Several Fortune 500 Companies Are Run By Women

There are 14.5 million women-owned businesses in the United States. Firms run by female executives employ 12.9 million workers and generate $3.3 trillion annually.  Several Fortune 500 companies are run by women. No longer are female business leaders an anomaly. Although there are still more male-owned businesses, women entrepreneurs are catching up, owning more than 39 percent of businesses in the United States.

Here are the stories of women who became the heads of well-known and Fortune 500 companies.

As Trump Would Say, "It's Going To Be the Biggest Ever!" on the 'No Kings' Rallies Worldwide

©Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Organizers of today's (3/28/26) "No Kings" rallies across the country are predicting that the protests against the actions of President Donald Trump and his administration could add up to one of the largest demonstrations in U.S. history, with Minnesota (Bruce Springsteen is performing) taking center stage.

Organizers say more than 3,100 events have been registered in all 50 states, with more than 9 million people expected to participate.   Or as Trump would say, "Billions are showing up :-)!  It's going to be the biggest ever!"

Photo credit:  Laurel Delaney of Chicago's flyer for the No Kings rally 3/28/26.

Why Entrepreneurship Is Rising For Women

Women now own over 40% of all U.S. businesses, employing 12.6 million people and generating $2.8 trillion in revenue, according to a recent report by Wells Fargo. The number of women-owned businesses grew 12% from 2022 to 2025, nearly double the growth rate for businesses owned by men.

The trend is particularly strong among younger women and women of color, who are ambitiously launching new businesses. 

Read more here.

Cheers To All the Powerhouse Women Entrepreneurs Today

Cheers to all the powerhouse women entrepreneurs today – may your revenue streams run as bright as the Chicago River. 💚☘️ Had to share this incredible video I took today (3/14/26) of the Chicago River being dyed green.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2026! 

From Ireland to Texas: Four Women Entrepreneurs Redefining Success

The Irish-American connection is built off the backs of generations of trailblazers who, over centuries, have paved paths for strong bonds between our two nations.

Today, Irish women in Texas continue to embody tremendous drive, through leadership in business and innovation, contributions to the arts and academia, and service to their communities, they are forging modern links between Ireland and Texas.

Meet some of the Irish women who are making their mark in the Lone Star state.

Women Are Redefining Freedom, Entrepreneurship, and Immigrant Storytelling

For Saloua Ibaline, entrepreneurship has always meant more than building a business – it’s been a way to reclaim agency, nurture community, and expand what’s possible. 

At 20, she immigrated to New York City with little more than determination and soon transformed her experience into a book amplifying the voices of immigrant women entrepreneurs across the U.S., celebrating their resilience, ingenuity, and community‑driven leadership.

After spending years living and working remotely in more than 30 countries, Saloua now blends storytelling, education, and strategy to help others craft sustainable, location‑independent lives grounded in freedom, purpose, and impact.

Saloua is redefining freedom, entrepreneurship, and immigrant storytelling.

Owning Your Success At Work Shouldn't Be Mistaken for Being Aggressive (TEDx)

Women Entrepreneurs Are a Powerful Driver of Job Creation and Economic Growth

Women entrepreneurs are a powerful yet underused driver of job creation and economic growth. Removing barriers to their success could significantly expand employment, especially for women.

To unlock this potential, growth-oriented women-led small and medium enterprises (WSMEs) – the “missing middle” – must receive stronger support. These firms face major financing gaps, being too large for micro loans but often viewed as too small or risky for banks and investors.

Read more about what the World Bank has set as a target for reaching more women and women-led businesses by 2030.

Publicly Traded Companies Run by Women Entrepreneurs

Women are making powerful strides in all industries and sectors – from sports and entertainment, to international judiciary systems – despite living and working in a world rife with “alarming” bias against them. 

However, in the realm of publicly traded companies, women leaders remain scant. Just over 40 companies on the S&P 500 had women CEOs – a paltry 8%.

The growth is slow.

While there are thousands of publicly traded companies worldwide, The Story Exchange only found 44 thus far that had women involved from the very beginning.

Giving Back to Help Other Women Entrepreneurs

Through a collaboration, Melissa Clark, Founder of the She Shift, and Tiffany Harris, owner and founder of Whip My Butta Organics, came together to launch an initiative to support other female-owned businesses.

With every purchase, 10% will be donated to Live Limitless Refuge Center, a Luxury Women's Shelter in Troy, NY, and you can choose to purchase a kit that will be donated to the women served at the shelter. Every purchased donation kit will be delivered monthly to the shelter.

The money will go towards purchasing more feminine products and other necessary items for women who come through the doors.

Women Entrepreneurs Who Make Cold-Weather Product Brands

Jaye Genung of Gobi Heat, founded her company to address the lack of stylish, functional heated apparel, providing jackets, vests, and gear for cold-weather conditions.

Julie Vavrichek of WELLinsulated, created a line of chic, insulated bags designed to protect skincare, electronics, and medication from freezing temperatures. 

Jaye and Julie have created niche products specifically for cold-weather challenges, addressing both comfort and protection of goods.

Sounds like the perfect time to explore these products while the bitter cold blankets USA!

Female Entrepreneurs: What Book Changed Your Life?

Lindsay Tigar asked a group of female entrepreneurs to share the book that changed their perspective: professionally, personally or both. These aren’t just titles they admired. They’re books that cracked something open, offered clarity, or gave permission to think differently.

Here, female entrepreneurs share their must-reads for you and for me.  Oh, and my favorite?  Anything by Jim Collins, the late Clayton Christensen or Peter Drucker.

This Woman Entrepreneur Turned Grass Into Bonnets

Image created by ChatGPT prompt: Sophia Woodhouse's 1819 straw hat

Going back in time, Sophia Woodhouse was born in Wethersfield in 1799. She and her family lived on Main Street in town, and she would go to the meadows to pick grass. But what she did with the grass was groundbreaking.

“She went and picked the grass and discovered a method of turning it into beautiful bonnets,” said Gillie Johnson, Wethersfield Historical Society. “And in 1819 she entered the Hartford Agricultural Society’s Cattle Show and Fair and displayed a bonnet that dazzled people and what was popular at the time were Leghorn bonnets from Italy, and people said her bonnet was just as good if not better than those bonnets.”

Sophia Woodhouse turned her bonnet making into a business, creating a cottage industry. She is known today as one of the first female entrepreneurs of the greater Hartford, Connecticut area, even earning a patent for her design in 1821.

Two first ladies, Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams, wore her design. President John Quincy Adams called the bonnets “an extraordinary specimen of American manufacturing.”

Women Entrepreneurs: Engine of Growth, Employment and Exports

Data from the Ministry of micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India suggests that women-owned enterprises have been growing, accounting for approximately 20 per cent of all own-account enterprises. While 20 per cent is still a small percentage, it could also be construed as the effects of the women-centric policies finally taking off.  There is little doubt that MSMEs are heralded as the backbone of the economy in India, yet, within this engine of growth lies there remains the untapped potential of the woman entrepreneur. 

Despite these green shoots, the path for a woman entrepreneur or employee in the MSME sector is less of a ladder and more of a labyrinth. The challenges are not merely operational but are also, unfortunately, deeply entrenched in the social fabric. One of the most glaring issues remains the lack of asset ownership.

Women entrepreneurs, no matter where they are based continue to shoulder the responsibility of propelling economic growth, employment, and exports.

Personal note from Laurel – Happy 2026!  Make it a standout year for you.  Also, feel free to attend a wegginar I am presenting on 1/7 at 11:00 AM CT on global trade trends.  It's free of charge but you must register to get the sign-in link.  Get a leg up for your business in 2026.