Women Business Owners: A Change in History

In the past women were not allowed to hold a position of power within a business setting. But today women are no longer required to stay at home and take care of the children, instead, they have a full range over what career path they would like to take. One major change women have seen in their professional careers is women business owners.

Women throughout history have been able to change the way women are viewed and treated within society. Women’s suffrage movements and women participating in male-dominated positions such as doctors or business owners, women have changed the way we look at women today.

Before women were even allowed to vote women such as Phoebe Couzins took control of her own destiny by becoming the first female lawyer.

Phoebe was not allowed to sit for the bar examination in Missouri which required women to take their bar exam in another state, but she succeeded at taking her exam in Illinois. After Phoebe passed the bar she became the first women lawyer and was not subject to pay any dues.

Another woman that has made a huge impact on women’s rights is Madam C.J Walker.

Madam Walker made history by being the first woman to become a millionaire in America through her business of selling beauty products to women for African American women. She was a women business owner and treated women’s hair which at the time was looked down upon for women to have.

Madam Walker founded the Madam C.J Walker Manufacturing company in 1905 and by 1910 she had opened up beauty schools across America that taught women how to do their hair and sell her products to other women.

Some women today are breaking the mold on women business owners. With women like Oprah, Beyonce, and others making huge impacts with women’s rights there is no limit to what women can do.

Here are a few Businesses Founded by Women:

OJO

STEM through play and books help imagination, confidence, and critical thinking skills. Maha, Ojo’s founder, and CEO built the brand based on her personal knowledge about STEM and her eagerness to help her own children reach their max potential. She felt it was tough to have time as a mom to come up with STEM-based games and then gather all the materials needed for that game. So, OJO was born. OJO games challenge your children, educationally. They also allow you, as a mom, to focus on quality time with your children without having to do all the research and work it takes to give your child the quality games they need and want to learn effectively.

Womple Studios

Womple Studios co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Erin, is a homeschool advocate. Womple Studios helps children be inspired to discover the world around them through both storytelling and hands-on activities. Erin attended Princeton, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Academy of Art University in San Fransisco where she received her art degrees. After completing her schooling, she became an artist for companies such as Zynga and ClassDojo in the Bay Area. In 2019, Womple Studios was birthed. She now uses her passion for teaching children through creating phenomenal storylines and crafts to go with those stories.

Ojala Threads

Romona, the founder of Ojala Threads, was a first-generation Dominican American who was born in NYC. Her nephew had been very sick as a baby with meningitis. During the hospital visits, Romona had time to really think about her heritage and her desire for her nephew to learn all about his heritage. She wanted clothing that her nephew could wear to symbolize the family’s pride they have in their heritage. She had a hard time finding the type of clothing she wanted to represent their heritage, so she made it happen with what is now known as Ojala Threads. Ojala Threads makes for a strong sense of community. It provides unique clothing for babies, symbolizing the Dominican American heritage.

Cali’s Books

Cali’s books was founded by Cali, a mom of two young children. Cali’s Books, based out of LA, publishes books directed towards young children to introduce them to words and music alike. Starting in Cali’s garage, Cali’s Books is now a growing business that enriches the lives of children all around the world. The books have embedded sound buttons on each page that give children something exciting and new to look forward to as each page turns. When the sound buttons are pressed, musical tunes and songs begin to play. Cali’s Books are high quality and are sold at an affordable price point. They also offer books in which you can record your own voice reading to your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or friend making it a great keepsake book.

Teach My Learning Kits

When Christy, the founder of TeachMy, was busy raising her son, she began to realize just how important teachers were. She spent a lot of time searching for the tools needed to begin teaching her 18-month-old son how to count, learn his alphabet, and even prepare to begin reading. Due to her efforts and her son’s ability to learn quickly, Christy’s son had begun reading at the young age of three. Friends had started asking Christy how she taught him to read at such a young age. She started sharing the tools she had combined to help other parents. The demand for her “kit” became her business. Teach My now has curriculum “toolboxes” for babies all the way up to kindergarten, broken down by age range. Their items range from ABCs and 123s to reading, printing, spelling, and arithmetic skills. The kits promote active play with a goal of screen-free early education, parent-child interaction, self-esteem, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. Teach. Play… every day for 20 minutes!

