International Women’s Day was born out of the global fight for women’s rights in the 20th century and now marks a day to celebrate the social, economic and political achievements of women around the world.
As part of the celebration, we’re excited to highlight the top female founders in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) space. These 17 women from 15 different companies are innovators across industries and are paving the way for the next generation of female founders.
We’ve asked each participating woman how she empowers other women in her company or industry and what advice she would give to another female founder.
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Lisa Roberts Hurd & Kristin Hurd, Co-Founders of Lisa’s 1973
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Anngelica-Marie Omekwa Eshesimua, Founder of Omekwa Organics
Bridget Greaney, Co-Founder of 2Betties
In an effort to reduce the amount of sugar and unnatural ingredients in so-called “healthy” snacks, Bridget Greaney and her mom, Nancy Becker, founded 2Betties—an on-the-go snack that’s both nutritious and delicious. Since its founding in 2018, 2Betties has evolved into a community of like-minded people that prioritize a happy and healthy lifestyle.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
I strive to empower through leading with inquiry over advocacy and allowing space for individual autonomy as we work towards realizing a shared vision. Everyone sees things differently, and there's immense value in having a diversity of perspectives. As a leader, I have to be conscious to build systems of communication that empower each to share their thinking and ideas to allow my organization to tap into that value.
What advice would you give another female founder?
I advise women looking to start their own business, or advance within their organization, to learn to love and trust themselves. Our relationship with ourselves is often the harshest, and if we don't learn to pat ourselves on the back, to trust that our thinking is correct, or to believe that what we're doing is the right thing, why should anyone else? Second to that, I encourage anyone looking to start a business to talk to future or potential customers before launch to ensure there's a clear opportunity in the form of product-market fit for whatever product you're looking to sell.
Beau Wangtrakuldee, Founder & CEO of AmorSui
Beau Wangtrakuldee founded AmorSui on the belief that anyone has the power to change the world. Her mission is to empower PPE wearers to perform their best work while staying safe in quality yet sustainable protective wear.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
I believe that the best encouragement for women to get inspired and pursue their passions is to see other women taking chances on themselves and being successful in turn. I feel very fortunate to be able to grow my business and expand our mission to protect people and the planet, and I am energized in knowing that any accomplishments I make in my business will inspire other women to strive for the same excellence.
What advice would you give another female founder?
My advice would be to set small achievable goals and hold yourself accountable. Don’t lose sight of your grand vision, but make sure to make little bits of progress every day to achieve that bigger picture.
Sophia Danner-Okotie, Founder & CEO of Besida
Sophia Danner-Okotie founded Besida in 2015, an emerging black and women owned fashion brand that breaks through the fast-fashion environment with quality, beautiful styles. Her garments are inspired by her birthplace, Nigeria, where they’re also sustainably and ethically made.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
At our workshop in Benin City, Nigeria, we hire local artisans who sustainably and ethically bring our garments to life. We are passionate about empowering women and creating opportunities for them to become financially independent.
What advice would you give another female founder?
Build relationships and find a mentor who has experience in the same field as your business. Chances are your mentor has been through a lot and can keep you from making the same mistakes she did.
Sarah Maiellano, Founder of Car Seat Bib
Sarah Maiellano, a real mom with a really car sick kid, launched Car Seat Bib in 2020. After spending years and hundreds of dollars on bibs that don’t work, Sarah created her own oversized bib that saves parents from messy clothes, car seats and buckles.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
Flexibility, patience, and understanding. Women are under more pressure than ever before. We have to be empathetic with our women colleagues, vendors, and partners. By putting ourselves in others' shoes, we can offer them the same flexibility, patience, and understanding that we'd like for ourselves.
What advice would you give another female founder?
Join professional development groups, ask for help and advice, and offer the same to others. By offering your expertise and time, you build trust and relationships that will pay dividends in terms of referrals, support, and even lifelong friendships.
Ellen Hockley, Founder & CEO of Evergreen Activewear
Unable to find activewear that fit and supported her changing body during workouts (she recently had a baby), Ellen Hockley founded Evergreen Activewear in 2021. With a team of women and mothers, she created an eco-friendly activewear line that helps women feel strong, empowered, and supported.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
Empowering women is one of the main pillars of Evergreen Activewear. We do this through community building, collaboration and supporting the growth of individuals and their businesses. We are firm believers of community over competition. In order to be successful, we must build up and support other women on their journey.
