She went on to earn a double degree in biology and economics from Amherst College before becoming the first Korean woman to graduate with an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Thai Lee is now president and CEO of SHI International, an IT company worth $12.3 billion. Considering Thai Lee bought the company for a mere $1 million in 1989, it’s clear she helped it grow from a modest operation into a major enterprise. As a result, the 65-year-old (DOB: 1958) has an estimated net worth of $4.1 billion.

25. Gail Miller ($3.2B)

Gail Miller and her husband, Larry, started small with a single Toyota dealership. They would transform it into America’s eighth-largest auto dealer group.

This success has allowed Miller to become owner of the Larry H. Miller group, with interests in everything from real estate to entertainment businesses. With an estimated net worth of $3.2 billion, the 79-year-old (DOB: October 14, 1943) has earned her spot on Forbes’s list of Self-Made Women.

26. Weili Dai ($1.4B)

As co-founder of Marvell Technology Group, a global semiconductor company, Weili Dai is among the world’s most successful female entrepreneurs. Her achievements have earned her recognition from Newsweek, which included her on its list of the 150 Women Who Shake the World.

Forbes has listed her as one of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, and CNN has profiled her for its Leading Women Series: Leading the Female Tech Charge, Leading Women Principles Fair and Care, Educating for Future Success, and Leading Women Inspire Others.

Weili Dai currently has an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion. She is estimated to be 61 years old (DOB: 1961/62), although her exact age is unknown.

27. Jennifer (Jenny) Just ($1.5B)

Jenny Just cofounded the fintech empire, Peak6, in 1997, and has grown it to a multibillion dollar financial services and technology giant for nextgen financial products. She started out as an options trader on the trading floor in Chicago, which gave her the training for her setting out on her own.

She later married her cofounder, Matt Hulsizer, and she has four children. In fact, her LinkedIn profile starts out describing her as a “Mom of Four” before she lists her professional accomplishments.

Just credits growing up with four brothers as helping her succeed in the male-dominated world of finance. created Fintech In Action (FIA) to increase the pipeline of Black students and professionals in the fintech and finance spaces. She is estimated to be 54 years old (DOB: Unknown) and has a net worth of $1.5 billion. Just is listed on the Forbes list of Self-Made Women (2022).

28. Reshma Saujani ($1.5MM)

Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code in 2011 as the chief executive officer. The company was founded in 2012 and provides young women with an education in computer science, web design, mobile development, and robotics. Reshma is 47 years old (DOB: November 18, 1975) and has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million. Girls Who Code funded $6.5 million from Lyft, Uber, and Wal-Mart.

29. Denise Coates ($12.2B)

Denise Coates is a British billionaire entrepreneur who founded Bet365 in 2000. She first started working while she was in college, as a cashier at her family’s bookmaking company. After she graduated from college with a degree in econometrics, she continued working at her family’s company for some time.

In 1995, she started working outside her family’s business, and five years later founded the gambling company. In 2021, her salary alone was £469 million, and in 2022 it was £249.6 million. The reason for the decline in her salary from 2021 to 2022 is not public, but people speculate that the pandemic wreaked havoc on sporting schedules, which had a negative effect on sports betting and thus Bet365’s bottom line.

She is 55 years old (DOB: September 26, 1967), has a net worth of $12.2 billion, and is the joint chief executive and majority shareholder of the online gambling company. Coates is also the highest-paid chief executive in Britain and is the UK’s biggest taxpayer for the third year in a row.

30. Sophia Amoruso ($280 MM)

Sophia Amoruso is the founder of Nasty Gal, a trendy fashion line that began in 2006. Forbes named the 38-year-old (DOB: April 20, 1984) entrepreneur as one of the wealthiest self-made women in the world, and her company was considered one of the fastest growing in 2012.

Even though Nasty Gal filed for bankruptcy, Sophia Amoruso re-established her presence in business with Girlboss Media in 2017, a content-creating company aimed to support women of the Millennial generation.

Most recently, she founded Business Class, which has hours of video training, its own social network, templates and many other resources in a comprehensive online program for entrepreneurs. Currently, she has an estimated net worth of $280 million.