Daily Kairos

When Jordan became a new mom, she found herself more time-pressed and sleep-deprived just like most other new parents. She was eager to find a method to make her prayer life, and relationship with Jesus, a top priority, but she didn’t know how or where to begin looking for it so she and her husband decided to create it. The husband and wife team began seeking God and came up with a prayer journal to use, for personal use. Then for their small group which, in turn, wound up becoming a business selling prayer journals to over 25,000 people. Daily Kairos Journal is a 3-month journal that is meant to help you get started with daily verses and basic prompts that you may use to start your day off right, as well as guide you through the process of documenting your walk with God, looking for recurring themes in what He says to you, and reflecting on the conversation with the Lord over time.

GoSili

Two women, Giuliana and Stacey, knew there was a better option to plastics, so they set out to create stylish, long-lasting, 100 percent nontoxic silicone goods with the mission of making “basics” greater. They started the award-winning all-silicone children’s brand Silikids, which is owned by GoSili. Today, the firm has expanded from children’s items to those for the entire family and beyond. Since its foundation in 2006, GoSili has continued to develop new silicone goods and has been committed to fostering a social movement away from unsustainable plastic products by giving consumers a choice. The idea for GoSili came about as a result of the belief that it was time to make a significant cultural shift away from dangerous and excessive plastics.

Lulla Doll by Róró

Eyrún’s friend’s daughter was born prematurely and had to leave her in the hospital every night for two weeks, which inspired Lulla’s creation. Róró was formed in 2011 around a single concept: to develop a product that simulated love when parents had to be away. Eyrún created the Lulla Doll based on her studies in psychology. She had learned that closeness, primarily breathing and heartbeat sounds, can affect a child’s quality of sleep and overall wellbeing. Eyrún worked with a team of doctors, nurses, midwives, biomedical-sound and electrical engineers, musicians, designers, artists, marketing, business people, and all their friend and family team of testers to create the Lulla Doll. Their main goal was to help all children get to experience the comfort and closeness that they desperately need to sleep well.

Pediped

In 2005, Angela and Brian Edgeworth created Pediped® Footwear in their search for the ideal soft-soled shoe for their first daughter. The award-winning brand has become the fastest-growing children’s footwear company in the United States by providing exceptional quality, unrivaled comfort, and distinct style. The American Podiatric Medical Association has certified Pediped® Footwear as meeting their rigorous health and safety standards. PediPed® footwear is sold in more than 200 retail locations throughout the United States and abroad, with a wide range of more than 120 designs for boys and girls among its three lines, Originals®, Grip ‘n’ Go™, and Flex®.

Banish

The founder of Banish, Daisy, had lived a life of being embarrassed by her appearance. Acne had wreaked havoc on her complexion which resulted in quite a bit of insecurity. She tried everything she could to get rid of the acne, including routine visits to her dermatologist and the purchase/use of many acne products. She found a combination of Vitamin C and a special skincare tool that started drastically improving her skin. Banish products combined with eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising daily, she was finally able to rid her face of acne. She now gives her secret to the world through her business, Banish.

Soap Cauldron

Sisters Pandora and Emma, as well as Sabrina, the daughter of Emma, is the creative energy behind Three Sisters Apothecary. They manufacture all of their bath and skincare goods in their family soap business and share them out with the people of their local community, including their family and friends. They choose to work with nature and change natural components into nutritious and gentle cleansers for the skin. Their products are all-natural and 100% organic, so you can either pamper yourself or spoil someone special with one of the two brands. Choose between Three Sisters Apothecary or Soapy Tails to discover genuinely natural goods and treat yourself or the ones you care about.

