International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, is a historic date to recognize the outstanding work and inspiring achievements of women around the world, as well as highlighting issues related to gender equality, women’s rights and female empowerment. From visionary leaders to innovative entrepreneurs, talented artists to pioneering scientists and even housewives, this is a time to recognize and celebrate the diversity of talents and significant contributions that women offer in all areas of society.
More than all the recognition they deserve, the date is an opportunity to reflect on the role of women in entrepreneurship and highlight the achievements of female entrepreneurs around the world. This day not only celebrates women’s achievements, but also highlights the challenges they face and inspires action to promote gender equality in the field of entrepreneurship. Starting their own business allows them not only to take control of their careers, but also to exercise their creativity, innovation and leadership, as well as being able to work in areas they really love, allowing them to develop and promote their own ideas and values.
By combining celebration, awareness and action, International Women’s Day can play a significant role in promoting a more inclusive and equitable business environment for all women entrepreneurs. Here are the stories of 10 female entrepreneurs from different industries who are examples of success to inspire you:
Ana Carolina Corona – Studios of the Smart Fit Group
Graduated in Business Administration from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), Ana Carolina Corona was born in São Paulo and, at the age of 36, her professional career includes in-depth knowledge of the financial market, with stints at Endeavor and a period of three and a half years as head of operations for the Smart Fit Network in Mexico. Before that, Carolina sought knowledge in countries such as Canada, where she learned everyday English, and Italy, where she also deepened her knowledge of the language. In London, she studied macroeconomics at the London Business School and, in the United States, she added skills to her professional portfolio. Today, the businesswoman works as head of the Smart Fit Group’s network of studios, with the brands Jab House, Race Bootcamp, Tonus Gym and Vidya Studio, which currently have 11 units in Brazil and are in the process of internationalization and will arrive in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2023.
Isa Santini – Ateliê Beauty
Founding partner and CEO of Ateliê Beauty, a concept spa that offers a new experience to take care of the body and mind with two units in Campinas and one in São Paulo. Isa is one of the biggest names and experts in the world of luxury and beauty. Known for her charitable projects, such as Desapego by Isa Santini – which sells designer pieces from brands such as Chanel, Valentino, Prada, Dolce Gabbana and Dior to raise money for institutions – the businesswoman was the model for Brinquedos Estrela’s “Baby Isa” doll, an initiative that donated more than 3,000 dolls to underprivileged children. The entrepreneur, who loves doing good, also held a solidarity Easter and Christmas, where she promoted a day of spa and fun for children and teenagers in vulnerable situations and undergoing cancer treatment.Isa also has four collabs of wellness, skincare, lifestyle and home products: “Essence by Isa Santini and Ateliê Beauty”, “Shine by Isa Santini”, a line of Greek eyes made with energizing stones, together with AA Gioielli, a jewellery company that draws inspiration from fashion, art, history and nature, and Lucky Eyes by Isa Santini, a limited collection of crockery featuring exclusive pieces with Greek eyes to protect people and environments in the home.
Ana Piku – PikurruchA’S
Graduated in Advertising, Ana Lygia Faria Duarte, known as Ana Piku, is a pastry chef and co-founder of the PikurruchA’S bakery. Along with her husband, Alexandre Silva, the businesswoman began her entrepreneurial career when she prepared the brigadeiros for her own wedding and saw this as an opportunity to make an extra income by selling the sweets. The success was such that the couple opened their first store in 2013, focusing on ordering sweets. A decade later, Ana and Alexandre have built a veritable pink empire, which already has three units in São Paulo, in the Tatuapé and Perdizes neighborhoods, which is considered one of the largest confectioneries in Latin America, with a total area of 1000m², as well as a store in the Golden Square Shopping Center, in São Bernardo do Campo, and the new dark kitchen, exclusively for delivery, which will open in 2023, in the South Zone of the São Paulo capital. As well as winning over the public and social media due to the unique and exclusive decoration, the business has also secured partnerships with major brands in the market, which have exclusive activations in the spaces, such as Nespresso, Leite Moça, Fini, Coral, Purina, Callebaut, Chandon, among others.
