Meet the youngest women on Forbes' list of America's most successful businesswomen

From Kylie Jenner to Rihanna, here are America's youngest and most successful businesswomen

Published: Jul 7, 2023 10:08:33 AM IST
Updated: Jul 7, 2023 11:57:47 AM IST

Kylie Jenner, social media star, and founder, Kylie Cosmetics. Image: Getty Images
Kylie Jenner, social media star, and founder, Kylie Cosmetics. Image: Getty Images

Kylie Jenner

  • Age: 25
  • Rank: 38
  • Wealth: $680 million
  • Source: Cosmetics
  • Residence: Hidden Hills, CA
The social media star continues to pump her followers—including 390 million Instagrammers—with endorsements of products like Glow water (she recently became a spokesperson) and ads for Kylie Cosmetics items sold in British luxury retailer Selfridges and a line of products inspired by DC Comics’ Batman. In March, Jenner’s cosmetics brand lit up Dubai’s Burj Khalifa skyscraper with her face to celebrate its launch in the Middle East. Jenner owns an estimated 44.1 percent of Kylie Cosmetics; she sold 51 percent of it to French beauty giant Coty for $600 million in 2020.

Lucy Guo, founder, Passes, former co-founder, Scale AI. Image: Getty Images

Lucy Guo, founder, Passes, former co-founder, Scale AI. Image: Getty Images

Lucy Guo

  • Age: 28
  • Rank: 76
  • Wealth: $360 million
  • Source: AI software
  • Residence: Miami
Guo launched Passes, a “web3 platform for creators” that is a competitor to Patreon, in April last year and raised $8 million from investors in September. The bulk of her fortune comes from her nearly 6 percent stake in artificial intelligence firm Scale AI, which Forbes estimates is worth one-third less than a year ago. She co-founded the firm with Alexandr Wang in 2016 and left in 2018.

Also read: Meet the women of Indian origin on Forbes' list of America's most successful businesswomen in 2023

Taylor Swift, pop star. Image: Getty Images

Taylor Swift, pop star. Image: Getty Images

Taylor Swift

  • Age: 33
  • Rank: 34
  • Wealth: $740 million
  • Source: Music
  • Residence: Nashville, TN
The ninth-highest-earning entertainer of 2022 had a massive year thanks to the success of her 10th studio album, Midnights, and the announcement of her Eras tour, which kicked off in March. A record 2 million plus tickets were sold by Ticketmaster in one day. She will get a cut from all 52 performances and merchandise sales.

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder, Bumble. Image: Getty Images

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder, Bumble. Image: Getty Images

Whitney Wolfe Herd

  • Age: 33
  • Rank: 52
  • Wealth: $510 million
  • Source: Dating app
  • Residence: Austin, TX
Bumble’s former billionaire founder lost another $230 million in the past year as shares of the dating app plunged nearly 30 percent; its stock is down 79 percent since Bumble’s 2021 IPO. The company continues to struggle with a drop in paid users of its international dating app, Badoo. That hasn’t stopped Wolfe Herd from enjoying her wealth: In January, she and her husband reportedly bought a $21 million California ranch from Ellen DeGeneres (No 73).

Also read: Meet the celebrities on the Forbes list of America's most successful businesswomen

Rachel Romer

  • Age: 34
  • Rank: 84
  • Wealth: $320 million
  • Source: Online education
  • Residence: Denver
In June 2022, Romer’s online education company, Guild Education, raised $175 million from investors at a $4.4 billion valuation. Guild, which she founded in 2015, helps companies retain employees by assisting them in learning new job-related skills. Romer’s fortune declined by nearly half as a result of her divorce in late 2022; she was previously listed under her married name, Carlson.

Rihanna, musician. Image: Getty Images

Rihanna, musician. Image: Getty Images

Rihanna

  • Age: 35
  • Rank: 20
  • Wealth: $1.4 billion
  • Source: Music, cosmetics
  • Residence: Los Angeles
Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show in February attracted 121 million viewers. It was her first live performance in more than five years and came two months after she released new music for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. She is launching a new Fenty X Puma partnership and has an estimated 30 percent stake in lingerie line Savage X Fenty. The bulk of her fortune comes from Fenty Beauty, the makeup line she co-owns with LVMH and whose sales doubled in 2022.