Femaleentrepreneurs who run multi-million pound businesses

From Taylor Swift's girl squad to Nasty Gal founder Sophie Amoruso coining the hashtag #girlboss, it's clear that when it comes to entrepreneurship, it's not a man's world anymore.

Indeed, recent research by BNP Paribas Wealth Management found that companies helmed by women actually produced 13 per cent higher revenues than those run by men, and finished nine per cent above average.

From fashion legend Anna Wintour to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, there's an increasing number of women proving you can be financially independent and successful on your own terms.

These women are career-driven and ambitious goal-setters, who have perfectly mastered the balance between sitting at the head of the boardroom and at the head of their families.

Sophie Paterson, 32, is a Design Director and runs her own interiors company between Surrey and London. She designs houses for the rich and famous and has become a social media sensation

Here, six inspiring women who juggle high-pressured jobs with a family and fitness regime, share their career advice, rituals and secrets of success with FEMAIL - and prove that just like them, you really can have it all.

SOPHIE PATERSON 

Sophie Paterson, 32, is a Design Director and runs her own interiors company. She designs houses for the rich and famous and has become a social media sensation. She lives in Surrey with her husband and is pregnant with their first child.  

If you've got a board filled with interior snaps on Pinterest, there is a good chance it contains the work of Sophie Paterson.

Sophie is the founder of Sophie Paterson Interiors - a brand she established in 2008 at the age of 23. Fast-forward a few years and her company has become one of the UK’s most successful interior design studios, with a plethora of celebrities enlisting Sophie to transform their homes.

'I always loved interiors from a young age but I didn't initially pursue this as a career and instead opted to study business and Spanish at Bath University,' Sophie told FEMAIL.

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'I made the transition from my previous career in events management for a restaurant group after a developer, who my husband and I consulted about reconfiguring the layout of our then mews house in London, liked the way I had decorated our home and asked me to help him with the interiors of his latest development project - a 4,000 square foot townhouse with a basement extension in South Kensington. 

'This was an amazing opportunity that, with my husband's encouragement, I seized with both hands. I worked on his project free of charge, keen to see if my passion could translate into a job and continued with my other job initially for six months. 

One day Sophie may be designing a villa in Spain, or sourcing furnishings in Paris, the next she's dealing with finance and accounting and looking at spreadsheets

'Then, when I could see it had potential to work, I quit my job and set up my company, initially just working with this developer- I was only 23 and had no real idea of what lay ahead or was required to set up a successful company but I think that was a blessing!'

One day Sophie may be designing a villa in Spain, or sourcing furnishings in Paris, the next she's dealing with finance and accounting and looking at spreadsheets. She wakes at 7am and has breakfast with her husband. 

'It's the calmest part of the day and we both love it,' she said. 

Sophie tries to work out with a trainer three times a week, which she hails a great way to manage stress. 

'I'm six months pregnant and so I've reduced my workouts and try to do a lot of walking instead. I also love the Headspace meditation app for relaxing.' 

Sophie also credits her husband for motivating her to stay on track, hailing him 'hugely encouraging and supportive'.

'My husband Kevin runs his own tech company and so is very understanding of the demands of running your own business and the long hours that can occasionally require.'

Sophie also feels blessed to work in an industry where there's gender equality, explaining: 'I'm aware that isn't the case for all industries. I believe the interior design industry has an equal amount of both female and male leaders and I employ exactly 50:50 men and women, all purely based on ability. 

'I feel very lucky that I've never experienced discrimination based on my gender - it means I'm able to focus on doing the best possible job I can without worrying about how I am perceived.'

Sharing her golden piece of advice for women looking to follow in her footsteps, Sophie said: 'I always have several things in the pipeline when it comes to work'

So does Sophie think women can have it all? 'In my experience I feel like it's a constant balancing act; some weeks I feel like I have a great work/life balance and other weeks it definitely doesn't work as smoothly. 

'I don't think you can do it by yourself and I wouldn't like to pretend otherwise. I have a great team of designers to support me at work, a supportive and encouraging husband and a housekeeper at home. I don't think there's any shame in having help but I do know how fortunate I am to be in this position where it's possible.'

Sharing her golden piece of advice for women looking to follow in her footsteps, Sophie said: 'I always have several things in the pipeline when it comes to work - that way if one thing doesn't work out you don't waste time focusing on that but move onto the other things you have lined up. 

'When you run your own business you can't take rejection personally and this approach really helps me look forward and not waste time worrying.' 

MARIA HATZISTEFANIS

Maria, 45, is the founder and president of the Rodial group, which counts Kylie Jenner and Emily Ratajkowski as fans. She lives in London with her husband and two young sons but travels all over the world running her beauty empire.

