Self Made Success: The World's Richest Women Under 40
They didn't wait a lifetime to build empires. While much of the world's female billionaire wealth still stems from inheritance, a bold new generation of self-made women is rewriting the rules—and doing so before 40.
From Rihanna's inclusive beauty empire to Lucy Guo's AI innovations, the world's richest self-made women are forging fortunes in industries as diverse as entertainment, technology, beauty, and luxury jewelry.
Their ascent stands in stark contrast to the legacy wealth of traditional empires, signaling a dynamic shift in the landscape of female fortune.
Curious to meet the leaders of this new wave? These women aren't merely amassing wealth—they're selling out stadiums, breaking ceilings and records, and redefining what it means to be among the richest women in the world.
Global pop icon Katy Perry, known for hits like 'Roar', 'Dark Horse, and Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)' sold the rights to her music catalog for a reported $225 million in 2023, significantly boosting her fortune. After seven seasons as a high-earning judge on American Idol, she announced her departure in 2024 and hinted at new studio work. Net Worth: $350 million Born: 1984, United States Age: 39 Industry: Entertainment Source of Wealth: Self-made, Music Impact: One of the best-selling female artists, with 48 million albums sold. Interesting Fact: Sold music catalog for $225 million in 2023.
Christina Cacioppo, co-founder and CEO of Vanta, launched the automated security and compliance company in 2017 after roles at Union Square Ventures and Dropbox. Vanta reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue in 2024 and a $1.6 billion valuation by private investors in 2022. Net Worth: $385 million Born: 1988, United States Age: 36 Industry: Technology, Software Source of Wealth: Self-made, Vanta Impact: Vanta automates security for 7,000+ companies. Interesting Fact: Ran an eBay Beanie Baby business at age 11.
Whitney Wolfe Herd founded Bumble, the women-first dating app launched in 2014. Its 2021 IPO briefly made her a billionaire, and despite stock fluctuations, she retains an 18% stake. After stepping down as CEO in 2024, she returned in 2025. Her earlier role as a Tinder co-founder adds to her tech legacy. Read More India's gem and jewelry exports fall in November 2024 Net Worth: $400 million Born: 1989, United States Age: 35 Industry: Technology, Dating Apps Source of Wealth: Self-made, Bumble Impact: Bumble has 50 million active users globally. Interesting Fact: Youngest female CEO to take a company public in 2021.
Neha Narkhede co-founded data-streaming software company Confluent, building on her engineering work developing the open source messaging system Apache Kafka at LinkedIn. Confluent's 2021 IPO valued it at $9.1 billion, with her 6% stake driving her wealth. In 2023, Narkhede co-founded and now leads Oscilar, a fraud detection startup self-funded with $20 million alongside her husband. Net Worth: $680 million Born: 1985, India Age: 39 Industry: Technology, Cloud Computing Source of Wealth: Self-made, Confluent Impact: Confluent serves 1,000+ enterprises; Apache Kafka powers 80% of Fortune 500. Interesting Fact: Self-funded Oscilar with $20 million.
Despite 'self-made' debates, one thing is certain: Kylie Jenner transformed her reality TV fame into a multimillion-dollar business empire. Launching Kylie Cosmetics in 2015 with her modeling earnings, she leveraged her massive Instagram audience to promote her lip kits. In 2020, she sold 51% of the brand to Coty for $600 million, retaining a 44% stake. Expanding into fashion with Khy and canned cocktails with Sprinter, Jenner's $710 million fortune reflects the power of celebrity and digital influence in shaping consumer brands. Net Worth: $710 million Born: 1997, United States Age: 27 Industry: Cosmetics, Fashion Source of Wealth: Self-made, Kylie Cosmetics Impact: Kylie Cosmetics sold $330 million in products in 2023. Interesting Fact: Youngest on Forbes' self-made list (since 2019).
Born in 1990 in China, Shuo Wang is the co-founder and chief revenue officer of Deel, a global HR software company. After moving to the U.S. at 16, she studied robotics at MIT and co-founded air purification startup Aeris, later acquired by iRobot for approximately $100 million. Deel, founded in 2019, surpassed $500 million in annual revenue by 2024, cementing Wang's status as a rising tech entrepreneur. Net Worth: $850 million Born: 1990, China Age: 35 Industry: Technology, HR Software Source of Wealth: Self-made, Deel Impact: Supports remote hiring for 20,000+ companies. Interesting Fact: Moved from China to the U.S. at 16 to pursue tech ventures.
Born in the United States, Daniela Amodei is the co-founder and president of Anthropic, a leading artificial intelligence company launched in 2021 with her brother Dario and former OpenAI researchers. Previously an executive at OpenAI and a founding recruiter at Stripe, Amodei's journey—from English literature major to AI pioneer—highlights her adaptability. With Anthropic valued at over $61 billion in 2025 by private investors and partnerships with Amazon and Alphabet (Google's parent company), she is shaping the future of safe, large-scale AI systems. Net Worth: $1.2 billion Born: 1987, United States Age: 37 Industry: Technology, AI Source of Wealth: Self-made, Anthropic Impact: Anthropic's safe AI systems power enterprise solutions globally. Interesting Fact: Transitioned from English literature to AI leadership.
