Business stories of successful women entrepreneurs. Success stories - experiences of rich and famous women
10 books about inspiration, business success and life lessons from the most famous businesswomen - from Sheryl Sandberg and Arianna Huffington to Mary Kay.
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These books, in which successful women share their career stories and give advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, will be a source of inspiration, and even better, success for all women.
Follow Sandberg's impassioned message to women: “Break through! Fight! Fight! Rush forward!
Sheryl Sandburg Dare to Take Action: Woman, Work, and the Will to Lead
Publisher:"Alpina-Publisher", Moscow, 2014
The main reason for the crazy success of Sharyl Sandberg's book, which calls on all women to actively fight for their business rights, is, of course, not in career advice to women starting their careers.
“Don’t be afraid to act” is, first of all, the story of the heroine’s epiphany, her own coming out, her path to the recognition that even successful women do not receive what men receive.
They are less likely to be listened to, they are paid less, they are promoted less often, and so on. Well, those few who are lucky enough to make a career and achieve high positions try to become part of a man's world and prefer not to talk about injustice towards women or not to notice it at all.
The situation seems so familiar - and not only in America, and even more so in Russia with its boyish code, where the most ardent opponents of feminism sit in leadership positions and in the highest echelons of power.
The only way to change this, according to Sandberg, is to give up the eternal supporting role and start acting yourself. Be bold, loud, active, because the main reason for the success of men most often turns out to be that they are louder, more active and fearless.
All this comes from a man who has truly achieved everything - the career success of Sandberg, the CEO and board member of Facebook, is something most men cannot even dream of.
Main lesson: To achieve success in life, you need to work on this since school - raise your hand higher than everyone else in class, sit closer to the leader at conferences, not be afraid to ask for a raise, and not be afraid at all, because it is fear that makes a woman helpless.
Quote:“Ask a man to explain how he achieved success, and he will most likely talk about his own talents and skills. Ask a woman the same question, and she'll likely attribute her success to external factors, claiming she owes her luck to "trying hard," "getting lucky," or "getting help."
Mary Kay Ash "The Path to Success"
Publisher:"Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", Moscow, 2009
This book was translated in Russia relatively recently - on a new wave of its success in America. In the 60s, it was such a business fairy tale with a good ending: management pampers employees, employees, in turn, pamper customers, and above all this, like a kind mother, Mary Kay herself stands and comes up with cosmetics.
And to this day, new employees of the company receive this book as a gift to inspire them to believe that they can do anything. And many are truly inspired. But in the 2000s, Mary Kay’s optimistic and carefree book received a new reading.
In the new wave of feminism, it really became a book about a woman who could - she left her husband, raised three children, was not given a promotion because she was a woman, and she retired and already built an entire empire there. And we are no longer so interested in how she did it all, it is more important to know - in spite of what. This is a new interpretation of a classic.
Main lesson: One of the first female success stories with the moral “the lower you fall, the higher you rise.” It is important not only that she herself could do it, but also that she promised millions of women around the world that they too could succeed - and they did.
Quote:“The world of business is a man's world. And the most obvious proof of this is on the dollar bills in your wallet.”
Sofia Amoruso "#GIRLBOSS"
Release year: 2014
And this is the same Sheryl Sandberg, only for girls - or rather, for bad girls, which does not interfere with her deafening American popularity.
And if the book by the Facebook executive is read with the greatest pleasure by other directors, then Sofia Amuroso, founder of the online clothing store Nasty Gal, writes for everyone else: those who did not graduate from Harvard, did not acquire influential mentors, and generally flew past the beaten path that leads in the administrations of presidents and boards of directors of large companies.
Sophia, a patented loser by all accounts, started her business selling stolen books on Ebay, then moved on to vintage dresses, carefully pinning good luck wishes to buyers on each item sold, and now has a company worth over $100 million.
And, in general, Sofia’s main commandment sounds like this: everything is laid in you to succeed, as long as you, with a healthy share of cheerful gouging, turn into an iron business woman, then into an office fifa, then into a friendly the owner of a small shop, you believe in yourself and don’t give up.
Until the book is translated into Russian, you can only read it in the original.
Main lesson: In order to achieve success, it is not at all necessary to pretend to be someone - you can be a fun punk, and still turn millions.
Quote:"Don't grow up, don't be a bore, and never let a man get you!"
Arianna Huffington "Thrive"
Release year: 2014
Arianna Huffington is, perhaps, one of the main names in modern journalism today, no matter how contempt we treat news aggregators and other blogs.
Huffington also did not want to be taken seriously for a long time, but the simple idea of luring celebrities to the Internet brought her a name, a fortune, and a Forbes cover.
However, the book by the creator of the Huffington Post is remarkable not so much as a success story, but as a call to treat success differently. Her own story begins with fainting from overwork and the realization of the need to start living differently.
Instead of sleepless nights, burnout at work, chasing salaries - meditation, sleep, proper nutrition and a call to sometimes disconnect from your smartphone. In other words, success does not always necessarily mean internal combustion; you can live correctly and calmly and still keep your place on the list of millionaires.
Such insights from a woman whose career is already going nowhere better can be slightly annoying, because she has nowhere else to strive. But think for yourself - it was this, the fourteenth, Huffington’s book about the fact that in order to be successful in a race you can sometimes get out of it, which became her main bestseller.
