Latest news with #femaleentrepreneurs
Forbes
8 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Why It's Never Been A Better Time To Be A Female Entrepreneur. Plus: Keep Your Focus During Uncertain Times
This is this week's ForbesWomen newsletter, which every Thursday brings news about the world's top female entrepreneurs, leaders and investors straight to your inbox. Click here to get on the newsletter list! I t's never been a better time to be a female entrepreneur: According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, there are now some 658 million female founders and company owners worldwide, and as my colleague Grace Chung reports here, nearly two-thirds are early stage entrepreneurs, compared to less than half of their male counterparts. 'Women's entrepreneurship is the number one policy solution to things like health deficits and education deficits,' Amanda Elam, who authored GEM's latest Women's Entrepreneurship Report, told Forbes . 'The types of businesses women tend to lead create places that are great to live in. And it turns out companies like to build their operations in places like that. So in international development, there's been this awakening.' And so, to continue to shine a light on this growing cohort of self-starters, Forbes has published its first-ever standalone global ranking of the world's 50 richest self-made women. The women on this list are worth a collective $276 billion, or $5.5 billion on average—so not quite what we'd define as 'early stage' entrepreneurs, but the successes their businesses have found across sectors ranging from collagen to coal serve as blueprints for those who wish to follow in their wake. Check out the full list here! Cheers! Maggie McGrath Exclusive Forbes Profile: Teens And Tweens Are Obsessed With This Skincare Brand For Babies—Now It Brings In $100 Million A Year Kimberley Ho EVEREDEN Forbes 30 Under 30 alum Kimberley Ho walked away from her Wall Street career to launch Evereden for Generation Alpha. Today, her business brings in $100 million, and while the company sells in Sephora across eight countries outside the United States, including Canada, Australia and the Philippines, most of its revenue comes from direct-to-consumer sales online. 'Billions of investment dollars have gone to women's beauty, cosmetics and skincare, but none of that innovation and investment really went into family skincare,' Ho says. 'That mismatch just didn't make sense for me.' ICYMI: News Of The Week Speaking of lucrative business opportunities… Gail Federici sold her first company, John Frieda Hair Care, in 2002. She's more than doubled her fortune building a second brand, Color Wow, which is now eyeing a $1 billion sale. Forbes recently released its annual list of Top Creators—a ranking of America's most lucrative influencers who earned a collective $853 million last year. Among the women on this list are Alex Cooper, Charli D'Amelio and Lexi Rivera, who advises aspiring content creators to not get discouraged 'if something doesn't perform as you had hoped. It's only a matter of time until consistency pays off.' Some 54 million people tuned in to WNBA games last season, which is why 30 Under 30 alumnae Amanda Calabrese and Greta Meyer jumped at the chance to make their company, Sequel, the first official tampon sponsor for the Indiana Fever. 'From day one we wanted to work with female athletes because we've always believed that they were going to be the future of influencer marketing,' Calabrese told Forbes . According to the World Economic Forum's newly released 'Global Gender Gap Report 2025,' North America ranks highest globally in gender parity, having closed 75.8% of its overall gender gap and ranking first in the category of economic participation and opportunity. And yet: The world writ large remains a century away from achieving true gender parity. The Checklist 1. Consider reuniting with an ex… employer. According to payroll processor ADP, more workers are 'boomeranging' back to an old workplace than ever before. The benefits to doing this include a faster ability to jump into mission-critical work, because you already have a baseline point of reference. 2. Protect your yes. Learning to say no is one of the most powerful tools in business—and when you say yes to everything, you dilute your energy, your focus, and even your impact. 3. Stay focused even when everything feels uncertain. Burnout, lack of purpose, and constant interruptions can destroy our focus. Here are five brain hacks to use that can bring more clarity to your days. The Quiz Stunning images and videos from a new state-of-the-art telescope in Chile were released this week, they're the first visuals from the observatory named for an accomplished astronomer whose research confirmed the existence of dark matter. Who is the observatory named after? A. Caroline Herschel B. Vera C. Rubin C. Maria Mitchell D. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Check your answer. Liked what you read? Click here to get on the newsletter list!
