Written By: Nyckole

It is finally Women’s History Month! Since 1987, during March, the USA has celebrated women’s contribution to history, culture, and society. 

The legendary women entrepreneurs in the past have constantly pushed the standards of their fields to pave the way for further generations.

In this day and age, let’s highlight female entrepreneurs in Austin, TX, who are making history with their companies. Who are game-changers in their field and empowering the next generation of women to do the same. 

Mikaila Ulmer– Me & The Bees Lemonade

When most 17-year-olds are out hanging out with their friends or playing video games, Mikaila Ulmer is focusing on building her empire. 

Ulmer is the CEO of Me & the Bees Lemonade, a business she started at age 4 after her family encouraged her to enter a local youth business competition. When she was brainstorming ideas she remembered the time she was stung by a bee. 

At first, she was scared of bees, then her fright quickly turned to fascination when Ulmer learned about the vital role bees play in the ecosystem. That’s when she decided to do something that would help save honeybees and the rest is history. 

To create her product, Ulmer uses her great-grandmother’s special recipe for Flaxseed Lemonade. Me & The Bees Lemonade is sold in more than 1,500 stores nationwide, including Whole Foods, H-E-B, and Target.

When a customer buys her lemonade that comes in five different flavors, half of the profit from sales is donated to local and international organizations fighting to save honeybees. 

“When you have a big voice, make sure that you give others a voice behind you, and that you’re not only growing yourself but helping others grow and giving your expertise to others,” said Ulmer.

Kendra Scott– Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute at The University of Texas at Austin

Kendra Scott is a jewelry designer who first got her start in 2002. Her love of natural gemstones led her to start creating her own jewelry with a $500 investment.

Two decades later, Scott has created an empire for herself with more than 100 stores nationwide and becoming one of the country’s most recognized female entrepreneurs. 

Scott wanted to share her entrepreneurial experiences and wisdom with the next female generation. What better way to do it than in Austin, Tx? She partnered with UT Austin to create “The Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute” (WEL Institute); where she also co-teaches a class.  

“Through an environment of community, diversity, inclusivity, and empowerment, we will redefine leadership and entrepreneurship by growing the number of women-owned and women-led businesses,” said a statement from the UT WEL Institute Website on backing what the purpose of the institute is. 

Scott also provided a space to support her institute in redesigning and renaming an old fine arts building to “Kendra Scott Center.” It serves as a student hub for counseling, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and more. Scott has set up an establishment by providing the tools and resources to prepare future women entrepreneurs to be successful in their careers. 

Whitney Wolfe Herd–Bumble

Whitney Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014, a dating app where women made the first move and sent the first message. Her vision was to empower women to know their strength and to remove the archaic pressures placed upon men to be the aggressors. 

Bumble’s mission is to end misogyny through empowered connections rooted in kindness, accountability, and equality. 

Herd wanted the app to be more than just a dating app, soon Bumble later evolved into “Bumble Bizz” mode, where users can expand their professional network, and “Bumble BFF” mode where users can form new friendships. 

In 2019, Bumble lobbied the Texas legislature to pass a bill that imposed a fine of $500 on anyone who sent obscene photos on the internet without consent. Herd believes that Tech should be rooted in branding and she continues to maintain the Bumble brand as a safer dating app for women. 

“Every single day we have just gotten up in the morning and focused on building an experience around women, for women. When women are safe and happy, everyone else follows and it creates a better relationship for everyone,” said Herd. 

Be a fearless leader

Mikaila Ulmer, Kendra Scott, and Whitney Wolfe are entrepreneurs who are game changers and ceiling crashers. They are female business owners, who are using their voices to empower other women through their companies and share their stories in hopes to inspire others. Maybe you can be the next game-changer in starting your own or leading a business to continue ending the stigma around female leaders.

Edited By: Courtney