In the end, the idea of “a healthy mind in a healthy body” in a world in which the more successful a person is, the more heavily he is on antidepressants, seems more than relevant.
Main idea: A healthy entrepreneurial spirit can only be found in a healthy body.
Quote:“We mistakenly believe that success depends on the amount of time invested in it, when the quality of that time is actually much more important.”
Martha Stewart "The Martha Rules"
Release year: 2005
Since it is difficult to imagine a woman who earned more money from her own work than Martha Stewart, it would be a good idea to listen to her advice.
The biography of Martha Stewart itself could teach us a lot - a woman who amassed an entire empire simply by portraying a happy housewife.
Today, the name Martha Stewart has become a byword for everything we think of as traditional feminine values - a pretty house, a well-kept house, fresh pie on the table and flowers, flowers, flowers.
What is surprising is not so much the devotion of Americans to Martha Stewart, but the latter's ability to capitalize on everything she touches, earning millions upon millions from gardening books, household items, and cooking shows and websites.
In 2004, Martha Stewart went to prison for six months for cheating on the stock exchange. That didn’t stop her from turning her prison experience to her advantage: she staged a revolution in the prison canteen, started an affair with a guard, and right after her release she wrote the book “Martha’s Rules,” the title of which can also be read as a confession of her own inflexibility - “Martha Rules!”
Inside are not autobiographical revelations, but very specific advice on running your own business. How to write a business plan, how to communicate with partners, how to recruit a team and how to achieve success by doing exclusively what you are passionate about.
Main lesson: There is no situation from which a smart woman could not profit.
Quote:“Never accept something that is offered to you if you feel it could be improved.”
Irina Khakamada “The Tao of Life. Master class from a convinced individualist"
Publisher:"Alpina Publishers", Moscow, 2011U
Irina Khakamada has a funny way of methodically confirming each of her statements with a list of several points: “first, second, sixth... - and last,” and then about five more sub-points.
In general, this text, in which there are almost more aphorisms than words, could use a good editor. Then, behind the author’s sayings, famously mixed from popular philosophy, Eastern wisdom, glossy words that littered our 90s and self-help, mixed with advice on how to create women’s happiness, there would be a real story of Irina Khakamada herself about how from an ugly duckling, she turned into a successful beautiful woman.
For now, this plot line remains practically between the lines, and it is the most interesting thing here. And yet, Khakamada is an impressive example of success, and most importantly, very Russian.
Although she failed to rebuild the entire fatherland, and it is completely impossible to imagine her in modern politics, she created herself and is now receiving excellent dividends from herself. It’s funny, but I would like to note her books precisely for this - how through them they recreate that image of a successful woman, at the same time smart and a little fifa, which is very much valued precisely (and only) in Russia.
Main lesson: In Russia there is - or no longer is - such a thing as a successful female politician. So Irina Khakamada’s books fill an important gap, showing us what a real self-made woman at the heights of power could be like. The main success of the author lies precisely in the fact that, having abandoned the heights, she does not cease to be a heroine.
Quote:“The main thing is to be happy, and not to be first under any circumstances.”
Betty Holbreich "I'll Drink to That: A Life in Style, with a Twist"
Release year: 2014
But here is a heroine whose sense of style and sharp words is hard not to envy. Despite the fact that Betty Holbreich is already in her ninth decade, she remains one of the main authorities in matters of fashion in Manhattan.
Despite the fact that this outstanding woman worked throughout her career in the same place, without promotion - as a personal stylist at the legendary Bergdof department store.
This is a profession that Holbreich practically invented, and to this day there is no one in the world who knows how to dress women better than she does. In her book, Holbreich tells how she came to Bergdof almost straight from a psychiatric hospital.
A girl from a wealthy Chicago family, for whom, from childhood, dresses and beautiful things replaced friends, she lived in a cocoon until she was fifty, raising children and obeying her husband, until the children grew up and her husband turned into an alcoholic.
And fifty-year-old Betsy, who had never worked in her life, went to the Bergdof department store, where she specially invented the role of a personal stylist for herself, because she could not cope with the cash register and could not become a saleswoman.
Goldbreich, however, is worth reading not only to make sure that age is not a hindrance - it is a fascinating, inspiring read about the role of clothing in a woman’s life, about the shortcomings that we try to hide, and the advantages that we ourselves do not notice.
Main lesson: It doesn’t matter how old you are or what you can do - Betty Holbreich was almost fifty and she couldn’t do anything at all, but that didn’t stop her from becoming almost the most famous stylist in the world.
Quote:“Young women today devote so much effort to staying in shape that they hardly leave their tracksuits.
This doesn't leave much to the imagination. In my time, when traveling by plane, we always wore a suit, gloves and a hat. And the last time I visited the airport, I almost confused it with the fitness center.”
Alexandra Vilkis and Alexis Maybank “By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop”
Release year: 2012
Perhaps you have never been to America and have never heard of the Gilt Groupe company, so you can tick off a business idea that has not yet been implemented in Russia.
In short, the formula for the success of this online store comes down to three, seemingly incongruous words: fast, cheap and exclusive. Gilt is a virtual sales service, entry to which is possible only by personal invitation.