Forbes
18-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The AI Gender Gap: Here's What It Will Take To Close It
What will it take to close the AI gender gap? Women are adopting generative AI technology at a significantly lower rate than men, creating an AI gender gap. Figures from the Survey of Consumer Expectations found that 50% of men use generative AI tools, compared to 37% of women, with privacy concerns and perceived opportunities and risks accounting for a quarter of the gender gap. Meanwhile, female-led AI startups are being left behind when it comes to investment capital despite an influx of finance, creating a gender gap where female-founded companies receive far less venture capital funding than male-founded ones. A study into venture capital (VC) investment in AI by sector, revealed only 0.7% (£72.9 million) of the total capital invested since 2010 (£10.5 billion) going towards female-led startups. Looking beyond the statistics, the reasons behind AI gender gap is quite nuanced. Women entrepreneurs are seen as more likely to pause and consider the impact of AI on authenticity, client relationships, and long-term brand integrity before making their move. Many will often delay AI adoption while they get to grips with it, while sticking with their old, more familiar practices. Livia Bernadini, CEO of Future Platforms believes it is less about access or ability, but rather about trust, confidence, and design. 'Many AI tools speak with overconfident certainty, often based on biased or incomplete data,' she says. 'For women, that tone can echo a long-standing frustration: systems that overlook them, voices that dominate without rigor.' She describes it as something akin to the dynamic highlighted in the Harvard Business Review, where 'incompetent, overconfident candidates, most of them men, get ahead' not because of ability, but because confidence is mistaken for competence. 'Many large language model outputs feel like dealing with an overconfident male colleague; you need to fact-check everything,' says Bernadini. 'That is improving, but the baked-in bias remains. This gap matters. In startups, it means fewer female founders are using AI to scale smarter, faster, and more efficiently. That slows innovation and sidelines inclusive thinking from day one.' Some female leaders are changing the game. Lyssa McGowan at Pets at Home uses AI as infrastructure, not trend. Claudia Nichols at SimplyHealth is using it to improve patient care across the U.K. 'Maybe that is the real unlock,' says Bernadini. 'When the goal is meaningful impact, women may feel more empowered to experiment and take smart risks. Could purpose be the push we have been waiting for?' Some women simply feel more comfortable using AI for specific tasks, such as writing, iteration, and editing, rather than as a strategic business partner for decision-making or even more complex strategic business integration. Samantha Addy, CEO of the Female Advisory Board (FAB), the U.K.'s first all-female peer advisory organization, says: 'While I've successfully integrated certain AI tools like ChatGPT into my workflow for enhanced productivity, I'm deeply concerned about AI's broader implications, particularly technologies such as avatar creation that raise serious questions about digital manipulation and consent. 'I recently facilitated an AI workshop with industry experts for our board members. Rather than building confidence, the session left participants feeling overwhelmed and increasingly apprehensive about AI's rapid advancement.' Yet, female-led start-ups are very innovative. The female founders that Alisa Sydow, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at ESCP Business School, works with are very curious about generative AI and its potential, but tend to be more reflective about why and how to use it. She says: 'Typically, they ask questions such as 'Will this enhance trust with my customers? Will it compromise data privacy?' Ethical blind spots, societal risks and a possible impact on their reputation are sometimes more front-of-mind than with their male counterparts. This can make the adoption and use of AI more human-centered. Female founders are good at considering various factors and weighing them against each other rather than focusing on being the fastest to market.' Rather than being a disadvantage, Sydow also questions whether this gender 'gap' among founders is simply a different timeline, one that leads to more sustainable, responsible innovation. 'Over time, as more female-led success stories emerge in AI, this gap may not only close, but it may also reshape what 'good' AI adoption looks like,' she says. In order to give more women real influence in AI, more women have to want to start an AI company. That's the view of fintech venture builder Sidri Poli, CMO at 0TO9 - Bank of Entrepreneurship. For that, she says, the whole ecosystem needs to work together: women need access to venture capital, better representation in STEM, and access to the private networks that are so often closed off. She says: 'There are more resources than ever for founders, from open-source tools to no-code AI platforms, but the challenge now is focus. With so many tools available, founders need to home in on the human element: solving real people's problems.' In terms of driving more women to embrace AI as part of their startup strategy the education system is crucial, as are universities that serve as incubators where career paths take shape and confidence is built. The ability to actively attract more women into STEM fields and support them in their first ventures can help transform the leaders of tomorrow. Mentors and role models also have an important role to play. Poli recalls how intimidating it felt to step into the startup world back in 2013, unsure if she belonged. 'It made all the difference to have someone believe in me early on, in this case, my ex-mentor from school,' she says. 'We also need to normalize and emphasize a give-back culture, not just for those lucky enough to get these kinds of opportunities, but for a generation of women in tech who can shift the balance to a more equal future.' Success also breeds success. As more women succeed, the benefit increases exponentially, especially when that success is visible, and the AI gender gap will close. 'Don't underestimate the power of inspiration and role models,' adds Poli. 'Lucy Guo is, as of 2025, the youngest female billionaire, due to her stake in Scale AI. That is a huge inspiration for many. The 'if she can, I can' attitude can take us farther than we think."
