Women are twice as likely to start firms as men, yet they are just a tiny fraction of businesses with more than $1 million in revenue. So, what is the difference that separates these top few from the rest of the pack? Here’s a list of the top ten female entrepreneurs over the past decade to provide some insight.
1. Sarah Blakely, Spanx
It has been said that necessity is the root of all inventions. This is certainly the case with regard to Sarah Blakely, who created Spanx due to a need to have better underwear. Sarah Blakely went into becoming the most self-made woman on the Forbes Billionaires list at 42 years old.
2. Jessica Alba, The Honest Company
Famous for her onscreen performance, Jessica Alba co-founded The Honest Company at the beginning of 2012. Being a newly-wed mom, she had a difficult time trying to find products that were safe for her family and her home that also worked. She joined forces with Christopher Gavigan to create a service for home delivery that would offer both.
3. Jill Becker, Cambridge Nanotech, Inc.
The Harvard graduate created a practical solution that utilized the atomic layer deposition process and launched the company’s initial product out of her basement. In 2010, Ernst and Young named Becker Entrepreneur of the Year, and the company’s revenues surpassed $18 million in 2011.
4. Christiane Lemieux, DwellStudio
As the director of design for a home-based business, Lemieux had the opportunity to test drive a couple of her unique designs. In the next few months, DwellStudio was created, offering fashion-forward, fashionable items and fabrics for your home. The company first opened its retail store in New York City in 2010. Then, in 2012, Lemieux published her first novel, Undecorate.
5. Laura Mather, Silver Tail Systems
In 2008, the company was founded. Silver Tail Systems provides cyber security for clients such as StubHub along with ING Direct. Silver Tail Systems is currently protecting the security of more than 770 million users on the internet.
6. Victoria Ransom, Wildfire Interactive
While her first venture was an adventure travel business, Ransom discovered a need for a social media marketing tool and created Wildfire Interactive. The company increased to 400 employees over four years. It was transferred to Google for $350 million.
7. Rashmi Sinha, SlideShare
After completing her doctorate in psychology, Sinha decided to make her switch to software development. SlideShare is an application that allows users to publish presentations online. The company has been incredibly popular and recently was sold to LinkedIn for $119 million.
8. Shunee Yue CSOFT International
Following nine years of executive experience, Yee founded CSOFT International CSOFT International, a global communication firm. CSOFT International now has 14 locations across the world. Since its inception in 2003, the company has steadily grown, with profits increasing each year by 20.
9. Julia Hartz, Eventbrite
You’re likely to have had a conversation with Eventbrite in the past. Eventbrite is an online marketplace that helps organizers of events sell tickets for events. The site has earned $1 billion from ticket sales. Eventbrite was named as one of the top locations to work in the Bay region.
10. Lisa Stone, Jory Des Jardins, Elisa Camahort Page, BlogHer
This is a deal for three. Lisa Stone, Jory Des Jardins, and Elisa Camahort Page founded BlogHer in 2005 after pondering the state of women who blogged. The mission of the company is “to provide women with opportunities who blog to be exposed to education, network, in addition to economic empowerment.” Today, the blog has 40 million visitors per month and boasts more than 3,000 blog partners. BlogHer is also home to the world’s largest gathering of women who work in social media.
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