Three Formidable Female Entrepreneurs to Watch In 2018

Female founders have been on a roll lately. After all, there are now more than 9 million businesses in America owned by women, with a growth rate doubling that of male-owned businesses. And this trend shows no signs of slowing down, as women account for 40% of new entrepreneurs in our country.

As Entrepreneur.com so eloquently put it, “The Golden Age for women entrepreneurs has finally begun.”

Let’s take a look at three women making a major impact in their respective industries. From healthcare testing to travel, they’ve cracked the code for success and will continue making waves in 2018.

Julia Cheek

Sitting around for eternity in your doctor’s waiting room is bad enough, but things can get downright ugly when you have to go to a lab for testing. The drab buildings, long lines, and fluorescent lighting often make labs look like the office from the opening scene of Joe Versus the Volcano.

Cheek is changing all that with EverlyWell, which helps patients conduct healthcare tests from home. You provide your own samples, which are then processed by EverlyWell and sent to their lab partners (all certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments). The results are then reviewed and released by a board-certified physician, so you can trust you’re getting accurate, timely, and user-friendly information.

The EverlyWell model may well change healthcare forever. It certainly made a splash on TV’s Shark Tank, where Cheek won praise from the panelists and convinced Lori Greiner to invest.

Ooshma Garg

You’ve probably noticed all the easy-prep meal services that have popped up in the past few years. First it was Blue Apron, but now there are dozens of similar companies vying for your attention.

As a business startup guru, Garg is well aware of the time demands associated with running a small business. And most of the Blue Apron-style services require a fair bit of time to prepare the meals.

So Garg founded Gobble, which provides healthy meals that can be prepared in one pan in about 15 minutes. Yep, you can have a restaurant-quality meal in less time than it takes to cook a frozen pizza. It’s no wonder that Gobble is primed for major growth in 2018.

Kimberli Cheung Wright

Planning a trip can be an exciting, yet exhausting, experience. Wright set out to streamline the process when she founded Trepic, an app that helps you plan your trip by perusing photos. Yep, this is travel planning for visual learners!

When you sign up for Trepic, you’ll describe what you like most in a travel destination and what you’re looking for. With your personal preferences guiding the action, photos help you identify perfect matches to your taste and style. Once you select an option, you’ll get information on that location’s greatest features, as well as recommendations for lodging and activities.

Trepic has been a hit so far, as adventurers flock to the app for curated travel suggestions and photo-based destination discoveries.