31. Cher Mi Wang ($850MM)

Cher Wang is a successful entrepreneur and co-founder of HTC Corporation (originally called High Tech Computer Corporation). Cher has two male co-founders, H.T. Cho and Peter Chou. Together they started the company in Taiwan in 1997. This successful billion-dollar company focuses on creating innovative mobile and smartphone devices.

Despite a downturn in its business in recent years, Cher Wang aims to produce innovative products to boost the company’s sales. At 64 (DOB: September 14, 1958), Cher Wang is among the savviest business owners, with a net worth of $850 million.

32. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw ($4B)

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is a 70-year-old (DOB: March 23, 1953) billionaire entrepreneur from India and is ranked in the world’s top 100 most powerful women. She is the founder and executive chairperson of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited, a Bangalore-based biotechnology company that began in 1978 and became public in 2004.

On her LinkedIn profile, she writes that the companies are “committed to reduce therapy costs of chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer and autoimmune diseases.” She currently serves as the Executive chairperson of both companies.

In 2020, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was named EY World Entrepreneur of the Year, and she has received numerous other awards. Today, her companies’ biopharmaceuticals are sold in over 120 countries. With a net worth of $4 billion in 2022 (according to Forbes), she is India’s richest self-made woman.

33. Caterina Fake ($25MM)

Caterina Fake co-founded two websites, Flickr in 2004 and Hunch in 2007. She was a trustee for several non-profit organizations. She spent four years as the Chairman of the Board at Etsy, guiding it from a company with less than $200 million in gross annual sales to $1.35 billion by 2013.

Caterina stepped down from the Board to focus on her family, cancer research, and guiding other young companies to success, like she did for Etsy. In Silicon Valley, Caterina Fake is recognized as an angel investor and named one of the top entrepreneurs in Time Magazine’s top 100. The 53-year-old (DOB: June 13, 1969) businesswoman has an estimated net worth of $25 million.

Her LinkedIn profile lists her as partner and Investor at Yes VC in San Francisco, California, and the host of the tech podcast, Should This Exist?

34. Folorunsho Alakija ($1B)

Folorunsho Alakija is a 72-year-old billionaire (DOB: July 15, 1951) from Nigeria with a successful business career and a philanthropist. She is the group managing director of The Rose of Sharon Group and is involved in various fields, including real estate, oil, fashion, and the printing industry.

Folorunsho Alakija ranked in Forbes’ list of top 100 powerful women and is considered the second most powerful woman in Africa. She has an estimated net worth of $1 billion.

35. Suchi Mukherjee (Net Worth: Unknown)

Suchi Mukherjee is the founder of LimeRoad, which provides fashion labels in India in a direct-to-consumer platform. She is 50 years old (DOB: July 6, 1973), and the business idea came to her during a maternity leave at the age of 39.

Her company was listed as one of the top supply chains in India with the 2018 Economic Times Award. She built one of the largest classified businesses in the United Kingdom before LimeRoad was established and worked with Skype and eBay as part of various marketing projects and campaigns.

Since Suchi Mukherjee’s leadership, Limetree has earned a gross revenue of $2.5 billion, although her personal net worth has not been released publicly.

36. Additi Gupta (Est. $1.5MM-5.5MM)

Additi Gupta is an Indian actress who became famous for acting in Hindi series and programs on television. She became famous in 2008 and received the Indian Telly Award in 2010 for Best Actress in a lead role. Aditi Gupta has a net worth estimated between $1.5 and $5.5 million, and she is 34 years old (DOB: April 21, 1988).

37. Wang Laichun ($7B)

Wang Laichun is a billionaire from China and the co-founder of Luxshare, a company founded in 2004. She was named one of the youngest self-made billionaires by the Daily Telegraph in 2014. She is 55-56 years old (DOB: 1967) and has a net worth of $7 billion.

38. Gina Rinehart ($75MM)

Gina Rinehart is a 69-year-old heiress (DOB: February 9, 1954) and mining magnate from Australia with an estimated net worth of $75 million. She succeeded her father, Lang Hancock, as the executive chairman of Hancock Prospecting and turned a failing family business into one of the world’s largest and most successful mining companies.

