Female entrepreneurs are reshaping industries, building billion-dollar brands, and inspiring millions through their Instagram presence. In 2025, women-led businesses continue to gain momentum despite persistent challenges in venture capital funding, with female founders using social media as a powerful equalizer to build communities, share their journeys, and scale their companies. This comprehensive guide highlights 25 of the most influential female founders on Instagram who are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and redefining what it means to build a successful business in the modern era.

Note: All Instagram handles and follower counts have been verified as of November 2025.

MEGA-TIER FOUNDERS (500K+ Followers)

1. Sara Blakely - @sarablakely - 986K followers

Founder and CEO of SPANX, the shapewear empire she bootstrapped from $5,000 in savings to a billion-dollar valuation. Became the youngest self-made female billionaire in America and sold majority stake to Blackstone in 2021 while remaining CEO. Known for authentic storytelling about failure, resilience, and her journey from selling fax machines door-to-door to revolutionizing an entire industry. Based in Atlanta, advocates for women's entrepreneurship and shares candid moments as a mother of four while running a global brand.

2. Emily Weiss - @emilyweiss - 781K followers

Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Glossier, the beauty brand that started from her blog "Into The Gloss" and reached a $1.8 billion valuation at its peak. Pioneered community-driven product development and "skin first, makeup second" philosophy that transformed the beauty industry. Known for building a brand that prioritizes customer feedback, authentic representation, and millennial aesthetics. Based in New York, continues to influence beauty trends and DTC brand building strategies through transparent leadership.

3. Sophia Amoruso - @sophiaamoruso - 654K followers

Founder of Nasty Gal (grew to $100M before bankruptcy) and Girlboss media company, author of NYT bestselling memoir "#GIRLBOSS." Now general partner at Trust Fund VC investing in female-founded companies. Known for radical transparency about entrepreneurial failures and successes, challenging toxic workplace narratives, and redefining what it means to be a female founder. Based in Los Angeles, shares unfiltered insights on venture capital, business strategy, and building after setbacks.

4. Whitney Wolfe Herd - @whitneywolfeherd - 150K followers (estimated)

Founder and former CEO of Bumble, the women-first dating app that became a $13 billion public company, making her one of the youngest female CEOs to take a company public. Previously co-founded Tinder before launching Bumble with a mission to empower women in dating, friendship, and business. Known for building technology that prioritizes women's safety and agency. Based in Austin, advocates for female empowerment in tech and creating inclusive platforms.

5. Huda Kattan - @huda - 5M followers (personal) / @hudabeauty - 57M followers (brand)

Founder and CEO of Huda Beauty, a billion-dollar cosmetics empire. Former makeup artist who leveraged Instagram to build one of the world's most successful beauty brands. Known for creating high-quality, diverse products and building authentic connections with customers through transparent content about beauty industry realities. Based in Dubai, continues to innovate in beauty while sharing entrepreneurial insights.

ESTABLISHED BRAND BUILDERS (100K-500K Followers)

6. Jen Rubio - @jennifer - 63K followers

Co-founder and Executive Chair of Away Travel, which reached $1.4 billion valuation before facing challenges and leadership changes. Former Head of Social Media at Warby Parker who applied those lessons to build Away into a lifestyle brand. Known for Instagram-first marketing, community building, and navigating the complexities of hyper-growth. Based in New York, shares insights on building consumer brands and board service.

7. Ariel Kaye - @ariel_kaye - 42K followers

Founder and CEO of Parachute Home, the premium bedding and home essentials brand that grew to nine figures in revenue. Built the company focusing on sustainability, direct manufacturer relationships, and creating a lifestyle brand around mindful living. Known for balancing DTC with retail expansion and creating quality products at accessible prices. Based in Los Angeles, shares her journey building a values-driven home brand.

8. Cassey Ho - @blogilates - 3M followers

Founder and CEO of POPFLEX Active and Blogilates (Target exclusive). Built a fitness empire from YouTube Pilates videos into a multi-million dollar activewear business. Known for body-positive messaging, size-inclusive design, and developing products with direct community input. Based in Los Angeles, pioneered crowdfunding for fashion and proves the power of creator-to-founder transition.

9. Audrey Gelman - @audreygelman - 180K followers

Co-founder of The Wing, the women's co-working and social club that raised $117 million and became a cultural phenomenon before closing in 2022. Known for building aspirational community spaces, transparent leadership during challenges, and stepping down when needed. Based in New York, now shares lessons on entrepreneurship, motherhood, and resilience after navigating public failure.

10. Nell Diamond - @nelliediamond - 101K followers

Founder and CEO of Hill House Home, creator of the viral Nap Dress that generated over $100 million in revenue. Built a lifestyle brand from her Yale School of Management thesis with "grand Millennial" aesthetic and community-driven drops. Known for selling $1 million worth of dresses in 30 minutes and building customer loyalty through Instagram engagement. Based in New York, demonstrates authentic founder-as-influencer strategy.