Here they sell things from famous brands at stock prices, but at the same time positioning themselves not as a flea market, but as an elite club. The business is valued at more than a billion dollars. All this is the merit of the two girlfriends who invented it, Harvard graduates.
And they generously share advice for future startups, and very practical advice, especially on how friendship can become the main business asset. Two friends: one punctual and organized, the other impulsive and creative, came together like ice and fire, and the key to their success is precisely the ability to stop and listen to each other.
Main lesson: Sometimes the right business education really helps build a million dollar company out of nothing. Or a billion.
Quote:“The great human dream of seeing something you create grow into something immeasurably greater… proves that amazing things happen when you team up with the right people, take risks and are willing to take action.”
Pamela Skaist-Levi and Gela Nash-Taylor "The Glitter Plan: How We Started Juicy Couture for $200 and Turned It into a Global Brand"
Release year: 2014
The founding story of Juicy Couture as told by founders Pamela Skaist-Levi and Gela Nash-Taylor. The two models, who couldn't find clothes they liked, scraped together $200 of seed money and vowed to each other never to do anything they didn't have a heart for.
Thus were born velor tracksuits, suitcases embroidered with rhinestones, perfume for dogs and a stamp worth half a million dollars.
Like the brand itself, Pamela and Gela’s book proves that even in business, sometimes you should trust your feelings rather than your mind: their rapid attack - without any business plan, but with sending gifts to Hollywood superstars and the confidence that there are people like them , no more.
Main lesson: Not everyone manages to run a business like rock stars - without any plan, on a whim, following a feeling, and not the lessons of the Harvard School. But sometimes it works, and when it works, it works just fine.
Quote:“It was important for us to hear the opinion of our employees about the collection - how it fits, how it feels, what energy it has. Everyone tried on everything - that was our corporate policy.
We knew that a piece would be a hit if everyone, from the most stylish to the most conservative girl in the office, started going crazy about it.”
Zarina Ivanter "Children's club: how to open and make profitable"
Publisher:"Mann, Ivanov and Farber", M., 2012
This is more of a very detailed primer than a classic success story. But with answers to all Russian questions, such as legal nuances, rules of communication with Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision, details of the work of word of mouth, and even a separate chapter about the need for paper toilet seats.
The story of Zarina Ivanter’s transformation from an “Expert” journalist and mother on maternity leave to the owner of a club for educational children’s activities is probably one of the most inspiring stories for those who are not yet in business, but really want to be in it.
It is not about the formula for success that allows you to instantly become the queen of the world, but about that everyday hard work that only at first seems tedious, but in the end turns into good dividends.
Main lesson: Features of running a small business in Russian conditions - it will be difficult, but not for long.
Quote:“Give diplomas, medals, gilded goblets and laurel wreaths more often. This will be a good reason for your parents to tell everyone they know about you.”
Photo from the site: http://www.forbes.ru
Olga Belyavtseva is one of the most influential and richest Russian women according to Financier magazine. Belyavtseva is amazing in that she was able to earn her millions not in Moscow, but in her native Lipetsk region. Belyavtseva's fortune is currently estimated at $450 million.
Olga began her career in 1990, at the cannery of the USSR Ministry of Fruit and Vegetables, in the city of Lebedyan, Lipetsk region. At that time, she was a wife and a young mother, but the role of a housewife was not for her - at the age of 21, Belyavtseva came to work at the plant as a packer. Then there was a large shortage of personnel, and Olga Belyavtseva managed to establish herself well, in which she was helped by her higher education received at the Lipetsk Institute of International Law and Economics. A. S. Griboedova. As a result, she was soon able to change her job in the workshop to the position of an economist.
The Ministry of Fruit and Vegetable Economy plant was built in the USSR in 1967 and was never classified as a particularly large enterprise, but it was there, at the dawn of perestroika, that the only TetraPak juice bottling line in the USSR was opened. The director of the plant, Nikolai Bortsov, quickly appreciated the benefits received and actively began developing a new direction, and in 1992 he privatized the enterprise. Olga became his business partner, helping him navigate the spontaneous waves of the emerging market economy in Russia. It was Belyavtseva, together with Bortsov, who stood at the origins of the creation of the country's largest juice producer - the Lebedyansky concern. Later, in 2002, Belyavtseva established Assol LLC, a Lebedyansky distributor, opening offices in 24 Russian regions. Four years later, Assol LLC became part of the Lebedyansky concern, and Olga Belyavtseva became one of the co-owners of the concern itself. The result of the large-scale marketing work of the Lebedyansky concern is the creation of the brands “Ya”, “Tonus”, “Fruit Garden” and “FrutoNyanya”, popular and respected by domestic consumers.
In 2008, PepsiCo Corporation purchased 75.5% of the shares of Lebedyansky OJSC from the main shareholders. Olga Belyavskaya owned 18.4% of the shares, for which she received $330 million. However, even after such a grand deal, Belyavskaya did not stop there, but continued. Today, the Lipetsk enterprise Progress is operating successfully, producing FrutoNyanya baby food and Lipetsk pump room mineral water. Since 2010, Belyavtseva has owned Agronom-Sad LLC, an enterprise for growing crops. Belyavtseva is also the founder of the Beeplast Company, which produces plastic components for Indesit refrigerators and washing machines, and supplies plastic chairs and other products to IKEA. In 2016, the international company MondiGroup became interested in Belyavtseva’s packaging business. The final transaction for the purchase of Biplast amounted to 2.8 billion rubles.
