America’s Richest Self-Made Women
It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to become a multi-millionaire or billionaire. In this world, having money means having power. These women have a lot of money, which also means that they have a lot of influence. All of them are using their influence to make a world a better place for female entrepreneurs, and that is definitely something to celebrate. Keep reading to find out how much the CEO of Facebook is worth now, and who the world's youngest billionaire is. Who run the world? Girls.
Taylor Swift - $400 Million
Believe it or not, Taylor Swift is actually one of the least wealthy self-made women on this list with a net worth of $400 million. Still, $400 million isn't small potatoes. Taylor made her fortune through music.
Taylor makes most of her money from touring, but she's also made money through endorsements.
Kylie Jenner - $1 Billion
In 2018, Kylie Jenner became the youngest billionaire in the world. This boss lady definitely got a head start from her famous family, but she's made millions all on her own with her sharp business sense and passion for makeup.
Kylie owns 100% of the successful makeup brand Kylie Cosmetics. Her products sell out almost immediately after they're released. When her holiday collection dropped in 2016, Kylie made a cool $19 million in just 24 hours.
Weili Dai - $1.2 Billion
Weili Dai is the co-founder and president of Marvell Technology Group. She is currently worth over $1.2 billion. Her semiconductor company is not to be confused with Marvel, the one with all of the superheroes.
Unfortunately, Dai was forced out of her own company in 2016 due to an accounting investigation. She still has a 4.5% stake in the company and she's invested money in real estate. She wasn't found to be guilty of any fraudulent activity.
Anastasia Soare - $1.2 Billion
Make-up mogul Anastasia Soare has made a fortune through her cosmetics company Anastasia Beverly Hills. The company is best known for making very popular eyebrow products.
Sales took off after Anastasia's daughter Claudia started promoting the brand on Instagram. Anastasia is worth over $1.2 billion. Thick, lush eyebrows are back in style and people are willing to pay lots of money to get the look.
Carolyn Rafaelian - $100 Million
Carolyn Rafaelian is America's richest jeweler. She is best known for founding the bangle brand Alex and Ani. Carolyn named her jewelry company after her two older daughters.
Carolyn was born into the jewelry business. Her parents were children of Armenian immigrants who made costume jewelry. Carolyn is now worth over $100 million dollars and she has bought more than 30 properties.
Sara Blakely - $1 Billion
Sara Blakely is the founder of Spanx, the shapewear brand that has become the king of all shapewear brands. Blakely used to be a door to door fax machine salesperson before she started her own company. Now Spanx sells its undergarments in 65 countries and Blakely is worth over $1 billion.
Blakely has appeared on Shark Tank as a guest judge. On the show, she has invested in startups, especially those with female founders like Biena Snacks and Alice's Table.
Alice Schwartz - $2.4 Billion
In 1953, Alice and her husband launched Bio-Rad Laboratories with only $750 in savings. The company makes products that are used in pharmaceutical manufacturing and lab research.
Alice's husband died in 2012, but Alice is still on the board of Bio-Rad and her son Norman is chairman and CEO. This woman has created a legacy for herself and her family.
Eren Ozmen - $2.5 Billion
Eren Ozmen is the president and majority owner of Sierra Nevada Corp., a private aerospace and defense company. She's now worth over $2.5 billion dollars.
Ozmen and her husband bought the company in 1994 when it only had 20 employees. They turned the company into a multi-billion dollar enterprise.
Jayshree Ullal - $1.9 Billion
Jayshree Ullal is the president and CEO of Arista Networks, a computer networking firm. She's been involved with the company since 2008. Ullal was born in London and raised in India. She is now one of America's richest female executives with a net worth of $1.9 billion.
She's a shining example of what you can achieve with a sharp business sense and a smart investment plan.
Gail Miller - $4 Billion
Gail Miller and her husband Larry turned a single Toyota dealership into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. She is now worth $4 billion and she serves as owner and chairman of the board of the Larry H. Miller Management Corporation.
Gail and Larry bought the Utah Jazz NBA team in 1986 for $22 million, and Gail still shows up to Utah Jazz basketball games. In 2018, Gail published a book called Courage To Be You: Inspiring Lessons From An Unexpected Journey.
Peggy Cherng - $2.6 Billion
Peggy Cherng and her husband Andrew own the Chinese fast food chain Panda Express. Peggy has a background in engineering, but in 1983 she left her engineering job to help her husband open Panda Express' first location. It proved to be the right move.
Now there are over 2,000 Panda Express locations and Peggy and Andrew also own stakes in other chains like Urbane Cafe and Uncle Tetsu. Peggy is now worth over $2.6 billion.
