LIFE

We're big believers that the progess and sucess of women should be celebrated *every* day. Especially since now, in the age of the girl boss, women are more empowered than ever to be the next generation of innovators and CEOs. Who knows, you (yes, you!) could be the creator of the next Facebook or Forever 21.

So many women have already forged the path for us with these wildly successful companies– we bet that some of them you probably didn't even know were female-owned. These inspiring ladies are our actual #lifegoals.

Build-a-Bear Workshop
We all can admit we had our fair share of trips to Build-a-Bear growing up–whether you went for a birthday a party or your own personal mission. Founded by Maxine Clark in 1997, Build-a-Bear now has over 400 stores all around the world. Clark got the inspration from a little girl named Katie while they were out shopping for toys. When they couldn't find the toy Katie wanted, she decided to make her own. That snowballed into an entire store that let children make their own stuffed toys and the rest was history.

Proactiv
It's almost impossible to go withuot seeing a Proactiv infocommercial at least once in your lifetime. The popular acne relief product has even been endorsed by stars like Adam Levine and Katy Perry. Dermatologists Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields launched the Proactiv brand in 1995 after creating a formula that they first attempted to sell to Neutrogena (who declined but suggested they advertise through infomercials). That turned out to be the perfect move: Today the skin care brand is one of the most popular of all time and continues to attract customers worldwide. 

In-N-Out Burger 
Even if you don't live on the west coast, chances are that you've scrolled past a mouth-watering Instagram post featuring In-N-Out Burger's burgers and fries. Founded by couple Lynda and Harry Snyder in 1948, this burger joint has served some of the *best* burgers for almost 70 years. Today, their granddaughter Lynsi Snyder owns and runs the company which started out as a simple hamburger stand. 

American Red Cross 
When most people think of the Red Cross, their first thought is either donating blood or collecting old clothes. But the Red Cross is also an extensive humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education in the U.S. It also provides communication and comfort services for the military among numerous other things. Founded by Clara Barton in 1881 after learning about the Red Cross in Switzerland, the American Red Cross today supports millions of people across the country.

The Body Shop
This one is for all the beauty lovers out there. The Body Shop was founded by British buisnesswoman Anita Roddick in 1996 and now has over 1,000 products sold in 66 countries. The inspiration came from a visit to a natural skin care store in California housed in the garage of a former car repair shop called "The Body Shop." Six years later, Roddick paid the store owners for "The Body Shop" name and opened up a simialar store in the U.K.

Eventbrite 
If you've ever bought tickets for a local event, or just browsed only to realize that those Taylor Swift tickets are way out of your price range, then you've probably come across Eventbrite. For all of your festival, concert, conference and sporting event needs, this is the place to grab your ticket and was founded by couple Kevin and Julia Hartz–who currently serves as CEO of Eventbrite–and Renuad Vsiage in 2006. 

Mrs. Fields
Yes Mrs. Fields was founded by a real life Misses! The yummy cookie company was created by Debbi Fields in the 1970s when she opened her first store with her husband Randy in California selling her homemade cookies. Today they have 300 stores and serve up delicious treats in 22 countries. 

Girls' Life
We're the definition of "for girls, by girls." Our editor-in-chief, Karen Bokram, launched GL so that girls *just* like you would have a magazine to read, too.'

If you could start a company, what would it be? Tell us below! 

Photo credit: Flickr.

by Karlyn Sykes | 1/7/2018