2023 is sure to be a big year for female entrepreneurs, as more and more women are taking the lead in business and forging their own paths. In this blog post, we will be showcasing 20 of the top female entrepreneurs to look out for in 2023. These women come from a variety of industries and backgrounds, and each has the potential to make a major impact in the coming year. From fashion designers to tech entrepreneurs, we’ll be profiling the most inspiring and innovative female entrepreneurs who are set to make waves in the business world in 2023.
Stephanie Coughlan
Stephanie is a Canadian sports therapist for high-performing athletes and an aspiring fitness model who has garnered a large following on social media. She is best known for her work with Olympic and Paralympic athletes and further has managed to garner a lot of admiration on Instagram while posting photoshoots and inspiring countless women by sharing her own life experiences.
Currently, she is thriving as a therapist for the Toronto Titans, the first Canadian swim team in the International Swim League (ISL). As a former national-level athlete, she pushes top-tier swimmers to achieve their best and teaches them how to manage their fitness and physical health for long-term success. Driven by passion and candor, Stephanie overcame a series of health challenges before she rekindled her fitness journey to achieve nothing but growth thereon. While in the process of thriving on her ceaseless power, she dedicates most of her success to the idea of “uplifting each other” and continues to empower other women by breaking conventional norms and pushing boundaries every day.
Christine Fattouch
Christine Fattouch is a Labenese-based blogger focusing on fashion, beauty, lifestyle, travel and fitness. She is a freelance model, she promotes, advertises and showcases clothing, footwear, jewelry, beauty and health products, and other tools and equipment used in daily life. She styles her outfits wearing from mass-market brands to supreme luxury brands. As well her content aims to show her audience her interests, the activities she gets involved in, and the places she visits, such as hotels and restaurants.
Her overall goal is to inspire and empower women to live the life they have dreamed of. Additionally, she aims to leave a positive impact on anyone she crosses paths with.
Sara Griffiths
Founder, Sara Griffiths, embodies ‘positive energy’. Combining neuroscience and wellness, her vision is to help people reconnect to themselves, others, and the world beyond. In 2022, her creation, ‘The Universal Soul Company’, was named ‘one to watch’ by British Vogue. When you experience what this brand has to offer, it’s easy to see why.
Proudly displaying the ‘Positive Luxury Butterfly Mark’ for their commitment to sustainability and the environment, her award-winning and innovative products are designed to ‘De-stress, re-balance and uplift’ in equal measure. It was hardly surprising that they ranked top in one of the UK’s favourite luxury retailers in December last year, with customers reporting the tangible support and positivity they felt from both using their products, and when visiting them.
Confidence, communication and how we think as human beings affects how we experience the world, which Sara teaches through her engaging coaching sessions for both individuals, groups and businesses. Her love of technology and how we integrate that, with our need to value our connection to the natural world, is fascinating, through her upcoming use of cutting-edge VR. Both she, and the company, are truly ones to watch!
Lindsey Marie Clayton
Lindsey has worked extremely and continuously hard to achieve her success. Making a bold move, in April 2016 deciding to emigrate from UK to Australia alone. Beginning her new chapter with only a single backpack, she rapidly began building her legacy, all whilst overcoming many obstacles and personal challenges along the way. By May 2016 started her first business, CPT Fitness, turning her fitness passion into dollars, and since, her innovative entrepreneurship mindset has taken her on many business paths.
In April 2022, Safe for Everyone™(SFE) was established. Within 6 months SFE was trademarked, fully licenced accredited, certified AND awarded Non-Toxic Household Products Manufacturer of the year 2022! Also recently establishing PRIME LMC Pty Ltd, LM-Support & UPECA becoming a member of APCO and 1% for the Planet, giving 1% of ALL profits back into our environment.
Lindsey’s without a doubt a risk-taker, strong and knows how to get things done. Each business focuses on giving back. “I want to do everything possible to make a positive impact however big or small”. A true leader and role model, Lindsey’s proven you can create your own success if you do all you can, with what you’ve got, wherever you are.
Azadeh Aslanzadeh Azari
Azadeh is making the world a better place by helping mothers who have been traumatized in relationships to become healed versions of themselves, so they can raise their children to be healed for future generations of us. Her healing abilities are from generations of the family line before her; she also has coaching/supervisor study from University in Oslo that she use in her work. She started this journey for 12 years ago and she has been a blessing for thousands of people around the world. Their life has been changed forever for better, even after a short meeting with her.
