From being extraordinary on the entrepreneurial ground to sweeping off the feet on runways, women have been leading the world their own way. These females have come from all walks of life and have achieved unbelievable things that one could dream of. It feels incredible to mention, women currently have occupied some of the most authoritative positions in the world and continue to inspire young females to seize the impossible. We have listed down such top 30 inspiring women of 2022 who dared to step out of their comfort zone and proved that ‘brave is beautiful.’
Ava Farvahari
Award-winning facial aestheticist Ava Farvahari has earned a glowing reputation in the UK beauty industry. Having founded My Pure Aesthetics just 4 years ago, she has already earned a place as one of the top clinicians in her field and is highly sought after by celebrities and influencers alike. Best known for her ability to achieve transformational results that look unquestionably natural, her mission is to enhance her clients’ natural beauty in a way that keeps others guessing. It is this commitment to quality and an exceptional client retention rate that has enabled her to open two clinics since 2017.
Ava is currently one of just a few UK clinics offering organic plasma gel filler – a treatment that offers uber-natural results while stimulating collagen production. She also offers one-to-one training to those who want to learn her techniques that have brought her so much success.
Ania Botero
Ania Botero is the founder and creator of SculptICE®. Her passion for noninvasive body contouring techniques was born after she lost 45 lbs with herbal ice therapy. In 2010 she developed her product SculptICE®; a frozen lotion made of herbs and essential oils applied frozen with specific movements to trigger the natural process of the fat body in our body known as thermogenesis. Ania has been training licensed professionals all over the United States and overseas. Her driven passion has helped around 6000+ estheticians, licensed professionals, and spa owners in the last decade. Everyone who has learned from her, or used her product, or sell her product has been blessed with a life-changing opportunity in business to embrace natural beauty thru her beauty line SculptICE®
SculptICE® started with one product only, her famous body ice in lemongrass; Today SculptICE® has around 50+ for body and face. Ania is a young entrepreneur, mother of three, Latina that embraces other women to succeed in their business. Known also as the “ICE QUEEN” since she was the first person in the states that bring herbal ice therapy to their USA market. Last year her company celebrated its 10th Anniversary.
Melissa Wahe
After her surgery went wrong, Melissa Wahe faced death and had a revelation. Her life had been spent serving others, but now it was time to become her own hero. Setting aside her career in social work, Melissa renewed her journey of becoming an actor, a stunt driver, and a screenwriter. Her passion for driving led her to the Motion Picture Driving Clinic where she learned how to make her car pirouette in a controlled spin. But 360 degrees wasn’t enough. She attended Drift 101 driving school and developed the ability to slide her car around corners like a cheetah. However, Melissa never forgot her love of performance through acting. She discovered she could bring others into her emotional experience while acting with Greg Finley. She can currently be seen on Life Lessons with Luis, multiple commercials, and be heard as Mika Gray in the Frijoles y Arroz Podcast.
Katie Hamilton Shaffer
Innovation and risk are inextricably linked and this fiercely competitive founder who once played semi-professional soccer can undeniably see around corners and build a vision from dream to reality. First launching Feast Network, this digital platform seeks to entertain and inspire alongside master chefs, actors, tastemakers and musicians. After filming original content for five years, Katie opened her flagship “click & mortar” in 2018, The Studio by Feast it Forward. This highly visible live marketing venue in downtown Napa is a film studio + experiential showroom shifting fans to consumers as everything experienced is an on-camera sponsor – essentially a sandbox for brands to engage visitors with a shop-the-look virtual hub alongside a multi-winery tasting collective. Pandemic hit and Katie began to construct The Yard by Feast it Forward, her newest outdoor event and live music venue with two-story shipping containers for brand activations, instagrammable moments and stage – a year-round festival-like experience.
Morgan Myles
At 26, Morgan Myles is creating waves and disrupting many different industries. Along with having a full-time role as a strategist, she is a Co-Founder of Collective Brains, a Global Learning and Development Platform, Founder of her own marketing consulting and research firm morganmyles.net and has a successful self-help podcast, Start with Morgan Myles. On Instagram, she is known for being a lifestyle Influencer that’s open about mental health and her authenticity has generated more than 11K followers. Leveraging her passion for marketing, gaming, nutrition, and mental health, she founded Spark Energy Gaming which is a health drink for gamers. It is in the early stages of raising capital through dropshipping and her recent kick starter campaign but she is not shy to start marketing the brand which has already generated an impressive 5 million views and 500K likes on Tiktok.