Daily Mail
15-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
RUTH SUNDERLAND: First female Chancellor has lack of affinity with wealth-creating women
Our first female Chancellor Rachel Reeves is desperate for growth. She knows it is the best hope to dig herself and the rest of us out of a doom loop of ever higher national debt and taxes to try to pay for a way of life and welfare provision the country cannot afford. One source of huge growth potential that remains largely untapped is female entrepreneurs. If female founders set up and grew businesses at the same rate as men, it would boost the economy by as much as £250billion, according to the Invest in Women Taskforce, which aims to do what it says on the tin. I have been privileged to interview some brilliant female entrepreneurs, including most recently Kiki McDonough who has run her eponymous jewellery business for 40 years and is highly critical of Reeves. For every success story, however, countless women quietly fall by the wayside. The biggest problem is simple: money. Banks no longer discriminate, at least not openly, when it comes to loans, as was the case with McDonough earlier in her career. The problem is further up the chain when start-ups want to scale up. It is a particular challenge for female founders who are starved of capital. Female-led firms received a derisory 1.8 per cent or £145m of equity investment in the first half of last year. That actually went backwards, from 2.5 per cent the previous year. Female investors are far more likely to invest in female founders than male ones, but there are not that many of them. Women remain thin on the ground in the upper levels of venture capital and private equity. The Invest in Women Taskforce, therefore, is trying to increase the number of female 'angel' investors – wealthy individuals who back early stage companies. It is also setting up a new 'Women backing Women' fund to channel capital to female-led firms. Equity investor BGF (British Growth Fund) has committed £300m to a funding pool. A decade or so ago there was a similar drive for more women in company boardrooms. Although parity is a long way off, female representation has improved dramatically. We now have some excellent female CEOs in the FTSE 100, including Amanda Blanc at Aviva and Emma Walmsley at GSK. Debbie Crosbie, who has just been awarded a damehood, flies the flag at Nationwide Building Society. The hope is that could be replicated with female entrepreneurs, but it is a battle that needs to be fought over and over again. Women are particularly under-represented within tech and AI entrepreneurship, where there is huge fundraising going on. There is a real danger the language of the future is being written by men, for men. Investing in women's businesses is not about inclusion, diversity or charity, it is about making the most of talent and the widest possible opportunities available to investors. Reeves could have been a powerful role model. In fairness, she has given her backing to the taskforce. But her moves so far have been anti-entrepreneurial to the hilt. Raising employer National Insurance Contributions is a deterrent to firms hiring staff, which in turn is a brake on their growth. It also hits women particularly hard because they are over-represented in the retail sector, where the measure has had most effect. Reeves is hamstrung by her tribal Labour instinct to pander to the public sector and her lack of affinity with wealth-creating entrepreneurs, even when these are other women.
