For many years, men have dominated the business sector. However, the rise of powerful women such as the legendary Coco Chanel and Estée Lauder may have marked the beginning of a new period for businesswomen worldwide.
Women now work side by side in various sectors, such as publishing, technology, fashion, broadcasting, and beauty, to establish their companies as household names.
With their outstanding achievements, these courageous women are establishing new standards. Today, we’ve listed the top female entrepreneurs to encourage you to follow their lead.
1. SOHO China co-founder Zhang Xin
The Chinese real estate construction company SOHO China, which went public in 2007, was co-founded by Zhang Xin.
Real estate tycoon Zhang Xin’s story is typical of “poverty to riches”. The former industrial worker wanted to be a farmer when she was growing up in Beijing throughout the Cultural Revolution because that profession was regarded as “glorified” by Mao Zedong’s communist government.
Her combined net worth with her spouse, Pan Shiyi, is about $3.3 billion. A former factory worker who earned a master’s degree in economic growth from Cambridge University got the moniker “the woman who built Beijing.”
Zhang moved from Beijing to Hong Kong with her family when she was 15. Zhang worked in factories for five years, moving around to earn more money. Because Hong Kong was a British territory at the time, Zhang had the opportunity to move there to pursue her studies. She didn’t speak English when she arrived, which was a shock.
Once more in a financial bind, she worked in a Chinese couple’s conventional British fish and chip store, offering customers “salt and vinegar” for their fries in her limited English.
She had Margaret Thatcher as her role model and found entertainment in viewing televised parliamentary debates. Some of Zhang Xin’s advice for women entrepreneurs is never to let self-doubt stop you from pursuing your goals; success frequently requires taking risks, and failure is a necessary component of the entrepreneurial journey.
The inspiring tale of Zhang Xin demonstrates that, in reality, nothing is impossibly difficult; our only limitations come from within.
2. Winfrey, Oprah
One of the world’s wealthiest and most famous female entrepreneurs, Oprah Winfrey, has a net worth of $2.49 billion. She personifies the successful entrepreneur of today. She represents the American Dream in the eyes of Americans.
How did she build the media company that made her famous today?
Oprah did not have a stable upbringing or profit from nepotism. In the 1950s and 1960s, she lived in challenging conditions in rural Tennessee and Mississippi. As a result of being sexually abused, she had to deal with money difficulties, a convoluted family dynamic, and the premature death of a baby.
Oprah’s job in media began when, at 19, she switched from presenting at the local television station to being a reporter for her high school‘s radio station. Morning show hosting became her early foray into television, and in 1986, she debuted the enduring Oprah Winfrey Show.
Her own production business, Harpo Productions, was established due to her popularity. Then, when it was renamed and broadcast nationwide as the talk-show format we know today, Haro Productions took over the production of her talk program from ABC.
It is amazing how Oprah overcame personal hardships, sexism, and racism to reach this level of success.
3. Rihanna – The Wealthiest Female Musician
With an estimated net worth of $1.63 billion, Rihanna recently surpassed other female musicians as the wealthiest person in music. Despite her success in Hollywood, Rihanna earned most of her money through her cosmetics and beauty line, Fenty Beauty.
Rihanna, born in Barbados in the late 1980s, demonstrated a passion for music and looked into singing opportunities while still in high school. In the early 2000s, Rihanna signed a record contract and began her musical career after being spotted by an American music producer.
In 2017, Rihanna’s already successful career significantly shifted after introducing Fenty Beauty.
Fenty Beauty aims to make cosmetics and other beauty items affordable for individuals with all skin types and tones. The success of Fenty is undoubtedly greatly influenced by this focus on inclusivity.
She chose to pursue better and more chances while adhering to her passions. These two characteristics work well together, which explains why Rihanna has succeeded in many fields.
Despite having modest beginnings, Rihanna has developed all of her interests into successful professions. She has become one of the most profitable and well-known female entrepreneurs worldwide thanks to her aptitude for making wise business choices and selecting a good team.
4. Conclusion
Even though each of these women’s tales is unique, they all have determination and bravery at their roots. They are all self-made millionaires who persist in the face of numerous challenges. The experiences of these well-known female business owners show us what it takes to be effective leaders.