Carrie White
GUM Studios is a one-of-a-kind soundstage facility for film and photography located in New York City. CEO Carrie White founded the company in 2008 and broke into a male-dominated industry. Her experience and upbeat demeanor attracted a lot of artists and TV shows into her flagship studio: From Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa, Drew Barrymore, Robert DeNiro and Miley Cyrus to Project Runway and Food Network’s Worst Cooks. In 2019 she launched GUM’s Industry City complex with over 50,000 sq ft of soundstages and support spaces thanks to the success of 10 year’s work. GUM Studios was also the first studio to implement the Virtual Production XR Stage in New York City during the pandemic. “This era of technological discovery represents a fascinating opportunity for a new generation of filmmakers and photographers, and GUM is excited to help make their dreams come true,” – says Carrie.
Kimberlee Gee
Kimberlee Gee Legal is certainly making its mark in the legal outsourcing market. When Kimberlee created Kimberlee Gee Legal she recognized the demands of the legal marketplace were changing and that automation and artificial intelligence were having a sweeping impact on the way legal services were being delivered. Kimberlee Gee Legal’s freelance attorney platform leverages legal technology to provide a suite of virtual litigation support services that offers attorneys a convenient way to remain competitive with other automated legal providers. Kimberlee Gee Legal has capitalized on even greater growth opportunities during the pandemic, emphasizing leaner cost structures, efficiency, and growth for her attorney clients as a selling point. Says Gee, “During COVID-19, law firms have been forced to work remotely and overhaul how they deliver services online. The virtual litigation support services I provide have been able to fill that gap in a major way. We are excited about what the future holds.”
Giovanna Sessi-Knott
Giovanna Sessi-Knott is a luxury handbag designer and advocate of sustainable fashion. As creative director and designer at The Morphbag by GSK – while launched in only 2018- she’s already caught the eye of the fashion glitterati, featuring in upmarket glossies like Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and winning Eluxe Magazine’s Best Show Fashion Award in 2020 and BeestEthical Fashion Brand in 2021. Italian-born, and raised in a fashion-industry family, it seems inevitable that Giovanna would end up in the world of fashion. But she’s also had a successful career in international finance and later ran her own London-based interior design company. But it’s these experiences- involving business, travel, and family- that have inspired Giovanna to create a collection of stylish and sustainable handbags for the busy woman. In the Morphbag, she’s built an innovative and creative brand- and she’s also saving the planet.
Heather Pilcher
Heather Pilcher is defying the odds as a corporate world dropout who wanted to raise a family and still contribute to the family empire. She kicked off the family real estate career by buying a flip on auction.com with a hard money loan and shortly after bought a $14,000 property that would become a cash-flowing asset. She and her husband manage Airbnb rentals of their own and for other investors. Just three years later, she is now known for her success as a REALTOR® in the Greater Cincinnati Area. She won “Rookie of the Year” in 2020 (KW) and made the cut for the Top 20 Cincinnati Real Estate Agents On Social Media (Property Shark). She is now a Productivity Coach at Keller Williams. Whether you want to see a real-life family flipping houses, enjoy DIY inspiration for your home, or simply enjoy watching an entrepreneurial woman succeed, Heather Pilcher is a daily inspiration you do not want to miss.
Lexis Serot
Lexis Serot is creating meaningful change for people with disabilities. Celebrated as a 2021 Fast Company World Changing Ideas honoree, her company, LittleWins.com, is connecting families, individuals with disabilities, and support organizations across the country to donate, buy or sell used durable medical equipment and supplies.
LittleWins’ impact is a first-of-its-kind and desperately needed platform where members can share advice, tips, and support. Serot has also been named a 2021 Healthcare Visionary by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare (IFAH). As a single mother of four, including a daughter who has cerebral palsy, Serot understands the struggles so many people with disabilities have got the equipment and support they deserve. She created LittleWins to make their lives better.
