Founded by Diana Harbour, the brand Red Dress is one great place to shop! You can find every kind of dress, from formal dresses to party dresses, at Red Dress. Diana makes the products lovingly, and hard work is seen in every collection. There are also jewelry, shoes, and accessories available at the brand.

Mari Garcia, the owner of BloomChic, has made styles inclusive for contemporary ladies in sizes 10 to 30 for fashion and leisure.

According to their tagline, "Live with Ease, Dress with Joy," they make it simple for plus- and mid-size women to locate clothing that fits them and their lifestyles. Their clothes are not only just clothes but also make the women wearing them feel empowered, beautiful, and happy!

Klara Voroshilovsky, owner of beauty forever, is a wonderful woman. The brand empowers women through and through! Their team and design members are all females. They have human hair wigs available in a vast range, including weaves, extensions, wigs, and closures in every style and color. They garnered a great deal of positive feedback from customers and are incredibly well-liked by contemporary girls. They are also having a women’s day sale right now that you can check out on their website!

The "Tough Mother" persona of founder Gert Boyle is still present in the Columbia brand. It's been 80 years since the brand was conceived, and the brand has continued to provide excellent quality sportswear even when the founder is no longer alive. Her legacy continues to light up the brand.

Cheap Caribbean is a travel agency that offers affordable and high-quality vacation packages to various Caribbean destinations. Jim and Marta Hobbs founded the company in 2000, and it has since become one of the leading travel agencies in the Caribbean. Women empowerment has been a significant part of the Cheap Caribbean's ethos since its inception. Marta Hobbs, also the co-founder of the company, has been a critical driving force behind this effort. As a woman leader in the travel industry, she has championed several initiatives to support women in the Caribbean and beyond.

Cuddledown is a company that specializes in creating high-quality bedding, sleepwear, and home décor items. Norma Wilkins-Gross is the founder and owner, and her story is an inspiring example of women's empowerment. Norma started Cuddledown in 1973 when she was just 23 years old. With a $300 loan from her grandmother, Norma began making and selling down comforters out of her apartment. Today, the company has over 150 employees and is one of the leading bedding and home décor companies in the United States.

TripAdvisor is a popular travel website that allows travelers to read and share reviews of hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions worldwide. The website was founded in 2000 by Stephen Kaufer, Langley Steinert, Nick Shanny, and an investor group that included Anne Campbell and Kathleen Tucker. They are both successful businesswomen who played a significant role in the growth and success of TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor has been a pioneer in promoting women's empowerment in the tech industry. Book your trips now using Trip Advisor!

Girlfriend collective wear has activewear for plus-sized women and is made from sustainable material. Isn't that the best business ever out there? Ellie Dinh, the company's founder, had problems finding women's leggings that were produced responsibly when she got the idea for Girlfriend Collective. 

Holly Thaggard, the founder, first established the business by putting SPF pumps in Texas schools. Since then, the company has grown exponentially and is undoubtedly one of the best sunscreens!

Christine Young, a former jewelry designer and proud first-generation Korean American launched the modern jewelry brand Young Frankk. Young, who had studied painting, was drawn to jewelry as she tried out several techniques and produced wearable works of art that are the best accessories ever. You can shop stunning pieces from this women owned brand on their website.

Llani is another fantastic women owned company. Alana Oates discovered Llani, and the brand manufactures factory workers in India that are family owned or founded by women. Each one employs a significant number of females in leadership positions. The company is genuinely female owned and operated, so you need to support the brand at all costs. 

Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris' transformed the hair care sector. She used her experience and talents to create Alodia, a revolutionary hair care line ready to advance hair care. She has a background in biomedical sciences and a passion for healthy hair.

Meryl, Chantel, Felicity & Patchez are the four sisters who run this business. For them, the rice represents the legacy of their family. They provide environmentally friendly organic and natural rice products to consumers nationwide.

Celeste Watch is a watch brand owned by women. Founder, fashion designer, and watchmaker CELESTE WONG are the woman behind this business.

Women all across the globe are striving for success in the corporate world, and running their businesses is a significant achievement on their end. Women hold over 42% of all companies in the United States (13 million). According to the World Bank's Female Entrepreneurship Resource Point, there are between 8 million and 10 million small and medium-sized businesses with at least one female owner throughout the developing world. 

With a 46.4% share of all business owners, Ghana has the most significant proportion of women business owners. In addition to earning a reputation in business, women are becoming increasingly wealthy. Oprah Winfrey, one of the most prosperous female entrepreneurs on the planet, has a net worth of $2.49 billion, and many women are motivated by her.

While these stats are highly impressive and will inspire many to transform their business ideas into reality, there is no denying that women owned brands have it more challenging in the corporate world than men. Not only do they have to defy social expectations, but they also face many problems while running their businesses. 

Primarily getting access to funding is something most women have a hard time with. The initiative can only be taken when someone trusts women to run something big, and to gain access to such significant funds is what they have a hard time with as they need help to be taken seriously. 

Some of the top women entrepreneurs who have now established businesses, share how all this hasn’t been easy, how it’s been a tiring journey of persistence and hard work to pave their way in the cutthroat competitive market. 

Estée Lauder, the beauty Queen in the true sense of the word! 

She started working with her uncle to improve his Super Rich All-Purpose Cream. Lauder initially only sold her cream to her friends, but after hearing nothing but praise, she made the decision to go commercial. She set out to empower all women to feel and look attractive. When managers refused to stock her products, she didn't back out and spilled her fragrance all over the counter after a manager refused to store it. The perfume attracted surrounding clients, leaving the manager with no alternative but to sell. The product now has a vast consumer base and is one of the top women owned brands. 

Rea Ann Silva - CEO of Beautyblender

Before a split left her struggling as a single parent and forcing her to work as a makeup artist to make ends meet, she was an ambitious fashion illustrator.

“Life can be a very long journey for us. And that is a blessing and a gift. And you know not to feel pressured to make decisions or, you know, define yourself by success in three or four or five years. Take your time. Why do people want to make it so short?” - Rea Ann Silva (Forbes)

International Women's Day is celebrated to raise voices in favor of women's rights and speak against anything hindering women's place in society and their access to opportunities, growth, and success. The challenges they face are endless! From being judged to being scrutinized constantly, whether they can balance their business and family life needs to end. 

Women don't deserve these hardships; they deserve support, appreciation, and encouragement when taking initiatives like these. Many successful women owned brands are the result of women's hard work and dedication. Women's thoughts and wisdom have built these businesses with immense care and love. 

Women can deal with any situation and tread difficult times with grace and immense strength, but support from the external environment matters. The first step is the support from fellow women. Women Lifting each other is essential. Not only for this IWD or the following year's IWD, but you also need to remember that supporting these women-owned businesses should be a lifelong practice. Women lift other women, and you should continue supporting women owned brands beyond just one day or month and spreading the word about them to others.