Her peaceful aura is magnetic to people around her, especially animals and children. Azadeh has decided to continue studying more and learning more so she can use what she may learn to help, especially with women’s and children’s needs. Her biggest dream is to build women’s shelters around the world for women and children in need, so they can get a new start in life, and the children be our future healed children! She believes everyone can make a world a better place, if you start with yourself first, and break those generations of trauma, so you can be there for others too! If its anything you should have on your to do list in this life time, is meeting her, even it is just a short meeting!
Gladys Afolayan
Gladys Afolayan is the Owner/CEO at the Creative Mindz Beauty Center and Kulture Institute of Cosmetology, Calgary Alberta Certified and Licensed Cosmetology Instructor, the first black woman to launch the first black hair school in Alberta Canada, Paving the way for the future of inclusivity, diversity, and equality amongst beauty practitioners in Canada.
Bridging the gap Program: Current Alberta cosmetology-approved curriculum covers mostly Eurocentric hair types, her vision is to teach a balanced, well-rounded curriculum thereby meeting the beauty needs of a multi-diverse community, running a yearly summer braiding bootcamp that empowers black youth and Afro-textured immigrant with simple daily hair care skills to boost confidence and self esteem and also equipping mothers of young Afro textured hair kids with the right daily haircare routines to cater to their children thereby eliminating stress and frustration while embracing cultural identity.
Viane Norman
Viane Norman is a successful gold trader and financial markets educator with over 7 years of experience in the industry. She recently founded Proper Funded, a proprietary trading firm that allows users to trade with greater capital by proving their ability to trade responsibly. The company is set to launch in mid to late February.
Viane is also a strong advocate for gender equality in the trading industry and hopes to encourage other female traders through her story. Driven by the aim to help others become profitable traders, Viane offers educational content that she accumulates from the best of her experiences in the industry and the knowledge she gained over the years. While financial markets can be a minefield, Viane strives to make learning as smooth and simple as possible. As she is thriving ceaselessly in the industry, she believes that a woman should be well-acquainted with their own finances and able to manage them by themselves.
Melissa Sherwood
Melissa Sherwood is the owner of Tocco Divino Salon. Melissa started out as a hairstylist in a small town in Michigan with dreams of growing and having her own salon. After 12 years, she moved to California and started all over again. Now in a city where she knew no one she had to make a name for herself. 11 years of continued education, hard work, and connecting with the community helped her to finally open her own salon. The heart behind owning her own business was to mentor others in the beauty industry to achieve their dreams. Melissa’s love for people went into every inch of Tocco Divino Salon. From creating an atmosphere that feels like home, to putting in a coffee shop that is open to the public. To some this seemed odd, but to Melissa it was a way to bring the community together in a safe atmosphere and create a space with a “Cheers” feel where everyone knows your name.
Joy Broils
Joy Broils is improving lives as the founder and owner of Hustle & Ground. She is known as a collaborator, connector and community builder. A double concussion from a car accident caused her to put the brakes on life in order to recover. That life-changing experience taught her the importance of pausing, unwinding and prioritizing well-being. Broils founded Hustle & Ground to honor both the hustle and pause that needs to happen in life. Starting with a single box, she quickly expanded her retail products to include over 10 curated themed individual boxes featuring unique items sourced from local and regional small businesses. Her retail products also include the first in a line of bags designed by this innovative entrepreneur. Broils also works with corporations, non-profit organizations, and schools, as well as individuals to provide themed well-being boxes designed to bring the recipients of the boxes different ways to pause.
Angela Nthabiseng Senosha
Angela Senosha is the Founder and CEO of Positive Switch, a 100% black female-owned boutique Human Resources Consultancy that partners with you to co-create simple, fit- for- purpose Human Resources solutions. Her business model’s key intent is focused on providing you with peace of mind, while creating value for you throughout the Human Resources value chain, with a keen focus on compliance and HR Best practices.
