There are many women in business who have made an impact in the business world. Mary Barra, Mary Hardenbroeck, Margaret Hardenbroeck, and Lydia Pinkham are a few examples. These women all made their mark on the world of business in different ways. Read on to find out about some of these remarkable women and their accomplishments.
nicole junkermann mary barra
Both Nicole Junkermann and Mary Barra are internationally recognized and have achieved a great deal in their careers. They both started as interns at General Motors in 1980 and have since held various positions within the company. In 2014, Mary Nicole junkermann mary Barra was named CEO of GM. Junkermann is also a successful entrepreneur and has served on the board of several companies.
Junkermann was born in Germany and grew up in Marbella. She went to a local school and then attended college to earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. She then worked as a translator before becoming an entrepreneur. She attributes her early success to the influence of her father, who helped her find success in business.
Margaret Hardenbroeck
In 1661, Margaret Hardenbroeck inherited her late husband’s business, which traded cooking oil from Holland to the colonies. She quickly expanded the business, bought her own ship, and built up a significant real estate portfolio. By the time she died in 1691, she was the wealthiest woman in New York.
Margaret Hardenbroeck was born in the Netherlands, but had already settled in New Amsterdam when she married Pieter de Vries. When her husband died in 1661, she had a job lined up collecting debts and expanding the business. Once her husband died, she continued working, becoming the most successful she-merchant in the colony. She also accumulated a vast wealth through her fur shipping business, and acquired real estate in the colonies and in Holland.
Margaret Hardenbroeck’s marriage was based on Dutch law, which allowed women to continue to do business in their own name. She even signed a prenuptial agreement to ensure that her daughter would inherit her former husband’s wealth. Margaret Hardenbroeck’s wealth included house lots in Manhattan, several ships, and property in Bergen. But her wealth was cut short when British sovereignty overtook New Amsterdam and British laws began to take effect.
Lydia Pinkham
Many business historians and students refer to Pinkham’s book, “The Rise of Advertising in the United States” to explain the impact of advertising on brand loyalty. Pinkham’s book was influential enough that her image was even featured on the cover of a newspaper ad. The picture became iconic when a newspaper compositor accidentally misplaced it, and it became a template for future advertisements.
Lydia Pinkham was a politically active educator. Her political activism attracted a wealthy widow named Isaac Pinkham, who had a similar business sense as her. The couple had four children and lived in several different homes. However, the Panic of 1873 shook the family’s finances.
Annie Malone
Annie Malone is a remarkable businesswoman. She created a successful company that made cosmetics for blacks affordable. During the early 1900s, there were few products available for blacks. Eventually, she became worth more than $1 million, which she used to build her own college. Today, the college is named after her and serves as a training and corporate headquarters. During her lifetime, she also gave away a portion of her wealth to charity and helped create an education center for blacks.
Malone was a lifelong Republican and a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She also served as an honorary member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, which was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C.