Through LittleWins’ Facebook and Instagram pages, blog posts, podcasts, and email updates, Serot tirelessly advocates for the community of individuals with disabilities and fights for their seat at the table in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
Andrea Delucia
Andrea Delucia, Wife, and mother of 4, founder of Uprooted a trauma-informed online educational platform, Intuitive trauma-informed mentor, and soon to be the author of her first book “How Do I Deal With My Emotions” a memoir and self-help book that illustrates what is trauma-informed care. Andrea is known for helping her clients break trauma cycles and stop living in survival by learning how to regulate their nervous systems. With her leading programs and trauma-informed frameworks, she is passionate about this work because she is a trauma survivor battling complex PTSD and anxiety along with a chronic illness.
She wanted to create more safety in the personal development industry. Andrea is a born teacher and is excited for the world to learn her Tie Dye method that she created during the pandemic to help more people recognize trauma and address it safely. During the global pandemic, Andrea seized every opportunity to not only address more of her own personal trauma but she makes it her life’s mission. Andrea now services in her private 1.1 practice internationally her mentoring business has grown exponentially she’s reached clients all over the world.
Jasmee Toor
From working in the corporate world to becoming a successful entrepreneur, Jasmee Toor is a CEO and independent music artist. Jasmee began her journey in 2018 when she started her own beauty business, Jasmee Cosmetics. After consulting global start-up software companies, she got connected within the music industry as well, later adding songwriting and producing to her repertoire in 2020. Jasmee has since found her space within the hip-hop and R&B genres, having 3 singles amassed over 5,000,000 plays. One of her songs also received a Gold Plaque and #1 Record Pool for DJ’s looking to spread new music around the world.
Throughout her entrepreneurial journey, she has stayed consistent with working hard for her dreams and goals. She began each step in her process, through the cosmetics, music, and software industries, as a way to follow her passions and continue doing what she loves. She believes in the importance of realizing that life is far too short to not work hard for the things you desire, and hopes to inspire and empower women everywhere to stay true to themselves while learning and growing from the world, and the many changes that come with it.
Mary Shirley
Mary Shirley is the Co-Owner/CFO of AMP Properties LLC. Her love of real estate and desire for people to feel comfortable, whether in their own or someone else’s home, merge perfectly in her business, which builds/renovates houses in the Knoxville area and offers vacation rentals in Bristol, TN. A recent transplant to Bristol, Mary has emerged as a real lover of and benefit to the area, excited to support not only local businesses but the entire community for many years to come.
Believing that businesses need to give back, AMP was a proud sponsor of CureFest 2021 for childhood cancer and will proudly continue to donate to and support this cause until a cure is found. She is also driven to inspire other women to leave the 9-5 and achieve their financial independence, gaining more control of their time and lives, and uses her Instagram page to support and encourage them.
Maddalena di Meo
Maddalena di Meo is the Director of the FirstMed first aid school, Founder of the medical and social centers Baby & Kids Care, Creator of the “Que dit le pédiatre?” (“What does the pediatrician say?”) app and Initiator of the Mad4Care app project. She is a key figure in the health sector in Switzerland. Her career path reflects her atypical and dynamic personality. A nurse by vocation, she was quickly confronted with the limits of the current health system. She chose to give herself the means to contribute to the evolution of this field by training in entrepreneurship and business development.
In August 2011, her entrepreneurial adventure began when she was appointed Director of the company FirstMed. She was elected “Woman Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2016 in Switzerland, and then winner of the “Femmes en Vue” competition by Voxfemina in 2018 in Paris. She is also one of the few women part of the “Forum des 100”, a debate platform for the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
A true visionary, Maddalena brings a fresh perspective to the healthcare field. In the Baby & Kids Care center she sat up, Maddalena promotes a “phygital” – contraction of “physical” and “digital”- vision of healthcare, convinced that it is relevant to put digital at the service of the human being.
Natasha Phipps
Natasha Phipps is an investment specialist Realtor and team leader based in Calgary, Alberta who is quickly becoming a household name in her niche, Canadian investment real estate. Team leader and founder of Phipps Real Estate Group with CIR Realty, she is on a mission to provide accessible information, incredible opportunities, coaching and support to any clients looking to reach their financial goals through real estate. With a special passion for empowering women in her field all while providing ongoing educational content and events, she is a firm believer in creating your own destiny!
