Women Who Mean Business

2018, Is international Women's Day. Throughout history we have some incredibly strong women who have changed the world for the better through their words, wisdom and actions. Forget 'behind every successful man is a woman' – behind every successful woman there's a tribe of more women who have her back. There are so many influential women, that we've had to narrow our list down to the top seven:

Michelle Obama
As the first African-American First Lady Michelle Obama faced plenty of racial backlash – but instead of shying away, she confronted these issues in many moving speeches. With a degree from Harvard, launching Let's Move campaign to fight child obesity, along with the Joining Forces initiative to ensure service members and veterans are supported, oh and the Reach Higher campaign to inspire young people across America to continue educating themselves past high school, oh and she also launched Let Girls Learn to help girls around the world have their right to education – all whilst raising two girls. Is there anything she can't do?

Hilary Clinton
Hilary Clinton is an American politician, who was the First Lady of the US between 1993 and 2001, she then served as a Secretary of the State for 4 years and then became the first ever woman to run for President for the Democratic political party. Although she didn't win the vote, she taught young girls everywhere that a dream can be turned into a focus with hard work and determination.

Melinda Gates
Is the Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest private foundation in the US. The aims of this foundation are to globally enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and in America to expand educational opportunities

J.K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling who goes by her pen name of J.K Rowling, is British author best known for her seven-book series of Harry Potter, which has been turned into a blockbuster film franchise. She was a single mother who was struggling, but with a great mind and plenty of imagination her writing has led her to great success. J.K was 32 when the first Harry Potter was published – showing age knows no boundaries.

Amelia Earhart
A woman who truly shares our thirst for adventure, she took women's accomplishments to new heights – quite literally! Not only was she the first female to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean, but she wrote several books about her experiences and was an avid supporter of equal rights for women.

Marie Curie
As a scientist, Marie Curie was the first female to receive a Nobel Prize, and the first ever person to win the prize for two separate categories, her first award being for her research into radioactivity, the second for Chemistry. A few years later she in fact helped develop the first X-Ray machines. She also was one of the first to suggest using radiation for cancer treatment. All done whilst fighting prejudice against women in the sciences.

Serena Williams
Not only has the professional tennis star been ranked No.1 in the world eight times, but she leverages her career for social change and activism through philanthropic and women's rights campaigns, this is in addition to her personal Serena Williams Fund which helps to create equity through education and assisting victims of violence. Oh, and did we mention she won the Australian open whilst pregnant!