Celebrating Our Founders For International Women’s Day

On March 8, 1857, in New York City, female textile workers marched in protest of unfair working conditions and unequal rights for women. Calling for shorter workdays and fair wages, this was one of the first organized strikes by working women.

Also on this date in 1908, women workers in the needle trades marched through New York City’s Lower East Side to protest child labor, sweatshop working conditions, and demand for women’s suffrage. In 1910, March 8 became annually observed as International Women’s Day.

Fast forward to today, we still recognize this historic day as a celebration of the economic, political, and social contributions of women. And although we’ve certainly made strides and have come a long way, there is still work to be done!

Leading the way are our inspirational founders, who are examples of female determination, hard work, and entrepreneurial spirit. In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re featuring some of our founders and their businesses, showcasing their successes to inspire women across the globe.

Carlyn Bushman, Founder of Carlyn Bushman Consulting 

Q: What advice would you give your younger self about succeeding as a woman in business?

A: Progress over perfection. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just get started. I wish I would have just gotten started a little sooner, but here I am today, so I have no regrets about that. If you feel passionate about something, start it today.

Q: What advice do you have for young women considering becoming founders and entrepreneurs?

A: You don’t always have to launch in the product-based space, but always be learning, always be learning. There is so much out there. What you will learn in three months, six months, three years, five years, is incredible. Be open to learning. You don’t have to know it all but know your numbers. Make the financials fun.

Q: What specific steps have you taken in your career to actively support other women?

A: I do actively support other women. Networks are incredible and finding the right network to support you and for you to support others is such a gift. You give what you receive. Surround yourself with incredibly like-minded women. Be available and support those other women, lift each other up, be in a crowd where that is the rule. That is the goal to lift each other up and support each other in our businesses. There is enough business to go around. So supporting each other is my number one thing when it comes to helping women in business.

Beth Nydick, Founder of Beth Nydick Media 

Q: What advice would you give your younger self about succeeding as a woman in business?

A: Link arms with other women. I didn’t realize that there were people out there who wanted to support me, who wanted to be on board with me, and who wanted to help me make an impact as they made an impact too. I think too often we’re like, ‘I can do it on my own,’ but in this business and in the world that we live in today, it’s so important to have a community around you so that you can be successful.

Larissa Riley, Owner and Founder of Sun Scribe Creative 

Q: What advice would you give your younger self about succeeding as a woman in business?

A: You’re in control of your career, which means you’re also in control of your growth. So when you feel that feeling inside you telling you that there’s something more, trust your intuition and go for it.

Q: What specific steps have you taken in your career to actively support other women?

A: I’ve spent a lot of time as as an education and programming chair of a group of women leaders. There is so much that we can learn as women to overcome our fears, and show up as our best selves, and I was honored and privileged to be able to curate these learning experiences for other women so that we could all rise together.

Q: What gives you hope that gender equality in business and leadership is improving? What signs of progress do you see?

A: Some companies are being very intentional about incorporating women into the leadership pipeline. And while that might not be the case across the board, I do see it as a sign of progress and I hope that it will continue to flourish.

Ligia Gutierrez, Founder of Love Your Mission

Q: What woman inspires you and why? (historical, present day, in your life, etc)

A: My daughter, the epitome of resilience, an endless well of creativity, with the wisdom to set boundaries and a brilliant mind that thrives in college as a math major. She astonishes me every day. That’s why I admire her. 

Q: What advice would you give your younger self about succeeding as a woman in business?

A: If I could chat to my younger self, I’d say, ‘own your well-being fiercely. Set boundaries that nurture you, your loved ones, and your business dreams. Remember success without health is empty. Avoid burnout. Say yes to balance. You got this—every step of the way.’

Sharon Ringier, Small Business Alignment Strategist

Q: What advice would you give your younger self about succeeding as a woman in business?

A: Believe in your abilities, speak up confidently, and don’t let anyone undermine your worth or potential. 

Q: What specific steps have you taken in your career to actively support other women?

A: I’m helping women trailblaze in their businesses by creating a platform for them to be able to have a voice and visibility through using the magazine.

Billé Frazier, Clinical Hypnotherapist & Master Life Coach

Q: What advice would you give your younger self about succeeding as a woman in business?

A: Cultivate your tribe. It is so important and necessary to know that we are so much stronger together than we are a part of a tribe that is going to support you encourage you, uplift youm promote your name in those rooms where you may not be, and promote it in a positive way. That would be the advice that I would give my younger self is to cultivate your tribe.

Q: What advice do you have for young women considering becoming founders and entrepreneurs?

A: Don’t listen to the naysayers, If there is something that has been placed in your spirit and your soul and that’s what you want to bring forth as an entrepreneur, do it, don’t listen to the naysayers. Don’t listen to people who tell you, ‘oh, there’s too many people out there, there’s not enough, nobody’s going to buy your product.’ Why would they buy from you? Don’t believe it if it’s in your heart and in your spirit to do. God will bring it to you and that is your motivation factor. if you have any naysayers telling you don’t do it, them them, ‘yes, I can.’

Rashmi Gill, Photographer

Q: What advice would you give your younger self about succeeding as a woman in business?

A:  It’s a classic cliche, but don’t give up. Don’t give up. Don’t give up. Keep going and it’ll be hard. There’ll be hurdles along the way. It’ll be a struggle. You’ll want to give up so many times. Don’t. It’s a journey that takes time but once you get there and you start seeing the results, there’s nothing like it. My other advice would be that done is better than perfect. It’s a big one for me. Everything always had to be perfect, but it doesn’t have to be. Getting it done is better than perfect.

Q: What specific steps have you taken in your career to actively support other women?

A: Supporting other women has almost become a mission of mine in my own business. It’s something I love to do. I love also meeting other women in businesses and entrepreneurs and hearing their stories. Supporting them in ways that are helpful to them. So things that I’ve done, referring them again, referring them to others, introducing them to others that might be of help to them.

Buying their services, buying their goods, interacting with them on social media, talking about them when they’re in the room, but also when they’re not in the room. And any way that I can help if they need it, I’m happy to do so. There’s nothing more magical, there’s nothing more powerful than women supporting other women, businesses supporting other businesses. So try it, you’ll see the impact is huge. Not only will you feel great, the person receiving it will feel so grateful.

Q: What advice do you have for young women considering becoming founders and entrepreneurs?

A: Find your community, find your crew, find the people that help you, support you, are there for you in the ups and the downs, and are there to correct your crown when it’s tilted, talk about you when you’re not in the room, help you get through anything that you need. Give you the advice, cheer you on, support you, and likewise, you be the one that is there for those who need it. It’s incredible what a community or group of people, or even just a couple of individuals can do to help you grow, prosper, and feel like you’ve succeeded.

Danitza Borges, Founder of ELYS

Q: What advice would you give your younger self about succeeding as a woman in business?

A: Not everyone is going to understand your dream. Not everyone is going to understand the passion that you have behind it. And that’s okay. Not everybody should understand it but never waver. Never stop chasing that dream. Never give up your passion.

Q: What woman inspires you and why? (historical, present day, in your life, etc)

A: There are so many to list, but at the very top, I would say Jamie Lee Curtis. She, first of all, she’s an amazing actress. She is an amazing producer, but most of all, she hypes other women. And to me is extremely priceless to be recognized like that by another person of your gender is amazing. I just hope to follow in her footsteps. So thank you, Jamie Lee Curtis for paving the way for so many of us.

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