Women worldwide have made it pretty clear they mean business…literally! Men no longer monopolize the business world. Countless women have ventured into the field and moved on to make a mark. You might be surprised to know just how many women CEOs have managed to carve their own niche in current times.
Indeed, according to data from 2017, the U.S. has more than 11.6 million women-owned businesses.
The number of women-owned businesses has grown exponentially in the last few years. After all, there’s a reason that the 2017 Fortune 500 list featured as many as 32 women CEOs. At first glance, that might look like a small number, but this is actually evidence that women are making significant progress.
We can’t really claim that the gender bias fight is over. That is a long battle, but we are definitely moving in the right direction. And women CEOs have made a significant contribution to this fight. It has undoubtedly become a whole lot easier for females to find equal opportunities as men. And from here on, we can only expect things to improve all the more.
5 Inspiring Stories of Women CEOs
Women CEOs have definitely made the business world a better place for all women worldwide. They have set an example of rising to the top, thwarting conventions. Females from all over will find their stories inspiring. Here are some of the most renowned women CEOs you ought to know about.
1. Maria Eitel
The president and CEO of the Nike Foundation has undoubtedly defied traditions.
Not only has she managed to attain immense success in her field, but she has also made it a point to make it easier for young girls to follow their passion. She strives to ensure young girls get the resources they need to shape their future.
Maria Eitel has worked for the White House and Microsoft. She then joined Nike Inc. as its first vice president. In six years, she founded the Nike Foundation to solidify the brand’s positive image by inventing in young girls.
She has been leading the brand for 14 years and has improved the lives of countless young girls from the developing world. Her focus has been on ending early marriages, delaying first birth, improving the adolescent girls’ health and safety, ensuring their secondary school completion, and making it easier for them to get a job.
Needless to say, Maria Eitel has proven to be a force to reckon with.
2. Whitney Wolfe
Whitney Wolfe is the founder and CEO of Bumble and a pioneer in the online dating world.
She began her career with Tinder, where she was the vice president of marketing. She left the company after a sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit. Initially, she wanted to work on a women-centric app, but her decision changed after meeting Andrey Andreev, founder of Badoo.
She then created Bumble, an online dating app that gave women the opportunity to reach out first. This was an unprecedented move that created waves for this woman CEO. The app has over 30 million users and continues to evolve with time.
Whitney Wolfe is one of those people who decided to break the boundaries and give women the power they deserve.
3. Jessica O. Matthews
Matthews is the founder and CEO of Uncharted Power and has defied the world’s perception that there’s an age for success.
She was just 19 when she invented SOCCKET, a soccer ball to generate power for the developing world. There has been no stopping her since then.
She found her own company at 22 years of age. The company has now become an award-winning renewable power company working worldwide. She was invited by the former president Barack Obama in 2012 to the White House to represent small companies in signing the America Invents Act.
Indeed, her accolades are impressive, and she has attained immense success at a pretty young age. This woman CEO has proven to the world you can’t set limitations on your dreams and vision.
4. Martha Hoover
The founder of Patachou, Inc., Martha Hoover is an accomplished woman CEO in the hospitality industry.
She has managed to build a successful restaurant empire while also working to improve the lives of children, women, and marginalized individuals.
She initially began her professional career in sex crime persecution. However, she identified her true calling via her lifelong love for food and opened her first restaurant in 1989, Cafe Patachou, in Indianapolis.
Now, 30 years later, she operates a chain of restaurants that continue to bring handsome profits.
Not only is she a powerful entrepreneur, but Martha Hoover is also an advocate for quality. She has worked hard to instill humanitarian values in her employees and focus on consistency. Hoover founded the Patachou Foundation in 2013, which works to feed impoverished children in her community.
Her dedication and vision have enabled her to become the woman CEO everyone looks up to.
5. Melanie Perkins
Melanie perkiness is the CEO and co-founder of Canva, who has managed to take the world by surprise with her success.
She was incredibly young when she started. She pitched the idea of Canva at merely 19 years of age. Since then, there has been no looking back for this woman CEO.
The startup has generated more than $1 billion in revenue since its conception. Melanie redefined stereotypes and proved to everyone that if you have the vision and will, you don’t have to abide by boundaries.
Continue to Break the Barriers with Inspiration
If there’s one thing the story of famous women CEOs tells us, it’s that you cannot let social norms dictate your path.
We have merely mentioned a few of them. There are so many women CEOs who have defied conventions, like Judy Vredenburgh, Katherine Ryder, Sallie Krawcheck, and many more. These women have taught us that no matter how hard the world tries to stop you if you have determination, you will find your way.
Women CEOs have also broken stereotypes that the corporate world isn’t for them. They have proven you don’t have to be a male to be a business leader. Their inspiring stories teach young girls worldwide to follow their passion and never give up on their dreams.
