On International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating role-breaking female founders across the world.
What makes a badass woman entrepreneur? She’s the woman who creates opportunity for herself and for others. She breaks down barriers and paves new paths for her generation and future women in business. And she creates changes in the world that leave positive, lasting impacts for others.
Today, on International Women’s Day, we salute the many girls and women out there who are kicking butt and taking names. To celebrate this special day, we are highlighting 10 badass women who inspire us every day. We hope they will ignite the fire in yourself to pursue your dreams.
And don’t forget, you can find more inspiring stories about women entrepreneurs on our platform: HelloAlice.com.
Anna Auerbach
Werk, Co-founder & Co-CEO
Anna is a former McKinsey consultant and social impact COO. There’s no doubt that she’s one smart cookie. Anna’s a Harvard Business School grad who learned her first lesson in entrepreneurship when she moved to the U.S. as a refugee at age 6, knowing just one word of English. In 2016, she co-founded Werk with Annie Dean. Since then, the job search platform has kept more talented women in the workforce by offering flexible schedules.
Janet Gurwitch
Castanea Partners, Operating Partner
Janet joined Castanea Partners as an operating partner in 2011 with over 15 years of experience in the branded personal care and consumer products sectors. Before mentoring and investing in female founders, like Alli Webb of Drybar, Janet was the founder and CEO of Laura Mercier Cosmetics and Skincare, a global brand of high-end niche cosmetics. Janet also honed her expertise in beauty and fashion as Executive Vice President of Merchandising at Neiman Marcus, where she set the strategy for and oversaw the ready-to-wear, fashion accessories, shoes and cosmetics departments.
Patrice Banks
Girls Auto Clinic: Founder
Patrice Banks is opening up the male-dominated automotive industry by bringing a fresh perspective to the garage. Passionate about equality and empowerment of women, business leadership, innovation, technology and STEM education, Patrice promotes positive messages for female inclusion and empowerment in the auto industry through her #sheCANic movement. With the Girls Auto Clinic, Patrice provides a large segment of the market (women) with quality, fair pricing and, best of all, respect.
Kesha Cash
Impact America Fund: Founder and General Partner
Kesha Cash founded Impact America Fund (IAF) to harness market opportunities overlooked by traditional investors. This amazing organization was founded due to her mission to transform the economic livelihoods of marginalized communities in America. Kesha grew up in economic hardship and is her family’s first college graduate. A Columbia MBA and applied mathematics student from UC Berkeley, Kesha spent the first decade of her career as a mergers and acquisitions analyst at Merrill Lynch, an operational consultant to inner-city small businesses in Los Angeles, and an impact investments associate at Bridges Ventures in the UK.
Katherine Ryder
Maven, Founder and CEO
Katherine is the founder and CEO of Maven, a startup transforming women’s health in America by offering accessible and affordable healthcare via its digital care platform. Prior to Maven, Katherine worked as an early stage investor at the venture capital firm Index Ventures in London. But investing and healthcare aren’t her only specialty. In 2009, she worked with former U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson to write his memoirs about the U.S. financial crisis.
Vicki Saunders
SheEO, Founder
Vicki Saunders is an entrepreneur, award-winning mentor and advisor to the next generation of change-makers. She’s previously started and run ventures in Europe, Toronto and Silicon Valley. Through SheEO, Vicki’s passing on her expertise in funding to up-and-coming women entrepreneurs. Vicki has been a passionate and committed mentor to over 1000 businesses in her career and is currently working with over 30 high potential social entrepreneurs around the world.
Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton
Chillhouse, Founder & CEO
Cyndi recently opened Chillhouse, an NYC destination where clients come to relax and recharge with specialty beverages and spa services. The combination café/spa offers city dwellers an escape, with a café of organic drinks and snacks and spa services for nails and body. Cyndi previously founded the digital style magazine, “Taste the Style,” and was a partner in the hospitality team behind The Garret Bar, Dinnertable and Dullboy. With Chillhouse, Cyndi is bringing health-conscious relaxation in an accessible setting and at affordable prices.
Meagan Ward
Femology & Creatively Flawless, Founder
Meagan began her career with a tenacious work ethic learned from her mother and a Business Marketing degree from Western Michigan University. In 2013, she opened her consultancy firm, Creatively Flawless, and less than three years later, she started Femology, a coworking space for women entrepreneurs in Detroit. In addition to Creatively Flawless, Meagan is also the founder of women’s empowerment organization The Powerful Women: Cultivating Women of Excellence.
Soraya Darabi
Trail Mix Ventures, Co-founder and General Partner
Soraya co-founded Trail Mix Ventures to invest in edgy, bold companies outside of NYC, particularly those committed to “the future of living well.” She began her career as Manager of Digital Partnerships and Social Media at The New York Times and went on to co-found Foodspotting (acquired by OpenTable) and Zady. Soraya made Fast Company’s Most Creative People, Inc.’s 30 Under 30, and Fortune’s 40 Under 40. She was twice named a Mentor of the Year by TechStars, is a YGL at The World Economic Forum, and serves as a NY State Trustee for The Nature Conservancy.
Anna Mason
Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, Partner
Anna has over 10 years of experience in finance, startup operations, and venture community programming. When she’s not helping entrepreneurs get funding, Anna serves in a volunteer capacity as the Co-Director of the Washington Chapter of The Vinetta Project. She is also a founding Organizational Board Member for The BEACON DC, an initiative launched to help make DC the top city for women entrepreneurs. Prior to that, she co-founded a fitness-community app that was acquired in 2015. Anna is also a certified health coach and a published author; her first novel, They All Fall Down, was published in September 2015.
This post was originally published on HelloAlice.