Maria Hatzistefanis, 45, who lives in London, runs not one, but two, of the industry's most popular skincare brands with countless celebrity fans despite originally struggling to secure investment

Maria certainly knows how to graft; the beauty writer-turned-business mogul originally failed to secure any investment for her fledgling brand, which is now worth £100million.

Maria Hatzistefanis, 45, who lives in London, started her business in 1999 after noticing there was a gap in the market for targeted skincare when she was working as a beauty writer for Seventeen Magazine.

Armed with the beauty and business knowledge she had garnered, Maria took a risk by leaving her job to establish her own fashion-forward skincare brands - and her precarious decision quite literally paid off.

Fast forward nearly 20 years and Maria now runs not one, but two, skincare brands - Rodial and Nip + Fab, the newer of the two companies, which is aimed at a slightly younger, more budget-conscious crowd.

Maria has amassed a dedicated A-list following, which includes Kylie Jenner, who posed for Maria's more budget-friend brand earlier this year

Today, her business is worth an impressive £100million thanks to her steady stream of new releases, all of which are, as she has always intended, targeted at specific skin concerns, and her dedicated celebrity following, which includes the likes of Kylie Jenner, Jourdan Dunn, Ellie Goulding and Elle Macpherson.

'I oversee all areas of the business and spend a lot of time in the office driving my team,' she explained. Setting up my own business was a challenge at the beginning but it’s very rewarding and I find that a lot of women can thrive when they become entrepreneurs as they can manage their own destiny, if they are unhappy with their work environment. 

'I have been speaking at conferences offering advice on how women can start and grow their own business. It makes me very happy when I can share my experience and make a positive impact on other women.' 

But it wasn't all smooth sailing for Maria, who admits that she wasn't able to secure investment when she first started the business.

The fledgling entrepreneur and her husband put their savings together and she single-handedly managed all aspects of the start-up, from going to factories and overseeing production to selling the products on the sales floor.  

Discussing the initial struggles she encountered, Maria explained: 'At the beginning it was really tough to get the business off the ground without external funding. This was a blessing in disguise in the long run as it kept the company lean and made it profitable very quickly. 

'Rodial is still private, which enables me to make the right decisions for the business without any interference from investors and their own agendas.'

Clearly Maria was doing something right; her quirky products have caught the attention of A-listers, despite their seemingly terrifying concepts.

'The names of our products - Dragon's Blood and Snake Serum - can be controversial,' she admits. 'But they all have meaning and function. Dragon's Blood is actually the name of a sap found in a tree in the Amazon which has amazing protective qualities, so I named the product after the ingredient. 

'Some people may see this as a gamble, however Dragon's Blood is now the best-selling product in the range, which proves it works to take risks.' 

As well as running her business, Maria wakes up every day at 5:30am to do a yoga or spinning class followed by breakfast with her husband and two sons before heading to the office. She also attends glittering showbiz events with her famous friends including Daisy Lowe, left, and Elle Macpherson, right

Discussing gender equality in the workplace, Maria said: 'When I worked in the corporate finance world I had to dress very conservatively in suits and have my hair pulled back. I wasn’t taken seriously at meetings being one of the few women and also being very young. It didn’t surprise me though as it was a very male culture and I decided to get as much experience as I could and then move on.' 

Maria believes that like herself and Kylie, women can start their own successful business - it just requires a lot of self belief, determination and a strict routine.

'I wake up at around 5.30am during weekdays, take 20 minutes to have hot water with lemon and an espresso, read the news and post the first post on my @mrsrodial account on Instagram. I then exercise and catch up with the kids before they go to school. I have so much thrown at me at work and also organising the kids and family life that I need to exercise and keep a clear mind to deal with everything in a calm way.

'Then I head off to work or meetings. I try to have a fixed schedule when I am in London as I travel a lot for work and try to see the boys as much as I can early mornings and weekends.'

So does Maria think that women can have it all? 'I think every woman should have their priorities of what is important for them to be happy. For some, that's having a successful career and for others it's raising their children and not missing a day with them. 

'You need to set your priorities and be happy with your decision. I can’t say that you can have it all but you can have all the priorities that you set for yourself. Women are really smart and multi-taskers and it makes me happy.'

GEM MISA

Gem Misa, 37, from London, is the co-founder of Cauli Rice - a healthy low calorie, low carb alternative to rice, which is now stocked in major retailers. She lives with her husband and five-year-old daughter.