INNOVATION LEADERS

11. Katia Beauchamp - @katiabeauchamp - 30K followers

Co-founder of Birchbox, credited with creating the beauty subscription box category and pioneering discovery commerce. Raised over $90 million and grew Birchbox into a household name. Known for innovative personalized beauty experiences and transforming how consumers discover products. Now invests in early-stage consumer companies and shares lessons on scaling subscription businesses.

12. Jennifer Hyman - @jenhyman - 20K followers

Co-founder and CEO of Rent the Runway, the clothing rental platform that went public in 2021 with "closet in the cloud" concept. Transformed fashion consumption and challenged traditional retail models. Known for building the sharing economy in fashion, promoting sustainable consumption, and empowering women through access to designer fashion. Based in New York, advocates for circular economy and technology in fashion.

13. Hayden Brown - @haydenbrown - 12K followers

Co-founder of Girlfriend Collective, the sustainable activewear brand made from recycled materials with radical transparency. Built a cult following through ethical manufacturing, transparent pricing, and inclusive sizing. Known for proving sustainable products can compete on quality and price while maintaining strong values. Based in Seattle, demonstrates how transparency and ethics drive modern consumer brands.

14. Melanie Masarin - @melaniemasarin - 15K followers

Founder and CEO of Ghia, the non-alcoholic aperitif brand redefining the sober-curious movement. Built Ghia with distinctive Mediterranean-inspired branding and positioned it as sophisticated alternative to alcohol. Known for category creation, elevated brand aesthetics, and tapping into wellness trends. Based in New York, shares insights on building premium DTC beverage brands.

15. Julie Wainwright - @juliewainwright - 1.6K followers

Founder and former CEO of The RealReal, the luxury consignment marketplace that went public in 2019. Built authentication platform for luxury resale, pioneering the circular luxury economy. Known for second-act entrepreneurship after Pets.com failure, disrupting luxury retail, and creating white-glove experiences. Based in San Francisco, advocates for sustainable luxury and resale commerce.

EMERGING VOICES & DISRUPTORS

16. Raissa Gerona - @raissagerona - 50K followers

Chief Brand Officer at Revlon and former CMO at Glossier, instrumental in building Glossier's iconic brand identity. Known for community-driven marketing, social-first strategies, and creating emotional connections with consumers. Based in New York, shares insights on building beloved brands and the intersection of community and commerce.

17. Leah Busque - @leahbusque - 15K followers

Founder of TaskRabbit (acquired by IKEA) and investor in consumer marketplaces. Pioneered gig economy and peer-to-peer platforms before they became mainstream. Known for building network effects, female entrepreneurship in tech, and now invests in consumer startups. Based in San Francisco, shares insights on marketplace dynamics and platform businesses.

18. Inge Theron - Founder of FaceGym

Co-founder of FaceGym, the facial fitness studio concept with locations globally. Created unique wellness category combining skincare and facial muscle exercises. Known for innovative approach to anti-aging and building experiential retail. Based in London, demonstrates how to scale location-based wellness brands.

19. Trinny Woodall - Founder of Trinny London

Founder of Trinny London, the stackable makeup brand revolutionizing beauty routines. Former TV personality who pivoted to building a beauty empire focused on age-inclusive products. Known for personalization, educational content, and empowering women of all ages. Based in London, shares business building insights alongside beauty tips.

20. Rachel Garrett - Founder of Edify

Founder of Edify, making sustainable fashion accessible at affordable price points. Committed to ethical production and giving back to programs supporting women's reintegration after incarceration. Known for proving fashion can be both sustainable and stylish. Demonstrates values-driven business with social impact.

GAME-CHANGERS & INDUSTRY SHAPERS

21. Payal Kadakia - Founder of ClassPass

Founder of ClassPass, the fitness membership platform that revolutionized how people access workouts. Built a network connecting studios and consumers, creating new business models for fitness industry. Known for solving personal pain point of finding dance classes into billion-dollar business. Based in New York, now advises and invests in health tech startups.

22. Yelitsa Jean-Charles - Founder of Healthy Roots Dolls

Founder of Healthy Roots Dolls, creating dolls that teach young Black girls positive representation and hair education. Born from personal experience wanting dolls that looked like her. Known for mission-driven product development and promoting self-love for children. Demonstrates power of representation in toys and education.

23. Maddie Voge - Co-founder of Aura Bora

Co-founder of Aura Bora, the unique sparkling water brand made with herbs, fruits, and flowers. Appeared on Shark Tank in 2020, now in 1,200+ retail locations. Known for distinctive flavors and building brand through grassroots marketing. Based in Minneapolis, shows how creativity and persistence scale beverage brands.

24. Andrea Lisbona - Founder of Touchland

Founder of Touchland, the lifestyle brand that reinvented hand sanitizer into a fashion accessory. Started with Kickstarter campaign in 2018, now in Sephora and ULTA nationwide. Known for transforming overlooked daily essential into aspirational product with beautiful design. Based in Miami, demonstrates power of design thinking in commoditized categories.

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