Even though we’re nearing the end of Women’s History Month, it’s never too late to celebrate the leading women in the small business and entrepreneurial industries. Women are no longer waiting to get promoted to the top of big companies – they’re starting their own. 40% of businesses in the United States are women-owned, and that number only continues to grow.
If you’re an entrepreneur or debating venturing out into the small business world, you don’t have to do it alone. We’ve gathered the top 25 boss women you should check out for advice, tips, and guidance. Join their mailing lists or follow them on Instagram – just make sure they’re on your radar.
1. Pamela Slim
As an author, consultant, community builder, and former corporate director of training and development at Barclays Global Investors, Pamela Slim is a resource for thousands of entrepreneurs. She partnered with fellow author Susan Cain to launch the Quiet Revolution and Quiet Leadership Institute. In Mesa, Arizona, Pamela launched the K’é Main Street Learning Lab, a community-based think tank for local small businesses.
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2. Anita Campbell
Anita Campbell is the founder, CEO, and publisher of Small Business Trends and its associated communities, online publications, and newsletters. While she has always been an entrepreneur at heart, she began her career as a lawyer and held other executive positions before beginning her entrepreneurial journey. Small Business Trends is a resource for small businesses everywhere, having been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and MSNBC.
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3. Donna Maria
The first for-profit recurring revenue membership business on the web, Indie Business was founded in 2000 by Donna Maria. Indie Business provides makers and handmade entrepreneurs with access to entrepreneurial training, resources, and mentoring. Contributing to her local community is something Donna values. She is a member of a few entrepreneurial organizations in Charlotte, North Carolina, including Union County Entrepreneurs and the Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists.
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4. Dawn W. Brolin, CPA
Dawn W. Brolin’s mission statement is simple: leave people better than she found them. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Managing Member of Powerful Accounting, LLC, and an Advanced Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor. She works with small to mid-sized businesses to provide them with a variety of services, including accounting and tax return preparation. Dawn strives to educate others about how to better operate their business’s finances while connecting to them on a personal level.
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5. Mari Smith
Mari Smith works with businesses and brands to increase their exposure online. Her ideology is founded on the belief that relationships are the key to a successful business. She is known as the “Queen of Facebook” and is considered the world’s top expert on Facebook marketing. Facebook themselves even sought out and hired Mari to be their Small Business and Facebook Marketing expert. She went across the country for the Boost Your Business live event series, speaking to entrepreneurs about how to use Facebook to their advantage.
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6. Amy Franko
As a strategic sales expert and keynote speaker, Amy Franko initially built a B2B sales career with global companies such as Lenovo and IBM. In 2007, she pivoted into entrepreneurship by launching her training company, Impact Instruction Group. The company is now known as Amy Franko Associates and is focused on leadership and sales excellence. Amy blends fresh insights, current research, and real-world examples in all her presentations, consistently selling major engagements.
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7. Lynnette Khalfani-Cox
A personal finance expert, author, and television and radio personality, Lynnette Khalfani-Cox is known as The Money Coach. She has appeared on TV programs such as Dr. Phil, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Good Morning America. Lynnette shares her success story of paying down her $100,000 credit card debt in three years and turning her finances around. Lynnette’s goal is to provide people with money-management information to change their lives.
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8. Nina Kaufman
Not just your average business attorney, Nina Kaufman is focused on helping small businesses. She was named one of the 25 Most Influential Women Tweeting About Entrepreneurship by Forbes Magazine. She advocates for small business owners, helping them save time, aggravation, and money with business law issues. As a writer on Entrepreneur.com, Nina reaches over two million readers each month.
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9. Professor Tonya M. Evans – The Crypto Queen
As a professor at Penn State Dickinson Law, Professor Tonya M. Evans’s work is focused on blockchain and cryptocurrency, technology, data, social justice, and entertainment law. She also consults and regularly speaks around the world about the legal implications of innovation and new technologies for startups, creatives, and entrepreneurs. Professor Evans primarily teaches, writes, and speaks about the intersections of new technologies and copyright.
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10. Rieva Lesonsky
Rieva Lesonsky is the founder and CEO of GrowBiz Media; a content marketing company focused on small businesses. She is also a columnist for Small Business Trends and focuses her writing on retail trends, employment, and women in business. As a nationally known speaker, Rieva is an authority on entrepreneurship and is dedicated to helping small businesses and women succeed.
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11. Angelina Darrisaw
The founder and CEO of C-Suite Coach, Angelina Darrisaw designs coaching and professional development programs for small business leaders and working professionals. C-Suite Coach has provided training for large companies, such as Major League Baseball and Google. Angelina also hosts self-esteem workshops to help inspire girls, women, and young people across the country.
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12. Stephanie Chandler
As an author of several books, CEO and founder of the Nonfiction Authors Association, and public speaker, Stephanie Chandler is focused on making a difference in the lives of readers. Her ten years of experience in Silicon Valley gave her the expertise to consult small business owners, corporations, and independent authors. Stephanie is an authority on online marketing, social media, and small business operations.
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13. Ingrid Vanderveldt
Ingrid Vanderveldt, or iV, is the Chairman and CEO of Empowering a Billion Women. She’s been named one of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100 Global Leaders and is the recipient of the Forbes and Northwestern Mutual Global “Entrepreneur in Excellence Award.” As a public speaker, iV address topics such as innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, finance, and women’s empowerment. She is dedicated to elevating women and helping them achieve their goals, creating a life and business they love.