What advice would you give another female founder?
I think two very important things I've learned while running my businesses are to always trust your gut and don't be afraid to fail. There will always be challenges, and probably someone out there trying to do exactly what you're doing, but if you listen to and support yourself you, will be successful. It may not be in your current venture, but it will happen!
Mitali Saxena, Founder & CEO of Fashom
Mitali Saxena founded Fashom in 2018 with the goal of styling women just the way they are. Fashom celebrates individual self-expression and is on a mission to provide unwavering support for body positivity and confidence.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
One of the brand pillars that I have instilled in Fashom since its inception is female empowerment, and I absolutely have carried that over from my personal life. I constantly support my female friends in business who are entrepreneurs or are helping to launch important ventures via story shoutouts on my personal social media accounts. I work with our marketing manager to share female-focused spotlight posts/stories/e-blast features on impactful women in the industry via Fashom's platforms and to create various campaigns that help promote and direct donations to particular female-empowerment focused charities throughout the year. And I represent both Fashom and myself as a female founder of color at numerous female-empowerment events.
What advice would you give another female founder?
There are SO many things that I wish I knew before starting my business, but if I had to pick one piece of advice to give to another woman before starting her own business, I would say to stop comparing yourself to other female founders out of the gate. You can study all the strategies and paths of those before you to try to map out your own success, but the truth is that everyone's path to success is unique and you need to do what works best for you and your company.
Olivia F. Scott, Founder of Freedom At The Mat
Olivia F. Scott created Freedom At The Mat with the goal of helping all women access yoga, meditation and mindfulness classes. She sells mats customized by global artists, serving as floor art that provides a visual prompt to pause and relax.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
Our products, services and content are all designed to empower women to live their best lives by prioritizing personal self-care. We provide short-form, accessible wellness content suited for busy women who have a hard time making time for them. We believe that mindfulness is revolutionary in driving a more intentional world. Also, 15% of our profits are donated to organizations serving the health and wellness of underserved women and girls.
What advice would you give another female founder?
Think of your legacy and what you can uniquely offer the world. Developing and growing a business takes a tremendous amount of effort. So, working in areas that you love, have expertise and enjoy investing time and energy into are critical. Do not be afraid to focus on areas of interest to you vs. what is trending. Be prepared to invest time and money upfront, the payoff often comes after year one or two.
Stefany Nieto, Co-Founder & COO of Gwella Mushrooms Inc.
Starting her first business at 19 years old, Stefany Nieto is no stranger to the entrepreneurial role. Gwella Mushrooms Inc. is her third start-up and launched its first product—Mojo gummies—in 2020. Gwella is dedicated to the exploration of mushrooms and how they can elevate everyday life.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
Within the company, I coach my team members on salary/equity negotiation and find personal and professional growth opportunities for them (e.g., interviews, courses, upskilling activities). In my community, I teach and mentor both newcomers and women experiencing low-income life phases how to launch or scale their businesses. In the industry, I've been invited to join the Women in Psychedelics group (branched off from the Canada Psychedelic Association) to find and implement ways to support women in psychedelics. At the moment, we're exploring ways to progress career opportunities for women in the industry.
What advice would you give another female founder?
My advice would be to just start today with anything that moves the idea out of their dreams and into reality—whether it be doodling a logo, opening a social account with their preferred business name, or telling someone their idea. There will never be a 'perfect' time to start a business, and it'll never get easier so start today.
Lisa Roberts Hurd & Kristin Hurd, Co-Founders of Lisa’s 1973
Sick of seeing dressings with insanely long shelf lives and natural formulas with unpleasant tastes in grocery stores, Kristin Hurd and Lisa Roberts Hurd created plant-based organic dressings that actually taste good. Beyond dressings, Lisa’s 1973 is dedicated to making inclusivity, love, and eating locally & sustainably a priority.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
We have both been mentored by incredible female leaders who have generously given their time and championed each of us as individuals, as well as our company. Paying it forward and being mentors and advisors to other women is important to us both.
What advice would you give another female founder?