Mail & Guardian
02-06-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
The role of bold women in business, according to a powerhouse panel: Insights from the esteemed jury for the 2025 Veuve Cliquot Bold Woman Award
As the 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award adjudication process begins, the esteemed jury prepares to evaluate an inspiring cohort of candidates, each embodying the boldness and innovation that define this prestigious accolade. True to the pioneering spirit of Madame Clicquot, the award has, for over 50 years, honoured remarkable female entrepreneurs who drive change and shape the future of business. This year's finalists stand to join an influential community of visionary women, continuing a legacy of tenacity, creativity, and exceptional leadership. Ahead of the final decision, the judges share their business wisdom and what they hope to see from this year's contenders. Amanda Dambuza, Founder and CEO of Uyandiswa Group Amanda is the Founder and CEO of Uyandiswa, a project management consulting firm. With a distinguished IT career in financial services, she held senior roles at all four major South African banks, including CIO at Barclays Africa. She also serves on JSE-listed and private company boards and, in 2020, founded Vastly Sage to mentor and connect businesswomen. As a long-serving jury member, Amanda is encouraged by the steady improvement in the business landscape for women, with more women entering and succeeding in business each year. 'The benefits women and their families gain from entrepreneurship far outweigh the risks,' she says, inspiring more women to take the leap. She emphasises the importance of the Bold Woman Award in fostering a global community where knowledge and experiences are shared. 'Challenges often aren't unique, and through this, tools and resources are shared for the benefit of all entrepreneurs.' What do you think will set this year's candidates apart from previous years? What is something different you're keeping an eye out for? 'The winners of last year's awards were incredibly inspiring, and I look forward to more of the same. This year, I hope to see more women from traditionally male-dominated industries enter the awards so that we can acknowledge their efforts in changing the business landscape. It's crucial that women know there is a community rooting for them, especially when they feel alone.' Aimee Kellen, Regional Marketing Director, Moët Hennessy Middle East and Africa Aimee is a results-driven marketer with 17 years of experience in brand strategy and luxury consumer marketing. She has managed globally iconic brands, including Hennessy, Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Dom Pérignon across the Middle East & Africa. After roles as Regional Marketing Manager and Head of Consumer Engagement, she became Marketing Director for Belgium & Luxembourg in 2024, leading major brand initiatives like Tomorrowland and the 2024 Olympics. Now, as Regional Marketing Director for Moët Hennessy Middle East & Africa, she drives brand growth and consumer engagement while championing the Bold by Veuve Clicquot programme to support women in business. Aimee believes the impact of female leaders is undeniable, inspiring both peers and aspiring professionals. 'Many in my organisation draw courage from women in leadership,' she says. For this year's awards, she's looking for candidates who not only excel in business but also drive positive change—whether by supporting others, promoting sustainability, or innovating for impact. What's your bold mantra? 'Connect and collaborate to create. Everything is richer when built with collective intelligence, shared insights, and passion.' Happy Ralinala, Director of Palesa Mbali Group Happy Ralinala is the Director of Palesa Mbali Group, focused on empowering women entrepreneurs and leadership excellence. Formerly Managing Executive of Business Banking at Barclays Africa Group, she also led Private and Wealth Banking Segments. With a distinguished career in banking, business strategy, and financial services, Happy is a seasoned board member, trusted advisor, leadership coach, and mentor. As a long-standing member of the Bold Woman judging panel, Happy has witnessed a remarkable shift in the business world, with women-led enterprises growing in quality, scale, and impact. 'Women are not just building businesses; they're leading with purpose and sustainability,' she says. 'What was once a fight for a seat at the table is now a movement of women creating their own tables and inviting others in.' While challenges like limited funding, representation, and mentorship remain, Happy highlights the resilience, vision, and determination of women who turn obstacles into opportunities. She believes platforms like the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award are key in amplifying their achievements. How do you explain the impact of women in business, specifically to other women? Why is it important to you? 