The list of America’s richest women features entrepreneurs who have built their fortune by shattering misconceptions and scaling new heights. In the past, most affluent women were always thought to have inherited their wealth from family or significant others. For our list, we are talking about women who are self-made, having put in the work and overcome extra obstacles - just by virtue of being women of the 21st century. We’ve compiled a list of 10 of America’s super wealthy women who have started with a simple business plan and they are now top-earning entrepreneurs within their respective fields. Here are their stories.

Tory Burch, 52 — Est. $1B

Chief Creative Officer and Executive Chairman of Tory Burch LLC, Tory Burch is a notable entrepreneur, designer, and philanthropist. Her name constantly features on Forbes' lists of Most Powerful Women. Tory’s creations are featured on her official online store and in more than 3,000 shops around the world. An art history graduate, Burch owns more than 250 Tory Burch boutiques across the globe. For fall 2019, Burch introduced her line that saw a mix of bold stripes, floral prints, romantic outlines, and materials that primarily make guy’s clothing. Tory has three sons with her ex - Christopher Burch.

Celine Dion is one of the musicians who prove that music pays - big.

Celine Dion, 51 — Est. $800M

Famous for her powerful vocals, Celine has raked in some good cash since she started her career in the '90s. To finance her 1st record, Dion’s manager had to mortgage his home. Reports indicate that Dion was the highest grossing entertainer in the globe between 2000-2010. It looks like Dion is not stopping any time soon. Celine is working on new music with plans to release an album and embark on a world tour later on in 2019. We certainly cannot wait to hear what Celine has in store for her fans.

Next is the story about a philanthropic businesswoman who overcame all odds to become the first African-American billionaire.

Oprah Winfrey, 65 - Est. $3.1B

The “Queen of all media,” Oprah Winfrey, has established herself as a philanthropist, media executive, talk show host, and actress. She became the first African-American billionaire, thanks to her multiple streams of income, including the O magazine and her cable network, OWN. Oprah also raked in her fortune from Weight Watchers endorsement deals and she also got into a multi-year partnership with Apple in 2018 that will see her produce content for their streaming TV service. Through Oprah.com, she provides interactive content and resources related to her book club, show, magazines, and public charity.

Love or hate her, Madonna is still making waves and banking more money.

Madonna, 60 — Est. $850M

Madonna is also known as the Queen of Pop and she earned worldwide fame for pushing boundaries and using out-of-this-world imagery in her music videos. To date, she has sold more than 250M records. Other than being a professional singer, Madonna is a savvy business lady. She is involved in numerous merchandising deals and loves to invest in property and fine art. Even after clocking 60, Madonna is not retiring just yet. She has a new song with Columbian singer Maluma. The duo will be performing this new hit at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards.

The next young musician raked in millions by singing about her heartbreaks.

Taylor Swift, 29 — Est. $320M

Taylor Swift is a budding new-age musician who is best known for narrating her personal life through her music. Following the 2018 Taylor Swift's Reputation Tour, she bagged a clean $266.1 million, making it the highest-earning tour in the U.S. history. In the same year, Swift signed a lucrative multi-album deal with the Universal Music Group. Lucky for her, she still owns her master recordings. Her great success and earnings have seen her appear thrice in Time’s annual list of the 100 Most Influential People. In 2018, she teamed up with 300 women in Hollywood for the Time’s Up initiative set up to protect women from discrimination and harassment.

Next on our list is the Queen of Las Vegas.

Elaine Wynn, 76 - Est. $2.1M

Elaine Wynn earned the Queen of Las Vegas title because of her decades of success working in the casinos and hotels. Alongside Steve Wynn, her ex-husband, they co-founded the Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts. Elaine is currently the majority shareholder with a 9% stake in their business that as of 2018 amounts to $2 billion. In 2009, Elaine and her husband sought the services of a divorce attorney but they maintained their business relationship. Steve stepped down from the business in 2018 following harassment allegations. She also successfully spearheaded a shareholder proxy campaign and had John Hagenbuch removed from the company’s board. Elaine contributes to various causes through the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation.