Katie Rodan - $1.5 Billion
Katie Rodan is a business savvy dermatologist who has started not one, but two successful companies. Rodan founded Proactiv with her longtime business partner Kathy Fields. The duo sold Proactiv to Guthy Renker and Nestle in May 2016 — largely so they could focus on their anti-aging skincare company Rodan + Fields.
Rodan is now worth $1.5 billion. Medical school can get you pretty far, but combine that with a strong understanding of business and the sky's the limit.
Sheryl Sandberg - $1.6 Billion
Sheryl Sandberg was formerly the chief operating officer of Meta Platforms. Sandberg is the author of the best-selling book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will the Lead. The book talks about business leadership and development as well as issues with the lack of women in government. The successful book helped spawn the Lean In Foundation, a nonprofit that supports female empowerment.
Sandberg is the perfect example of a successful woman who wants to empower and lift other women up in their careers and beyond.
Elaine Wynn - $2 Billion
Multi-billionaire Elaine Wynn is also known as the "Queen of Las Vegas." In 2018, she became the largest shareholder of the publically traded company Wynn Resorts. She's now worth over $2 billion.
In 2018, Elaine took over her former husband Steve Wynn's shares of Wynn Resorts. Elaine is a powerful woman and she's clearly making money moves.
Doris Fisher - $2.5 Billion
Doris Fisher is the co-founder of the Gap and she's now worth $2.5 billion. She founded the clothing company with her husband Don in 1969. Since then, the company has grown into a multi-million dollar enterprise.
Doris served as the company's merchandiser from the day the first store opened until 2003. She has three sons and they are all also billionaires, but they did get a bit of a head start.
Oprah Winfrey - $2.5 Billion
It's no secret that Oprah Winfrey has a lot of money. How much money, you ask? Around $2.5 billion. Oprah started her career working in radio.
She moved on, eventually getting her own talk show, and then building a media empire. She launched her own channel and she's been a brand ambassador. There's no denying that Oprah is a powerhouse.
Johnelle Hunt - $4.3 Billion
Johnelle Hunt and her late husband founded the company J.B. Hunt Transport Services in 1969. The company started with five trucks and seven trailers and now it's one of the biggest transportation companies. Hunt is now the company's biggest shareholder.
Johnelle doesn't keep all that money to herself though. She has donated a ton of money to various charities as well as six acres of land to build an outdoor amphitheater in Arkansas.
Meg Whitman - $3.5 Billion
Meg Whitman is best known for being the CEO who took eBay from $5.7 million to $8 billion in sales. It took her ten years, but she managed to achieve the impossible. After working for eBay, Whitman was the CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 2011 to 2015.
Jessica Iclisoy - $330 Million
When Jessica Iclisoy was pregnant in 1990, she became concerned about the harmful chemicals in baby formula and baby products. She started mixing formulas in her kitchen with more natural ingredients.
In 1995, she officially launched her company, California Baby. Her products are now being sold in places like Whole Foods and Target and Jessica is worth over $330 million. Never underestimate a mom on a mission.
Marian Ilitch - $4.3 Billion
Marian Ilitch and her husband Mike co-founded Little Caesars Pizza in 1959. Since then the company has completely taken off and Marian is now worth $4.3 billion. Since Mike passed away, Marian has been the company's largest shareholder.
Marian also owns the Detroit Red Wings and MotorCity Casino Hotel. Mike owned the Detroit Tigers and that team is now in a family trust.
Diane Hendricks - $12.5 Billion
Diane Hendricks is the co-founder of ABC Supply, one of the largest roofing and windows wholesalers in America. She founded the business with her late husband 36 years ago and she's been the chairperson of the company since 2007.
Diane is now worth $12.5 billion. Hendricks sold custom homes before meeting her husband, Ken, who was a roofer.
Lynda Resnick - $2.4 Billion
Lynda Resnick is the marketing genius behind the Wonderful Co. It's a snack and drink company that she owns with her husband, Stewart.
While you may not recognize the Wonderful Co.'s names, you definitely know some of the brands under its umbrella, like Fiji Water, Pom Wonderful and mandarin Halos. Lynda is now worth $2.4 billion.
Kathy Fields - $1.5 Billion
Katie Rodan founded Proactiv with her business partner Kathy Fields who is also now worth $1.5 billion. Kathy fields is also a dermatologist. These two clearly work well together because they were able to make a fortune and remain friends in the process.
Proactiv wasn't the only skin care line these two built together. They also created a brand called Rodan + Fields. There's enough room in the skincare industry for a whole bunch of successful women.
