Inspiring women that changed the business world

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Wepik! We’re taking this opportunity to recognize the inspirational women who have made their mark on business and left an indelible impact. From renowned entrepreneurs to philanthropic pioneers, these influential figures prove that anything is possible — even if it means reshaping a system as huge and complex as the enterprise itself. 

Let us introduce you to some of the most powerful female minds in our field today: they’ve shown unbelievable courage, dedication…and success! So sit back and enjoy learning about what makes them extraordinary — because at Wepik, we love nothing more than feeling inspired.

Mira Murati– CTO, Open AI

Mira Murati is the embodiment of achievement; with her deep technical expertise and business acumen, she has assisted Open AI in becoming a global leader in technological progress. Mira has garnered a plethora of admirers for her innovative spirit, excellent leadership abilities, and ambitious attitude, in addition to being an outstanding CTO – talk about role model goals! She truly is an inspiration to any aspiring professional seeking to achieve these goals.

Angélica Dass – Photographer & Activist

Angélica Dass is an award-winning photographer and activist from Brazil who has dedicated her life to challenging social norms around beauty and race. She created the Humanae project, a photography series that seeks to visualize human skin tones in an objective way by assigning Pantone colors to each portrait. Her work has been featured in exhibitions around the world, and she has been recognized for her inspiring efforts by numerous organizations, including UNESCO and Google Arts & Culture.

Allison Robinson – Founder & CEO, The Mom Project

Allison Robinson is a tech entrepreneur from Chicago who founded The Mom Project, a platform that connects moms with employers looking for talented workers with flexible schedules. Since founding The Mom Project in 2016, Allison has raised over $45 million in venture capital funding and helped thousands of mothers find meaningful jobs after taking time off for parenting duties. She was recently named one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” honorees for 2020.

Tiffanie Stanard – Founder & CEO, Black Girls Bookclub

Tiffanie Stanard is an author and entrepreneur from New York City who founded Black Girls Bookclub (BGBC), an organization designed to encourage young black girls to read more books written by black authors or featuring black characters. Since its founding in 2018, BGBC has grown into a community with nearly 40 chapters across 20 states that provides mentorship opportunities for young people as well as access to books written by diverse authors.

Dr Jen Esquer – Physical Therapist & Fitness Expert

Dr Jen Esquer is a physical therapist and fitness expert based in Los Angeles who specializes in helping people overcome chronic pain without medication or surgery through movement-based treatments such as yoga therapy or pilates rehabilitation exercises. Dr Esquer is also the founder of Mobility Mastery Online—an online platform where users can access her exercise programs—and she hosts workshops around the country teaching people how to optimize their movement patterns for better health outcomes.

Gillian Tans – Executive Chairman, Booking Holdings Inc

Gillian Tans serves as Executive Chairman at Booking Holdings Inc—the largest travel company in the world known for its popular websites like Booking .com—where she oversees global operations including strategy development, capital allocation decisions, mergers & acquisitions activities, corporate governance practices, risk management initiatives and more. Prior to joining Booking Holdings Inc., Gillian was President at Priceline Group where she helped grow their revenues from $4 billion per year to over $10 billion per year during her tenure there.

Paula Scher – Graphic Designer & Partner at Pentagram Design Studio

Paula Scher is an acclaimed graphic designer, artist and partner at Pentagram Design Studio—one of the most influential design firms in the world—where she works on branding projects for leading companies such as Microsoft Xbox , Citibank , Coca-Cola , JPMorgan Chase , MoMA PS1 , Public Theater , Tiffany & Co . Paula has won numerous awards throughout her career, including several Emmys for motion graphics design work which she did while working at CBS News .

Yayoi Kusama – Sculptor & Painter

Yayoi Kusama is an internationally successful Japanese artist and entrepreneur known for her iconic works in modern art that combine paintings with sculpture. Kusama has owned numerous galleries in Japan over the years, where she sells her limited edition works as well as prints of her most popular pieces. She has also become a fashion icon with her own line of clothing featuring her artwork. Kusama is credited with pioneering a new artistic style that combines abstract painting with product design. 

Valentina Tereshkova – Astronaut

Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman ever to travel into space and one of only two people to ever fly solo around the Moon. After returning from her historic mission in 1963, Tereshkova found Yuzhmash—a company specializing in rocket production—in 1972. She was also elected deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union two times between 1974-1989, giving her a platform to speak out on behalf of women’s rights and gender equality across the Soviet Union. 

Kathleen Kennedy – Producer

Kathleen Kennedy is one of Hollywood’s most successful producers and entrepreneurs who currently serves as president of Lucasfilm Ltd., co-owner of Amblin Partners (with Steven Spielberg), co-founder of The Kennedy/Marshall Company (with Frank Marshall) and founder/chairman at SKG Films (with Steven Spielberg). A four-time Oscar winner for producing films such as Schindler’s List (1993) E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982) Jurassic Park (1993) and Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981). Kennedy has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2019 due to her unparalleled success as a female leader in the Hollywood film production industry. 

Indra Nooyi – Former Executive Chairperson PepsiCo

Indra Nooyi is Chairwoman & CEO at PepsiCo Inc., one of the world’s largest food companies which boasts billions of dollars annually in revenue under its umbrella brands such as Gatorade , Frito-Lay , Pepsi Cola , Quaker Oats , Tropicana , etc… Nooyi has been responsible for leading the company through many major restructuring initiatives since taking office 12 years ago, including global market expansion into China & India growth initiatives . In 2018 Nooyi was ranked #2 on Forbes list “The World’s Most Powerful Women” due to her commitment towards sustainability & health initiatives within PepsiCo Inc .

Tig Notaro – Stand Up Comedian 

Tig Notaro is a successful woman who has broken barriers in the entertainment industry. In her award-winning standup comedy, she brings light to difficult and often taboo topics, such as cancer, making it easier for others to talk about difficult life experiences in a funny and relatable way. She is also an accomplished actress, writer, producer, and director. She continually strives to create meaningful content that opens up conversations in her community and beyond. Her willingness to be vulnerable while entertaining has made her a beloved figure in the world of comedy and beyond.

These incredible women are breaking barriers and inspiring generations through their accomplishments. They’re all evidence that gender doesn’t stop anyone from chasing their dreams — whether it’s to be an artist, entrepreneur, or leader of a big company! 

Let us take cues from them and reach for the stars – anything is achievable with dedication, passion & resilience in tow. So, let’s make International Women’s Day last 365 days each year by embodying these values every day!