In 2015-2016, Belyavtseva’s business was among the 200 largest in the country. Unfortunately, in 2017, Olga Belyavtseva failed to become one of the richest Russians, but she still remains one of the most influential women in Russia. Olga is young, active, and who knows, perhaps in the future she will achieve achievements on a much larger scale.
The second story. Queen of the virtual world - Alisa Chumachenko
Photo from the site: https://rb.ru/
Alisa Chumachenko is a leading expert in the field of online games in the Russian Federation. Fame came to her after founding the company Game Insight. Like many of those who have achieved serious success, Alisa Chumachenko began her career at a very young age. From the age of 14, Alisa, the daughter of circus theatergoers, performed in the circus on ice. After school, she entered the directing department of GITIS and successfully graduated. Alisa Chumachenko herself says that she has always been fond of games.
Alisa Chumachenko
Businesswoman
“I have always liked online games, especially Fight Club. I liked large virtual worlds. Such games are usually played by people with a well-developed imagination - this is an opportunity to live a different life. At that moment, I was sitting at home with an infant and could afford to go online and play. I also know very well what addiction to computer games is.”
In 2004, Alisa Chumachenko got a job at IT-Territory, which belonged to the well-known Sergei Zhukov, the lead singer of the group “Hands Up”. Starting as a secretary, Alice quickly moved to work in the PR department. By 2007, the small company had grown into the largest gaming holding in Eastern Europe, Astrum Online Entertainment, and Alisa Chumachenko had reached the level of a first-class marketer.
Vice President Chumachenko launched dozens of free-to-play MMOG projects. In 2009, the holding became part of the Mail.RU Group. Alisa Chumachenko was left without work. Chumachenko claims that after this she had three options for development: hired work, charitable work or opening her own business. Alisa Chumachenko has maintained excellent relationships with game developers. They supported her after losing her job and suggested creating games together.
“I realized that the most important thing I have are developers. I don't understand anything about this. My business is business, management, marketing. I know how to earn money,” says Alisa Chumachenko.
This is how Alisa Chumachenko’s own company, Game Insight, appeared, which officially began operating in 2010. However, after five months, the Mail.Ru corporation joined the fight against the young company. Then Alisa Chumachenko decided to move to the Facebook platform outside of Russia, where in 2011 she earned her first million dollars and was mentioned in Forbes magazine. At that time, the company employed more than 800 people in 17 studios - in Murmansk, Novosibirsk and other cities of Russia, and also had an office in San Francisco. The company's most successful games are “The Mysterious House” and “The Natives.” In 2014, the company was included in the top 10 largest Russian companies operating in the Internet sector. However, soon Alisa Chumachenko resigned as director of the company, giving it to Igor Matsanyuk, and Game Insight’s headquarters moved to Vilnius. In Lithuania, Chumachenko launched a new project, believing that money is energy that must be put into circulation.
The project is called Green Garage. This is a makerspace - a public space where you can use equipment, communicate with like-minded people and come up with amazing inventions. The project reaches the maximum audience, from startups to children. For now, offices are open in Vilnius and Moscow. The plans are to cover Europe and Israel.
Alisa Chumachenko
Businesswoman
“I understand that the world needs more inventions. And people who want to become inventors need to gain new knowledge.”
Among other things, in 2017 Alisa Chumachenko became the founder of the Gosu.ai project. It is a global training platform for gamers and esports athletes powered by artificial intelligence, as well as a virtual assistant for games.
Alisa Chumachenko is not even 40 years old. She ranks 21st on the list of the richest Russian women, and her fortune is estimated at $90 million. Chumachenko is a laureate of the Entrepreneur of the Year award. She is not only one of the most successful women in Russia, but also one of the ten sexiest female leaders in the world.
Despite working in the field of online games, Alisa Chumachenko does not allow her son into the virtual world. He doesn't have a computer and doesn't watch TV. All his time is devoted to lessons, extracurricular activities and sports. All the efforts of Chumachenko’s mother are aimed at teaching her son to read books - regular ones, not electronic ones.
Story three. The brilliant success of Tatyana Bakarchuk
Photo from the site: https://www.shopolog.ru
Tatyana Bakarchuk is a mother of three children and the founder of the largest online store Wildberries. Bakarchuk is an English teacher by training. In 2004, she gave birth to a child and, like many young mothers, persistently searched for a promising opportunity to earn money from home. Fashion clothing and shoes were close to Tatyana’s heart, and therefore she sold products presented in the German catalogs Otto and Quelle via the Internet. Initially, Bakarchuk planned to purchase goods from intermediaries, but they asked for an advance payment. Then Tatyana invested all her free money in developing the website, deciding to purchase the products herself. At first, both the warehouse and the office were located directly in Tatiana’s apartment, and she went to pick up parcels from the post office herself. However, after a year, Bakarchuk needed both spacious premises and hired staff. And in 2005, together with her husband, Tatyana created the company Wildberries LLC.
