5 Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs We’re Celebrating on Women’s History Month

Women’s impact on all aspects of society, including business and entrepreneurship, has become too valuable to be ignored.

I mean, who doesn’t know Oprah Winfrey, one of the most successful women entrepreneurs in the world? Or Coco Chanel, who challenged the status quo for women’s clothing back in the early 20th century.

How about Rihanna? The richest female musician on the planet and owner of beauty company Fenty Beauty. Up to this day, the number of inspiring, strong women is growing steadily, and they remain unstoppable.

We’ve listed five incredible women entrepreneurs that we want to honor this Women’s History Month from the Packola community.

Read on and be inspired!

1. Mel and Ali of Need Want Wear Share

Mel and Ali are best friends and founders of Need Want Wear Share (NWWS), a community whose aim is to find balance in motherhood and all its facets.

They do this by creating a space for moms to celebrate their individuality as they cater to the demands of parenting. NWWS offers quarterly subscription boxes with gifts aptly categorized as something you need, something you want, something to wear, and something to share.

"We have curated four items in each box that you won’t believe you could’ve ever lived without. Being a mother is all-encompassing and is impossible to label. We noticed other subscription boxes were for: the crunchy mom, the crafty mom, the techie mom, the urban mom, the sporty mom... and we didn’t fit into just one box,” Ali and Mel describe.

Through Need Want Wear Share, Mel and Ali help esteem moms for the many hats they wear and celebrate their multifaceted job role not just as a parent, but also as a person, and a woman.

2. Kristen Dettoni of Design Pool

Kristen Dettoni founded Design Pool in 2019, a company that revolutionizes the way gorgeous patterns find their way onto products and into interiors.

She developed the first sustainable upholstery fabric for office interiors and the first sustainable upholstery fabric for automotive interiors.

During the height of COVID-19, Kristen and her team found it difficult to meet clients in person. They came up with the idea of creating a box of samples that would make customers feel like they’re getting gifts in the mail.

"We had one of our original designs printed on the box and sent it out to editors and potential new clients, hoping to catch their eye. As a new business with a small budget, we got a lot of bang for our buck with these beautiful little boxes. They even traveled through the mail and arrived looking great."

A creative and innovative entrepreneur, Kristen is a multi-awarded artist and textile designer based in Southern New Hampshire. She was also awarded a patent for automotive suspension seating during her career.

3. Enasia Colon of EC Collection

Enasia Colon is a student-athlete who is building her own brand in the world that’s dominated by bigger names.

This beautiful, young woman plays soccer for Arizona State University and spearheads her small clothing business enasiacolon.com.

The EC collection offers athletic apparel including shirts, hoodies, and hats to help customers get through everyday grind and hustle comfortably and in style.

Last spring, @enasiacolon sent gorgeous thank-you kits to people who supported her brand by making a purchase, and to her appreciation to everyone who inspires growth.

4. Leeanne Antonio of Bad Day Box

Meet Leeanne Antonio is a small business owner who earned a CNN segment and a Forbes feature because of her business of spreading sunshine to the world.

Leeanne’s brand, Bad Day Box, builds empathy boxes filled with thoughtful and curated gifts to help people deal with hard times. It is basically a care package you can send to a friend’s doorstep to express your love in a tangible way. Leeanne shares that the business was inspired by people who showed up for her when life was difficult.

@baddayboxco’s packaging is designed not only to acknowledge bad days but also to brighten them. "Our logo consists of the happy box and a glow icon and elements to mimic the feel of a postage stamp, hence our tagline, Snail Mail Self-Care. The gold used in the happy box and on the packaging is meant to bring warmth and sunshine," Leeanne shares.

Aside from being a full-time CEO, Leeanne is also an advocate of self-care and mental health.

5. Jennifer Nolley of Tiny Easel

Tiny Easel, a brand that offers a thoughtfully curated set of art boxes is founded by a mompreneur and professional interior designer, Jennifer Nolley. She makes art kits accessible, affordable, and stress-free so both parents and their kids to create art despite busy schedules.

While on maternity leave, Jennifer was trying to put art in front of her kids while nursing her youngest.

"I couldn’t help my kids with painting and crafts, and it was becoming stressful trying to balance it all. Paint was flying all over the place and it was hard to let them be creative and have fun," says the mom of three kids.

The idea of the business popped in her mind—it went from simply engaging children in creative activities to providing moms (and dads!) a fun and creative parenting solution. Tiny Easel’s art in a box allows parents to take a break while their young artists enjoy and explore art on their own, at their own pace.

The illustrations in Tiny Easel are created by Jennifer herself, inspired by places all over Baltimore and her love for painting.

Women’s stories of success and capacity to care for their community can be inspiring enough to empower other women pursue their passions. Happy Women’s History Month to all the amazing women around the globe! Keep shining bright!