Fitbib

Celebrity fitness trainer, Nicole, spent over 20 years in the fitness realm of work. Nicole uses a creative approach to Pilates that mixes dance movements, yoga, flexibility, and cross-training. Nicole drew from her 14 years of studying various types of dance, including jazz, modern jazz, ballet, and tap, in creating this one-of-a-kind, fun yet difficult workout. She has spent the previous 20 years as a celebrity and fitness trainer. She drove to clients’ houses and worked out outside all around the world on her own time. As great as it had been getting to be outside, doing what she loves, the skin on her chest had been severely damaged. Nicole has appeared in a number of television series and films, including Ray Donovan, Devil’s Due, Bride Wars, Criminal Minds, and George Lopez. Nicole created Fitbib to protect the skin on her chest. It is a lightweight, magnetic, fitness bib. Yes, a bib for adults but for working out, not eating. The Fitbib protects the sun’s harmful rays from beating down on the bare neck and chest area.

Sweet Diane’s

Diane founded Sweet Diane’s right out of the comfort of her own kitchen. She always loved baking for friends and family and has now expanded her love for baking far beyond her family and friends. The company’s motto is “Plant-Based Comfort Foods”. Diane’s granola is nutrient-packed with clean, plant-based ingredients. Her granola is naturally gluten-free and offers no additives. The combination of delicious comfort food combined with healthy fats and proteins gives you the energy and drive that you seek in life.

Honey Cake Tiger

Sisters, Angie and Nadia, grew up in Switzerland and founded the children’s clothing company, Honey Cake Tiger. Honey Cake Tiger was formed with the goal of dressing their kids in responsibly manufactured organic clothing that is both comfortable and attractive. Their clothing designs are based on the many places in which they lived throughout their lives. Those places include; the Swiss Alps, Costa Rica, Paris, San Diego. Their clothing is dedicated to their children: Nanoa, Alva, and Enya. Honey Cake Tiger’s clothing has creative designs that you won’t find elsewhere. Clothing ranges from shirts, pants, dresses, masks, baby blankets, and even hair scrunchies. Honey Cake Tiger’s organic collection is inspired by the beauty of Earth’s natural resources and features a hint of vintage. Their clothes are bright and enjoyable to wear while kids play and explore their environment!

The Unspoken Book

In The Unspoken, Ashley Haseotes discusses her personal experience of hitting rock bottom and finally acknowledging her trauma. Ashley’s life is turned upside down when she becomes afflicted with chronic migraines and vertigo. For months, Ashley is confined to her bed due to her severe suffering and overwhelmed emotions. Ashley, unable to work and care for her children, is lost and disconnected from her life’s purpose. She looks at her feelings of uncontrollable failure and overwhelming pressure.

Now Ashley is an intuitive energy healer, entrepreneur, and meditation coach. Her inspiring story of pain, loss, and self-healing is showcased in her new memoir, The Unspoken. The Unspoken is a deeply personal, transformative narrative of Ashley Haseotes, who has survived childhood abuse and neglect, dealt with her son’s cancer diagnosis, and lived with chronic pain.

gfJules

gfJules, the top gluten-free flour and baking mixes firm in the United States, is directed by Jules Shepard, who also serves as CEO and Founder. She is also well regarded in the gluten-free and food allergy industry, having written three award-winning titles on the subject as well as promoting the gluten-free labeling movement. She is a prominent figure in the gluten and food allergy community. Her efforts to educate and lobby have earned her the distinction of being named “Gluten-Free Person of the Decade” for the first time.

gfJules is dedicated to making the gluten-free lifestyle enjoyable, safe, and fun for everyone! Four years in a row, gfJules has been voted as the #1 gluten-free flour and baking mixes. gfJules is here to help you enjoy the gluten-free lifestyle, with her award-winning mixes and blog featuring over 400 FREE recipes, whether it’s by choice or advice.

Women have made a huge impact in the past through their hard work and dedication to women’s empowerment, which continues into today. Women will continue to fight for women’s empowerment and women business owners will be an everyday occurrence. Women are strong, smart women who know how to get what they want when they put their minds to it.