Poverty and its corollary powerlessness are overcome first by listening to the voices of the poor and their perspectives, aspirations and cultural identities.
1,000 Stories
More than 1,000 women entrepreneurs from around the world have told us about their personal business journeys. Here are their stories, in their own words. Tell us yours!
Katie Rock: Activyst — Helping Girls Play Sports and Live Better
I found out that girls who play sports are statistically less likely to get pregnant or be in an abusive relationship, and are statistically healthier, more confident, and happier.
Saija Mahon: Mahon Digital Marketing – Took the Plunge and Started a Business
I founded Mahon Digital Marketing back in 2010, in order to pursue my life-long dream of being a business owner, and also in order to have the flexibility in my life that it offered.
Julia Pilas: Elephant Nose Pet Center — Shop Owner and ‘Catch-it’ Patent Holder
Success for me is the satisfaction you feel when a customer has nothing but appreciation for the job you’ve done.
Bridget Orsetti: Saratoga Gifts and Videos – Loves Flexibility of Owning a Business
I love the challenge of owning a business, the constant growth, change and decisions that come at me daily. This particular business taps into one of my passions, that being quality products made by people who care.
Anna Newman: Anna Newman Group – Uses Bartering to Help Fund Films
I wanted to not only develop my own skills as a producer and filmmaker, but to create opportunities for other emerging artists in the Bay Area.
Monica Leo: Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre – Entertaining Children
When I told my mother, a free-lance metal sculptor, that I wanted to work as an artist, she told me I should find something I enjoyed doing that other people enjoyed paying money for.
Shweta Chari: Toybank — Gives Working Children a Place to Play
I believe I am one of those individuals that has come with a focus to work towards development of the world. There is a deep desire to bring about sustainable change.
Carolyn West-Price Touhey: Two Eagles Lodge B&B – Realized Her Dream
Visualize what you want to build/create, create the plan, implement it (including strategic detours), and then take the time to look at what you’ve done and say, “Yeah, we did it.”
S. Bunzendahl & K. Hughes: Buy The Change – Fair Trade Through Trunk Shows
Kari and I founded Buy The Change to increase economic and educational opportunities for women in the developing world through the sale of their fairly traded, handmade products in the American marketplace.
Darlisa Diltz: djd.In~Depth Marketing and Consulting Services – ‘Apply Your Gifts and Talents’
Upon completion of my MBA, I was looking for something more, something that would help me to put all of that knowledge to good use.
Sudha Sundaravaradan: Jumporee – Thriving in a Male-Dominated Business
Passion and urge to create something unique and lack of active and fun playtime among young children these days motivated me to look at starting a company related to physical playtime of children.
Bonika Wilson: Wilson Capital Management – Learned Grit, Passion and Persistence
These ladies have shown me that being in business takes a certain level of grit, passion and persistence. As a woman business owner, it is important to surround yourself with other women business owners.
Bhavana: Aristocraft – Father Motivated Her to Become Entrepreneur
My successful market research for about 3 years have given me an insight about the market and I realised that there are smarter ways to start a business within given budget.
Sandra Garcia: Conscious PR – Disillusioned by Corporate World
I was very disillusioned about the corporate world and did not desire to hand my resume onto similar companies, so after helping a friend launch her first art exhibit, I thought about freelancing.