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14. Arlan Hamilton
As the founder and managing partner of Backstage Capital, Arlan Hamilton built this venture capital fund from the ground up while being homeless. Backstage Capital is committed to minimizing funding disparities in the tech field by investing with founders who are people of color, LGBT, and/or women. Since its inception in 2015, Backstage has raised more than $7 million and has invested in over 130 startup companies. Arlan cofounded Backstage Studio in 2018, which has launched four accelerator programs across the world.
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15. Lilach Bullock
Lilach Bullock is a business coach who helps consultants, coaches, and small business owners attract higher-paying clients. Forbes recognized her as one of the 20 Top Women Social Media Influencers. As a public speaker, she’s spoken at countless conferences worldwide and has been featured in some of the biggest publications, including TNW and Forbes. Lilach is committed to helping entrepreneurs get their businesses where they want them to be.
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16. Liz Heiman
As the CEO and Chief Sales Strategist at Regarding Sales, Liz Heiman helps business owners create and implement a cohesive sales strategy. Liz gives business owners a step-by-step roadmap on the process for businesses to achieve growth and amazing results. The team at Regarding Sales is focused on helping startups, and small business owners increase their sales while using their foolproof strategies.
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17. Tiffany Aliche
Tiffany Aliche is committed to making financial education accessible to women everywhere, enabling them to change their lives. Her company, The Budgetnista, has helped more than one million women worldwide save more than $200 million and pay off over $100 million in debt. By using her methods, Tiffany’s Dream Catchers have been able to purchase houses and transform the way they deal with their finances.
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18. Amy Porterfield
As a podcaster and designer of online courses, Amy Porterfield helps business owners generate revenue. Amy inspires over 250,000 entrepreneurs to bypass self-doubt and overwhelm and move onto building momentum for their business. Her experience in doubting herself when growing her own business gives her an edge when working with other entrepreneurs.
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19. Sweetie Berry
Sweetie Berry is a hybrid strategist that works with large-scale projects, individuals, and communities to help realign their narratives as they begin transitioning for growth. She has created a support system for adults with high creativity and gifted and capable thinking to help them along in their entrepreneurial journeys. Sweetie is also a professional speaker and facilitator of panel discussions. When working with her clients, she identifies issues and potential while cultivating projects that empower people.
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20. Shawn Karol Sandy
Shawn Karol Sandy is the Chief Revenue Officer at The Selling Agency. She has worked in multiple industries in various businesses – small, big, non-profit, and independent. Shawn uses her previous business experiences to design strong sales programs focused on strategies intended to achieve the goal of every business – increased revenue. With a fun personality and straightforward attitude, Shawn helps her clients find new tactics to address old problems.
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21. Deb Calvert
Deb Calbert is the President of People First Productivity Solutions, a company that strives to help business boost their productivity through their staff’s development. She was named one of “The 65 Most Influential Women in Business” by Treeline. For over 20 years, Deb has worked as a sales productivity specialist, leadership program architect, and researcher. Her sales, operations, and human resources background give her valuable insights and the ability to comprehend the challenges that senior leaders and companies face.
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22. Minda Harts
Minda Harts is a speaker, author, and podcast host who covers topics such as managing diverse talent, leadership development, and improving racial equity. She delivers keynotes, panels, workshops, and seminars at educational institutions, corporations, and conferences. Minda is also the CEO of The Memo LLC, a platform focused on developing women of color’s careers. Her perspective is relevant and practical, inspiring WOC at each stage of professional development to further their careers.
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23. Madalyn Sklar
Madalyn Sklar is a Twitter marketing strategist committed to helping businesses optimize their social media strategy. She is passionate about teaching entrepreneurs, business owners, and marketers how to achieve amazing results with their social media presence. Madalyn speaks at many panels, conferences, and webinars, including SXSW and Social Media Marketing World. She hosts two Twitter chats each week, sharing helpful advice and tips.
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24. Becky McCray
As a rural entrepreneur, Becky McCray shares practical steps for business owners to put into action to shape a better future for their communities. Becky has been a small business owner, and she uses her real-world perspective to give her clients tips and strategies to have their business succeed. For over ten years, Becky has led virtual events with groups like the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Radically Rural, and the British Columbia Economic Development Association.
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25. Felicia Hatcher
Felicia Hatcher is an author and speaker who provides personal and innovation transformation solutions for companies and communities across the globe. Her courses and events help tech and business professionals and entrepreneurs amplify their success by getting in front of the right people. Within her own company, Feverish, Felicia has designed a system that helps her organize her ideas, goals, and to-dos to stay focused, stay on top of deadlines, and increase her revenue.
Follow on: Instagram
Follow These Boss Entrepreneurial Women
This list hardly captures the powerful women who are paving their way in the world of business. Women are putting in the work to become CEOs and founders of their own companies. No longer are they waiting for promotions that don’t pay them enough. They’re creating their own way in the world and helping other women succeed along the way. If you are starting on your entrepreneurial journey, follow these women to learn tips and strategies to make your business successful.
Do you have another female entrepreneur you like to follow for business tips? Drop a comment below with their social media handle.