39. Julia Bösch (Net Worth: Unknown)

Julia Bösch is the CEO and founder of a company based in Berlin, Outfittery, one of the top e-commerce startups, which later merged with Modomoto in 2019. Julia Bösch is 38 years old (DOB: 1984-85) and has a degree in technology management from the Technical University of Munich. She successfully raised $55 million for the company, although her personal net worth remains unknown.

40. Aziza Chaouachi (Net Worth: Unknown)

Aziza Chaouachi is the founder and CEO of an affordable travel company, Leavy-co, which gives people the opportunity to rent their homes in exchange for travel credit. Aziza Chaouachi is 33 years old (DOB: October 1989) , and she started the company in 2017, raising $19 million between 2019 and 2020.

The company is global and continues to expand. As of this writing, her personal net worth has not been publicly disclosed or estimated.

41. Janice Bryant Howroyd ($630 MM)

Janice Bryant Howroyd is a 70-year-old (DOB: September 1, 1952) author, educator, and one of the top successful female entrepreneurs globally. She is the executive officer of the ActOne Group, a women-owned business and personnel company with an estimated net worth of $950 million.

She founded the company in 1978 with $1,500 and grew it to be in 19 countries. Janice is a great example of and one of the richest self-made women in the US.

42. Lori Greiner ($150MM)

Lori Greiner is a 53-year-old (DOB: December 9, 1969) jewelry designer from the United States, an investor in the popular television show “Shark Tank,” and has over one hundred patents for inventions. She has a net worth of $150 million and established the company, For Your Ease Only Inc.

43. Melanie Perkins ($6.5B)

Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and CEO of Canva, an online graphic design tool. She launched this platform in 2013, and at age 35 (DOB: May 13, 1987), she has a net worth of $6.5 billion. Her company is valued at approximately $40 billion, with over 60 million monthly users.

44. Cristina Junqueira ($1.3B)

Cristina Junqueira is the vice president of banking and co-founder of NuBank, which provides various financial services, including administration, transferring payments, and processing credit cards and investments. The company is based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and was founded in 2013. Cristina Junqueira has a net worth of $1.3 billion at the age of 39 (DOB: 1984).

45. Julia Collins (Net Worth: Unknown)

Julia Collins was the co-founder and CEO of Zume Pizza in 2015 and received a total funding of $423 million. The 40-year-old (DOB: November 10, 1982) achieved entrepreneurial success with various investors, including Fortress Investment Group, Tencent Holdings, Goldman Sachs, and Founders Fund. As of this writing, her company is worth $2.25 billion. Information about her personal net worth is unavailable.

46. Neeti Mehta ($1.8B)

Neeti Mehta is the co-founder of Automation Anywhere, which features software and robotics platforms. The 48-year-old (DOB: 1974-75) started the company in 2003, which provides several services, including processing claims, IT solutions, administration, and other operations. Neeti Mehta’s company has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion.

47. Annie Tao (Net Worth: Unknown)

Annie Tao is the co-founder and vice president of Horizon Robotics, founded in 2015. This company provides artificial intelligence services that are affordable for individuals and businesses. Horizon Robotics has an estimated value of $5 billion, and the company has a high approval rating of 90%.

48. Tina Sharkey ($8.92B)

Tina Sharkey is the co-founder and CEO of Brandless, which offers quality products at reasonable prices online, which includes beauty products, food, and personal care items. The influential 59-year-old (DOB: January 1, 1964) business owner grew up in New York with a net worth of $8.92 billion.

49. Anne Boden ($1.5B)

Anne Boden is the founder of Starling Bank, which currently has a value of $1.5 billion. She began the company in 2014, which offers mobile banking technology for financial products and services. The 63-year-old (DOB: January 1960) received funding for the company from Meridan Global Investors and Harald McPike.

50. Emily Weiss ($1.8B)

Emily Weiss is a businesswoman and the founder and CEO of Glossier. She has a net worth of $1.8 billion and is 37 years old (DOB: March 22, 1985). Glossier is a direct-to-consumer that specializes in beauty products, it was founded in 2014, and the New York company has a current value of $1.2 billion.

