11 Remarkable Companies You Probably Didn’t Realize Were Founded by Women

As of 2017, the National Association of Women Business Owners reported over 11.6 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., contributing $1.7 trillion in sales. Beyond their groundbreaking inventions, women have pioneered ventures across diverse industries, including technology, television, fashion, food, and more. Below are some standout examples of transformative companies founded or co-founded by women.

1. Kikkoman

The tale of one of the globe’s most famous soy sauce brands traces back to 17th century Japan. Legend recounts that Shige Maki, a high-ranking war widow, fled Osaka Castle with her son in disguise, seeking refuge in Edo (modern-day Tokyo). There, they adopted rice farming and soy sauce brewing from their neighbors. Maki’s innovative adjustments to the brewing method were so successful that Kikkoman continues to produce a similar recipe over 350 years later.

2. Flickr

Caterina Fake and Stewart Butterfield, web design consultants, initially created an online game centered around social interaction. However, during a 2003 gaming conference, Butterfield, while sick, had an epiphany to focus solely on the game’s photo-sharing feature. This led to the creation of a platform that now hosts tens of billions of photos, revolutionizing how people document their lives. Yahoo purchased the company from Fake and Butterfield for a significant but undisclosed amount in 2005, and in 2018, it was acquired by SmugMug, an independent image-hosting company.

3. Spanx

Becoming the youngest self-made female billionaire was no easy feat for Sara Blakely. She pursued law school, standup comedy, fax machine sales, and even auditioned for a role as Goofy at Disney World (she was reportedly too short). Her breakthrough came at 29 when she cut the feet off her pantyhose to achieve a smoother look under white pants, sparking an idea. This led to the creation of Spanx, which now offers over 200 products, operates retail stores, and boasts celebrity fans like Oprah, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Michelle Obama. In 2013, Blakely, who retains full ownership of the company, made waves by committing to donate half her fortune to charity.

4. Pepperidge Farm

In the 1930s, Margaret Rudkin, a Connecticut homemaker, began baking bread without preservatives to address her son’s allergies. Her bread, named after her family farm, quickly gained popularity, leading her to sell it locally. By 1947, she opened her first bakery. Rudkin took on roles as the company’s taste-tester, spokesperson, and even introduced European-inspired cookies and Goldfish crackers after her travels to Belgium and Switzerland. When Campbell’s acquired the brand in 1961, it was already generating $32 million annually. Rudkin retired in 1966, but her legacy lives on through her iconic breads and cookies that remain staples in grocery stores.

5. Cisco

In the early 1980s, Sandy Lerner and her husband, Len Bosack, worked at Stanford University but faced challenges emailing each other from different buildings. They created a router enabling communication across multiple networks, which quickly gained traction, generating $1.5 million in sales within a year. Although Lerner and Bosack are no longer associated with Cisco (and are no longer married), the networking company they founded is now valued at over $220 billion.

6. Proactiv

Dermatologists Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields crossed paths in the 1980s during their residencies at Stanford University School of Medicine. In 1995, the duo introduced Proactiv Solution, a multi-step skincare system that stood out from the spot-treatment acne products dominating the market. Over the years, their innovative advertising and endorsements from celebrities like Katy Perry and Justin Bieber have made their brand a household staple.

7. Build-A-Bear

The concept of allowing children to create their own stuffed animals reportedly came to founder Maxine Clark after a disappointing shopping trip with a friend’s young daughter. Inspired by the girl’s suggestion to make their own stuffed animal at home, Clark launched her first store in 1997 in St. Louis, describing it as a "theme park factory in a mall." Today, Build-A-Bear Workshops have expanded to over 400 locations globally.

8. BET

Black Entertainment Television was founded in 1979 when Sheila Johnson, using earnings from teaching music lessons, helped finance the startup cable network alongside her then-husband, Robert. Although the Johnsons (now divorced) have stepped back from the current version of the channel after selling it to Viacom in 2001, Sheila Johnson played a pivotal role in the '80s and '90s as a founding board member and VP of Corporate Affairs. In 1991, BET made history as the first African American-controlled company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

9. Liquid Paper

Bette Nesmith Graham, a secretary and single mother, discovered that white tempera paint and a fine brush could effectively fix typing errors. She refined the formula, initially naming it "Mistake Out." Graham began selling the product part-time after her bank shifts, and in 1958, she launched her own business, renaming it Liquid Paper. By 1968, the company had grown significantly, establishing its own factory and offices, which Graham ensured included a childcare center and library.

10. The Body Shop

Anita Roddick drew inspiration from global body care traditions during her travels, and in 1976, she incorporated these ideas into the products at her first Body Shop in Brighton, England. Roddick’s commitment to eco-friendly and cruelty-free practices was revolutionary, often credited with pioneering ethical consumerism. Today, The Body Shop operates in over 45 countries, offering its famous Body Butters and other products.

11. Rent the Runway

Harvard Business School graduates Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss were motivated to adapt the Netflix model to high-end fashion after Hyman’s sister lamented spending a fortune on a dress she’d only wear once for a wedding. Rent the Runway debuted in 2009, coinciding with a cultural shift toward selfies and event photos, where repeating outfits became a faux pas. Their innovative platform and Unlimited subscription service fueled the company’s growth, surpassing $100 million in revenue by 2016.

This article was originally published in 2017.