Bakarchuk's motto: “Every day should be more successful than the previous one.” Tatyana Bakarchuk prefers not to be afraid of new things and look only forward. In choosing the assortment, Bakarchuk relied on clothes in bright, rich colors. In 2006, the store began offering not only clothes from catalogs, but also items from European manufacturers. The decision to sell shoes online also turned out to be a winner. At that time, there was practically no competition in Russia in the field of online shopping and the idea, on the one hand, was very risky. And yet, despite its novelty, the project turned out to be successful; our consumers liked the opportunity to order goods from European brands directly from home. In 2008, when purchasing power decreased due to the crisis, Bakarchuk expanded the assortment of her website. She began selling cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, electronics, and even goods for the home and garden. In addition, Tatyana hired many experienced IT and marketing specialists who lost their jobs due to the unstable economic situation in the country. As a result, the transformation of the fashion site into a general store brought only pluses. The highlight of her Internet project Bakarchuk made the opportunity to try on the product and return it. After all, the weakest point in the online shopping chain is the inability to see and feel the goods. Tatyana Bakarchuk broke these stereotypes.
Today, the Wildberris site fulfills 18,000 orders daily and has nearly 17 million monthly visitors. In 2017, Tatyana Bakarchuk's company entered the top 5 most expensive Runet companies, while the fortune of the business woman herself is estimated at $450 million.
People often take small steps towards a big goal. And although many people believe that one day they will become rich and famous, only a few are able to slowly but surely move towards their goal. Don't be afraid of new things. Remember the proverb? He who doesn't take risks doesn't drink champagne. Start your business today, and who knows, maybe your name will appear on the Forbes list in a few years.
Are there differences in the success of a business depending on who runs it, a woman or a man? How do gender differences affect business success, if at all?
Countless articles and studies have been written about this. We do not wish to make reference to such studies and opinions. We bring to your attention a small selection of interviews (the number of interviews will be constantly changing through additions) with successful foreign women entrepreneurs.
Simple business woman in pictures
Erin Baloga. Inventor of the women's "holster"
Erin Baloga is an ordinary woman, a mother of three children, a nurse, and later a housewife, with no business experience at the start.
But all this did not stop her from creating a successful business based on her simple but very popular invention. Hot Iron Holster.
We specifically put the story about Erin and her advice in the first place since she is a unique woman with a unique business destiny. Her story perfectly illustrates that business can be done at any age, even despite the presence of three young children.
I know that I will say simple and banal words, but meanwhile I consider these words to be the main ones in the success of any business: “Be persistent and don’t give up.”
Do not give up when it is difficult and it seems that there is no strength anymore. Everything passes. Fatigue, misunderstandings, and problems will also pass. Everything will go away and you will win.
One of the biggest compliments I've received for my product is: “That's great. How necessary it is! I like coming up with ideas and bringing them to life.
When I was little, I often listened to an audiobook with biographies of great and interesting people. I enjoyed listening to stories about the life and successes of Walt Disney.
As a child, I thought and dreamed that I wanted to be like this wonderful man in the future. What child doesn’t dream of creating an amusement park and inventing amazing cartoons?
I'm most proud of my family. Despite having a successful business that is growing day by day, I am most proud of the fact that I have created a large and happy family.
I love being a caring mother of three adorable children and a wife, despite the fact that I still have a successful business. I organized myself in such a way that one thing does not interfere with the other, but on the contrary, it helps.
Constantly, even when I have urgent matters, I talk on the phone with my four-year-old daughter. Family and children are a priority.
Erin Baloga: “I believe that business ideas for women, business ideas that are suitable for women are no different from business ideas for men. However, there are also significant factors that influence the direction of the business that women organize. These are interests. Women’s interests differ significantly from men’s, and therefore a division has appeared into women’s and men’s businesses.”
Photo of a business woman earning millions
Anne Besancon. Mobile marketing in your pocket
Kelsey, after graduating from the University of Notre Dame where she studied industrial and graphic design, worked for several leading European companies but always dreamed of starting her own business.
Having grown up in the family of a famous and successful entrepreneur, she decided to create her own business in 2012 and, as examples of the success of her company show, she was not mistaken.
Tips for aspiring female entrepreneurs: Believe me! Believe in yourself, your strengths, and the business you are going to create. Focus your attention on your customers' problems.
Know what they need and what they are not getting from your competitors. If your business solves problems for your customers and solves them better than those of your competitors, you will definitely become a successful entrepreneur.
There are many examples in the world where people, even with disabilities, have achieved great success. Take a closer look at such examples and understand that for those who want to succeed, there are no barriers except themselves!
Entrepreneur I admire: The entrepreneur I admire is my mother. She raised four children and at the same time built a successful, profitable business.
As an outsider, I admire Larry Ellison's business acumen. I like Brin and Larry Page for their dedication to Google culture and ability to think globally.
My achievements to date: Seeing how our product is used daily by the world's largest brands makes me proud of myself and my business. Having the opportunity to serve clients such as ESPN and CNN since my first year is what I consider a major accomplishment.
I am also proud that my product is used by millions of people.
Kelsey Falter: “What business should a woman open? Yes, anyone! Any in which a woman has knowledge. But in addition to knowledge, it is also important to be passionate about a particular business. Without passion, business will turn into a routine. Routine in business is very bad, it is a road to nowhere. Love what you do. Love your business and you will succeed.”
