Women have been making strides in all spheres of influence: politics, education, and society. A study reveals that 39.1% of businesses are women-owned, an impressive 13.6% growth from 2019 to 2023. They also employ more than 12 million people and create around $2.7 trillion in revenue, making their impact undeniable.
Without women-owned companies emerging at the helm, today’s professional landscape would look startlingly different. Fortunately, we’re able witness and strengthen our own empowerment by learning from their successes. In this piece, we’ll explore just a few successful organizations that actively work to uplift others.
Let’s get into it.
Priscilla Tsai struggled to feel confident about her skin for several years before founding Cocokind, a skincare brand on a mission to disrupt the beauty industry. When browsing our favorite products, we’re used to seeing models with spotless skin, which rarely reflects how people look in real life. This has the potential to distort our view of ourselves and negatively affect our self-esteem.
For this reason, Tsai’s collection of moisturizers, serums, and treatments boasts friendly ingredients on more true-to-life complexions, dark spots, and acne. The brand leans into Tsai’s personal experiences, offering others a connection that helps them feel more comfortable in their skin because in the real world, there’s no such thing as perfect.
Emma Mcilroy created WILDFANG to redefine gender norms in the fashion industry. Embracing both the masculine and feminine, Mcilroy’s company sells clothing tailored to all identities. It’s 2024; women shouldn’t have to envy men’s jeans just for their spacious pockets.
Driven by her passion for more gender-neutral attire, Mcilroy quit her full-time job and withdrew funds from her 401k to make her dream a reality. Now, she’s more than successful with stores across the West Coast. When discussing WILDFANG, it’s easy to identify what’s important to the founder. Partnering with various causes like ACLU, ProjectQ, Planned Parenthood, The Trevor Project, and more, the business has contributed more than $1 million to communities that need continuous support and empowerment. It’s also climate-neutral certified, so customers can rest assured that their clothes are made without harming the planet.
Coming from a strong medical background, Kristian Edwards wanted to find a way to promote products that were sustainable, natural, cruelty-free, and accessible. The result? BLK + GRN, a collective marketplace consisting of items crafted by Black women artisans.
BLK + GRN exists as a solution to two issues: the FDA doesn’t ban enough toxic chemicals often included in our skin, hair, and home care, so Edwards promises to keep them off her platform. Women of color don’t receive adequate support for their small businesses, so the artisans working with BLK + GRN become easily discoverable. By creating a safe and familiar space for shoppers and entrepreneurs alike, Edwards helps foster genuine connections that allow people to live their healthiest toxin-free lives.
Lauren Schulte Wang didn’t want uncomfortable periods to be her norm, so she decided to take matters into her own hands by creating menstrual products she’d actually want to use.
She later set out to educate people about their bodies and work to remove unnecessary stigma around reproductive health. In addition to its products, Flex offers tailored support through its “flexperts" and covers important topics on its blog, The Fornix, nurturing a sense of authentic community where no question is considered off-limits.
Flex empowers its audience with knowledge by demystifying all words associated with menstruation. Then, it provides tangible solutions for alleviating pains often associated with the menstrual experience.
These efforts have clearly paid off, considering that Flex products can be found in most chain retail stores across the U.S. and continue to be a top-seller. (As a loyal customer of more than two years, I can confirm it’s worth your money.)
Similar to Wang, Beatrice Dixon began her entrepreneurial journey because of a personal struggle with bacterial vaginosis. Inspired by an ancestral dream, she tested a formula that would help her maintain her hygiene without involving questionable chemicals and toxins.
We now recognize her passion project as The Honey Pot Company. It sells everything from washes to supplements, allowing customers to fulfill all their needs in one go. It also donates 2% of its sales to organizations that raise awareness of menstrual and reproductive health, demonstrating that when we succeed, it’s vital that we always pay it forward.
CCWomen’s 2024 theme is Empower, Together. As a collective, we strive to build each other up and maximize our impact within ourselves and our communities. Like these five women-owned businesses that leverage their platform to elevate others, CCWomen is here to give you the stage and empower you in every season.
Want to join in on the excitement? Become a CCWomen+ member today to enjoy exclusive events, networking opportunities, customized career guidance, and more.