Natasha is driven with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, thrives on growth and loves a challenge. She can often be found as a guest speaker and contributor to Canada’s leading real estate events and publications or spending time with her husband, two kids and three dogs!
Simla Sooboodoo
Simla Sooboodoo is a true advocate for empowering those in need to better themselves. She has turned her second chance in life to a life of helping others. Earlier in her career, she founded the concept of empowerment tourism and took her Hands on Journeys brand to corners of the earth untouched by tourists to help forge new connections with local communities to bring their stories to open-minded travelers. In 2019, she started a brand of clothing made by women in the slums of Delhi with their garments going on to make an appearance on the catwalks of New York Fashion Week and the Los Angles International Fashion Show. This story became the basis for the award-winning documentary Dehlight of which Simla was a producer. Most recently, Simla founded SLAK Flowers, a social enterprise florist based in Sydney with the purpose of tackling the issue of homelessness impacting society.
JoAnn Ajayi-Scott
As an iconic entrepreneur for over 42 years, Dr. JoAnn Ajayi-Scott has created a consulting business, marketing, and PR business, and exquisite clothing boutique. Utilizing her gift as an International Empowerment Speaker, she has provided invaluable wisdom to educators, business leaders, and youth for over 35 years. She is also a congressionally recognized philanthropist and Founder & CEO of Essence of a Lady, Inc., a 32 year 501©3 sustainable nonprofit organization. Under her leadership, over 1000 youth, specifically school-age girls, have been educated, mentored, and empowered with career, leadership, and social skills to successfully graduate from high school, pursue higher education or become entrepreneurs, with the support of her network of over 400 philanthropists called the E’Ladies and E’Men’s Network. For over a year, she has been building a reputation as a wealth builder, specializing in cryptocurrency and tokenized real estate investment. With close to 100 team members, her goal is to empower one million women with proven strategies to leverage their finances, build generational wealth, and provide the platform for these ordinary women to share their extraordinary works with the community, youth, and the world! Empowering these Fabulous Females to become LEGENDARY!!
Dawne Horizons
Dawne Horizons is an award-winning entrepreneur, internationally acclaimed Speaker, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Author and Licensed Massage Therapist with a helping heart and healing hands. She helps her clients get to the root cause of what ails them and not just treat the fruit (symptoms). She has helped hundreds of women discover, uncover and recover from trauma and abuse and the harmful effects they have on the body. She is the Owner of Dawne Horizons Spa & Healing Center where she taps into all five senses to promote healing & wellness. Her weekly Vlog, Wellness Wisdom Wednesdays allows her to share her 20+ years of expertise in Aromatherapy & Bodywork to educate, enlighten and empower men and women on naturopathic healthcare, nutrition, essential oils, natural remedies and holistic solutions for physical ailments as well as practical spiritual guidance. Dawne is that tangible person that can coach, correct and cheerlead you to wellness and wholeness.
Stefanie Trenholme
Dog mom, volunteer, speaker, and accomplished speech pathologist, Stefanie Trenholme makes a difference in the lives of children every day by helping them improve their speech, language, and communication skills. She came into the field because she had a strong motivation to make a difference. “Being an SLP is my dream job. I love that I get to work with diverse age groups, skills, and families.” She’s now taking her love for helping people and applying her knowledge in a different way and will soon add author to her list of accomplishments. “To have the opportunity to take my passions and use them to empower those who support a child’s language development is crucial because everyone surrounding a child has an impact.” Her new venture is Little Lola Frenchie™️ which is based on her therapy dog Lola. Seeing the positive effect Lola has in her office, Stefanie has combined her love for animals, helping others, along with her understanding of language development to create educational materials to foster learning in children.
Alexandra Stockwell, MD
Alexandra Stockwell, MD, is a physician and an Intimate Marriage Expert known as “The Intimacy Doctor,” who specializes in coaching couples to build beautiful, long-lasting, passionate relationships.
