Top Women Entrepreneurs of 2019

What are some common traits of successful women entrepreneurs?

Many of the traits that make women entrepreneurs successful are traits that make anyone successful: resilience, vision, negotiation skills, leadership ability. Thankfully, with the emergence of more and more leading women entrepreneurs, the perception of business being primarily a man's enterprise seems to be on the wane.

Talent, invention, innovation, and ability isn't limited by gender, and any discrimination limits business and society as a whole. Although in the past entrepreneurship has been male-centric, the numbers of successful women entrepreneurs has risen to encompass roughly a third of all entrepreneurs worldwide. And we've all benefited from it.

Find today's most successful businesswomen in our list of the top women entrepreneurs.

What are some inspirational women entrepreneur quotes?

• “We need to get women to the point where they aren’t apologizing. It is time to take ownership in our success.” - Tory Burch, CEO and Designer of Tory Burch.
• “I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.” - Maya Angelou, Author and Poet.
• “Follow your passion — and if you don’t know what it is, realize that one reason for your existence on earth is to find it.” - Oprah Winfrey, CEO of Harpo Productions, CEO & CCO of the Oprah Winfrey Network.
• “I want every little girl who’s been told she’s bossy to be told again she has leadership skills.” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO at Facebook.
• "Invite people into your life that don't look or think like you." - Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments.

Find the most inspirational businesswomen in our list of top women entrepreneurs.

Is there a women entrepreneurs' fund?

Funds are important in getting fledgling businesses off the ground, and a women entrepreneurs' fund needs to take into account the specific challenges faced by women in business. Even though research shows that women-led businesses succeed at a higher rate than their male counterparts, it still can be difficult for women to get funding.

That said, there are a number of forward-thinking funds that support women entrepreneurs' ventures. Here are just a few:

• Female Founders Fund.
• Cleo Capital Fund.
• Bumble Fund.
• New Voices Fund.
• Jane VC.
• 500 Women.

Learn about successful businesswomen in our list of top women entrepreneurs.

What about grants for women entrepreneurs?

There are a number of grants that support women entrepreneurs as well (grants being seed money you don't have to pay back, vs. funds which typically involve repayment):

• Eileen Fisher Women-Owned Business Grant.
• The Girlboss Foundation Grant.
• Grants.gov (use the search feature to find women's grant opportunities).
• Cartier Women's Initiative Awards.
• Women Founders Network (WFN) Fast Pitch.

Learn about the top women entrepreneurs of 2019.

What is the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative?

The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, or We-Fi, is a collaboration between 14 governments, multilateral development banks, other stakeholders, and the World Bank to address the financial disparity faced by women entrepreneurs in developing countries: only 30 percent of small to medium enterprises are owned by women, and 70 percent of those can't get the capital they need to get up and running.

We-Fi, with funding of over $350 million, will support women entrepreneurs in developing countries by opening financial channels, providing mentors, helping governments create enabling environments for women in business, and much more.

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What are some good resources for black women entrepreneurs?

In a 2018 study it was shown that the number of businesses owned and operated by black women grew 164 percent between 2007 and 2018. African-American women still, however, face challenges with financing and other critical business services. There are a number of organizations that intend to address this disparity and level the playing field, including the following:

• Women in the Black.
• Black Career Women's Network.
• Black Women's Network.
• National Coalition of 100 Black Women.
• National Black Chamber of Commerce.
• Minority Business Development Agency.
• 8(a) Business Development Program.

Find the year's top businesswomen in our list of top women entrepreneurs.

How do I find or become a women's business mentor?

Women who've succeeded in business make powerful mentors for girls and fledgling women entrepreneurs as they navigate the economic landscape. The benefits of having a mentor are well known, but for young women who are beginning the journey into their careers and entrepreneurship a female business mentor can provide deep insight and direction specific to women in business. There are a number of organizations that support women's business mentorship:

• Strong Women Strong Girls.
• Women's Business Development Center.
• SCORE.
• Women Initiative Foundation.
• Lean In.

Visit our list of the year's top women entrepreneurs.