Notes and revelations of a successful woman
Lisa Falzone. Sales support systems
Briefly about the heroine of the interview and her business: Lisa Falzone is the CEO and co-founder of the company Revel Systems
The business created by Lisa is a platform with software solutions for the restaurant and retail food business.
The software offered by the company helps thousands of companies increase their profits through competent management of financial and economic activities.
As of 2013, Revel Systems has more than 1,200 regional offices. The business constantly attracts outside investment. Thus, in 2013, the company attracted investments of more than $13 million from private investors.
Tips for aspiring female entrepreneurs: Stop thinking about what you won’t succeed, do it and everything will work out.
Entrepreneur I admire: Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Henry Ford.
My achievements to date: My business is what I am most proud of today. I am proud that with the help of my product hundreds of thousands of people solve their problems and thank me. This is cool!
I’m also proud of the fact that I don’t want to stop with the results achieved. I want to grow my business and help more people in the future.
Lisa Falzone: “Before creating my own business, I carefully studied the success stories of women in business and tried to understand their secret. I tried to figure out how their success is ensured. There are no secrets. All the women who have achieved success have been passionate, consistent and tenacious in making their business the best it can be. If you make your business the best for years, sooner or later it will become one. Great recipe."
Business Camp Bow Wow today it is estimated at 65 million dollars. Briefly: the business was created and operates as a network of nurseries for abandoned and in need of care pets. Top Tip for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs: Think big. Dream more and try to make your dreams come true. Go towards realizing your dreams step by step, albeit slowly, but always confidently forward. Don't be afraid to give up your existing comfortable life for the sake of your business. Take risks, don't be afraid. Another important piece of advice I want to give to female entrepreneurs is to stay focused on your business whenever possible. What do I mean by this? Before starting your own business, you must understand the following: you will have to focus on your business for several years and work every day. Are you ready to make such sacrifices? If not, don't start. Remember, all these years the business will rule your life. Entrepreneur I admire: Sarah Blakely from Spanx. My achievements to date: Over the past few years, people's attitudes towards animals in need of help have changed significantly for the better. This suggests that people are becoming more merciful. I believe that there is my small merit in this process. I'm really proud of this. My business has helped more than 10,000 animals in 5 years. When I started my business, I didn’t even think about such numbers. I just wanted to help two cats that happened to be in my field of vision and needed help. When help was provided to these cats, I thought that there are many more animals that also need help. This is how the idea to create a business was born. Today, my animal care and boarding kennels exist in all states and provide comprehensive services. Here you can cure an animal, give an animal away while the owner is away, we also accept animals that someone can no longer keep for various reasons, etc. We try to help animals with cancer by collaborating with major American clinics and universities. Our charitable societies constantly hold events to raise funds for the decent care of animals that, by the will of fate, end up in our nurseries. Heidi Ganahl: “The style of a businesswoman, whose photo we often see in glossy magazines, does not correspond to the style that is inherent in real women entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs prefer a free style, both in life and in business settings. Believe me, a lot of what you see on the screen, on the Internet or in a magazine is far-fetched and artificial.”
We invite you to read this informative article:
The most successful women in the world live in America
Heidi Ganahl. Network of nurseries for pets
Briefly about the heroine of the interview and her business: Heidi Ganal is the founder and CEO of Camp Bow Wow. It is one of the most successful and fastest growing brands in the pet services industry.
Before you start talking about women's business success, you need to understand that women can achieve their triumph in different ways. After all, there are quite a lot of women entrepreneurs in the world who are the owners of companies, enterprises, brands. However, is it possible to compare the success of women who have their own business thanks to rich husbands or parents, and the success of women who have achieved everything on their own? Of course not.
Therefore, today we will consider the success stories of those women who started their business from scratch, who became who they are only thanks to their aspirations, the desire to constantly improve and never stop there.
Since ancient history, two types of women have been distinguished - domestic and active. If the former agree to sit at home and wait for her husband to come home from work, but for the latter, vigorous activity and self-realization in any area are simply necessary. The success stories of each business woman are different, but there is something that unites all these women. Perseverance and diligence are the qualities that are inherent in every woman who has achieved heights in her business.
No matter how a woman starts her business – either alone initially, or in partnership with others – she is always forced to prove to others her right to make decisions independently and have her own opinion.
Millions of women in different years, in different countries tried at one time to start their own business. However, only a few have achieved real success. These are those whom the whole world knows now, who are looked up to and set as an example as strong and stubborn women.
The success of a woman in business is determined, first of all, by devotion to her work and real interest in it. Women in business carry a certain mission. If for a man business is often just a way to make money, then for a woman it is the work of her whole life.
Success stories of women in business
Elena Baturina
Founder of the BE OPEN humanitarian foundation, developer, investor, owner of hotels in Austria, the Czech Republic, Ireland and Russia, 54 years old
The wife of the former mayor of Moscow once again entered the top 200 richest businessmen in Russia according to Forbes - and again as the only female billionaire. Ms. Baturina's interests include alternative energy and membrane construction, but she has a particular weakness for the hotel business. Elena says she likes to give people quality service and a good mood. For her soul, the mother of two adult daughters collects porcelain and supports her husband in his hobby of horse and sheep breeding.