51. Payal Kadakia ($1B)

Payal Kadakia founded ClassPass 2013, a marketplace providing subscribers with fitness classes. She served as CEO and has since stepped down to become an executive chairperson. Forbes’ listed her as one of the top entrepreneurs to follow. Payal Kadakia is 40 years old (DOB: February 2, 1983) and has a net worth of $1 billion.

52. Mariam Naficy ($733MM)

Mariam Naficy founded Minted, and serves as its CEO. Mariam Naficy was listed as one of the top startups with high demand in 2014 by LinkedIn. The company was established in 2007, which provides a platform for creative artists to collaborate and gain exposure to build their businesses and profile.

Naficy has a net worth of $733 million and is 50 years old (DOB: 1972).

53. Fiona Roach Canning (Net Worth: Unknown)

Fiona Canning is the chief product and marketing officer and the co-founder of Pollinate. This company was founded in 2017 and is a fintech firm based in London. Fiona Canning has a consulting background and over twenty years of experience in the fintech industry.

Pollinate generates annual revenue of approximately $21.1 million. There is currently no information publicly available regarding her net worth or age, however.

54. Zhang Xin ($3B)

Zhang Xin co-founded SOHO China, which became a public company in 2007. The owner of this real estate development firm had humble beginnings as a factory worker and rose to graduate with a master’s degree in economic development from Cambridge University. She is 57 years old (DOB: August 24, 1965) and has an estimated net worth of $3 billion.

55. Steph Korey ($1.4B)

Steph Korey is the co-founder and CEO of Away, founded in 2015, and offers high-quality and affordable luggage for professional travelers. The startup entrepreneur has a net worth of $1.4 billion and is 35 years old (DOB: May 1987). Investors in the company include Forerunner Ventures and Accel.

56. Josefin Landgard ($2B)

Josefin Landgard is KRY’s co-founder and chief operating officer, an app-based service that connects doctors through video meetings. The Sweden-based company streamlines healthcare services that benefit medical professionals and patients. Josefin Landgard is 40 years old (DOB: March 22, 1983), and KRY is valued at $2 billion.

57. Edith Harbaugh (Net Worth: Unknown)

Edith Harbaugh co-founded LaunchDarkly, a platform that improves software programs. $44 million was raised in 2019, totaling $76.3 million in funding. She also serves as the firm’s CEO, has over sixteen years of experience, and the company’s estimated worth is $2 billion. Information about Harbaugh’s age and personal net worth is not available to the public as of this writing.

58. Arum Kang (Net Worth: Unknown)

Arum Kang is the CEO and co-founder of Coffee Meets Bagel, a dating service, and smartphone app for people searching for long-term relationships. The company received a total funding amount of $31 million from investors. Arum Kang established Coffee Meets Bagel in 2011, has a net value of $150 million, and continues to attract new customers. However, information about her personal net worth and age is not yet known.

59. Marcia Kilgore ($1.5MM)

Marcia Kilgore is the founder of a skincare and makeup brand, Beauty Pie, which provides premium brands at reasonable prices. The company was founded in 2015 and provides delivery services, and Marcia Kilgore also established Bliss Spa, Fit Flop, and Soap & Glory. She is 54 years old (DOB: October 16, 1968) and has a net worth of $1.5 million.

60. Christine Spang (Net Worth: Unknown)

Christine Spang established a successful career in technology and is the founder and CTO of Nylas. The company was founded in 2013, has an average annual revenue of $9.7 million, and provides infrastructure for email-powered apps for developers.

61. Nicky Goulimis (Net Worth: Unknown)

Nicky Goulimis was born in Greece and co-founded Nova Credit in 2016. This credit reporting agency provides a global platform for immigrants who move to different countries, so they don’t have to start to establish a financial identity from the beginning. Goulimis currently serves as Nova Credit’s CEO, which has estimated value of $500 million.

