Successful Women Owners Build More Than Businesses: 4 Female Entrepreneurs Who Make a Difference
As we close out Women’s History Month, I want to celebrate the successful female entrepreneurs I’ve worked with as a fractional executive at Aperture CPG and honor their amazing work ethic, entrepreneurship, and creativity in the world of business and startup. They’ve forged a path and serve as examples of innovation for those who will follow in their footsteps.
Mom Knows Best
Throughout my career, I’ve always looked back at my parents as role models. Both of them have provided inspiration, but my mom in particular has inspired me to treat women as equals. From an early age, she taught that women can do anything. Throughout most of my childhood, my mom’s superpowers shined daily - she was a single working parent who, while raising a family, excelled in her career in sales, marketing, and leadership. I follow mom’s advice because mom knows best.
Successful Women Entrepreneurs Can Be Fearless!
Margaret Ebeling at Kringle Cream, Janet Holt at RTE Cuisine, and Kelley McShane at Granny Squibb’s demonstrate a relentless drive to succeed and show no fear. Margaret used her life savings to purchase the Kringle Cream; Kelly gives back as much as she takes in and does everything possible to embrace the community. Kerlyne Baptiste, Founder of KerlyGirl, built a business to address a personal experience and “founded KerlyGirl from a real pain point with my beauty and hair experience. It’s been an honor to share our vision of organic haircare within Black beauty and see that vision grow.” As female CEOs and owners, these women face challenges and the unknown with courage, aplomb, and determination. Fear is not part of their vocabulary.
The Fire of Inspiration
In the male-dominated world of business, it’s refreshing, as a fractional executive, to work with inspirational women founders - to hear their stories, to celebrate their journeys from startup to success, to admire their ambition, vision, and innovation. It’s energizing to see the media attention and recognition these female founders receive. What these women have built sparks imagination and inspires others to not just dream big, but live their dreams.
Surround Yourself With People Who Make a Difference
As I was writing this, I pondered why working with women-owned businesses is such a natural fit for me. I believe it’s due to mutual respect. I appreciate the brilliance of my clients, and they appreciate my experience and expertise. In this male-driven world, mutual respect is sometimes hard to come by. Thanks, mom, for paving the path!
Janet Holt, Founder of RTE Cuisine, builds upon the work her mother started and paves a path for future female entrepreneurs: “For me, it means honoring the legacy my mother left in helping to bring healthy food to my family and to the world. She was my example of a fearless woman entrepreneur that was out encouraging farmers to grow organic long before organic was popular...And naturally, because of her example, my efforts continue to support growers that practice regenerative agriculture and help provide an affordable way for the consumer to easily access and enjoy healthier meals which in turn will contribute to a healthier planet.“
Kelley McShane and the Granny Squibb’s team work tirelessly to support the community. Each year, the thousands and thousands of cases of iced tea they donate to local events reinforce Kelley’s foundational belief that "As a presence in our community, we have a responsibility to support our community in real and creative ways. We believe that when our community thrives, we all thrive."
As strong as each of these women are, there is still a great need for access to mentorship, guidance, and strategic direction. It’s an honor for me and Aperture CPG to partner with these inspirational female founders and to help drive growth in their business. Final thought: Who has impacted your life or career? Take a minute to let them know.