10 Inspirational Quotes From Women Business Leaders

By 2020, Alexander Hamilton’s solemn mug will be replaced on the $10 bill with the face of, yes, a woman. Will it be a woman from the world of business? There’s no word yet on who it will be but we’re sure she will be awesome.

Regardless of whose face ends up on the bill, enjoy 10 of the most inspirational quotes from women who not only played the leadership game -- they reinvented it.

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx

Image credit: Gillian Zoe Segal | Wikimedia Commons

“Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.”

Listen to one of America’s richest self-made woman, Sara Blakely, who at the age of 44, sits on a fortune of approximately $1 billion thanks to the success of her popular undergarments. Her Spanx line has expanded to jeans and yoga wear, and -- to date -- her company remains privately owned.

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

Image credit: Drew Altizer | Flickr

“Option A is not available. So let’s kick the sh** out of option B."

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg continues to inspire with her frank words of courage following her husband, David Goldberg’s, death. In a tribute post to her husband on Facebook last month, Sandberg wrote about her struggle with acceptance and related a situation where she had to step in for a father-child activity. “I want Dave,” she wrote. “I want option A.” However, she wrote of her resolve to honor his memory and kick the sh** out of option B.”   

Lori Greiner, inventor, QVC host and ‘Shark Tank’ investor

Image credit: lorigreiner.com

"Dear optimist, pessimist, and realist -- while you guys were busy arguing about the glass of wine, I drank it! Sincerely, the opportunist!"

The “Queen of QVC,” Lori Greiner, who joined the ABC show Shark Tank in 2012 alongside Barbara Corcoran. Greiner has hosted a QVC show calledThe Clever & Unique Creations Show since 1998 and hawks her popular products, such as jewelry organizers, on the channel. She also runs a product development and marketing company in Chicago.

Mellody Hobson, of Ariel Investments

Image credit: Joi Ito | Flickr

“If we can learn to deal with our discomfort and just relax into it we'll have a better life.”

As a standout African-American female leader in the finance sector, Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments and chairwoman on several boards, including Disney Animation, can speak from experience about being accustomed to discomfort. Hobson also is a vocal advocate for diversity, saying, “Invite people into your life that don’t look or think like you.”

Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics

Image credit: marykay.com

“Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that so it goes on flying anyway.”

Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Cosmetics in 1963. Her entrepreneurial talents emerged long before, when she joined the direct sales force of Stanley Home products in the 1930s as a side gig, which became her full-time job in 1939 -- after her husband ran off and left her to support three children. Success in spite of tragedies, including her second husband’s death shortly before her first cosmetics store was poised to open, set a high bar of grit and fortitude.

Barbara Corcoran, real estate magnate and ‘Shark Tank’ investor

Image credit: LinkedIn Pulse | Flickr

"The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves."

Barbara Corcoran, who got straight Ds in high school and college, founded one of New York City’s premiere real-estate firms, The Corcoran Group, in 1973 for $1,000 in seed money. She turned it into an empire and sold it for $60 million. In 2009, she joined the cast of ABC’s Shark Tank, and later co-founded Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners, an angel investment company.

Eileen Fisher, fashion designer

Image credit: Matt Dunham | Flickr

“Life-fulfilling work is never about the money -- when you feel true passion for something, you instinctively find ways to nurture it.”

Eileen Fisher founded her line of eco-friendly, organic women’s loungewear in 1984 and currently employs more than 1,100 employees with over 60 stores across the U.S. She’s described her business as “an obsession” -- one of her son’s first phrases was “crinkle rayon.” While her obsession is flourishing, Fisher said her divorce and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, gave her perspective to make sure her most important relationships remain at the forefront -- including taking care of herself.

Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Image credit: Kjetil Ree | Wikimedia Commons

“If you are successful, it is because somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a life or an idea that started you in the right direction. Remember also that you are indebted to life until you help some less fortunate person, just as you were helped.”

Melinda Gates -- also known as the wife of the richest man in the world, Bill Gates -- is formidable in her own right. Before marrying Gates, she was a general manager of information products at Microsoft. Since quitting her job there in 1996, she’s been both a powerful figurehead and hands on in the Gates Foundation mission to fund projects that will impact global health.

Andrea Jung, former CEO of AVON and president of Grameen America

Image credit: Caseyculture | Wikimedia Commons

“My parents ingrained in me early on that the perfect score is always something to strive for. I want to win and I want to succeed no matter what.”

The former CEO of AVON who resigned from her post in 2012 following the company’s poor financial performance and investor furor, Andrea Jung now runs Grameen America, a microfinance organization, which was created by Nobel Peace Prize-winning microlender Muhammad Yunus -- the nonprofit lends microloans to America’s poor. And yes, some of those micro-borrowers are probably Avon sales people.

Arianna Huffington, editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post

Image credit: David Shankbone | Wikimedia Commons

“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes -- understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”

Arianna Huffington, who recently signed on to remain editor-in-chief ofAOL/Huffington Post until 2019, shared her #fails with graduates at Sarah Lawrence College in 2011: her failed epic romance with the late-London Times columnist Bernard Levin and her original plans for The Huffington Post to be a highbrow literary site that nobody was going to read, “but everyone was going to pretend to have read it.” Turns out, she did all right.  

Carolyn Sun

6 Startup Tips for Women Entrepreneurs

In 2015, the number of women-owned firms increased again. Women now own about 30 percent of U.S. businesses and employ nearly 8 million workers. Businesses owned by women provide one in seven jobs in privately-owned businesses, reports Womenable.com.