Angela sits on the boards of two companies and holds various leadership roles where she drives transformation through the people agenda. This, through facilitating courageous conversations and designing relevant HR processes while giving business owners the confidence to execute their Human Resources mandate. She has successfully applied her skills in the FMCG, Engineering, Private Equity, Fin Tech, Health Tech, Pharmaceutical and Professional Sectors and is currently designing solutions for the start-up ecosystem. She is an honorary winner of the 2022 edition of the Forty|40 Africa awards in the category of Human Resources Development.
Joleen Bingham
Joleen Bingham is creating waves as a founder and CEO of High Peak Mentoring. She is known for her ability to help business owners become more profitable by creating systems that allow them to earn more, work less, and gain freedom from the day to day operation of their business. As a business mentor, she has worked with hundreds of clients around the globe to not just improve their business, but to create successful, thriving businesses that can grow, expand and provide the lifestyle they are looking for. During the pandemic, she took her own businesses and expanded to multiple locations, while simultaneously building a team that was empowered to make decisions and become leaders themselves. Her ability to see and diagnose the areas of the business to work on first has allowed her clients to see immediate results in their own businesses.
Dr. Nallini Gulati
For two decades, Dr. Nallini Gulati has mitigated the risk of workplace fatalities with over 60 of her patented Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) products and services. Driven by her desire to facilitate safety first in all industries, Dr. Gulati co-founded E-Square Alliance and began developing LOTO isolation devices in 2002. Today, she continues to design products used by thousands of manufacturers globally and has helped 1,000 clients develop sustainable safety systems designed specifically for their businesses.
As an Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, Dr. Gulati is an authority in business safety who works alongside notable corporations and Fortune 500 companies to implement HSE standards. In addition to her role as a LOTO expert and global leader, Dr. Gulati is a Doctor of Natural Health and Yoga, an accomplished public speaker, author, and the recipient of the Industry Leadership Award, given to her by Dainik Jagran and The Times of India.
Mamonaheng Koenane
After applying at several European schools, Mamonaheng got accepted at Wilson’s Hospital School in Multyfarnham, Ireland. At the age of 17, she left her home country Lesotho, which led to her spending half of her lifetime in Europe. She would later pursue her third level studies in Computer Science at Griffith College Dublin and upon completion worked at several start-up companies in different European Countries. Having come back home, she co-founded the first coding academy and the first tech conference. In 2020 she founded Impact School, which aims to bring a higher standard of computer science lessons to Lesotho, with subjects that include Blockchain, Virtual and Augmented Reality amongst others. They are currently working on the implementation of their partnership with a Silicon Valley tech school. This partnership will see the youth of her country secure meaningful jobs locally and internationally.
Dr. Daphne Soares
Dr. Daphne Soares is a renowned business, leadership and NLP coach. As a Founder and CEO of Carousel Moms Business and Leadership Coaching, she has made a significant impact globally in the coaching industry. With decades of experience in various fields, including being in a 9-5 senior executive job, homemaker, master’s catechist, counsellor, hypnotherapist, psychotherapist, TimeLine Therapist, 9x international bestselling author, international motivational speaker, and mentor, she brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to her coaching practice. Known for her groundbreaking strategies, she has further delivered consistent results in creating and bringing out the best in people and businesses globally.
Her work is rooted in a deep understanding of the unique needs of each client and her commitment to delivering results. Her passion for empowering women drove her to start her own venture and navigate other women to their dream businesses, gain financial freedom, overcome self-doubt, mind and emotional blocks, and unleash their full potential. Her unique approaches target her clients’ needs, whether online or in person. Dr. Daphne’s knowledge and expertise are invaluable assets to any woman seeking guidance in business or life. While she is thriving ceaselessly as one of the world’s top business and leadership coaches, she dedicates her success to the quest of learning and sharing her experiences with her clients.
Madison McBay
Madison is an innovative, forward-thinking entrepreneur. As the Co-Founder of TAMVOES, she is regularly recognized for being a young and driven female entrepreneur. At age 20 she began scoping, envisioning, and managing the development of the health technology platform, TAMVOES which allows users to securely store and share their personal health information. After 2 years of rapid iteration, TAMVOES has grown exponentially and was recognized as one of the Top 17 Tech Startups in Waterloo, Ontario. While completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo and growing her team to over 14 employees, she also received an honorable mention for Co-op Student of the Year.
