Although achieving gender equity is an uphill battle, women leaders continue to persevere and take control of their narratives. Despite towering barriers, they push against the glass ceiling with steadfast shoulders, creating cracks and fractures that eventually shatter.
Here, we highlight four entrepreneurs who saw a need and presented powerful solutions—not just for themselves but for a brighter future where every woman can lead movements for change.
Women make up less than half of STEM occupations, signifying a prevalent gender gap that has yet to be addressed. Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code to help close the disparity through educational resources, such as mentorship opportunities and school programs. By creating more avenues for young girls to create fulfilling careers in tech, Saujani actively helped redefine the average coding professional.
Her current activism involves supporting moms through an initiative called Moms First, an organization that highlights the need for affordable child care, paid family leave, and equitable job opportunities for mothers. Saujani continues to push gender equity to the forefront, and demonstrates how women—whether student or parent—are more than capable of making their mark, and are wholly deserving of success in every stage of life.
As a breastfeeding mother, Kate Torgersen struggled with the difficulties of balancing infant care and career. When she found it difficult to travel for work and have breast milk readily available for her babies, she knew there had to be a better path. With the help of her father, an ally, she co-launched Milk Stork, a breast milk shipping company.
Now, parents around the world have easier access to lactation support in more ways than one. They no longer have to worry about pumping and providing days’ worth of breast milk before a business trip or stressing over their child’s food intake when having to fulfill time-sensitive work responsibilities. Parents should be able to nurture their children and careers, and Torgersen is yet another trailblazer who makes this reality possible.
Former investor and present-day co-founder Lina Chan experienced unexplainable grief during her motherhood journey. Having persevered through a miscarriage and difficulty conceiving, she longed to empower other women undergoing similar challenges. After all, community is one of the most effective balms for our hurt and uncertainty.
Through Parla, a digital health platform that connects women with medical experts, Chan is able to live out her dream of supporting people throughout the most vulnerable times of their lives. Fertility, endometriosis, conception, and menopause are just a few women’s issues that her company tackles. With research-backed information and access to health educators, Chan has created a space where women can come as they are, learn about their bodies, and make more informed decisions.
Climate change and plastic waste are global issues that affect us all. Sarah Kauss slipped in her ‘why’ for creating S’well by capturing customers’ hearts with a reusable bottle and then informing them of her mission. She sought to help reduce our carbon footprint and promptly made it into a booming business. Through strategic storytelling, she marketed her product by making it something people wanted to purchase, and in doing so, sold the idea of lessening our plastic use while staying hydrated.
As an entrepreneur and influential figure, Kauss is no stranger to a competitive market. But passion, endurance, and pivotal connections were key to her success, and it’s a template all of us should follow when breathing life into our own dreams—especially if those dreams are for a brighter (in Kauss’ case, greener) future.
All of us are building our legacies, but we can’t write our stories alone. Whether you need guidance from industry veterans or seek to mentor and empower others, CCWomen provides a networking platform for you to forge meaningful connections.
With mentors, peers, and industry friends by your side, paying it forward takes on a whole new meaning. Connect with our team to learn more.