Bianca Rinaldi – Actress and digital influencer
With a career spanning 34 years, Bianca Rinaldi began her career at the age of 15 as a paquita on Xou da Xuxa, where she remained for five years until she left the show and embarked on an acting career with works such as Em Família, A Escrava Isaura, Prova de Amor, Malhação, Chiquititas, Pícara Sonhadora, Pequena Travessa, Os Mutantes and is currently on air in A Infância de Romeu e Julieta. In theater, she has acted in classics such as A Falecida and A Toca do Coelho and recently co-starred in the musical Silvio Santos Vem Aí. The actress also dedicates her time to social media, where she deals with topics such as motherhood, sport and mental health.
Thais Galassi – Mentor and digital influencer
Thais Galassi is a mentor, writer, speaker and digital influencer. Passionate about people’s mental and emotional behavior, the mindset specialist has an academic background in Business Administration, Yoga, Neolinguistic Programming, Coaching, Thetahealing, Hypnosis, Access Bar, EFT, PYSCH-K, Family Constellation and Systemic Thinking, Mindfulness, positive psychology, neuroscience and others. Author of the books “Sua Mágica Diária” (2020) and “Cocriando Sonhos” (2022), she recently reached Spotify Brazil’s TOP 1 in health and well-being podcasts with the channel that bears her name, reaching the mark of 1.4 million listeners and 14 million streams on the platform.
Karina Barrelo – Clínica Barrelo
Karina Barrelo is the name at the head of the largest facial harmonization clinic in the Morumbi region, Clínica Barrelo. The specialist founded the space to promote a humanized and personalized service, focused on the patient’s welcome and experience, from the very first contact. Karina decided to act as an entrepreneur in order to bring a difference to her work, respecting the characteristics and individuality of each patient, providing results with quality, naturalness and without exaggeration. The space offers a variety of treatments, as well as the most up-to-date equipment and procedures on the market and has several celebrities on its client list.
Izabela Vieira – Botè
Izabela Vieira is the product director of Botè, a brand of active, cruelty-free and 100% national dermocosmetics, aimed at the skincare routine and designed especially for the needs of Brazilian skin. Like Izabela, Botè believes that each woman is unique and powerful in her own journey and seeks to provide cosmetic products that not only enhance beauty, but also reflect the inner strength of each one and that are formulated to embrace all skin tones and types with their unique characteristics. The formulas are carefully crafted, based on scientific research and tested to guarantee real results that go beyond external beauty, at affordable prices, without compromising on quality or efficacy.
Katia Souza – Espaço Bumxicabum
An entrepreneur in the children’s party business for over 25 years, Katia has a degree in pedagogy and has worked in education for over 12 years. Today, the owner of Espaço Bumxicabum, the largest children’s buffet in the North Zone of São Paulo, the entrepreneur stands out for the structure of the space, which provides complete celebrations, ranging from birthdays to weddings. Katia has catered for famous names such as DJ Alok and his wife, Romana Novais, and Brazilian national team player, Marquinhos.
Alzira Figueiredo – Sense Biologicus
Graduated in business administration, she is 48 years old and went into the beauty and aesthetics business because it was an old passion of hers. She is currently an entrepreneur at the head of Sense Biologicus, the first national brand of natural dermo-cosmetics, which aims to offer its consumers high-performance products with innovative biotechnology and environmental responsibility.
Fernanda Brandão – Agência Brands
Entrepreneur Fernanda Brandão, CEO of Agência Brands, a boutique integrated communications agency, with personalized service for brands and humanized management for the team, was founded in 2020 and today the company employs a team of empowered women. The entrepreneur has created a formula and DNA that go against the grain of what is currently seen in large corporate companies: the union of work with quality of life, through bonds of partnership between agency and client, employee and team. Brands currently serves clients from various segments, such as Camarote Bar Brahma, O Pasquim Bar e Prosa, A Saideira, Vero! Coquetelaria e Cozinha, PikurruchA’S, Ateliê Lu Chocolates, Up Time Art Gallery, Ateliê Beauty, mentor Thais Galassi, Race Bootcamp, Vidya Studio, Tonus Gym, Jab House, Seu Justino, Pracinha do Seu Justino, Oh Freguês, the Barrelo clinic, the Aquarium agency, actress Bianca Rinaldi, among others.
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