She is the bestselling author of “Uncompromising Intimacy” and host of The Intimate Marriage Podcast. For over 20 years, Alexandra has shown men and women how to bring pleasure and purpose into all aspects of life– from the daily grind of running a household to clear and intimate communication (and ecstatic experiences in the bedroom).
A wife of 25 years and a mother of 4, Alexandra believes the key to passion and fulfillment, intimacy and success, isn’t compromising–it’s an unwillingness to compromise. Because when both people feel free to be themselves, the relationship becomes juicy, nourishing, and deeply satisfying. Alexandra has been featured in the Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, USAToday, Cosmopolitan, Business Insider, thriveglobal, FOX NEWS NYC, and many other publications.
Charis Michelsen
Charis Michelsen (the “Martha Stewart of makeup”) is blazing trails. She offers secrets to look like your own celebrity in her game-changing and self-illustrated books Hollywood Beauty: The Art of Star Makeup and Grooming for Men: From Dirty to Polished, and is the inventor of the first Universal Beauty Standard System™ that spawned an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stylist for all sexes, matching individuals with ideal fashion and cosmetic products. Michelsen patented a signature pattern for her line of fashion products, is hosting a beauty and fashion-themed TV show she created and supports women in business as a regular contributor for H3R Magazine. Discovered to model by a Harper’s BAZAAR photographer, she’s worked as a cosmetic spokesperson, an actress with names like Martin Scorsese, and has roots in Hollywood royalty (her former father-in-law is producer Robert Evans and mother-in-law is actress Ali MacGraw).
Lindsay Rosasco
Lindsay Rosasco, the founder of digital marketing and branding firm Blue Ink Web, helps brands stand out among the competition. As a writer by profession and passion, Lindsay uses a storytelling approach and a thoughtful design process to connect brands to their audiences on a powerful level. By offering a full suite of branding services, Blue Ink Web delivers everything an SMB needs to launch or relaunch their brand, including branding strategy, web design and development, copywriting, and social media management. Lindsay shines in her personal life, translating to successful wins for her clients. She’s a successful lifestyle blogger at It’s Simply Lindsay, children’s book author, and mom to three daughters. Lindsay believes in living out her values through her family-owned business; Blue Ink Web offers pro bono projects for companies with a commitment to social justice or helping others & she dedicates time mentoring students interested in learning about digital marketing.
Kali Somerville
Kali Somerville, a flourishing name in the life insurance industry has successfully outgrown the conventions of this male-dominated space. While she has managed to thrive in her professional life, Kali feels proud to be an admired mother and inspiration to her 20-year-old college-going son. Whether it is in the life insurance arena or any other field, her mission remains the same; to empower the people around her while uplifting self-growth. Currently, she is enjoying her position as an Executive Vice President of Family First Life Fury (FFL). In 2019, she dedicated her efforts to building an agency from scratch when she began working with FFL. Most recently, in October 2021, her team closed life insurance sales of over $500,0000. As a passionate and experienced professional in the industry, Kali strives to build a million-dollar team in the coming months. While her determination and sturdy foot in the industry has been inspiring countless newbies, she dedicates all this success to the biggest supporters of her life.
Ashley Dotchin
Ashley is an estate planning attorney focused on guiding families. Growing up with a mom who is a hospice nurse has helped her have conversations about the uncertainty of death in a new way. She watched her family go through the probate process with documents that didn’t work for them and witnessed what happens when assets end up in the Unclaimed Property Division. Because of this, Ashley chose to help families in a new way. She focuses on getting to know you – your hopes, goals, and family – so that you have a comprehensive plan that works for you when you need it. On a more personal note, Ashley is a mom to two young children. What her children bring to this experience for her is the awareness that planning is something you do for the people you love most.
Hacia Atherton
Hacia inspires audiences all around the world to triumph over life’s challenges through her courageous leadership coaching and speaking. Hacia’s transformational ideology was developed after she sustained crushing injuries in a life-threatening equestrian accident. Being told she may never walk again in any meaningful way, she realized that success is a relative concept, which must constantly be redefined, and that advancement in life is primarily based on one’s ability to implement incremental goals, which, when achieved, aggregate into forward-propelling milestones.