The next businesswoman became a billionaire from transforming pantyhose into something more functional.

Sara Blakely, 48 — Est. $1.1B

A real boss woman, Sara Blakely is the founder of Spanx, an intimate apparel brand. Blakely revealed her innovative shapewear in 1998. Since inception, Sara’s company has been at the forefront of solving women’s’ wardrobe issues globally. Spanx designs underwear, leggings, and other intimate clothing. Starting out with only $5K, Blakely was forced to write her own patent because she could not afford to pay an attorney to do the job. Sara, who attributes her success to failure, will be speaking at the Nordic Business Forum 2019 that will run from 9th – 10th of October 2019, at Helsinki.

The next enterprising businesswoman made it big in agriculture.

Lynda Resnick, 75 - Est. $2.4B

 

The Wonderful Company placed Lynda Resnick at the forefront of the food and beverage industry since the '60s. At 19, she established her first company, Lynda Limited, an ad company. She co-runs the company with Stewart Resnick, her husband, but Lynda oversees all of the marketing decisions serving as the company’s vice chair. The company, as well as Lynda herself, earned a Chamber of Commerce Citizenship Award. Lynda has been in the midst of several controversies related to the company, including being taken to court by The Federal Trade Commission for deceptive marketing. In 2018, alongside her husband, she donated $30 million to the Los Angeles-based Hammer Museum towards renovations and expansion.

The next reality TV star-turned-entrepreneur is amongst the youngest self-made billionaires at just 21.

Kylie Jenner, 21 — Est. $900M

At only 21, Kylie Jenner is a great business lady. She has managed to rise to the top in a heavily saturated cosmetics industry. Kylie’s fortune may soon hit the $1B mark as she continues to expand her business. On April 23, 2019, Jenner announced the launch of the Kylie Cosmetics brow products named The Kybrow Collection. The range includes brow highlighters, gel, brush, powder duo, pencil, and pomade. All these will be in the market beginning end of April 2019. Kylie started her business by selling matt liquid lipstick and lip liner, selling out the $29 kits in minutes.

Despite all the success, Queen Bey feels like she still needs a man...

Beyoncé Knowles, 37 — Est. $355M

Beyoncé Knowles is one of the most successful female entertainers in the world. She has sold over 34 million albums both as a solo artist and a former Destiny's Child member. In 2018, Beyoncé was ranked 3rd on Forbes’s list of the highest-earning female musicians when she banked $60 million that year. Together with her multi-millionaire husband Jay-Z, they pocketed upwards of $250 million from the On the Run II Tour. In 2017, her credit grew even bigger after the telecommunications company Sprint invested $200 million in her company Tidal for a 33% stake. Beyoncé is expected to voice Nala in upcoming fantasy drama The Lion King, scheduled for release on July 19, 2019.

 Did Meg Whitman single-handedly change eBay's fortune?

Meg Whitman, 62 - Est. $3.3B

Meg Whitman’s resumé is equally as impressive as her paycheck, with her personal fortune estimated at $3.3 billion. She started off her career in the ‘70s as a Procter & Gamble employee but her most noteworthy position was with eBay, and she joined the online retail firm in 1998. She managed to raise the company’s revenue from $4 million to $8 billion on her exit. Whitman isn’t done raking in the billions yet and she’s teamed up with Jeffrey Katzenberg to work on the Quibi streaming service set to launch in 2022. Whitman tried her luck in politics when she ran against the former Democratic Governor Jerry Brown for the California gubernatorial seat in 2010 but she lost.

The next entrepreneur proved that anyone can establish a business empire through Social Media.