62. Maha Achour (Net Worth: Unknown)

Maha Achour is the co-founder of Metawave and also serves as chief executive officer. The company was founded in 2017 and provides wireless technology to build automobile radar systems using metamaterials and artificial intelligence. Maha Achour is 59 years old (DOB: 1963-1964), and Metawave has an estimated value of $45 million.

63. Lisa Falzone (Net Worth: Unknown)

As the co-founder and CEO of Athena Security, Lisa Falzone’s company provides an innovative platform through artificial intelligence to help prevent crimes by recognizing known threats. She raised over $128 million for Athena Security and is 38 years of age (DOB: March 7, 1985).

64. Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins ($5MM)

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins established a solution when she co-founded Promise, which aims to provide cost-effective incarceration options through extending local community supervision, including mental health treatment, housing, and job training. Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins is 47 years old (DOB: 1976), serves as CEO, and has an estimated net worth of $5 million.

65. Jasmine Crowe ($1B)

Jasmine Crowe is the 39-year-old (DOB: 1984) founder and CEO of Goodr, a food management platform focusing on sustainable options using technology to reduce food waste and address hunger. The company was founded in 2017, with an estimated net worth of $1 billion.

66. Alexandra Margolis (Net Worth: Unknown)

Alexandra Margolis is the creative director and co-founder of Carwow, and in 2017, she was recognized as one of the top thirty entrepreneurs under 30 by Forbes. It’s a company that provides affordable car leasing and purchasing options. At the age of 35 years (DOB: June 1987), Alexandra Margolis founded Carwow in 2011, and the company has raised well over £120 million.

67. Zohra Slim ($7.7MM)

Zohra Slim is the co-founder of InstaDeep, an organization that provides software solutions using artificial intelligence technology for businesses. She is the African chief web officer for InstaDeep, founded in 2015, and has an estimated $7.7 million. However, information about her personal life, such as her date of birth or age, is difficult to come by.

68. Tonia Jahshan ($100MM)

Tonia Jahshan initially appeared in the Dragon’s Den, where she secured investments to start her company, Steeped Tea. The company began in 2016 and is a successful business operating in the US and Canada. She is considered one of Canada’s top female entrepreneurs, with a net worth of $100 million. Due to her limited media appearances, her age and date of birth are not publicly known.

69. Yeva Hyusyan (Net Worth: Unknown)

Yeva Hyusyan is the CEO and co-founder of SoloLearn, an educational platform to learn and practice various skills. The company began in Armenia in 2014, and Yeva Hyusyan now lives in San Francisco. SoloLearn has an annual revenue of $67 million. Yeva Hsusyan’s personal net worth and age are currently not publicly known.

70. Mandy Rennehan ($650MM)

Mandy Rennehan founded Freshco when she was just 20 years old in 1995. Freshco is a maintenance and construction company that provides on-call service 24 hours a day. She is 47 years old (DOB: 1975) and has a net worth of approximately $650 million.

71. Krista LaRiviere ($10MM)

Krista LaRiviere is the CEO and co-founder of gShift, a digital marketing company with Chris Adams. The team developed software platform solutions that are available in 22 countries. Krista LaRiviere is 39 years old (unconfirmed) and considered one of the top entrepreneurs in Canada, with an estimated net worth of $10 million.

72. Huda Kattan ($490MM)

Huda Kattan is a 39-year-old entrepreneur (DOB: October 2, 1983) with a net worth of $490 million. She launched Huda Beauty in 2013 along with her two sisters. Huda Kattan was inspired to begin her own business when she couldn’t find false eyelashes and other beauty products.

73. Heidi Zak ($750MM)

Heidi Zak is the co-CEO of ThirdLove, which received approximately $68 million in funding from various investors, Allen & Company, and NEA. The company was founded in 2013 and offered a convenient way for women to shop for lingerie. Heidi Zak is 44 (1979) years old, and her company has an estimated net worth of $750 million.

74. Rachel Drori ($350MM)

Rachel Drori’s story exemplifies the value of betting on yourself (when you have talent, brains, and the willingness to work hard). She invested $25,000 of her own savings into Daily Harvest, the food delivery service she started in 2015.

Although Drori set the ambitious goal of not quitting her day job until the orders she received from strangers were five times those she received from family and friends, she hit this goal within two months of starting the company.