Natalia Fileva
Owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors of S7 Group, 54 years old
Natalia first entered the top 200 richest businessmen in Russia by Forbes magazine and immediately became third among the ladies presented there. Now she is firmly established in the public consciousness as a woman for whom airplanes are her first priority, but in the 90s, the struggling Siberia Airlines fell into the hands of her and her husband almost by accident. They say that the idea of rebranding belonged to Natalia - like other strategic ideas that brought S7 to second place in terms of air transportation volumes in Russia. At the same time, Mrs. Fileva is an experienced wife and mother of three children. Daughter Tatyana is responsible for advertising and marketing in the company.
Irina Stepanova
General Director of the Russian representative office of the Sotheby’s auction house
In honor of the 10th anniversary of Sotheby’s in Russia, Irina organized an exhibition at which for the first time she combined the top lots of future auctions with exhibits purchased for private collections at past auctions. The anniversary concerns Irina directly. She went with the company all the way - from a tiny office with two employees to meeting the standards of the large Sotheby’s. The representative office conducts examinations of the authenticity of art objects, patronizes museums, and supports young artists. Mrs. Stepanova admits that her life is subordinated to work, and she even tries to spend her vacation usefully for business.
Valentina Rumyantseva
General Director of L’Oreal Luxe in Russia, 40 years old
This year, the company opened the first Giorgio Armani perfume and cosmetics boutique in Europe in the Atrium shopping mall and introduced the long-awaited Shu Uemura brand to the Russian market. Valentina, who studied the intricacies of business in Dusseldorf and London, actively uses the Internet and the latest technologies in her work. She is confident that the future lies in the disappearance of boundaries between online and offline. This is the future strategy of L’Oreal Luxe: developing online boutiques and honing personal service using the most advanced digital capabilities. Valentina finds time not only for business and family, but also for travel and hobbies. My immediate plans include returning to my youthful hobby of making jewelry from stones and beads and new heights in my favorite yoga.
Anastasia Rakova
Vice-mayor of Moscow, 41 years old
Soon after the birth of her second child, Anastasia returned to work at the mayor's office, where her colleagues speak of her with respect. In sum, opinions boil down to the fact that she is a competent lawyer, a tough manager and a workaholic. Ms. Rakova initiated many large projects - the creation of the International Financial Center, the Moscow Urban Forum, the launch of the Our City and Active Citizen portals. The renovation program is partly in her area of responsibility. She carefully hides her personal life, prefers an informal style of clothing outside the city hall, which makes her completely unrecognizable.
Miroslava Duma
Founder of the Internet portal Buro 24/7 and the international venture project Fashion Tech Lab, 32 years old
Miroslava launched the Fashion Tech Lab to support eco-designers and look for new ways to make fashion sustainable. One of Russia's top fashion experts was shocked to learn that her favorite industry was the second most polluting industry. Mrs. Duma does not want to bequeath her three children an ecological disaster, so she invests in the production of artificial leather and fabrics from orange fibers. Business Of Fashion included Miroslava in the list of 500 main people in the global fashion industry.
Olga Belyavtseva
Founder of Assol Company LLC and Agronom-Sad LLC, member of the Board of Directors of Progress Capital, which owns the Frutonyanya brand, 48 years old
Ms. Belyavtseva remains one of the richest and most mysterious ladies in Russian business, since her entire career has been associated with her native Lipetsk. Apparently, Olga was lucky and no one inspired her that success can only be achieved in Moscow. It is known that she is a real example of a self-made woman - Belyavtseva started her way into business as a packer at the plant of the USSR Ministry of Fruit and Vegetables at the age of 21, shortly after the birth of her eldest son. Olga lives in her second marriage, and three children probably inspired her to make baby food a priority.
Helen Isahakyan
General Director of Shiseido in Russia
The winter collection is already on sale, but Shiseido in Russia is no longer limited to promoting one brand. For six years, through the efforts of Mrs. Isahakyan, a global holding has been built, representing NARS, Cle de Peau Beaute, Narciso Rodriguez, Issey Miyake, Elie Saab, Alaїa, Tsubaki. “We created the beauty industry in Russia from scratch, from scarcity to abundance, from Soviet “service” to the highest standards of service,” says Helen, a student of Leonard Lauder. While developing a beauty empire, she lives on airplanes, but sees travel as a source of energy. And he calls his daughter his greatest achievement.
Olga Karput
Owner of the concept store “Kuznetsky Most 20”, 34 years old
Olga is moving the concept store to Stoleshnikov Lane, where it will occupy 2,500 sq. m. meters. It will retain nice touches like ping-pong tables and a healthy food cafe, but there will be more of the most original things you can find in Moscow. The wife of developer Pavel Tyo and mother of three children is not going to change the concept, fortunately the Moscow public is gradually getting used to “strange things and unusual images.” However, Ms. Karput is no longer interested in the avant-garde for the sake of the avant-garde, and especially for the sake of shockingness; now she professes a more mature and pragmatic view of fashion.
Natalia Kasperskaya
President of the InfoWatch group of companies, 51 years old
A company engaged in information security in the corporate sector has opened a representative office in Dubai. It took Natalya ten years to achieve success, having received InfoWatch in a deplorable state - in her words, “one name” without a working product and team. By that time, her experience at Kaspersky Lab had already turned her into a virtual police officer who was ready to do more than others to catch a criminal. He also taught me not to let business take away time from a large family, because Ms. Kasperskaya is the mother of five (!) children.