Kim Kardashian West, 38 — Est. $350M

Businesswoman and socialite Kim Kardashian is famously known for appearing on Keeping Up with the Kardashians alongside her blended family. Over the years, Kim has established a great presence in Social Media platforms, particularly on Twitter and Instagram, helping grow her fan base that has in turn seen her businesses flourish. She's had multiple lucrative deals, including her beauty products company, KKW Beauty, perfumes and colognes collections - generating roughly $100 million in sales as of June 2017. Kim has also ventured into the mobile gaming world with Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, earning $1.6 million just five days after its release in 2014. As announced in January 2019, she's expecting her second son through surrogacy.

Meet a woman whose frustrations in finding a pair of well-fitting jeans gave her a fortune in the billion-dollar range. 

Doris Fisher, 88 - Est. 2.7B

The need to find the elusive perfect pair of jeans was what compelled Doris and Donald Fisher to create the Gap fashion brand. They opened their first San-Francisco-based store in 1969 and at that time, they sold jeans and music. Doris took on the role of the store’s merchandiser and held the position until 2003. Doris and her later husband accumulated 1,100 art pieces over the years and their vast collection includes the works of 185 artists. They loaned their collection and provided financial assistance to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. As a Stanford University alumna, Doris has also served as one of the university’s trustees.

At 70, Donna Karan is just kicking off her life in fashion.

Donna Karan, 70 — Est. $500M

Donna Karan, who is popularly known as DK, is the creator of DKNY and DK clothing labels. Her style took the industry by storm growing to become one of the most popular lifestyle brands with a global presence. Karan not only designs clothes for men and women but also tableware, handbags, lingerie, accessories, bedding, eyewear, fragrances, and beauty products. Recently, in the 2019 International Women’s Day, Donna collaborated with Mashonda Tifrere to host an all-female art exhibition. Karan is staying ahead of the game and already has her spring 2019 collection up for sale.

Next is a beauty blogger who transformed her fortune and is now a beauty millionaire.

Huda Kattan, 35 — Est. $560M

Founder of Huda Beauty, Huda Kattan is a makeup enthusiast who has managed to turn her passion into a business valued at $1B upwards. Kattan studied art in LA and had the pleasure of working with clients like Eva Longoria, Nicole Richie, and the Revlon brand. To further extend her business, Huda will be launching a body highlighter dubbed N.Y.M.P.H i.e. “Not Your Mama’s Panty Hose” in May 2019. It is a luminous skin finisher designed for bare legs. Kattan has come a long way after her first creation of false eyelashes that the market has come to love.

The next entrepreneur transformed a $5K loan into a multi-billion dollar company.

Judy Love, 81 - Est. $3B

 

Judy Love and her husband Tom managed to transform a $5K business loan from their in-laws into a billion-dollar empire. They opened their first gas station in 1964 and soon they had about 430 convenience store locations spread out across 41 states. As of 2019, their business revenue peaked at $16 billion. Judy is the current executive secretary and she also chairs the Love Family Fund. Judy also serves on the board of several Oklahoma-based organizations, including Mercy Hospital. The Loves have four children and three of them are involved in the company in different capacities.

Humble beginnings do not always spell out failure.

Barbra Streisand, 77 — Est. $400M

Barbra Streisand is a lady who has enjoyed success in filmmaking, acting, and singing. Streisand belongs to a small pool of entertainers who have a Peabody, Emmy, Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award. Barbra makes good money appearing in films and selling about 150M singles and albums. Things were, however, not always easy, especially when starting out. At some point, Streisand did not have a permanent address, eating meals at her mums’ and sleeping at friends’ houses. Today, buying a house is not a big deal. Streisand is set to headline Barclays British Summer Time Hyde Park in July 2019.

 Meet one of the most influential women in the transportation business.

Johnelle Hunt, 86 - Est. $3.2B

 

Johnelle Hunt and Johnnie Bryan, her late husband, joined the transportation business in 1969 by co-founding J.B. Hunt Transport. At that time, they only have five trucks and seven trailers and Hunt quickly learned bookkeeping to keep the business afloat. Before she went into retirement in 2008, she held several positions in the company, including serving as a credit manager and corporate secretary. However, she’s still the majority shareholder with a 17% stake in the business. Hunt donated six acres of land towards the construction of an Arkansas-based outdoor amphitheater in 2014.