'Women-led businesses drive innovation, create jobs, and shape society through inclusive practices. Supporting female entrepreneurs isn't just about equity—it's about unlocking potential that benefits entire economies. My mantra, 'Even eagles need a push,' speaks to how success often emerges from adversity. By supporting women, we help them recognise their strength and soar to new heights.' Morongwe Mokone, Co-Founder of Mo's Crib Morongwe 'Mo' Mokone is the co-founder of Mo's Crib and the recipient of the 2024 Bold Woman Award. Mo's Crib is a home decor and design company specialising in practical, handmade items crafted from recycled materials. With African craft and sustainability at its core, Mo's Crib manufactures and exports hand-crafted homeware for the global market, with its products now stocked in top department stores worldwide. Employing over 300 people, most of whom are women, Mo has seen first-hand the impact women have on business. 'As a women-led business, we've experienced how diverse perspectives drive innovation, resilience, and growth,' she says. 'Women bring unique problem-solving, creativity, and emotional intelligence that enhance decision-making and foster inclusivity.' Mo believes women in business lead to balanced growth and more inclusive products. 'Women also reinvest in their communities, creating a ripple effect… Challenges will come—funding struggles, industry biases, or work-life balance—but your ability to pivot, persist, and innovate will set you apart.' What's your bold mantra? 'My mantra is something I learned from my late mom: 'Here am I.' No matter the challenge at hand, even when I sometimes feel I am not qualified enough, tall enough, or well-spoken enough, I should always show up for myself and remind myself that I am here!' Erik Kruger, International Keynote Speaker, Author, & Leadership Development Specialist Erik Kruger is an international keynote speaker, author, and podcast host focused on adaptability and change. At a time when modern leadership is being redefined, Erik shares ideas and insights to help leaders adapt and reinvent themselves, turning change into opportunity. Reflecting on the growing presence of women in business, Erik acknowledges its undeniable impact. 'More women in leadership leads to better decisions, stronger cultures, and more resilient businesses,' he says. 'The real shift happens when female leadership is seen as essential, not different.' While recognising progress, Erik emphasizes the need for systemic change. 'It's not about women needing more confidence—it's about creating space. Confidence isn't the issue—access is,' he explains. 'Women need seats at the table, real investment, and leadership structures that break outdated norms.' What do you think will set this year's candidates apart from previous years? What is something different you're keeping an eye out for? 'Reinvention. It's one thing to succeed when things are stable, but in the last few years, stability has been a myth. The leaders who stand out won't just be the ones who worked hard—they'll be the ones who rewrote the rules, adapted on the fly, and turned challenges into momentum. I'm looking for people who didn't just weather the storm but figured out how to use it to their advantage.' Timothy Maurice Webster, International Keynote Speaker, Author and NeuroLeadership Specialist Timothy Maurice Webster is a bestselling author, podcast host, and leadership columnist with expertise in behavioural psychology and neuroscience. He advises senior executives, political leaders, and entrepreneurs in 40 countries on leadership influence and personal branding, using strategic media and neuro-creativity. Contemplating on the progress of entrepreneurial women over the last year, Timothy is pleased to see their growing presence in sectors like cybersecurity, mining, energy, and agriculture. He hopes this growth will continue into other industries because he believes women play a remarkable role in business, especially in the C-Suite. 'I see women balancing what I term the Q-Suite: IQ, which everyone knows; EQ, Emotional Intelligence; SQ, Spiritual Intelligence; CQ, Cultural Intelligence; and PBQ, which comes from my work—Personal Brand Intelligence,' says Timothy. 'Women manage all these, not just focusing on one, and this contributes to a business's bottom line and long-term sustainability.' Timothy encourages women to engage their nurturing side, especially in networking. 'Nurturing relationships is a skill that can be honed and mastered, and it shouldn't be taken lightly,' he explains. 'People take risks with people they deem risk-worthy.' What's your bold mantra? 'Bold beauty is born in the heart of purpose.' About the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award In 1805, Madame Clicquot took the reins of the House after the death of her husband, at a time when women did not have the right to work or even hold a bank account. Over the years, she revolutionised the sector. To mark its 200th anniversary, Veuve Clicquot decided to pay tribute to this great, daring woman, and in 1972 created the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award (Bold Woman Award), followed by the Clémentine Award (Bold Future Award) in 2014. For more than 50 years, the House has honoured and featured women who have built, taken on or developed a business – to date, more than 450 women across 27 countries. In response to society's evolution since 1972, starting in 2019 the award has been part of an international program: Bold by Veuve Clicquot, a series of initiatives to generate conversations around the world, designed for more impact and inclusiveness.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Meghan Markle reveals 'guilt mentality' about being rich and fear about 'never having enough' money