Madison’s drive and perseverance alongside her education in health informatics motivates her passion for shifting the medical system to be more preventative as opposed to reactive. Ultimately, she plans to continue leveraging the power of technology to improve patient outcomes and keep the population healthy.
Amy Abelar
Amy Abelar has helped many women overcome infertility through her Chinese Medicine practice at Nurturing Touch Massage & Acupuncture. After receiving a Master’s Degree in Chinese Medicine, Amy has grown a practice that focuses on women’s health and fertility. Through the use of acupuncture and herbs, Amy helps women achieve their dreams of motherhood. Her compassion for her patients really shines through with initial appointments that allow time for her patients to really talk about what ails them. She knows that receiving full patient details is the key to treating them both individually and successfully. She also offers distanced herbal consults to help women struggling with infertility from afar. She uses her platform to help women sift through the contradictory information surrounding infertility and educates them on how menstrual cycle irregularities if left untreated, can negatively impact their health. With her in your corner, most infertility cases are easily treated.
Nataya Cook
Nataya Cook, PMP, is creating her own lane as the founder and Administrator of Sovereign Care Services®. Known for success as a technology Project Management Professional and Health Care Administrator, Nataya has worked to bridge the gap between home care, technology, and entrepreneurship. She started her journey with the creation of Liberty Care LLC which owns the federal trademark Sovereign Care Services®; her organization initially served the aged and disabled population and has expanded to include providing waiver services for the intellectually disabled. After involving herself in intense research for best practices to provide continued excellence in care to her clients during Covid; Nataya created a successful virtual business model that includes her love of technology, administration, and the safety of her staff. Since its creation in 2017, and during the pandemic, Sovereign Care Services® has continued to grow and provide brilliance in care to its ever-expanding client base.
Nittasha A. Naidu
Nittasha A. Naidu is making waves as the CEO and Founder of Houston’s premier healthcare recruiting and staffing firm. She has worked in recruitment services since 2010 by serving the healthcare industry in the Houston, TX Medical Center and surrounding areas. Nittasha and her team are passionate about healthcare and believe in the concept of bringing the right talent and organizations together by collaborating with their clients and thoroughly understanding their staffing needs and respect for candidates who turn to Elsun MedStaff at critical points in their careers and lives. Staying true to their mission and philosophy has translated into growth and success for Elsun MedStaff. Elsun MedStaff is proud of its reputation and the fact that more than half of its clients and applicants are referred to them through their existing clients and candidates. If you’re looking for a recruiting firm that is committed to your success and focused on the right fit for placement—you’ll like what you find at Elsun MedStaff.
Chanelle James
Chanelle James who is also known as ‘Nelle J’ is disrupting the arts and entertainment industry with her empathetic wandering poetry. Founder and CEO of Empathy Wanders, Nelle J is known for her success as a poet and business owner. She started her journey after writing her first book of poetry, Intuitive Ramble released May 2021. “Being an empath is therapeutic. I am able to rhythmically and candidly express thoughts and feelings about myself and others as a way to let the world know you are not alone. My goal is to offer perspective about situations we as humans face”. Nelle J plans to expand her brand Empathy Wanders this November at the Atlanta Women’s Expo. For more thought-provoking intuitive poetry, purchase a copy of Intuitive Ramble at her company’s website.
Debi Powell
Debi Powell has been a powerful catalyst and advocate for teamwork her entire life. Throughout her professional career, Debi’s transformative spark has helped businesses, non-profit organizations, and athletic programs maximize performance, grow their impact, and forge stronger professional bonds that drive success.
In her work, Debi has experienced the full spectrum of team dynamics – from the pure joy of working with great teams, to the lingering exhaustion of struggling on average teams, to the destructive heartache caused by dysfunctional teams.
Today, Debi’s on a mission to make life better – one team at a time. She founded Breakthrough Consulting to build and support teams ready to unlock their true potential and develop the skills necessary to accelerate growth and outperform the competition. Debi’s innovative, cutting-edge approach using the enneagram is known to fuel employee engagement, foster vibrant team culture, and is revolutionizing the way her clients do business.
Final Thoughts
Women are making a mark in the world of entrepreneurship and forging their own paths to success. As we approach 2023, there are a number of inspiring female entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries and leading the way. From tech innovators to business trailblazers, these women are proving that anything is possible.