Meet a billionaire who runs a privately held company without holding any of its equity.

Judy Faulkner, 75 - Est. $3.9B

Judy Faulkner regularly appears on most powerful women lists and she ranks top in the IT and healthcare sectors. Faulkner is the Epic Systems CEO, a healthcare software company she founded in 1979 as Human Services Computing. The company handles the medical records of an estimated 200 million individuals. Apple showed interest in acquiring the company from Faulkner but she made it clear that she wasn’t interested in selling her business. Faulkner has also said that she won’t list the company in the stock market, and she takes pride in the fact that it’s a home-grown entity. Alongside her family, she has ownership of 43% of the company.

An immigrant's daughter raises her fortune to the billionaire status.

Marian Ilitch, 86 - Est. $4.3B

Marian Ilitch started out in business as a young girl helping her father out at his dinner. The entrepreneurial skills she picked up helped her create a fortune in the billion dollar range within the food and entertainment industries. Together with her husband Mike Ilitch, she founded Little Caesars which is now a pizza chain with locations in 50 states and presence in 17 international markets. The company has since expanded to ventures like sports arenas, entertainment management, casino gaming, and food distribution. Bloomberg ranked Marian amongst their 2018 list of the seven richest women in the world.

 Next is the richest woman in the U.S., who is from Wisconsin.

Diane Hendricks, 72 - Est. $6.6B

Diane Hendricks runs the largest roofing, window, and siding distribution company in America, explaining how she’s amassed a $6.6-billion personal fortune. ABC Supply is the company in question and Diane co-founded the business with her late husband Ken Hendricks. In 2010, she spearheaded the company’s largest acquisition, seeing them buy into Bradco and in 2016, they took the building materials distributor L&W under their umbrella. Her diverse investment portfolio includes Hendricks Commercial Properties which helped her purchase 19 properties in the Delafield area. Hendricks moonlights as a Hollywood film producer and her list of credits includes Snowmen and An American Carol.

Is it even a wedding or a red carpet event without donning a piece from the next businesswoman?

Vera Wang, 69 — Est. $650M

Mostly recognized for her impeccable bridesmaid, wedding and evening gowns, Vera Wang, over the years, has made a name for herself in the industry. She has dressed celebrities like Alicia Keys, Michelle Obama, Victoria Beckham, Chelsea Clinton, and Holly Hunter, among many others. Wang also designs eyewear, fragrances, footwear, and housewares, etc. Vera, who showcased her 59th bridal collection at the 2019 New York Bridal Week said she used overall white as the only bridal color. Wang revealed that she was experimenting with other hues to include in her hand-crafted collection.

Next is a business genius who minted millions working in technology.

Marissa Mayer, 43 — Est. $600M

Former Yahoo CEO and Google VP of consumer products Marissa Mayer made millions working for these tech giants. She is recognized as Google’s first female engineer and one of the most powerful businesswomen in America. A graduate of Stanford University, Mayer specialized in artificial intelligence, earning honors degrees in M.S. computer science, and B.C symbolic systems. After employment, Marissa invested in - among other things - launching a tech incubator. Mayer also wants to get involved in an eyebrow-raising deal where she wants to convert an old funeral home into a working space for women and families.

Next on our list is one of America's best romance novelists. 

Nora Roberts, 68 — Est. $390M

Nora Roberts is a phenomenal romance novelist who began her career back in 1981 when she published her very first novel called Irish Thoroughbred. Throughout her years as a creative romance author, Nora published over 225 novels, all flying off the shelves because they were all bestsellers. She has sold over 500 million copies of her work and is considered one of the greatest romance writers in America. Roberts was the first author to become a Romance Writers of America inductee. She also writes thriller novels under the pen name J.D. Robb and eleven of her novels have been adapted into movies. Roberts volunteers in charity work through the Nora Roberts Foundation.

