These top influential business women in business history have made their mark in the fields of business and politics. From Mary Barra to Arabella Mansfield, these women have helped shape the world around them. Some of these women are currently working in various fields, while others are dead. Let’s take a closer look at these individuals.
mary barra nicole junkermann
Nicole Junkermann and Mary Barra are two extraordinary business women who have broken barriers in the business world. These two women are self-made businesswomen who have achieved worldwide recognition. They are both leaders with a strong focus on social impact and are unafraid to innovate. They are also passionate about women’s empowerment and gender equality.
Mary barra Nicole Junkermann is a German national with dual US citizenship. She studied media and communications at the University of London and worked as a television producer in Germany before founding her own company, NJJ Group, in 1997. Her father worked as a die maker for General Motors. She grew up in the Midwest and attended Catholic school, and then went on to earn her master’s degree from the London School of Economics.
Margaret Hardenbroeck
Margaret Hardenbroeck was a wealthy merchant in New Netherland in 1664. She had come from a family of merchants and began her career as an employee of her father’s business, but soon went on to take over the business herself. Upon her husband’s death in 1661, Hardenbroeck was able to handle his estate as a widow and later built up a large real estate portfolio. By the time she died in 1690 or 1691, she was considered the wealthiest woman in the New Netherlands.
Hardenbroeck first arrived in New Amsterdam from the Netherlands in 1659 and soon had a job lined up collecting debts for her cousin’s business. After her marriage to Pieter de Vries, she grew her business to become the most powerful she-merchant in the colony, expanding her fur shipping operations and buying real estate for sale in the colonies.
Rebecca Lukens
In 1825, Rebecca Lukens became the owner of the Brandywine Iron Works, which she helped save from near bankruptcy. The company produced boiler plates for trains and ships, as well as rails and other products. Lukens overcame family objections and turned the company into one of the largest iron and steel mills in the United States.
As the first woman in business, Lukens was an innovator. She took over her father’s failing iron company and transformed it into a thriving empire. Her iron was one of the first products to be used in the transportation revolution. She also started her own store, warehouse, and freight agency at a time when the United States was experiencing economic growth.
Anna Sutherland Bissell
Like many of her contemporaries, Anna Sutherland Bissell studied business and later used her knowledge to build a successful company. She also emphasized social responsibility by instituting policies like workman’s compensation and pension plans. She was also a philanthropist and founded the Bissell House to help immigrant women and youth. She also advocated for environmental legislation.
Bissell was a strong leader, and her self-confidence helped her achieve success. She took responsibility for every aspect of the business, including the company’s operations and financial stability. Her self-confidence and independence helped Bissell become a global company. She also introduced progressive labor policies, such as pension plans, before other industries did. Bissell also actively defended its patents. Her efforts paid off and she never lost a lawsuit.
Annie Malone
Annie Malone is considered to be one of the most influential business womens in history. Her innovations in the beauty industry helped black women achieve success. She developed hair products and launched beauty schools, and her company was highly successful. Eventually, Annie turned her company into a global empire with seventy-five thousand sales representatives and 32 beauty schools around the country.
Annie Malone was a generous woman, and she made sure to reward her employees and give them opportunities for advancement. She also donated large amounts of money to charitable organizations and educational institutions. In 1919, she donated land for a colored orphans’ home in St. Louis, and she served on its board for three years. The orphanage was later named after her, and it is still active today as the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center.