Since then, Daily Harvest has attracted investments from such celebrities as Gwyneth Paltrow and Serena Williams, and Drori, who is currently 40 years old (DOB: 1981-82) has an estimated net worth of $350 million.

75. Paige Mycoskie ($350MM)

Paige Mycoskie proves that artistic talent combined with a drive to succeed can be quite powerful. While working at a Venice Beach surf shop in 2007, Mycoskie was inspired to start her own lifestyle brand, Aviator Nation. However, it wasn’t until the Covid-19 pandemic when sales truly took off, reaching $110 million in 2021.

Every piece from Aviator Nation features sketches from Mycoskie herself. According to Forbes, the 43-year-old (DOB: 1979-80) currently has a net worth of $350 million.

76. Afton Vechery (Net Worth: Unknown)

Afton Vechery is the co-founder and CEO of Modern Fertility, a health company that provides information and services regarding fertility easily accessible to women. The 32-year-old (DOB: 1990-91) later sold the company for an impressive $225 million and made the list of Fortune magazine’s top forty under 40.

77. Soumaya Hamzaoui (Net Worth: Unknown)

Soumaya Hamzaoui is a successful entrepreneur in the tech industry and the chief operating officer and co-founder of RedCloud Technologies. RedCloud was founded in 2014 and developed mobile and cloud technologies. The company raised over £82 million in funding. Hamzaoui is 39 years old (April 1984).

78. Jaimee Kort ($2.6MM)

Jaimee Kort is the owner of Edge Entertainment, a company based in Los Angeles, and has worked with the Walt Disney Company, Disney’s Fairytale Weddings, and Disney’s Cruises. The entertainer is 44 years old (unconfirmed) and has an estimated net worth of $2.6 million.

79. Crystal Bonnet (unknown) (Net Worth: Unknown)

Crystal Bonnet founded Crystal Dawn Culinary, which specializes in raw and plant-based cuisine, in 2019. She is experienced as a chef and teacher globally and has taught students in Morocco, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, North America, India, and Australia. In 2022, she added specific food courses in gluten-free meal preparation.

80. Cindy Maram (est.$349 Thousand)

Cindy Maram launched a digital publication, Dig IN Magazine, which features celebrity and entertainment news in 2008.

The 32-year-old entrepreneur (DOB: August 15, 1990) is also the CEO and founder of IN Close Entertainment and the associate producer for Women is Losers, a feature film on HBO. estimated net worth of around $349,000.

81. Alyssa Casa ($1.5MM)

Alyssa Casa is the founder of Alyssa Casa Designs; at the age of 16, and became the CEO of her own company. She has been featured in New York Fashion Week, and Paris Fashion Week, as an international designer.

She is 20 years old (DOB: September 12, 2002) and considered one of the top business owners to watch in the near future.

82. Dr. Lori Doddy (Net Worth: Unknown)

Dr. Lori Doddy established the company 5 to Thrive, which offers a 12-week weight loss program for professional women that focuses on eating, reducing stress, and exercising. She has a Ph.D., a thirty-year career in health, and started her business eight years ago.

83. Falguni Nayar ($3.5B)

Falguni Nayar launched her business at 49, Nykaa, following a long time in the corporate world. She started her company in 2012, an e-commerce platform connecting customers to beauty products. Today, Falgune Nayar is the CEO of Nykaa and has a net worth of $3.5 billion. She is 60 years old (DOB: February 19, 1963).

84. Radhika Ghai ($1 million)

Radhika Ghai co-founded Shopclues 2011, an e-commerce company based in India. The company has an estimated value of $1.1 billion, achieved within five years, and was later bought by Qoo10 in 2019. She is currently the CEO of Kindlife, which she founded in 2021. Her personal net worth is estimated to be $1 million.

85. Jen Myers (Net Worth: Unknown)

Jen Myers reluctantly (according to her LinkedIn profile) started homeschooling her three children (plus one on the way). She needed more to be “complete” and so she founded of Homeschool 2004. She currently serves as its CEO, and has since launched three businesses, all six-figure revenues, for homeschooling children and providing life coaching services.