Gem is an entrepreneur who jumped on the clean eating bandwagon just in time - and her risky move has certainly paid off. Indeed, a few years ago, the concept of eating cauliflower rice would repulse many but it's become one of the biggest health food success stories this year.

Gem, who started her career at Unilever in the Philippines (where she is originally from), decided to take the leap and co-found the healthy food start-up. 

Her idea lead her to becoming a finalist of the Virgin Media Business’ VOOM competition last summer and since then the company has come on leaps and bounds.

Gem works with farmers in Cambridgeshire to produce the product, which she then sells on to supermarkets such as Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsburys and ASDA. 

Gem Misa, 37, from London, is the co-founder of Cauli Rice - a healthy low calorie, low carb alternative to rice

Discussing her entrepreneurial journey and whether she faced any challenges due to her gender, she said: 'Setting up a business is never easy. From my understanding, entrepreneurship and raising finance for start-ups have always been a male dominated category but I’ve never felt that limitation as I believe that the success we’ve had on the business was based more on the quality of the idea and the product rather than on whether the person running it was male or female.

'To run a business, you need a lot of support (and patience!) from your loved ones,' she said. 'As we moved from a double income to a single income household, my husband had to work to support the family single-handedly for a long time while I got the business up and running. It’s taken four years to get to a point where he has left his job and now works with me.'

Despite her stellar success, Gem describes her routine as 'unglamorous' and 'manic' as she rushes to get her daughter fed and ready for school. 'I like keeping late afternoons free to spend time with my daughter, but unfortunately this means going back to work after she’s gone to bed at around 8pm. I usually work until 10pm or 11pm then wind down by chatting with my husband before heading to bed at midnight,' she said.'

'Exercise is a very important part of my routine. Without it, I start feeling sluggish and lethargic. Because my business schedule can vary day to day, I always have a gym bag ready and try to fit a class in 2-3 times a week. Exercise helps me think more clearly about any challenges that we’re experiencing and it always helps me distress.' 

Candidly discussing her view on whether women can really have it all, Gem admits that they must prioritise, which often leads to making some sacrifices.

'I believe you can be successful at what you set your mind to, but this can take a lot of time and focus. This would mean also having to prioritise. For me, my priorities would be time with my family and building a successful business – but unfortunately this doesn’t leave room for a lot of socialising or sleep!  

'Ultimately, women have all the right skills for success – don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. 'Focus on what you want to achieve, work hard, and you will get there in the end.' 

HOLLY SCARSELLA

Holly Anna Scarsella, 27, is the founder of resortwear brand Pampelone Clothing, which is loved by Olivia Palermo and Blake Lively. She lives in London with her husband. 

Fashion entrepreneur Holly is proof that age isn't a barrier to success; at just 27, she has established one of the fastest-growing fashion brands, which has enlisted a roll call of celebrity fans. 

Holly Anna Scarsella, 27, is the founder of resortwear brand Pampelone Clothing, which is loved by Olivia Palermo and Blake Lively

Straight after university, Holly started her career as a fashion publicist looking after brands including Puma, UGG Australia, Tiffany & Co and luxury jewellery brand Astley Clarke. 

'I absolutely loved seeing how brands could grow from getting them on the right people and in the right magazines. I always knew deep down that if I could find the right idea, I could start my own business,' explained Holly.

Holly decided to leave her more corporate job and set up her own brand after being inspired by the women of St Tropez's style whilst she was living there. 

'They always looked so chic yet effortless; this is the key look we try to emulate. Another catalyst for starting the brand was when I was going on my honeymoon and planning my outfits; I spotted a real gap in the market for well priced, good quality resortwear. 

'We had the high street, and then very expensive brands, which you wince at the thought of throwing in your beach bag. Pampelone Clothing aims to bridge this gap.'

Holly was immediately snapped up by the Virgin StartUp Scheme, which Richard Branson set up  to promote entrepreneurship in the UK and to empower people to follow their dreams by turning ideas into businesses through access to advice, mentoring and funding. 

Holly says it has been instrumental in helping her launch her brand and admits it has encouraged her to fight harder to prove herself.

Speaking about whether she's ever felt held back by her lookS, she said: 'Working in fashion, it's always been important to look presentable as you ultimately represent your brand. And people in fashion definitely value and judge on first impressions.

'I do sadly feel that owning a business and meeting with specifically men in financial institutions, I do have to work harder to prove myself. When you walk into serious meetings, sometimes the assumption is that because you carry a designer handbag and wear fabulous heels that you have your head in the clouds. However, it is just so satisfying to prove them wrong and leave with their utter respect. 

'That said, as everyone with their own business knows - it's hard. Very hard. Not only to manage the business needs but also to balance home life with work life. This is an aspect that I do need to work on - knowing when to switch off and let go.' 