It’s not uncommon for women to face unique challenges, especially when trying to juggle traditional roles of wife and mother with the demands of starting and running a business. Over the years as a business owner myself, and through training women to run their own etiquette businesses, I have learned a few tips that may help women looking to start a business.

1. Find your passion.

You are going to spend many long hours working in and on your business, so pick an industry that you don’t just like, but are passionate about. When you are passionate, it shows, and your enthusiasm and belief in what you are doing translates to your customers, sparking their enthusiasm about what you are offering.

2. Fit your business to your personal goals.

Are you looking to work part time to supplement the family income or work around the children’s schedules or are you focused on building a full-time business? Is money or freedom the goal, or both? There’s no rule that you have to work a full-time schedule when you run a business -- start a boutique business or work as a consultant. Choose a business and business style that suits your picture of a fulfilling life.

3. Keep your home and work life separate.

It is important to set aside time for both personal and work lives, in order to give each the attention it deserves. Set specific office hours and unless there is an emergency, stick to them. Train yourself to work during office hours and do not accept calls or check emails after hours. Your customers and clients will also conform to your schedule as long as you stick to it. That means not calling or emailing others after hours. Create a separate work area, whether inside the home or in outside office space, and shut the door to the office after hours.

4. Embrace technology.

Don’t let the lure of an incoming message get you off track, whether you are concentrating on a project or spending quality time with your loved ones. Let emails wait until morning or check them at certain times of the day only, allow your voicemail to take calls, and employ auto responders. Let technology work for you.

5. Form genuine connections.

It can be difficult to work alone, so the connections you make will prove invaluable, and not only for business. Find a mentor or create a women’s support group and share your ideas, goals and frustrations. Use the “village” to help you navigate the business landscape. Join a women’s business association such as the National Association of Business Owners (NAWBO) or the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) for professional support and resources.

6. Define your brand.

Carefully define your brand: what does it look like and what does it stand for? And stick to it. Make everything you do and offer conform to the brand, from color schemes, logo design, packaging, correspondence, and presentations, to customer service, and the company culture and mission. Do not deviate from your brand. It is the message and consistency by which your clients know, remember and trust you.

Having your own business is an adventure, so embrace the challenges and rewards it offers.

Jacqueline Whitmore

5 Powerful Rules for Women Entrepreneurs to Live By

When I became an entrepreneur, I was motivated by one thing: freedom. I wanted the flexibility to follow my dream. Entrepreneurship allowed me to do work that was engaging and empowering.

Related: Get an Awesome Outlook on Life and Business

I’m not alone. According to a Cox Business study, 61 percent of women entrepreneurs started a business to be their own boss, and more than 50 percent became entrepreneurs to have greater control over their future.

So, what holds more women back from taking the plunge? Sometimes, a “good enough” life is itself a deterrent. College, the corporate ladder, a family: Often these things feel comfortable.

“I was successful at a job that wasn’t really that difficult,” Linda Shesto, CEO of Pearl Aqua LLC, tells me. “When it was time to step into a new reality and become an entrepreneur, I wanted everything set up perfectly. I wanted the same formula for success."

But there’s no magic formula for entrepreneurial success, of course. Stepping into the unknown is scary -- and many women doubt their abilities, feeling like impostors. “I believe that no matter how thoroughly prepared a woman might be, she will feel unprepared, whereas a man will feel even more prepared than he really is,” Shesto says. Unfortunately, research supports this notion.

Other women hesitate to pursue entrepreneurship from fear of not having enough time for themselves or their families. Melissa Sherwood, CEO and creative director at Klara Kelly, says that the biggest challenge is balancing running her business with running her household. And there are many like her. Sherwood’s husband can leave work at the office. But she says that her home is her office, making it that much tougher to get work done when her kids are home.

Here, then, are five strategies to help you crush these types of entrepreneurial fears and succeed even as you step into the unknown:

1. Quit seeking validation and embrace your crazy.

This is your business. It’s yours because no one else has had the vision you did to start it. Stop seeking validation before you launch a new product, program or idea. The most successful people are those who were once believed to be crazy.

2. Celebrate even the smallest of wins.

To maintain a go-getter attitude requires positive reinforcement. Have you worked up the courage to make that call you’ve been putting off? Finally gotten through that stack of paperwork? Kick up your heels and celebrate! That energy will carry you forward.

Related: Finding Your Passion and Following Your Purpose

3. Get specific.

Now that you’re trusting your own instincts and celebrating along the way, challenge yourself to break down your vision into smaller chunks. With the freedom to do what you want during the day comes the increased need to stick to a plan. What do you want to achieve this month -- and what do you need to do this week to reach your goals? As we know, writing your goals down significantly increases your chances of success.

4. Know that making money is like making broccoli.

A mentor once told me that making money is like making broccoli: You’re not afraid of using up the broccoli in your fridge, are you? You know you can always get more.

Similarly, if you’re committed to growing your business, you can’t be afraid to invest in your growth or do the things that excite you. Rather than worry about the money you’re spending, focus on making each investment worthwhile.

5. Decide to be grateful.

My dad used to say that no matter how good or bad you have it, there’s always someone who has it better than you and someone who has it worse than you. Comparison is the root of despair. Every day, we get tochoose to be grateful for what we have, regardless of where we want to be.

“At the end of the day, I work for myself, and you can’t put a price tag on that,” Sherwood tells me. “I also can’t put a value on the lessons that I am teaching my children as they watch me build my company.”

Like anything worthwhile, being an entrepreneur isn't easy. All of us, however, can be grateful for the opportunity to pursue meaningful work and build a life we love. What more could we ask for?

Related: 3 Ways to Stay Motivated to Lead Your Business

Sumi Krishnan