Born in 1994, Lucy Guo is a tech prodigy and one of only six self-made female billionaires under 40. She co-founded artificial intelligence firm Scale AI in 2016 with Alexandr Wang, leaving two years later but retaining a nearly 6% stake. A former Thiel Fellow and Carnegie Mellon dropout, Guo has since launched Passes, a fast-growing platform for digital creators that raised over $50 million from investors like Skimm's Emma Grede. Net Worth: $1.3 billion Born: 1994, United States Age: 30 Industry: Technology, AI Source of Wealth: Self-made, Scale AI Impact: Scale AI powers AI models for 300+ companies. Interesting Fact: Youngest self-made female billionaire in tech.
Lu Yiwen, also known as Wendy Lu, is the co-founder and CEO of Darry Ring, a jewelry brand renowned for its 'One Love, One Lifetime' philosophy—allowing only one engagement ring per lifetime, verified by identity. Starting with a single store in Shenzhen in 2010, her vision transformed Darry Ring into a global symbol of modern romance, earning her a place among the youngest self-made female billionaires. Net Worth: $1.4 billion Born: 1987, China Age: 38 Industry: Jewelry Source of Wealth: Self-made, Darry Ring Impact: Darry Ring's philosophy reshaped commitment jewelry globally. Interesting Fact: Built a global brand from a single Shenzhen store in 2010.
Born in 1988 in Barbados, Rihanna transformed global stardom into a $1.4 billion empire. While chart-topping hits like 'Umbrella' launched her fame, her business acumen secured her billionaire status. Her 50% stake in Fenty Beauty, co-owned with LVMH, drives the bulk of her wealth, with her Savage X Fenty lingerie brand adding to her fortune. Her 2023 Super Bowl halftime show amplified her cultural influence. Net Worth: $1.4 billion Born: 1988, Barbados Age: 37 Industry: Cosmetics, Entertainment Source of Wealth: Self-made, Fenty Beauty, Music Impact: Fenty Beauty serves 50+ skin tones, redefining inclusivity in cosmetics. Interesting Fact: Her 2023 Super Bowl halftime show drew 121 million viewers, the most-watched ever.
American pop icon Taylor Swift became a billionaire in 2023, propelled by her record-breaking Eras Tour and strategic re-recording of early albums to reclaim ownership and creative control. Earning nearly $600 million from touring and royalties, complemented by a real estate portfolio spanning Rhode Island to Tennessee, Swift's rise exemplifies artistic independence and business acumen—a masterclass in transforming creative vision into enduring wealth. Net Worth: $1.6 billion Born: 1989, United States Age: 35 Industry: Entertainment Source of Wealth: Self-made, Music Impact: The Eras Tour grossed over $2 billion, a historic milestone for any artist. Interesting Fact: First musician to become a billionaire primarily through songwriting and touring.
Born in 1987 in Australia, Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Canva, launched the user-friendly design platform in 2013 alongside her husband, Cliff Obrecht. A 2024 valuation of $40 billion elevated her wealth, with her 18% stake fueling her fortune. The couple pledged most of their stake to the Canva Foundation for charitable causes. Net Worth: $5.8 billion Born: 1987, Australia Age: 37 Industry: Technology, Design Software Source of Wealth: Self-made, Canva Impact: Canva empowers over 220 million monthly active users with accessible design tools. Interesting Fact: Learned kitesurfing to connect with angel investor Bill Tai, a kiteboarding enthusiast.
The world's richest self-made women under 40 are not merely accumulating wealth; they are reshaping industries, challenging norms, and inspiring a new era of entrepreneurship.
As of May 2025, only six self-made female billionaires under 40 grace the global stage:1. Melanie Perkins: $5.8 billion, Technology, Australia2. Taylor Swift: $1.6 billion, Entertainment, United States3. Rihanna: $1.4 billion, Beauty, United States3. Lu Yiwen: $1.4 billion, Jewelry, China4. Lucy Guo: $1.3 billion, Technology, United States
5. Daniela Amodei: $1.2 billion, Technology, United States
These billionaires are joined by a cadre of visionary women who, while not yet billionaires, are redefining wealth and influence in their own way:
6. Shuo Wang: $850 million, Technology, United States7. Kylie Jenner: $710 million, Cosmetics, United States8. Neha Narkhede: $680 million, Technology, United States9. Whitney Wolfe Herd: $400 million, Technology, United States10. Christina Cacioppo: $385 million, Technology, United States
11. Katy Perry: $350 million, Entertainment, United States
Together, this new guard—spanning technology, entertainment, beauty, luxury jewelry and beyond—reflects a seismic shift in how wealth is created and wielded.
Methodology: The rankings of these self-made women under 40 are based on net worth estimates sourced from Forbes and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of May 2025.