Holly, pictured with celebrity friend and Made In Chelsea star, Rosie Fortescue, was immediately snapped up by the Virgin StartUp Scheme, which Richard Branson set up to promote entrepreneurship in the UK

Holly decided to leave her more corporate job and set up her own brand after being inspired by the women of St Tropez's style whilst she was living there. She travels all over the world to curate her collection, which is now sold on Shopbop, Very Exclusive and Beach Cafe

To keep her mind healthy and in focus, Holly works out at Kobox, left, early in the mornings. 'I think in this industry mental wellbeing is just as important if not more than physical,' said Holly, pictured, right, wearing one of her designs 

In keeping with the recurring theme among female entrepreneurs, Holly wakes at 6.30am and hits the gym. 

'I do try to work out three times a week, not only to keep myself physically healthy but also mentally healthy. Working out helps me clear my mind and irons the stress out of an early alarm clock. I think in this industry mental wellbeing is just as important - if not more - than physical.' 

Despite her hectic schedule and plans to start a family, Holly is adamant that women can have it all. 

'Ultimately success and happiness come from within. I also think if you're happy with yourself and your family life then anything else if just a bonus. That said, we as women have so many factors to contend with emotionally and physically whether it's how we look, want to be perceived or whether starting a family, which men do not.' 

THEA GREEN

Thea Green, 40, is the founder of Nails Inc - a global brand that sells one nail polish every minute and has a turnover of more than £20million. She lives in London with her husband and has three children.

Another lady making waves in the beauty industry is Thea Green, the former fashion editor of Tatler magazine who went on to found Nails Inc in 1999. 

After travelling to the US, Thea spotted a gap in the UK market for professional high quality manicures and a more on-trend range of products for women with little time. She used her free time to research her business plan and when she felt she had garnered enough knowledge, she left her full-time job to launch Nails Inc.

Thea Green is the former fashion editor of Tatler magazine who went on to found Nails inc in 1999

With nail bars all over the UK, her brand is now the UK’s number one nail bar chain and her team of technicians regularly work with A-list celebrities and fashion designers including Victoria Beckham and Alexa Chung. Thea pushed the boundaries when she unveiled the first-ever nail polish in a spray can, as well as kale and coconut oil infused ranges this year. 

Sharing her top tips for working mothers who want to set up their own business, Thea shares some very candid advice. 'Expect a long day, try to separate work from home - even if you work from home later when the kids in bed - get organised and write lots of lists. 

'Ask your kids what is important to them in terms of mummy time, what they want from you, rather than what you think is important.'

Despite the long days and hectic schedule, Thea believes women can 'definitely' have it all. 'Working mums have to relax about the volume of things have to do, it is okay to drop the odd ball along the way.'

Thea, left, regularly works with A-list celebrities and fashion designers including Victoria Beckham and Alexa Chung, right

JULIE CHAKRAVERTY

Julie, 44, from London was hailed the youngest female director of a FTSE-100 company, aged 41, and still holds several board positions (non-exec director at Paternoster and Aberdeen, chairman of the innovation committee at Aberdeen Asset Management) but realised that wasn’t enough. So, she set up a tech company called Rungway. She lives in London with her husband and has one daughter. 

Julie started out in investment banking back in the male-dominated ‘90s. 'That gave me the opportunity to lead and build an investment product, CreditDelta, at UBS, that won innovation awards for many years, helping to establish my reputation in the City,' she explained.

Despite earning herself a solid reputation among her male peers, Julie did have to contend with the battles of working in a mostly male environment. 

She explained: 'I was fortunate to have a very professional employer, but it did feel lonely at times being in a predominantly male environment. When you are working very long hours or travelling, you do become more conscious of missing those key moments back home.

Julie Chakraverty, 44, from London was hailed the youngest female director of a FTSE-100 company, aged 41, and still holds several board positions. She has now developed her own technology company 

'In my corporate roles, particularly in financial services, the move towards full gender equality at senior levels is just too slow. We need to think and act differently, and I’m pleased to see some real efforts being made. The technology sector also struggles with not having enough female engineers or women leaders.'

Inspired by her own experience and after giving birth to her daughter, Julie admits her professional outlook changed. 'I had a strong desire to take on new challenges and create a portfolio career, seeking out non-executive directorships at a relatively young age. I now hold various board positions (chairing the Innovation Committee at Aberdeen Asset Management, for example).

'I also decided to take another career leap, this time away from corporate boardrooms into the very different world of tech entrepreneurship, launching a new product from scratch.' 

