Inc.'s seventh annual Female Founders list highlights entrepreneurs with world-changing companies
WILMINGTON, N.C., April 9, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Inc. today announced its seventh annual Female Founders list, honoring a bold group of 250 women whose innovations and ideas are shaping the world into a better place.
The founders cross all industries and bring with them unique stories of success from each stage of the entrepreneurial journey — from startup to going public, being acquired by big buyers, or spending decades at the helm of an organization. They are reinventing everything from shoes to food and are challenging issues like financial literacy and reproductive health.
"Being recognized as an Inc. Female Founder validates everything I have done in my professional career," said Michelle Penczak, CEO and Co-Founder of Squared Away. "With this honor as a catalyst, I am excited to serve as a role model by helping inspire others to achieve their goals."
As a military spouse, Michelle Penczak, encountered challenges in traditional employment due to frequent relocations. Working remotely provided stability until the company she was working for abruptly folded, leaving her unemployed while three months pregnant. Determined not to be deterred, Penczak quickly transitioned her clients to her own business, founding an LLC and maintaining seamless operations despite personal upheavals like relocating to Hawaii. Motivated by her own experiences and the high unemployment rate among military spouses, Penczak scaled her business, Squared Away, intentionally hiring military spouses as virtual assistants. Today, with 400 employees, 95% of whom are military spouses, Squared Away offers benefits like health insurance and paid leave, empowering spouses and reshaping their identities beyond familial roles.
Through resilience and empathy, Penczak transformed adversity into opportunity, creating a thriving business with a mission to employ as many military spouses as possible. Squared Away's success, boasting nearly $13 million in revenue, underscores the potential to positively impact the lives of the 700,000 military spouses in the U.S., embodying Penczak's dedication to providing stability and empowerment in a demographic often overlooked by traditional employment avenues. Through her diligence and constant support of military spouses Squared Away has been recognized as an official Military Spouse Employment Partner.
Each year, Inc. editors review thousands of applications highlighting female founders who are challenging the status quo and tackling some of the world's biggest problems. The list features women who have overcome challenges and lifted those around them, while leading impactful organizations across the country. They join the ranks of previous honorees including Jessica Alba, Tracee Ellis Ross, Rihanna, and Shonda Rhimes.
"The past year, for many, will go down as one of the hardest ever—between a funding freeze and ad-spending pull back. The female founders on this year's list are a testament to what triumph over adversity looks like. They should all be proud of this singular accomplishment," said Diana Ransom, Inc. Executive Editor.
To see the complete list, go to: https://www.inc.com/female-founders
After launching in 2018, the Female Founders list is one of Inc.'s most esteemed franchises. Inc. magazine's Female Founders issue (April 2024) will be available online on April 9 at https://www.inc.com/magazine and on newsstands on April 16.
Join the Female Founders conversation using #FemaleFounders.
About Inc.
The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning, multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels, including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion among the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
About Michelle Penczak
Michelle Penczak is the CEO and Co-Founder of Squared Away, a team of trusted assistants who span across the nation. Squared Away is a proud partner of Hire Our Heroes, a non-profit organization that supports Military Members, Veterans, and Military Spouses in finding meaningful employment. In addition to Squared Away, Michelle is the founder of Savvy Spouse, a job resource site for military spouses, and Michelle Penczak Executive Assisting. These two endeavors were both a huge factor in how Squared Away was born.
Michelle is a savvy businesswoman focused on clearly defining the mission of a business, building an executive team around the mission then scaling the business with hundreds of mission-driven individuals to carry out the mission and vision wholeheartedly. To learn more about Michelle Penczak for a speaking engagement, board role or media interview, visit http://www.MichellePenczak.com.
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