By MJ Plaster
You might not know their names or background stories, but America’s self-made businesswomen are breaking through the glass ceiling in every sector and industry. Oprah Winfrey’s extraordinary rocket to fame and fortune is well-known. Many lesser-known businesswomen have left their imprint on the American business scene. Because their names usually appear in business publications, fewer people are aware of their successes and background stories. The five women below are of varying degrees of celebrity started at square one and made it big. Each of them can serve as inspiration to someone out there—maybe that someone is you.