Julie's brainchild - Rungway - is essentially a free app for people to seek advice by posting questions on a wide range of topics, from office politics, and dealing with health issues at work, to a funny story from their day and mastering that much sought-after work-life balance,

Striving for a work-life balance is something that Julie has just about mastered. She wakes at 7am to take her daughter to school before she heads into meetings. 'I typically get going on emails over my cereal, then we have a lovely walk to school. Chatting together about what’s on her mind is the best part of my day,' she said.

After a hectic day working on her start-up, she checks her emails once her daughter has gone to bed and settles down for the night at 11pm. Plus, she has a very supportive husband and mother by her side. 

She said: 'My husband is totally supportive and used to my long hours. We are very fortunate having our families close by, and my fantastic mum is the secret behind my success, looking after our daughter when we need to work late.' 

So does Julie think that women can have it all? 'Yes, if you mean can they make choices and realise their dreams. No, if you mean can they achieve everything on their list all at the same time. 

'Many working people have far more on their plate than can realistically be finished, especially working parents. Juggling it all is a real challenge! A good support system is everything, and you need to prioritise. Keeping your sense of humour, whatever life throws at you, also helps.

'My advice is to understand what you most want at different chapters in your life – that may or may not be career success. Never apologise for being different, whether you are young, ethnic, female, or whatever - it will likely end up being a benefit for you and everyone else.'

JESSICA DILULLO HERRIN  

Jessica DiLullo Herrin, 43, is the CEO & Founder of the Stella & Dot Family of Brands and author of U.S. National Bestseller Find Your Extraordinary. Her career highlight was being invited to ring the NASDAQ stock market closing bell back in 2012 to celebrate the over half a million dollars she had donated through the Stella & Dot Foundation. She lives with her husband and two young children.

Born and raised in America, Jessica proved her entrepreneurial flair early on after she dropped out to co-found her first company, a wedding based content and commerce site, which went on to become WeddingChannel.com and is still one of the largest online wedding companies today. 

She then moved to work at Dell Computers by day, and worked on her new business idea - a jewellery company - by night.

After early growth and funding, in 2007, she changed the name to Stella & Dot. By 2011, the company sat  at number 57 on the Inc.500/5000 Fastest Growing Private Company list. In 2012, the company launched in the United Kingdom and by 2014, she had launched another jewellery line and a skincare brand. This year, Jessica wrote her first book: Find Your Extraordinary. 

Jessica DiLullo Herrin, 43, is the CEO & Founder of the Stella & Dot Family of Brands and author of U.S. National Bestseller Find Your Extraordinary

So how does she make it work? 'In terms of balancing my role as a CEO and the most important role I’ll ever have - being a mother - I consider myself a mum working, not a working mum. The mum part comes first. 

'So, I rigorously prioritise my time, and focus on only the highest impact activities so that I can make it count and still love my life and my family. I plan out and time block my day so I can be as productive as possible. Making the most of your time is essential for extraordinary success.'

She wakes at 5am and likes to exercise to clear her head and take some time for meditation before waking her children up. 'When people ask how I fit in time for exercise, I always tell them I don’t have time not to run. A thirty-minute run in the morning before work gives me hours of higher-quality energy later, so it’s like I’m saving time. Then I love making my kids breakfast and it’s become a bit of my love language to them,' she said.

Rather refreshingly, Jessica admits that whilst her husband is a great support system now, this wasn't always the case. 'It wasn’t easy,' she admits. We both grew up with families that expected to do more of the child rearing and have her career take a back seat to the male provider. We had to figure it out. My husband is incredibly supportive of my career now, and has stepped up to be the most hands-on, caring father I could imagine. 

'In the end, I had to give up my supermum act, trying to do all things for all people at all times. I had to kick self-inflicted and highly unproductive working mum guilt to the curb to make more room for love, joy and accomplishment in my life.'

So how does she make it work? 'In terms of balancing my role as a CEO and the most important role I'll ever have - being a mother - I consider myself a mum working, not a working mum. The mum part comes first'

Indeed, Jessica believes that more needs to be done to create more flexibility in the workplace so that women can more easily stay in the earning economy and in the game as they go through childbearing and family raising years. 

'We also need to continue the cultural celebration of great dads and partners playing an equal role in the home,' she added. 

'Women can’t have it all, but they can have what matters most to them. It’s all about prioritising and making trade offs.

'The only success worth chasing is success on your own terms. Define what authentic happiness means for you, and then go out and create that life. New challenges may feel daunting at first, but feel the fear and do it anyway. And lastly, never want anything more than you are willing to work for it. If you look for easy, you will never find extraordinary.' 

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