The corporate world is a highly competitive and cutthroat environment driven by the constant need for growth and innovation. In recent years, women have been at the forefront of the industry, breaking down barriers and overcoming obstacles that historically held them back. From the tech industry to finance, female entrepreneurs have been making waves and disrupting traditional business models. Here are ten women who have not only successfully launched their own ventures but have also transformed industries and paved the way for future generations of women in business.

1. Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey, also known simply as Oprah, is a renowned American television personality, author, actress, philanthropist, and television producer. She gained fame through her widely popular talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired for 25 years from 1986 to 2011 in national syndication from Chicago. Oprah is a household name and has become an inspiration to millions worldwide for her groundbreaking work in the media industry and her extensive philanthropic efforts.

IG Handle: @oprah

2. Janessa Taber

Janessa Taber, Celebrity Photographer, specializing in fine art maternity, newborn, motherhood, family, and childhood photoshoots. With her studio headquartered in Gridley, California, she offers studio access to clients in Irvine, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Janessa creates stunning hand-painted backdrops and stage sets. Her wide-ranging clientele includes celebrities and politicians, and she strives to bring clients’ visions to life with a consistent editing style.

IG handle: @Visionsbyjanessa

3. Marilyne Nix

Marilyne Nix is a female entrepreneur and social media influencer passionate about empowering women to achieve financial independence through social media. She has leveraged her expertise through her global media brand, Luxelife9, to become a role model for other women looking to build their brands and succeed in the digital age. Her dedication to helping women has earned her a strong following and a reputation in online entrepreneurship, allowing her to be featured in Forbes.

IG: @luxelife9

4. Lisa Diane Kastner

Lisa is the founder of Running Wild, LLC, which includes Running Wild Press, specializing in publishing unconventional stories, and RIZE Press, dedicated to publishing genre stories written by underrepresented groups. Lisa’s achievements earned her recognition in Yahoo Finance’s Top 10 Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2021 and nomination to FORBES NEXT 1000. She was featured in FORBES magazine, New York Weekly’s Top Ten Females to Watch, and LA Wire’s Top 10 Businesses to Watch in 2021.

IG Handle: 60shadesofred

5. Farah Wasi Ghatala

Farah Wasi Ghatala is the Creative Director behind Wasee Jewels. Their handcrafted jewelry merges historical, conceptual art with contemporary art, designed with culture in mind to showcase the beauty of different ethnicities and cultures. Focusing on diversity and unique, timeless pieces, Wasee Jewels offers a great selection of jewelry and other fine gift items. Farah’s background in fine arts, animation, and advertising allows her to successfully incorporate her knowledge of art history into her jewelry designs.

IG Handle: @farahwasighatala @houseofwasee 

6. Cindy Mi

Cindy Mi, born in Hebei, China, moved to Harbin at age 14 and began tutoring other students in English at 15. At 17, she co-founded ABC English with her uncle, eventually earning a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Beijing Foreign Language University and an MBA from Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. In 2013, while working as an English teacher in Beijing, Cindy founded VIPKid. She launched LingoBus, a VIPKid subsidiary teaching Mandarin, in 2017.

IG Handle: @cindy_mi

7. Lele Pons

Lele Pons, a Venezuelan-American internet personality, is known for her comedic and multi-talented entertainment skills. She has gained fame through her YouTube videos and hosts her own podcast on Spotify, Best Kept Secrets with Lele Pons. The Secret Life of Lele Pons, a YouTube docuseries, provides an insider’s look at her personal life. At just 23, Lele blurs the line between digital creator and traditional entertainer through her content, which includes comedy and music.

IG Handle: @lelepons

8. Amanda Cerny

Miami-based Amanda Cerny is a successful internet creator with nearly 24 million Instagram followers. As a comedian, actress, and model, Amanda is one of the most influential female social media creators in the US at 30 years old. She was born in Pennsylvania and is also a philanthropist. With her fame built on comedic videos and modeling gigs, Amanda’s influence reaches far and wide, making her one of the most successful internet creators out there.

IG Handle: @amandacerny

9. Mary Barra

General Motors CEO Mary Barra is the first woman to lead one of the three largest automakers in the United States. GM has global recognition for its gender equity reports and is one of two global businesses with no gender pay gap. Mary is a pioneer investor in electric vehicles and self-driving cars and an early investor in Maven ride-sharing. She notably shifted GM’s production line to help Ventec Life Systems produce ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

IG Handle: @marybarra2021 

Company IG: @generalmotors

10. Anne Wojcicki

Anne Wojcicki, alongside Linda Avey, founded 23andMe in 2006. The company specializes in human genome research and provides customers with insight into their health, traits, and ancestry through DNA analysis. In 2018, the company received $300 million in funding from GlaxoSmithKline. Wojcicki’s innovative leadership and dedication to making personal genomics accessible have earned her recognition as a leading entrepreneur in the healthcare industry.

IG Handle: @annewoj23