Here is some midweek motivation from our favourite female entrepreneurs. Girlboss is thrown around with a sense of entitlement, but there is no reason one cannot be a girl boss with a bit of humility. Here are favourite lessons to learn from some of the best female entrepreneurs
1. Tyra Banks
Tyra has been a model for years but since retiring in 2005, she has shown the world that it is never too late to reinvent yourself. In 2011, she started her degree at Harvard Business School and is fast becoming a successful businesswoman. Never fret and be worried when changing your direction.
2. J. K Rowling
Rowling is famous for her rags to riches story. She was at rock bottom, a recently single mother on benefits who was struggling to look after her children. In a moment of motivation, she decided it was time for her to start doing what she always wanted – writing. Rowling’s story shows us that no matter how bleak things look, a little bit of drive can propel us further than we ever thought we could go.
3. Kate Moss
Another model turned entrepreneur, Moss now creates on-trend fashion items for Topshop and has 14 different lines to date. Kate Moss proves that with a little bit of dedication and influence, you can turn something you’re good at into a solid career.
4. Jillian Michaels
After finding fame in ‘The Biggest Loser’, the personal trainer turned her attention to entrepreneurialism, creating her own media company. From workout DVDs and equipment to fitness-related video games, Jillian shows us how important it is to build a solid foundation in your area of expertise before attempting to branch out.
5. Melinda Emerson
Entrepreneur, author and speaker better known as the @SmallBizLady on Twitter, Melinda Emerson pushes the importance of mentorship for female entrepreneurs. She reminds us just how important it is for new entrepreneurs to have people in their lives that support their business ideas and can offer constructive criticism.
6. Sarah Blakely
The founder of Spanx and one of most wealthy self-made women in business, Sarah proves how one unique solution to a wider problem can completely change the industry you’re in. That one idea could be the next big thing, so don’t give up on it just yet.
7. Barbara Corcoran
This real estate tycoon offers us another rags-to-riches story we can all learn from. She flunked college, getting all Ds, yet went on to create one of the largest real estate firms in NY. Corcoran believes the only difference between successful people and everyone else is ‘how long they spend feeling sorry for themselves’.
So stop worrying about past mistakes and get out there!
8. Arianna Huffington
We all know Arianna as the Editor-in-Chief at the Huffington post and is a self-made entrepreneur. Her nugget of advice is simple, believing that a critical part of being an entrepreneur is ‘understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success’. We absolutely love Thrive Global.
9. Jenny Craig
Jenny Craig has managed to sustain a career in the often unpredictable weight management industry like no other, mostly thanks to her impressive ability to adapt. We can learn a lot just from that but she also believes that her relentless commitment to everything she does is what makes her a great entrepreneur.
10. Sheryl Sandberg
No entrepreneurial list would be complete without Sheryl Sandberg. Not only is she the COO of Facebook, she has made an incredible career for herself teaching women how to lead in business and achieve their goals. She believes that if women follow their goals and get the support needed to do so, eventually there will be ‘no female leaders, only leaders’.
Learn more about Entrepreneurship with FutureLearn’s Online Entrepreneurship Courses: https://www.futurelearn.com/subjects/business-and-management-courses/entrepreneurship