Always say thank you, and ask how you can be helpful to the people who have generously taken the time to help you. Always be 100% clear about what you are bringing to market when speaking with investors, and keep a laser sharp focus on your hero product.
Anngelica-Marie Omekwa Eshesimua, Founder of Omekwa Organics 
Anngelica-Marie Omekwa Eshesimua created a self-care system centered around physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Omekwa Organics helps women build consistent health habits with natural herbal products, including organic teas and facial oils.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
When I discovered a benign breast tumor at only 22 years old, it set me on an unexpected yet rewarding path to physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. At the time, I was successful yet burnt out, working in a career path that no longer served me. I’ve transmuted this disruption in my well-being to create Omekwa, a brand that holistically empowers career women through the power of herbs.
What advice would you give another female founder?
When starting out, it's easy to fall into a fear mindset, which can manifest in burnout, hasty business decisions, and more. When faced with the inevitable obstacles of entrepreneurship, it's vital to find a support system to keep you in a positive, expansive mindset.
Rachel Willis, Co-Founder of Outpatch
Rachel Willis co-founded Outpatch in 2021 on the premise that community-led change is the most effective way to create a better world. Portions of their patch sales benefit nonprofits supporting communities in crises.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
I co-founded a souvenir company and operate in an (often old) male dominated industry—but we are disrupting the space by donating our proceeds to local nonprofits and using local artists to design our product. 85% of the artists we work with are women, and the majority of nonprofits we donate to are run by women. We UPLIFT and EMPOWER one another.
What advice would you give another female founder?
Do it! The first step is the hardest but know you have a bunch of sisters ready to lend a hand. The female entrepreneur networks I am part of have helped me immensely along this journey.
Ashley Brown, Founder & Owner of Routine and Things
Ashley Brown is a self-proclaimed routine queen that set out to add structure to her sometimes chaotic life. Through Routine and Things, Ashley equips other women with planning products that help them thoughtfully care for themselves, their homes and their families.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
By equipping women with routine and planning products that help structure their life and lighten their load!
What advice would you give another female founder?
Trust yourself and stay true to your passion. Entrepreneurship can be challenging at times, but your trust and passion will keep you going!
Brittny Horne, Founder of RVL Wellness Co.
RVL Wellness Co. is a woman-owned puzzle company that provides black women a luxe self-care experience. Understanding the pressure on black women to prioritize career over wellness, Brittny Horne started RVL to help elevate them in both their personal and professional lives.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
Collaboration over competition. I'm always seeking out ways to collaborate and learn from other women in my industry.
What advice would you give another female founder?
Just start. Even if you don't have it all figured out, take that first step. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish if you just keep going.
Candace Wu, Co-Founder of Wonder Monday
Candace Wu and her co-founder created a delicious cheesecake without sugar, carbs and junk after a year of experimenting. Born out of the pandemic, Wonder Monday stands for what could be and creating your own reality.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
I run a private group chat for female DTC founders. It's an intimate space where we share advice, trade notes, and provide each other with support.
What advice would you give another female founder?
Trust your intuition and follow your alignment.
Kat Connor & Lindzi Shanks, Co-Founders of XO Marshmallow
Kat Connor and Lindzi Shanks founded XO Marshmallow out of nostalgia for sipping cocoa with marshmallows and roasting s'mores. The pair teamed up in 2016 to launch XO Marshmallows, using premium ingredients to create fluffy and adorable treats that elevate the traditional marshmallow to over-the-top status.
How do you empower other women in your company or industry?
Our company is entirely women owned and operated. It's vitally important in our company that we make sure that every single woman who works here knows that her voice is heard and valued. We encourage our employees to try new things and ideas in the space—knowing that failure is a perfectly acceptable outcome. By giving our team that leeway, they feel empowered to think of the company as their own and innovate new ideas.
What advice would you give another female founder?
Do not underestimate the power of your network. By taking the time to connect with other women owned businesses, you not only get to connect with others who are going through what you are, but you also get to help one another through sharing resources and advice. The phrase ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’ is so true—so find a network of like minded women business owners and grow together.
We’re excited to spotlight these 17 amazing women and share their perspectives as female founders. International Women’s Day is only one day a year, but these women deserve daily recognition.