Meghan Markle has claimed she was taught to feel guilty about being rich as she discussed fears about 'never having enough' money. The Duchess of Sussex made the admission speaking to the billionaire founder of the Spanx fashion brand, Sara Blakely. Speaking on the final episode of Meghan's Confessions of a Female Founder podcast, Ms Blakely spoke of the joy of female entrepreneurs 'obtaining a lot of financial freedom and money for themselves'. Meghan admitted she would 'love to adopt' her mindset but claimed that women often felt discouraged from building their own fortunes. 'So many women, especially, we're taught to not even talk about money and there's lots of guilt mentality surrounding having a lot', Meghan said. 'And at the same time there's a scarcity mindset that it's easy to attach to, of like "I'll never have enough".' Talking about her own businesses, which include her As Ever brand, she said: 'When you only have yourself to answer to I think it's twofold. It can be incredibly liberating or it can be incredibly lonely.' She added: 'There's a misconception that you need to go to Harvard Business School and have a lot of money and get all the best people behind you [to be successful in business]... So you talk yourself out of it'. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, was speaking about her business and balancing work with motherhood as the first series of her podcast, published by Lemonada Media, comes to a close The Duchess of Sussex, 43, was speaking about her business and balancing work with motherhood as the first series of her podcast, published by Lemonada Media, ended. After her As Ever jam, flower sprinkles, tea and other products sold out, Meghan said she wants to 'step back, gather data from the launch, and figure out exactly what As Ever could be.' Meghan said for now she is planning to launch a new range of merchandise in early 2026 - and may widen her brand into clothing. 'The category of fashion is something I will explore at a later date, because I do think that's an interesting space for me,' she said. Her online store sold out in 45 minutes and contained homely items as well as her long-awaited pots of jam. In the interview, the Duchess also revealed she wouldn't know 'what to call herself' if she had to write a CV. She said: 'If I had to write a résumé, I don't know what I would call myself. 'I think it speaks to this chapter many of us find ourselves in, where none of us are one note. But I believe all the notes I am playing are part of the same song.' Meghan added that the 'mom moments' push her to success in the business world, with plans in the future ranging from home goods to fashion. Revealing her son Archie has begun to lose his teeth, she described becoming the tooth fairy and leaving coins and a little dinosaur underneath his pillow. She said: 'I had a lot of business meetings the next morning, but I still chose to cuddle with him the rest of the night. Those mom moments energize me to be a better founder, a better employer, a better boss.' She revealed she may not restock the previous As Ever goods she sold and instead come up with new products such as fashion Speaking to the Duchess of Sussex on the podcast, the pair shared stories of wearing shoes that pinch and 'cripple' wearers, with Meghan describing how she particularly struggled during her pregnancies. 'I gained 65 pounds with both pregnancies,' the Duchess revealed, continuing: 'And you're in these five-inch pointy-toed stilettos. 'You have the most enormous bump, and your tiny little ankles are bracing themselves in these high heels, but all of my weight was in the front, so you're just going how on earth am I not just tipping, you know faceplanting. 'I was clinging very closely to my husband, I was like please don't let me fall.' During the conversation with Ms Blakely, Meghan also revealed that Archie, six, and Lilibet, three, who have been mainly kept out of the public eye at their home in Montecito, California, are doing well. She promised to send Sara family pictures, adding: 'They are so grown.' The pair also discussed starting businesses in a male dominated world, with Ms Blakely stating: 'There were very few women that I could go to, I really didn't have any. 'I didn't really even have other female founders that were in my network that I could bounce my approach to business.' Describing her time in boardrooms surrounded by men, she jokingly added: 'I'm like Jane Goodall but instead of observing chimpanzees in their natural habitat I get to observe men in their natural habitat. They totally forget I'm there.'
