Breaking barriers: how women entrepreneurs are redefining leadership
BY SWETHA SUBRAMANIAN
In the past years, the field of entrepreneurship was primarily known to be male-dominated. However, recently many women have been breaking barriers and coming through as highly successful entrepreneurs. Currently, Statistics show that women own or lead 40% of the total businesses in the United States. Women are not only leading businesses but lead them in a very efficient and inclusive manner. Female led start-ups are growing faster than they have ever been, contributing to the global economy and making a significant impact. Traditional leadership showcases authority and control; however, women are redefining leadership by emphasizing qualities like collaboration and inclusivity. Women bring a human-centered and heartfelt approach that values the people of any company. Women have recently been seen as people who challenge leadership norms and redefine what leadership looks like. Women like Indra Nooyi and Sara Blakely have exemplified how female entrepreneurs run successful companies by being resilient and redefining the classic norms of leadership.
Indra Nooyi was born and raised in Chennai, India and later immigrated to the United States to pursue her higher education at Yale University located in Connecticut. After completing her education Nooyi joined PepsiCo in 1994 and eventually became the CEO in 2006. Nooyi was known as one of the first women of color to officially lead a fortune 500 company. Throughout her journey, she overcame many challenges both in the corporate world and outside. Overcoming these barriers strengthened Nooyi’s approach to leadership and brought success to PepsiCo. Shortly after becoming the official CEO of PepsiCo, Nooyi introduced a long-term vision of hers called Performance with purpose. (PwP) This initiative primarily focused on 3 pillars: product, offering healthy beverages; planet, reducing PepsiCo’s environmental footprint; and people, focused on supporting employees and the community. This comes to show that Nooyi believed the success of a business and employee happiness go hand in hand. By centering her leadership around empathy and inclusivity, Noyi broke the traditional mold of corporate leadership. She redefined what leadership meant in a modern business by showcasing the idea that leadership only comes from treating employees better. By blending her leadership qualities with corporate excellence, Nooyi empowers many women and girls to challenge their limits and shape the future.
Sara Blakely; SpanxLearning
Sara Blakely is a highly successful woman in the field of business and entrepreneurship. Blakely started her company Spanx in 2000 using $5000 from her savings and no investors. Spanx is a brand in women’s fashion that reinvented women’s apparel and is designed by women for women. Throughout the development of her company, Blakely faces a countless amount of speedbumps which she had to conquer through. Many male investors dismissed her ideas, but she showed persistence to prove them wrong. Blakely built her Spanx mainly centered on the culture of employees, authenticity, humor and confidence. Blakely always encouraged her employees to embrace failure as a part of growth. This approach fostered an environment of creativity and a better culture overall. Blakely also donated millions and supports other women entrepreneurs globally. By leading her company through her own values rather than the traditional leadership norms, Blakely accomplished being the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Blakely ultimately broke the expectations of what leadership should look like, and showed that having a more empathetic approach in leadership will lead to more success overall. Blakely’s journey reflects the essence of breaking barriers and redefining relationships because it shows empathy and resilience can drive a successful business which will ultimately lead to a greater social impact.
Both Indra Nooyi and Sara Blakely showcase how women leaders are rewriting the rules behind leadership. Women are working against the classic norms of leadership and bringing more success to the businesses. Women entrepreneurs are finding much more success when leading with inclusivity and collaboration rather than the classic leadership ideologies. Blakely and Nooyi have been able to push past barriers using their effective leadership skills. The future of entrepreneurship is being redefined by women who maintain a balance between innovation and kindness, shaping business into a world that values both collaboration and success.