Marina Sitnina
Vice President of Gazprombank, General Director of Art Finance, 61 years old
Marina continues to oversee the corporate collection of contemporary Russian art. She stood at the origins of a new investment direction for Russia - “art banking”, because she agrees with the common Western practice of investing money in art and considers this a manifestation of social responsibility. “It is prestigious and pleasant to pass on such values to descendants,” says Marina. Supporting artists whose works have not yet received a “historical verdict,” the bank and Mrs. Sitnina personally give them a large advance.
Valentina Stanovova
CEO of Capital Group
At the MIPIM 2017 exhibition in Cannes, Valentina spoke about how to minimize the credit burden by attracting partner financing. An example was the development company entrusted to her, which survived both crises without freezing a single project. Mrs. Stanovova considers herself a happy person, but jokes about her free time that she would not have gotten married if she had not met her husband before joining Capital Group. Everything that we have was given to our husband and daughter Dasha. Valentina is interested in photography, is in love with Italy, and has a weakness for stylish shoes and bags.
Elvira Nabiullina
Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, 53 years old
Ms. Nabiullina, on the recommendation of the President, remained in the position of chairman of the Central Bank for a second term. It was she, the first woman in this position, who had to minimize the damage from the 2014 crisis. Interestingly, at the beginning of the path that led Elvira to economic responsibility for the country, she went to the Faculty of Economics for the unknown. In the corridors of power, she is known, among other things, for understated elegance and amazing intuition. Outside of them - a love of poetry, classical music, theater (especially opera) and driving a car.
Aysel Trudel
Founder of AIZEL Group, 40 years old
For 15 years, Aysel has united into the AIZEL Group a personalized online store, a concept store, confectionery shops and the Ladure restaurant, boutiques of iconic brands, to which the first Aquazzura boutique in Russia was added in March. Trudel was the first to enter the marketplace with Prada and Miu Miu; her company is still the exclusive online seller of Gucci in Russia. Aysel is happy to provide a trading platform for Russian companies and young designers, and does not change the principle of always surprising customers with something new. “Time is becoming increasingly valuable, so online trading is the future,” she says.
Irina Kutyina
Founder and CEO of the Encore Fitness chain and Five Concept Fitness boutique studio, 50 years old
Irina opened two premium fitness clubs - the flagship Encore Fitness in Moscow City and a project in the Novoyasenevsky residential complex, plus the Five Concept Fitness multi-studio at the Arma plant. After 25 years in the industry, she came to the conclusion that in order to progress, fitness must stop being associated with self-torture. The highlight of Encore is the combination of premium service, beautiful design and new technologies integrated into the club space and training process, with a strong team of trainers and a luxurious relaxation area. Ms. Kutyina practices what she preaches. Following the recommendations of Encore specialists, she lost 10 kg and is not going to stop there.
Ekaterina Dibrova
President of Rhana Medical Corporation, 57 years old
Ekaterina continues to develop Laennec therapy in Russia, based on the healing properties of the placenta. She became acquainted with this method of prolonging youth and life itself 17 years ago in Japan, a country that is ahead of the rest in the field of longevity. Mrs. Dibrova does not offer others what she has not tested for herself. She regularly resorts to Laennec therapy, and the president’s appearance is the best advertisement for the corporation. Especially after admitting that she sometimes sleeps four to five hours a day for weeks. But Ekaterina always finds time to ski with her husband and daughter.
Alisa Chumachenko
Online game developer, founder and CEO of Gosu.ai., 35 years old
The new project of the creator of Game Insight is a global training platform for gamers and e-sportsmen based on artificial intelligence. The virtual assistant will help the player improve by analyzing his game. Mrs. Chumachenko's intelligence is completely natural; her love for a virtual wonderland does not mean that she is divorced from reality. Alice believes that the main thing in work is to do well what you are passionate about, and not to chase millions at any cost. She keeps her son away from computers, closer to real people and paper books.
Owner and President of the Li-Lu Showroom Company, 44 years old
The company celebrated a year since the opening of the showroom at Trekhgornaya Manufactory. More than 20 years ago, working as a translator from Italian at an exhibition, Oksana did not think that her modest beginning would grow into thousands of square meters of European fashion from famous brands. She does not hesitate to admit that she took the initial capital from her husband Vladimir Tsyganov, the head of the Belaya Dacha agricultural complex, but the long-term success and reputation of the company is her merit. Mrs. Bondarenko herself prefers to wear clothes from her own brand, “Li-Lu,” and only indulges in extravagance at the sight of designer shoes.
Tatiana Lukovetskaya
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rolf Group of Companies, 51 years old
Tatyana headed the board of directors of one of the largest Russian car dealers. The numerical superiority of men in business and under her leadership does not bother Mrs. Lukovetskaya. She started her career as a “girl on the phone,” supervised mechanics, became the first woman in Russia to head a dealership, and heard all the jokes about “women driving” back then. There are no trifles in Tatyana’s favorite business - with one hand she rebuilds the company’s management system, with the other she personally campaigns to buy a car. She relieves work stress by singing and has released two albums of romances.
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