As part of our coverage of International Women's Day, we take a look at some of the women from across the UK who are making their mark in business.
Our 23-strong list for 2023 showcases women who have found success and aiming for more growth. Whether they are disrupting the food or fashion industry, charging up the electric vehicle sector or making a global name for themselves in the Earthshot Prize, they all set great examples to other women and girls with bold ambitions of their own.
BusinessLive has compiled the list to mark International Women's Day, marked every year on March 8, to highlight women's achievements and the vital, continuing campaigning for gender equality - but it's important that women's achievements are celebrated every day, not just on March 8. This list is far from exhaustive and we know that far too many women don't talk up their achievements enough - so please add to the list in the comments or on Linkedin and Twitter.
Keri Andriana
Amschela was founded by former lawyer Keri Andriana in 2017 and launched in 2018. Self-taught designer Ms Andriana established her Bristol-based business, which sells clutches, shoulder bags and totes, after attending a local sewing class and watching YouTube tutorials. The company has garnered the attention of Tatler and Vogue, and now has customers all over the UK and a growing international community in the US, Europe and Australia.
Charlotte Bailey
Nottingham University graduate Charlotte Bailey launched superfood powders firm Rheal - originally called SuperU - alongside partner Sean Ali in 2018. A successful appearance on Dragons' Den was followed by a £1m Seedrs crowdfund raise and private investment from former TV Dragon Tej Lalvani. Now the firm is expanding into a new base in Sunderland, following expansion into the US where demand for the firm's powders and protein bars is soaring. Charlotte appears on the most recent Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.
Natasha Boulding
Dr Nastasha Boulding founded Low Carbon Materials together with Dr Phil Buckley and Scott Bush in 2019, after meeting at Durham University while studying for a PhD in material science. Its flagship product, Osto, has been technically engineered to use waste and by-products in its manufacture which would otherwise be destined for landfill. The Seaham company was one of just 15 finalists from around the world at last December's Earthshot Prize and despite being pipped to the post for the prize, the company is enjoying a busy time after being thrust onto the global stage.
Jordan Brompton
The co-founder of award-winning micro generation specialist Myenergi has seen her business charge up the electric vehicle charging sector, growing from a two-person team to more than 400 people based at headquarters by the Energy Estuary on the outskirts of Grimsby. The sales specialist has brought in high profile figures including Charley Boorman and Robert Llewellyn to push the products and the EV sector at large. At the end of last year she was named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year.
Tanuvi Ethunandan and Erin Morris
The co-founders and joint chief executives of Data Duopoly founded Falmouth University’s venture studio Launchpad. The start-up is “revolutionising the visitor experience” in venues worldwide with an app which tracks and monitors visitor distribution, reducing queues and managing bottlenecks at theatres, museums and theme parks.
Karen Hewitt
When Karen Hewitt’s two young children started growing out of their clothes, she began selling them online. She and husband Stephen soon noticed those featuring characters sold particularly well, which led them to start their own company, Character.com, from a garage in a quiet part of Gower. Over the past 12 years, it has become one of the largest online retailers in its market with customers across Europe and North America, with licenses for more than 130 different brands, with a product range from Peppa Pig to Paw Patrol, Star Wars to Harry Potter, and Disney.
Alice Hall
Alice Hall famously launched fashion firm Pink Boutique with a £90 investment and sold her share in the business as turnover topped £25m, to set up a new venture. Luxury homeware company Rowen Homes was established in lockdown as an online venture but next month, on the back of growing sales and a large social media presence with more than 1.3million followers, its first bricks-and-mortar operation opens at the Metrocentre.
Charlotte Laidet
Charlotte Laidet stepped up to the role of festivals and programme director at Leicester Comedy Festival organisers Big Difference Company in February, having been senior producer at Big Difference since 2017. With 10 years of experience, Charlotte has helped manage all manner of productions including opera, ballet, concerts, pyrotechnics, outdoor sound & lights shows, theatre, conventions and comedy.
Annabel and Emily Lui
"Food obsessed" sisters Annabel and Emily Lui wanted a change from the corporate world - so they opened their own luxury bakery and created their own dessert that's a combination of a biscuit, cookie and cake. Financier Annabel and lawyer Emily opened Cutter & Squidge - whose signature product is the "biskie". - in 2015. The company now employs more than 50 people and, as MyLondon reports, has sold its wares in Selfridges and Harrods while attracting big queues every weekend at its Soho bakery.
