LEGACY BUILDERS
From Success to Significance
Business and Professional Women Are Changing the World
"Things do not happen. Things are made to happen." - JFKennedy
Businesswomen We Know Who Are Showing the Way
There are myriad articles, books, organizations, and contests honoring women who are changing the world. Here are a few I know and love.
Carol Liege, Founder, The Legacy Factory LLC
Terry is a very successful business-woman, past president of the National Association of Women Business Owners, former gubernatorial candidate in Oklahoma, and founder of two extremely impactful women's organizations: Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP.org) and the Institute for the Economic Empowerment for Women (IEEW.org), which has trained and mentored more than 500 women in Afghanistan and Rwanda who have gone on to build successful enterprises, employ others, and contribute to those countries' economies.
Terry Neese, IEEW.org
Edie Fraser, WBCollaborative.org
Like Terry, Edie is a very successful businesswoman who has founded numerous organizations, movements, and public-influencing campaigns in support of social good. She is currently the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Woman Business Collaborative, which has brought together 46 of America's most powerful women's organizations to advocate for women's rights and opportunities in the workplace. She is also well known for her leadership in promoting diversity in the workplace and consulting with companies expanding their efforts and programs.
Robbie Motter, GSFE.us
Before becoming a businesswoman many decades ago, Robbie led a government contracting team of 800 people. As an executive, entrepreneur, and volunteer, she started popular local women's business networks all over California for NAFE, the National Association for Female Executives. In 2017 she founded the Global Society for Female Entrepreneurs (GSFE.org), which now has 27 local women's business networks and two virtual networks that have attracted members from throughout the world. At age 87, Robbie continues to actively run the nonprofit organization to empower and support female entrepreneurs.
Jackie Menne
Microbusiness.us
Jean Ketcham AgingButDangerous.com
Mandy Goetze , TIAW.org
Ten years ahead of Covid and well before most people had ever thought of it, Jackie, a public relations and advertising executive, saw the need for a coworking space for independent businesspeople working from home. That simple idea started as a beautiful space for solopreneurs in downtown Minneapolis, and has grown into a unique plan for a National MicroBusiness Association that provides virtual coworking and networking opportunities, expert educational workshops and classes, coop purchasing and insurance benefits,
and more for the increasing number of people now working at home.
Jean is a former small business owner and talk show host. She is also a proud parent, an avid skydiver, and a cancer survivor. To put it mildly, Jean is up to any challenge. After retiring, Jean and her close friend Suzanne discovered that 55+ women were not living up to their true potential. Their social circles were shrinking and their lifestyles were becoming less stimulating and less adventurous. That’s how Aging But Dangerous® was born 12 years ago. Today, Jean is 81 years old and convinced that aging can be so exciting and fun. From sky diving events, to local chapters, fashion shows and retreats, we continue to create opportunities for women to connect and empower each other.
Her list of personal and professional achievements is remarkable. We include her as the Founder of TIAW. In 1979, Mandy joined with nineteen other women who had formed business networks in ten cities around the US to discuss whether there would be value in sharing ideas, programs, information, successes, and problems. These women were the founders of one of the first networking groups for bringing women around the country. That group evolved into The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) Mandy served as Executive Director or Executive Vice-President for more than 20 years. She died just recently (2022).