Historically, women were expected to do certain roles, and that involved limited leadership and primarily maternal and domestic duties. Thankfully, the world has begun to move on, recognising women can make strong leaders and hugely successful entrepreneurs.
Although there are still challenges with getting women into leadership roles, and there is still some inequality in the workplace, there are many notable women who have worked their way up to be serious authority figures in their industry.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the key female entrepreneurs that are inspiring young entrepreneurs today. If you need a little help getting your business of the ground, why not look into a growth hacking agency to help give you the competitive advantage.
Karren Brady
Well known for being a trusted aide and adviser to Lord Sugar on the TV show The Apprentice, Karren Brady has been prominent in the UK business market for 20 years. She is a life peer in the House of Lords, the vice-chairperson at West Ham football club, and has inspired many young girls wanting to take a path in the sports industry, by doing roles that were traditionally male-dominated.
Monica Eaton Cardone
At just 19, Monica sold her first business and began online marketing. She often got chargebacks although her business thrived, and despite no IT software engineering qualifications she managed to develop solutions that overcame the problem. She is now head of the Chargeback Company and its US sister company, Chargebacks 911.
Sharmadean Reid
As the co-founder of WAH nails, Reid revolutionised the nail industry and started a craze in London for nail art. She now has an empire, with manicures at the centre, and has a Soho flagship store, plus her own product line. She is also an author and has been honoured with an MBE.
Julia Dean
Starting with just £600 in savings in 2008, Julia Dean began a company in order to raise money to fund her children’s education. She began the Cambridge satchel company which has since been worn by Alexa Chung and Taylor Swift. Julia’s cottage industry is now a company worth millions.
Julia has shown young female entrepreneurs that with a good idea and excellent business acumen, and the right work/ life balance, you can go from the kitchen table to a worldwide company.
Anita Roddick
Anita Roddick is often quoted when it comes to inspiration for young female entrepreneurs. The Body Shop founder took her vision for a green and animal-friendly range of beauty and cosmetic products and turned it into a worldwide phenomenon.
Roddick started the company to provide some economic security for her family during difficult times and ended up building a brand that will sustain future generations of her family.
Summing up
Although women are still very underrepresented in businesses in the UK at the top level, more and more women are inspiring young female entrepreneurs to take the plunge and achieve great things. Balancing work life, family care and everything else can be difficult for both men and women, but these incredible ladies have shown that it is possible. Although balancing family life and work can be tricky, Despite gender bias and a certain amount of societal discrimination on the way up, they’ve gone on to become the most successful female entrepreneurs, inspiring women around the world today.