Laura Mallows
Laura Mallows launched vegan beauty brand Mallows Beauty in Llantrisant in February 2020, with a £25,000 British Business Bank Start-Up Loan via Business in Focus. Since then, the brand has opened a flagship store in Cardiff city centre and has launched into Urban Outfitters stores nationwide with more national retail partnerships in the pipeline.
Delight Mapasure
Delight Mapasure's southern African sausage business K's Wors may have left the Dragons' Den empty handed after appearing on the show in 2021, but she has scored success since then. During the pandemic she secured a product listing in Costco during the pandemic without any sampling, and the company is now exploring overseas markets as well as pursuing leads in UK retail.
Jenny & Alex McFadden
Dragons’ Den stars Jenny McFadden and Alex McFadden launched stylish maternity wear company Pretty Mama in 2018, when Alex struggled to find feminine and comfortable clothing while she was pregnant. The pair has since partnered with a local Newcastle manufacturer which has helped to lower its carbon footprint and also have a working relationship with Northumbria University, with Jenny being a law and business graduate. Notably, the sisters appeared on Dragons' Den in March last year and successfully received investment from four of the dragons. They have also been named Best Maternity Clothing Brand 2022 plus named one of the Telegraph's 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch.
Sierra Ndagire
Sierra Ndagire has only been running her crochet brand Crolage for a year - and she's already seen her designs appear on smash hit show Love Island and on the BBC. As our sister site MyLondon reports, the 25-year-old chemistry graduate quit her job as a scientist to launch crochet brand Crolage from her London bedroom. In January Love Island host Maya Jama wore one of her outfits on the show, which sent sales soaring 300% and also saw her featured on the BBC.
Amber Probyn and Hazel McShane
The Bristol graduates who invented a women’s urinal raised a quarter of a million pounds in their first fundraise last year from investors including the co-founder of Monzo Bank. Amber Probyn and Hazel McShane claim their flatpack portable urinals are six times faster to use and produce 98% less carbon than traditional portable toilets. The duo also scooped the innovation award at the BristolLive Business Awards 2022, which is run in association with BusinessLive.
Melissa Snover
US businesswoman Melissa Snover is the founder of Remedy Health, having previously built up and sold vegetarian gummy sweets Goody Good Stuff to Cloetta. Now focussed on the vitamins market, she launched Remedy Health in 2019, which produces made-to-order gummy 'stacks' using 3D printing technology. Remedy Health won £7.9m backing from a round of investors in 2021 to help plans to push into American and children's health markets.
Patience Tucker
Patience Tucker is CEO of Manchester-headquartered digital payments start-up wi-Q, which was launched in 2014 and now works with hotels giant IHG and Grosvenor Casinos. The firm, which also has offices in London and the Middle East, received investment last year to boost its products and expand its international footprint into the US and the Asia-Pacific region.
Maya Vertigans
24-year-old Maya Vertigans set up Planner Bee VA Services from her flat in Aberdeen two years ago, and since then a lot has changed. With ambitions to become the go-to virtual assistant service for sustainable and ethical businesses, she is no longer a 'solopreneur' and has now built a team of three digital marketing specialists, plus a student who is currently on a placement with the business. In the last year, the business has more than doubled both its turnover and the number of small businesses supported, with Planner Bee now having provided digital marketing services to more than 30 companies. She was nominated as a Finalist in the Young Entrepreneur category at the Scottish Women's Awards in 2022.
Nirmla Warwood
Founded in 2020 by Nirmla Warwood, Thatch & Stone is an interior accessories company based in Walsall. It is known for its beautifully designed and unique products such as wine racks and tableware for all aspects of a well-furnished home, with more recent items targeting how you can save money during the cost-of-living crisis..
Isabella West
Former investment banker Isabella West Iaunched online fashion platform Hirestreet four years ago to disrupt the fast fashion market - and has since taken the Newcastle firm to new heights, linking up with a number of major high street brands including M&S, River Island, Decathlon and Ghost through white label platform Zoa Rental. Ms West has won several business awards and also appeared on Forbes 30 under 30 Europe list and Drapers 30 Under 30.