86. Shelby Kretz (Net Worth: Unknown)

Shelby Kretz is the founder of Little Justice Leaders, a subscription service for parents and school educators, covering various topics, including gender identity, anti-racism, and immigration. She aims to educate the next generation to help fight for positive change in the world.

87. Priska Diaz (Net Worth: Unknown)

Priska Diaz is the founder of Bittylab. After working multiple jobs and learning English after immigrating from Peru and earning a Master’s degree. She helped design a baby bottle that reduces air ingestion and launched the company’s line of products in many Babies R Us stores.

88. Valerie Smith (Net Worth: Unknown)

Valerie Smith began her career in the fashion industry in 2017, then quit her job to start her company, Klei, which offers sustainable self-care brands in many retailers, including Nordstrom and Crate & Barrel. She contributes 10% of the company’s revenue to non-profits in the Brooklyn area.

89. Romy Taormina (Net Worth: Unknown)

Romy Taormina is the founder of PSI Bands, which provides patented, clinically approved, and FDA-approved medical devices and tools for monitoring various conditions, including motion and travel sickness, anesthesia, and nausea. The company was established fourteen years ago, and it was featured on “Shark Tank.” PSI Bands sold more than one million sets and continue to expand.

90. Fan Hongwei ($13B)

Fan Hongwei is the chairperson of Hengli Petrochemical Company, which is the largest manufacturer of chemical fibers. The company reported a revenue of $178 billion in 2020. She owns a 45% stake in the company. Hongwei has a net worth of $13 billion and is 56 years old (February 1967).

91. Arlan Hamilton ($20MM)

Arlan Hamilton is a successful entrepreneur, who helped fund many startup companies, and co-founded Backstage Studio. She also founded Backstage Capital and offers paid and free courses on Teachable, and her businesses have an estimated net worth of $20 million. Hamilton is 42 years old (DOB: October 30, 1980).

92. Claudette McGowan (Net Worth: Unknown)

Claudette McGowan is the global executive officer of Protect Fusion & Cyber Experience and helps support and expand innovation and diversity by sharing human experiences for positive change. She interviewed Michelle Obama at the 2019 Elevate annual tech festival, and in 2020, she became the chairperson of the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism.

93. Meryl Afrika (Net Worth: Unknown)

Meryl Afrika is the president of the Canadian Association of Urban Financial Professionals and a payments expert for the People’s Group. After moving to Canada from South Africa, she began her career in the fintech industry at CIBC and is also the co-founder of BlackTies.

94. Alexandra McCalla (Net Worth: Unknown)

Alexandra McCalla is the COO, co-founder of Air Matrix in 2017, and the founder of CILAR. She initially raised $400,000 from angel investors to establish Air Matrix, including funding from Canada’s National Research Council. As a consultant, she worked closely with Netflix and Apple in Silicon Valley and Toronto.

95. Naomi Leon (Net Worth: Unknown)

Naomi Leon is the director and co-founder of Rapid Delivery after completing a degree in telecommunication engineering from St. Francis Institute of Technology. She founded the company in 2016, based in Mumbai, with an estimated value of $4.7 billion.

96. Michelle Lau ($4.78MM)

Michelle Lau is the CEO and founder of CliqNship, the leading solutions company in logistics in the Philippines. The company began in 2011 and specializes in simplifying shipments with minimal online processing. Michelle Lau has an estimated net worth of $4.78 million.

97. Vineeta Singh (Est $6MM)

Vineeta Singh is the CEO and co-founder of Sugar Cosmetics, her third startup company. She is 39 years old (DOB: 1983) with a net worth of $6 million (60 crores). Vineeta Singh also created two other cosmetic companies and has since established successful brands in India.

98. Ainara Kaur (Net Worth: Unknown)

Ainara Kaur is the co-founder of Belora Cosmetics, an international company that features a wide variety of certified vegan, natural, and cruelty-free makeup and cosmetics. The company is popular among celebrities and has grown successfully since its beginning in 2019.

