5 Inspirational Women You Need To Know

Who run the world? Girls! From the first computer programmer to the woman who inspired the film* Joy* – in cinemas 1st January –* *here’s 5 female inspirations to fuel your creative resolutions in 2016.

WATCH: 11 Inspirational Quotes

The Miracle Worker

A young, divorced mum of three in a small US town, Joy Mangano took her destiny into her own hands with the invention of the Miracle Mop. Now the inspiration behind the film *Joy *starring Jennifer Lawrence, Joy changed the way we clean forever. Added props for her ability to shift product – she sold 18,000 mops in 20 minutes when presenting her invention on shopping channel QVC.

The Lost Programmer

You may not have heard of her, but Ada Lovelace helped shape technology as we know it. A pioneering Victorian mathematician, Ada created algorithms which went on to power Charles Babbage and Alan Turing’s Analytical Engine, making her the world’s first computer programmer. How cool is that?

The Sci-oneer

The first person in history to nab two Nobel prizes, physicist and chemist Marie Curie was the leading force in the creation of the X-ray machine. Working tirelessly to develop the theory of radiology, Curie founded institutes in Paris and Warsaw and serviced injured soldiers on the front-line during World War I. Marie, we salute you.

The Magic Tidier

Alright, Marie Kondo didn’t invent tidying up, but she was the first person to propel it into an art form. Becoming a housework fiend as a young teen, the coming years saw her coin the Kondo method – if it doesn’t bring joy, throw it out. Her book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying has sold 1.5 million copies worldwide and she’s such a celebrity in Japan that she can’t even ride the tube. The definition of creating something from (literally) nothing.

The Polished Professional

With a career as Fashion Editor under her belt, Thea Green spotted a gap in the market for an on-trend range of nail products for women with little time. In 1999, Nails inc was born and Thea hasn't looked back since. Now the UK's number one nail bar chain, the brand sells 5.4 million products per year and boasts collaborations including Victoria Beckham and Alexa Chung. Talk about nailing it.

If you’re feeling inspired, look no further – we’re giving away a £5,000 cash injection to help turn your business dream into a reality.

Whatever your business idea may be, let us know below to be in with a chance of being judge Thea Green’s pick and winning the £5,000 boost. Good luck!

Form Builder placeholder. If you are trying to enter a competition and see this message, please enable javascript and reload this page.