Hacia is passionate about how positive psychology can empower the next generation of leaders and is committed to transforming corporate management to embody vulnerability, compassion, and empathy. As an entrepreneurial trailblazer, she is the founder of Empowered Women in Trades, which is a not-for-profit dedicated to inspiring people across industries, in particular women to pick up the tools and see a career within skilled trades as a viable option.
Jennifer Mindock
Jenni is a Graphic Designer, entrepreneur, and advocate for small businesses and social/environmental justice. It’s no surprise that she has created not only a shop, but a growing community that is as beautiful in its purpose as is aesthetically pleasing. Jentle Land Mark is a diverse Marketplace celebrating the beauty of our differences. It’s a way of being. They aim to inspire change through everyday objects and initiatives, supporting a community that fosters diversity and inclusion through slow living and mindful solutions. She’s curated a sisterhood of brands from across the country based on products that use all-natural ingredients/materials and prides themselves on the core idea of human relationships; every item made by hands passed from one person to another. Jenni strives to shed light on the under-representation of makers/small businesses within the BIPOC community, giving them a home where they are appreciated and welcome.
Marian Evans
Marian Evans is an award-winning entrepreneur and UK business coach and advisor for top-tier executives and leaders. Awarded the Inspirational Businesswoman of the Decade in 2019, Marian has a unique ability to unlock people’s potential, supporting them to overcome the obstacles holding them back. Marian is now a multiple business owner and founded Elevate BC in response to individuals and businesses seeking a confidant with a proven and market-leading track record. She is also one of only five individuals in Wales awarded the Fellowship of the Institute of Leadership and Management. More recently, Marian has caught people’s attention as she hit the headlines when the secret got out about her privately purchasing her childhood dream location, Llansteffan castle. This purchase is a great example of her track record for achievement. Marian exceeds expectations and does what she sets out to do, quietly, purposefully, and politely.
Kelly Cantwell
Kelly Cantwell is known for her authenticity and unrelenting experience in the real estate industry. With extensive knowledge in sales and marketing, Kelly has become a top leader in the industry. She works with her team with just one aim; to bring results to the table! Her online presence, social media networks and strategic connections have helped her reach the most lucrative deals over the years. Driven by the mantra of “focus on people,” Kelly prioritizes lasting relationships in and outside the business world. Perhaps the most striking part of her 17-year experience is connecting with both buyers and sellers. Kelly specifically takes pride in working with her dedicated team that aims to provide a seamless transaction that brings happiness to a new homeowner as they begin their next chapter and joy to a seller who is passing on a most treasured possession.
Dee Hays
Dee Hays, founder, and inventor of HeelzFirst, is an experienced licensed Professional Engineer and a self-proclaimed high-heelaholic. After having serious back surgery in 2020, she regained feeling in her feet and legs that had been gone for over 20 years. She found she had been wearing heels that were too small and were wedged on her feet for fit. No longer an option now that she could feel the pain, and not willing to abandon her beloved heels, HeelzFirst was born out of the necessity for Fitwear for heels. Like herself, Dee realized so many women have fit issues when it comes to wearing heels and most often are forced into wearing the wrong size to keep them on. HeelzFirst can change the way we all wear heels. HeelzFirst is the first-of-its-kind, revolutionary Fitwear garment that allows women to wear the correct size and wear heels with confidence AND comfort.
Stephanie Rodriguez
Stephanie Rodriguez is quickly becoming a leader in the women’s empowerment movement as the founder and creator of Shine Sparkle Slay. Rodriguez is empowering women from all walks of life to push themselves in whatever they want to excel at! From side-hustling Solopreneurs to overachieving stay-at-home moms looking to add some sass back to their lives, Rodriguez’s Shine Sparkle Slay is about all things “GET UP and Slay!” As a mental health warrior, Rodriguez shines a light on the fact that it’s ok to not feel ok all the time and is inspiring the world to embrace the changes, challenges, and curveballs that make life unique, one woman at a time.
Final Thoughts
Over the years, these female leaders have been changing the conventional norms and standards around them. As the world is moving ahead, their grit and determination to create a change have remained constant and stood the test of time. We can’t get enough of the trailblazing work they have done so far. If these women have anything in common, it is the beauty of experiences, innovation and, rigor to make space in ‘the room’ for more female leaders and young women to fit in.