Ainara Kaur’s story also showcases the value of stepping back and taking a break from time to time. After decades of experience in marketing, Kaur decided to give herself a vacation, traveling through Europe. Seeing girls applying eye shadow throughout her travels inspired her to devote her attention to beauty products.

99. Diane Hendricks ($5.4B)

Diane Hendrinks is the chairperson and co-founder of ABC Supply. She is 75 years old (DOB: 1947) and has an estimated net worth of $5.4 billion. Diane Hendrinks currently lives in Wisconsin, and her late husband was Ken Hendrinks, an entrepreneur. She is on Forbes list of Self-Made Women (2022).

100. Marian Ilitch ($4.3B)

A blind date turned into one of the most successful pizza brands in American history! When Marian Ilitch Bayoff met Mike Ilitch on such a date, she had no idea the two would get married and go on to found Little Caesar’s Pizza together in 1959.

Not content to rest on their laurels, the pair expanded their interests to include various restaurants, casinos, and other such businesses. In 1999, the two formed Ilitch Holdings, Inc., a parent company for all the various companies the Ilitchs owned.

Marian took control of the company after her husband’s passing. Marian is currently 90 years old (DOB: 1932-33) and has an estimated net worth of $4.3 billion.

101. Hillary Yip (Net Worth: Unknown)

Hillary Yip, from Hong Kong, founded an app called MinorMynas in 2015 when she was just 10 years old, with the help of her mother. The app launched in May 2017.

She envisioned the app to focus on languages, but it has become a safe online space for children to communicate and make friends from all over the world, while potentially learning languages as well. The app is used in over 60 countries, and Yip thinks the app may help solve the screentime problem because it combines screentime with learning.

For the next version of MinorMynas, Yip plans to launch a parallel version for parents to give parents a platform for international dialogue.

Hillary Yip is 15 years old (DOB: February 2005), and is the youngest CEO in the world. The social entrepreneur lectures worldwide for various audiences.

102. Lauren Washington ($5MM)

Lauren Washington cofounded KeepUp in 2014, an app that combines and manages various social media platforms in one and is an excellent tool for influencers.

In 2015, she cofounded Black Women Talk Tech, a conference and funding support comapny, which she was involved with until 2020. Then, in 2020, she cofounded Fundr and currently serves as its CEO. Fundr helps women build successful companies and startups.

103. Danielle Weisberg (Est. $764,321)

Danielle Weisberg co-founded theSkimm in 2012, a media company based in the United States that offers a subscription-only service, and currently serves as its co-CEO. The company’s mission is to inform women about the world by delivering easily digestible snippets via email, and it is valued at $55 million.

The publication features a daily email newsletter for millenials that currently has 7 million subscribers. She is also the co-host of the podcast, 9 to 5ish, a work advice podcast for women.

She is 36 years old (DOB: 1986) and has an estimated net worth of $764,321.

104. Josephine Esther Mentzer ($71.7B) (Deceased)

Josephine Esther Mentzer, later known as Estee Lauder, established one of the most successful cosmetic companies in the world. She was born in 1908 (DOB: July 1, 1908) and began to develop her career in 1948, along with her husband, Joseph Lauder. She lived until April 24, 2004, with a net worth of $71.7 billion.

105. Anita Roddick ($51MM) (Deceased)

Anita Roddick is a businesswoman and the founder of The Body Shop in the United Kingdom. She lived until the age of 64 (October 23, 1942 – September 10, 2007) and was dedicated as an environmentalist and human rights activist. Anita Roddick founded Children on the Edge, an international charitable organization with an estimated net worth of $51 million.

Conclusion

This list of famous female entrepreneurs came from diverse backgrounds and achieved great success in the business world. Many started with nothing, and were completely self-made. Though there are more famous businesswoman (such as Indra Nooyi, a past CEO and Chairperson of PepsiCo), this list focuses on entrepreneurs.

My hope is that this list inspires us all to reach inside ourselves and be the very best that we can be with the talents we have, whether that is in business, philanthropy or at home.

About The Author
Although millions of people visit Brandon's blog each month, his path to success was not easy. Go here to read his incredible story, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors." If you want to send Brandon a quick message, then visit his contact page here.