Madam C.J. Walker was the first self-made female millionaire in America—she built a haircare empire for Black women in the early 1900s. Oprah Winfrey turned a talk show into a billion-dollar media network and became one of the most influential figures in famous women business. Rihanna isn't just a pop star—her Fenty Beauty line disrupted the cosmetics industry with inclusive shades for all skin tones.

Sara Blakely launched Spanx with just \$5,000 in savings and no business degree—today it’s a global shapewear brand. Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, brought healthier options and sustainability to the forefront of corporate strategy. Whitney Wolfe Herd founded Bumble after leaving Tinder and became the youngest woman to take a company public.

Anne Wojcicki co-founded 23andMe, making genetic testing affordable and user-friendly for millions. Melinda French Gates co-runs the Gates Foundation and champions women’s empowerment in famous women business ventures. Estee Lauder started her beauty company by handing out free samples—now it’s a household name worldwide.

Jessica Alba co-founded The Honest Company to offer clean baby and beauty products, earning her a spot in famous women business. Sophia Amoruso created the fashion brand Nasty Gal from an eBay store and sparked a girlboss movement. Sheryl Sandberg wrote “Lean In” and helped redefine leadership roles for women during her time as COO at Facebook.

Coco Chanel revolutionized women’s fashion with a little black dress and a fragrance empire that still thrives today. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw founded India’s largest biotech firm, Biocon, and has inspired countless women in science and business. Reshma Saujani started Girls Who Code to close the gender gap in tech and redefine the pipeline to success.

Tory Burch blended fashion and philanthropy, using her brand to fund female entrepreneurs worldwide. Katharine Graham led The Washington Post during the Watergate scandal, breaking barriers in journalism and business. Weili Dai co-founded Marvell Technology and became one of the most powerful women in Silicon Valley.

Zhou Qunfei, a former factory worker, became the world’s richest self-made woman through her tech company Lens Technology. Arianna Huffington transformed her online news blog into a media empire, then launched a wellness brand focused on sleep. Angela Ahrendts ran Burberry and later became Apple’s SVP of Retail, proving that fashion and tech can go hand in hand.

Janice Bryant Howroyd founded ACT-1, the largest minority woman-owned staffing firm in the U.S. Emily Weiss turned a beauty blog into Glossier, a cult brand that disrupted how beauty products are sold. Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture, is one of the highest-ranking women in tech consulting globally.

Victoria Beckham pivoted from pop stardom to a serious player in the fashion industry with her luxury label. Bethenny Frankel built a multi-million-dollar brand, Skinnygirl, starting with a simple low-calorie cocktail. Lubna Olayan broke barriers in Saudi Arabia, heading a multinational firm and inspiring women in famous women business circles.

Diane von Fürstenberg made the wrap dress iconic and built a lifestyle brand celebrating female empowerment. Jane Wurwand founded Dermalogica, focusing on education and skin health, not just beauty. Trina Spear co-founded FIGS, revolutionizing medical apparel and showing that even scrubs can be stylish business.

Leila Janah created Samasource, employing women in underserved communities through digital work. Nely Galán was the first Latina president of a U.S. TV network and encourages women to be self-made. Rachel Hollis turned her motivational speaking and books into a multimedia company inspiring women everywhere.

Sheila Lirio Marcelo founded Care.com after struggling to find care for her family, and scaled it globally. Rebecca Minkoff disrupted the fashion scene with tech-enabled handbags and digital retail strategies. Caterina Fake co-founded Flickr and Hunch, setting the foundation for modern social and recommendation platforms.

Jo Malone built a luxury fragrance empire after dropping out of school at 15 and battling cancer. Debbi Fields started Mrs. Fields Cookies from her kitchen—now it’s an international dessert brand. Miuccia Prada turned her grandfather’s luggage shop into a luxury powerhouse with bold, minimalist designs.

Angela Merkel may not be in business per se, but her economic leadership of Germany influenced global financial markets. Gwynne Shotwell helped scale SpaceX from a startup to a launch leader, proving women have a place in rocket science and business. Naomi Simson launched RedBalloon in her home and grew it into a major online experience marketplace.

Veronika Scott created The Empowerment Plan, hiring homeless women to make coats that turn into sleeping bags. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf helped build Liberia’s post-war economy and was a role model in famous women business leadership. Anne Sweeney led Disney’s television division and was named one of the most powerful women in entertainment.

Rachel Zoe turned celebrity styling into a global fashion brand, including media, design, and ecommerce. Mei Xu started Chesapeake Bay Candle and sold it to Newell Brands for \$75 million. Beyoncé, through Parkwood Entertainment, controls her music, branding, and production—empowering other women in the industry.

Martine Rothblatt founded SiriusXM and then a biotech company to save her daughter’s life, breaking new ground in tech. Susan Wojcicki was Google’s 16th employee and later became YouTube’s CEO, leading it to global dominance. Padmasree Warrior served as CTO of Cisco and is now a leader in electric vehicles and climate-conscious startups.

Eva Chen went from editor to Instagram’s fashion director, helping shape the platform’s ecommerce shift. Mary Barra became the first female CEO of General Motors, leading the company through its electric vehicle transformation. Jessica Jackley co-founded Kiva.org to give microloans to entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Tina Sharkey co-founded Brandless, pushing a no-logo, values-driven consumer model that gained fast attention. Lisa Price started Carol’s Daughter in her kitchen and grew it into a beauty brand later acquired by L'Oréal. Anastasia Soare built a billion-dollar brow empire, Anastasia Beverly Hills, from a small salon in Los Angeles.

Anne Boden launched Starling Bank, a mobile-only bank that challenges old banking norms. Stacey Bendet took over Alice + Olivia and transformed it into a global fashion brand known for bold, artistic looks. Huda Kattan, a makeup artist turned influencer, built Huda Beauty into a billion-dollar global cosmetics company.