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JUNE 30, 20 19JAMEL^ TOPPINFORBES.COMAMERICA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
More women are creating new businesses and amassing fortunes than ever before. As a
result, Forbes has expanded our ranking of the nation’s wealthiest self-made women to 80
ceiling crashers, one third more than a year ago. Each of these overachievers has blazed her
own trail. Some, like the entrepreneurs behind Poo-Pourri and Thrive Causemetics, created
fresh products while others like Belinda Johnson, Airbnb’s chief operating officer, joined tech
juggernauts as they were taking flight. Still others, including Rihanna and Kylie Jenner, have
figured out ways to monetize their fame, fans and social media followers.THE LIST RICHEST SELF–MADE WOMEN
- DIANE HENDRICKS
$7 billion
AGE: 72 RESIDENCE: Afton, Wisconsin
SELF-MADE SCORE: 9
The nation’s wealthiest self-made woman for the second year in
a row added $2.1 billion to her net worth, thanks to record sales
of $10.5 billion (up $1.2 billion) at her roofing giant, ABC Supply.
Hendricks once worked in a pen factory, then sold custom-built
homes and renovated rental apartments. She and her husband
Ken opened their first store in Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1982; it now
has 780 U.S. locations. Since Ken died in 2007, Hendricks has pre-
sided over the business, during which time sales have quadrupled. - MEG WHITMAN
$3.8 billion
AGE: 62
RESIDENCE: Los Angeles
SELF-MADE SCORE: 6
The tech veteran who ran
eBay for a decade and later
helped steer Hewlett-Pack-
ard’s split into HP Inc. and
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
is now building short-form
video company Quibi with
Disney alum Jeffrey Katzen-
berg. Since joining Quibi
last March as CEO, Whit-
man has helped raise $1 bil-
lion ahead of the platform’s
2020 launch. More recently,
she invested in L.A. e-sports
company Immortals Gaming
Club, gaining herself a seat
on the board.
3. MARIAN ILITCH
$3.7 billion
AGE: 86 RESIDENCE:
Bingham Farms, Michigan
SELF-MADE SCORE: 9
“Mrs. I,” as she is known, just
celebrated the 60th birth-
day of Little Caesars, the
$4.4 billion (est. systemwide
sales) pizza chain she found-
ed with her late husband,
Mike, in 1959. She and her
family have recently spear-
headed the $1.4 billion devel-
opment known as The Dis-
trict Detroit. The area being
built around new Little Cae-
sars Arena, home of her Red
Wings hockey team, also in-
cludes a business school
named after Mike and a
Google office.
THELISTCHANGE IN WEALTH KEY: UP DOWN UNCHANGED RETURNEE SELF-MADE SCORE: 0 = INHERITED, 10 = SELF-MADE