As we close out Women’s History Month, it’s important to recognize the trailblazing women who refused to take “no” for an answer, opening doors for future generations. Some of these women you may know, others you may not, but through their determination, strategic mindset, and creativity, they’ve played pivotal roles in building multi-million-dollar companies that have become household names. In this blog, we’ll explore the careers of Sandra Lerner, Sara Blakely, and Indra Nooyi, three women who have made a lasting impact on the workforce over the past three decades.
Sandra Lerner: Sandra Lerner co-founded Cisco Systems, a tech company that changed the game of networking. Seeing a woman in charge in the tech industry fought the gender norm at the time. As one of the few women in this industry, she faced a lot of gender discrimination in a male-dominated field. Rather than letting this setback define her, Lerner pivoted to an entirely different industry, founding Urban Decay, a very successful makeup brand that used its products to challenge beauty norms and have empowered and encouraged women to embrace their individuality. Her story is a testament to resilience and reinvention, proving that success isn’t confined to one industry. She continues to inspire women to break barriers, forge their own paths, and redefine what success looks like on their own terms.
Sara Blakely: While you might not know the name Sara Blakely, you have almost certainly heard of her brand, Spanx. With very little money and no formal experience in fashion, she had a vision to change the world of women’s shapewear. Despite skepticism from male-dominated manufacturing and retail industries, she persevered, building Spanx from the ground up. Her hard work paid off when, in 2012, she became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. Blakely’s journey proves that passion and persistence can overcome industry barriers, even without traditional experience.Today, she continues to uplift women through the Sara Blakely Foundation, supporting female entrepreneurs and ensuring that more women have the opportunity to carve their own paths in business.
Indra Nooyi: Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, broke through the glass ceiling in the corporate world, proving once again that women, and especially women of color, belong in executive leadership positions. She was one of the first women to lead a Fortune 500 company and she led with resilience in another male-dominated industry. Her strategic mindset led her to advocate for sustainable and healthier product lines. She talked a lot about the challenges she faced between balancing both work and family and the pressure that women face when they are in a leadership position. She used this as motivation to fight for better workplace policies that better support working women. Her career demonstrates that determination can drive a powerful change for all women in business.
All of these women came from different backgrounds and made a pivotal impact across various industries. Yet, they all shared one common trait: a relentless drive to create change, even when faced with rejection and obstacles. Whether it was proving that women can transition between successful careers, pioneering an industry without formal experience, or identifying a problem and becoming the solution, their journeys were far from easy. It took time, resilience, and hard work, but they persevered—and that is incredibly important for women to recognize as they navigate the challenges of the business world.
