Women around the world are leading change, breaking boundaries, and building businesses that matter. In this blog, we’re highlighting female entrepreneurs who built empires from scratch. Some are well-known; others are rising stars. But they all have one thing in common — they started from nothing and built something powerful.
Whether they launched a brand in their garage or challenged the norms in male-dominated industries, these women prove that success doesn’t come from privilege — it comes from passion, vision, and hard work.
1. Oprah Winfrey – The Queen of Media
Oprah Winfrey grew up in poverty in Mississippi, USA. She faced many struggles, including abuse and discrimination. However, she didn’t give up. Her strong will and talent led her to become a news anchor, then the host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, one of the most popular talk shows in history.
Oprah founded Harpo Productions, her own media company, and later launched the OWN Network. Today, she is one of the richest and most influential women in the world.
👉 Oprah.com
2. Sara Blakely – Founder of Spanx
Sara Blakely started her journey selling fax machines door to door. One day, she had an idea for shapewear that actually worked. With just $5,000 in savings, she launched Spanx. She didn’t have any fashion or business background, and she faced many rejections.
Still, she believed in her product. Her persistence paid off when Oprah featured Spanx on her show. Today, Sara is a self-made billionaire and one of the most inspiring businesswomen in the world.
spanx
3. Melanie Perkins – Co-founder of Canva
Melanie Perkins had a vision to make graphic design simple for everyone. She started with an online tool for school yearbooks and eventually co-founded Canva in 2013. The startup was born in Australia but is now used by over 100 million people worldwide.
Melanie is one of the youngest female CEOs of a tech unicorn. She proved that with innovation and teamwork, anyone can succeed in tech.
👉 Canva.com
4. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw – India’s Biotech Pioneer
Kiran started her career as a trained brewmaster in a male-dominated industry. In 1978, she launched Biocon from her garage in Bangalore, India. With limited funding and no business experience, she faced many challenges.
But her vision for affordable healthcare and innovation in biotechnology made Biocon one of India’s largest pharma companies. Kiran is now a role model for women in science and leadership.
👉 Biocon
5. Sophia Amoruso – From eBay to Girlboss
Sophia started her journey selling vintage clothes on eBay. Her unique style and creative marketing helped her build Nasty Gal, a fashion brand that quickly became a success.
Later, she launched Girlboss, a platform that empowers women through content, events, and resources. Despite ups and downs, Sophia remains a voice for women who want to build their own paths.
👉 Girlboss.com
6. Yasmin Belo-Osagie – Co-founder of She Leads Africa
Yasmin studied law and business but wanted to do something meaningful. She co-founded She Leads Africa, a platform that helps African women entrepreneurs grow their businesses through training, networking, and funding.
Her work has impacted thousands of women across Africa. Yasmin shows how passion and purpose can turn into powerful platforms for change.
👉 She Leads Africa
7. Muna AbuSulayman – Business Leader and Social Advocate
Muna is one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential women. She worked as a TV host and later became a UN Goodwill Ambassador. She now leads business and charity projects that support education, women’s rights, and youth development in the Arab world.
Muna’s journey shows that women can use their voice and platform to lead social and business change.
👉 Muna on LinkedIn
What Can We Learn From These Women?
These stories are more than just business successes. They are stories of resilience, courage, and leadership. These women faced doubts, criticism, and obstacles. But they turned their ideas into action — and their dreams into empires.
They remind us that anyone — no matter their background — can rise and lead with purpose.