The next entrepreneur is a redhead who has dominated the fictional writing world for decades. 

Danielle Steel, 70 — Est. $350M

Danielle Steel is considered as one of the best fiction writers of our time. She has published over 174 books and sold more than 800 million copies the world over. In 1972, she published her first novel Going Home and it set the precedence in terms of themes for the rest of her novels. Her novels often focus on aspects like human relationships, romance, and family issues. Steel has managed the feat of having all her novels become bestsellers, including the titles issued in hardback. Following her son’s suicide, Steel launched the Nick Traina Foundation to help people suffering from mental issues recover.

The next businesswoman made her billions as the COO of a Social Media platform.

Sheryl Sandberg, 49 — Est. $1.55B

Sheryl Sandberg has been the Facebook Chief Operating Officer (COO) since 2008. Under her leadership, Facebook has tremendously grown from operating at a $56-million loss to creating a staggering $22.1-billion profit as of 2018. By positioning Facebook as a small business platform for advertising, ads proceeds went up by 38% throughout 2018. During the Cambridge Analytica fiasco and the unending data privacy risks, Sandberg firmly defended Facebook and its two billion consumers. Despite facing controversy, the social platform's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has maintained his confidence in her leadership. Sandberg is married to the late businessman Dave Goldberg who unfortunately died of heart problems in May 2015.

The next businesswoman is $70-million shy of becoming a billionaire, thanks to her contributions to technology.

Weili Dai, 57 — Est. $930M

Weili Dai is one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in the tech sector. Together with her husband Sehat Sutardja, she co-founded Marvell Technology, a semiconductor firm, in 1995. She headed the company until 2016 when she and her husband were kicked out following an accounting investigation. In 2017, the two relocated to Las Vegas and have since ventured into real estate and technology. Together, they still own a 4.5% stake in Marvell Technology. After the investigation was concluded, neither of the two was found guilty. In May 2015, Forbes listed Dai as the 95th Most Influential Woman worldwide.

The next law professional-turned -TV personality is best known for her no-nonsense nature.

Judy Sheindlin, 76 — Est. $400M

Prosecution lawyer and Judge Judy Sheindlin is famously known for her award-winning show that she has presided over since 1996. The show has run for 22 episodes and has gained international viewership, hitting more than 10 million views a day. From the show alone, Sheindlin has since 2012 grossed $47 million annually. Hot Bench is also another one of the successful shows that she's created in 2014. In 2017, Sheindlin banked $147 million (pre-tax) according to Forbes. She doesn’t seem to be retiring any time soon and she says that the programs’ viewership will determine the decision.

The next businesswoman is the CEO of the Internet's biggest video sharing platform.

Susan Wojcicki, 50 — Est. $480M

Susan Wojcicki has been the YouTube CEO since February 2014. Under her leadership, the global video-sharing platform user base has grown to have 1.9 billion users per month. In 2006, she supported the $1.65 billion YouTube acquisition and the video sharing platform is now estimated to be $90 billion. Google has new production amenities in LA which fully support YouTube's growth from user-generated videos to TV grid. In 2015, Time magazine ranked Susan in their list of 100 Most Influential People, describing her as the most powerful woman on the Internet. Her net worth is sure to balloon even more!

Janice Bryant proves that the staffing industry is quite lucrative.

Janice Bryant Howroyd, 66 — Est. $350M

Janice Bryant Howroyd is the CEO and founder of ACT-1 Group whose net sales was approximately $925 million in 2016. She established the company in 1978 in Los Angeles to provide workforce solutions, including temporary staffing. The company has grown exponentially and now it operates in 19 countries with more than 17,000 clients and over 2,600 employees.  Howroyd is also into real estate investing and own multiple commercial spaces for rent as well as residences. She received the 2016 A.G. Gaston Award at the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference.