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SHATTERED DREAMS: Women CEOs Still Facing an Epic Drought!
Hold onto your hats, folks! In a shocking revelation from the world of corporate power, only ONE brave woman has ever made her mark on the Fortune 500 as a founder-CEO! Yes, you heard it right—just ONE! With a staggering 11% of the Fortune 500 now led by female CEOs, another insurmountable glass ceiling looms large over women trying to build their empires.
The Lone Warrior: Meet Marion Sandler!
In the glorious history of the Fortune 500, the ONLY female founder to ever lead a company to the top is the incredible Marion Sandler. This powerhouse co-founded Golden West Financial, a mortgage lending giant, along with her husband, Herb Sandler, and ran the show for more than 40 years! Sandler didn’t just break barriers—she smashed them! First appearing as a top-tier CEO in 1997, she was a trailblazer and remains a legend in the halls of corporate history.
Crushing It in a Man’s World!
Sandler created an empire worth $124 billion, with 285 branches nationwide at its peak. Renowned as one of the best-run lenders, she crafted the revolutionary option-adjustable rate mortgage, allowing borrowers a lifeline in their financial struggles. Talk about a game-changer! Though often hailed for her marketing genius, her financial prowess was nothing short of groundbreaking.
The Fight for Funding: An Uphill Battle
Fast forward to today, and the odds are stacked against female entrepreneurs like never before. Only 20% of all venture funding flows to women-led firms, and a miserable 1% lands in the hands of women founders without male partners. Are investors blind to the brilliance of women entrepreneurs? Research shows they’re giving female-led startups 22% less funding, particularly if another woman-led venture has crashed and burned in the past five years. The cards are stacked, folks!
IPOs and the CEO Swap: A Heartbreaking Pattern
But it doesn’t stop there! Even when female founders manage to land an IPO—a seemingly impossible dream—they face the cruel reality that 60% of them get ousted post-IPO. The sad truth? Only half stick around for more than three years. It’s a brutal game, and women are losing!
Will There Ever Be Another?
It’s been two decades since Sandler graced the Fortune 500 as a founder-CEO, and the wait could stretch on for years. But hold onto your seat! Melanie Perkins, the brains behind Canva, is stirring the pot and eyeing that coveted Fortune 500 status with her whopping $3 billion in sales. Can she rise to the occasion and lead the charge for women everywhere?
Ladies and gents, the time for change is NOW! Who will step up next? The world is watching. Let’s break this barrier!
photo credit: fortune.com
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