READ SOURCE businessmayor May 15, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
20 hours ago
- Forbes
Rihanna Reaches A New Billboard Chart For The First Time In Her Career
Rihanna's 'Friend of Mine' opens at No. 3 on Billboard's new Hot Dance/Electronic Pop Songs chart, ... More earning the singer her first hit on the tally. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 10: Rihanna attends the Savage X Fenty Celebration of Lavish Lace Debut at Nordstrom Century City on October 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Savage X Fenty) Rihanna's new single 'Friend of Mine' is experiencing something of a lukewarm reception on the Billboard charts this week. The tune arrives on more than half a dozen tallies in the United States, thanks largely to its quick adoption by a number of radio formats. While the latest from the Grammy winner underperforms in some respects, it also grants the singer her first success on a list she's never appeared on before. Rihanna lands on the Hot Dance/Electronic Pop Songs chart for the first time this week. 'Friend of Mine' opens at No. 3 on Billboard's ranking of the most consumed tunes that straddle the line between pop and dance music. The cut is not just the highest-ranking debut of the frame, it's the only new title on the tally this time around. Billboard only introduced the Hot Dance/Electronic Pop Songs chart a few months ago, and Rihanna hasn't released any new music prior to 'Friend of Mine' for several years, so it's not shocking that this is her first placement – even though she's scored multiple dance smashes in the past. Her last single before 'Friend of Mine,' 'Lift Me Up,' which was written and recorded for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, dropped in 2022. That tune likely wouldn't have been eligible for this roster anyway, based on its style. Rihanna has landed on this list with her first eligible brand new cut. This week, Rihanna is beaten to the summit by two of the very few No. 1s in the short history of the Hot Dance/Electronic Pop Songs chart. Lady Gaga leads for a fourteenth week with 'Abracadebra.' That track, taken from Mayhem, has spent 16 frames somewhere on the list, and all but two of them in charge. 'Revolving Door' by Tate McRae holds steady in the runner-up spot after briefly leading the charge. 'Friend of Mine' performs well on a number of Billboard's dance-specific rankings. It starts at No. 1 on the Dance Digital Song Sales chart and enters the Dance Streaming Songs list at No. 6. The cut, which was crafted specifically for the upcoming Smurfs movie, is also a quick top 40 success across a number of radio formats. Unfortunately, it misses out on reaching the Hot 100, but only by one space. Instead, it launches at No. 1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
He Went Viral on American Idol for 1-Word Response to Katy Perry. 7 Years Later, He Is in a ‘Very Different' Place (Exclusive)
Noah Davis went viral seven years ago for saying 'wig' to Katy Perry on American Idol After the show, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career Now, Davis is working on an album and living an authentic lifeNoah Davis didn't know that a simple word would change his life. During season 16 of American Idol, Davis, 25, immediately caught the attention of judge Katy Perry after blurting out a popular pop-culture phrase before his audition — "Wig." Perry responded, "Wig? Did you just say wig?" When Davis nodded in confirmation, Perry chimed in, "I know, wig. I feel that already," much to the confusion of other judges Lionel Ritchie and Luke Bryan. With one word, a viral moment was born. "I don't remember saying that because those days are so long. It takes forever, and you're so tired," Davis tells PEOPLE. "I came out of the audition, and all I knew was I made it through. I saw the video for the first time before it aired, and I thought, 'Oh, my God, that's so funny.' " Davis made it through to Hollywood but was eliminated from the competition after they whittled it down from 50 to 24 contestants. "I'm very different. I don't think I was a fully-realized Noah Davis. I was 18 and had just come from nowhere in Arkansas. I had never done anything like that, and I hadn't realized my full potential," Davis shares. "I was shy back then, and I've come out since then," he adds. "It's hard to believe I wasn't out of the closet when I said 'wig' to Katy Perry, but I wasn't." After American Idol, Davis packed everything into his car and moved to Los Angeles with "no money" and "not a lot of friends." There, he began making music and sharing his journey on TikTok, where he amassed a following. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Davis released his album F–k Flowers in 2021 and his EP, The A Side, in 2023. As a "young gay person" who is "plus size" and "femme presenting," representation is extremely important to Davis, so he took matters into his own hands and began making music he didn't see on the market. "I want to feel sexy and hot, and I should have music that makes me feel good about myself. So I made it," Davis says. "Then other people were coming to me saying, 'I've been waiting for music that is sexy and queer.' And I thought, 'I didn't realize that that was so important.' " His newest album, set to come out this summer, is more of a breakup album. Davis tapped into a different side of himself to share his experiences going through heartbreak. "We are real people. We go through real heartbreak, we experience real love and real loss," Davis says. "This album is about heartbreak, loss and moving on. I knew I wanted to say something more real and vulnerable, which was a bit challenging for me, because I don't want to let people know how I'm really feeling." Fans of Davis can expect him to take things to "new levels" on his upcoming album. "I'm doing what feels right at the moment. These past two years working on this project, I've been honing in on being an artist," he says. "I'm doing this for real, I want people to expect the next level up, because that's what I'm doing." He cites R&B artists like Kehlani, Lucky Daye, Victoria Monet, Usher, and Amelia Moore as his musical inspirations. In terms of Perry, Davis shares that "she's going to be an icon forever," and would love to recreate the viral moment with her. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Miley Cyrus' ‘Something Beautiful' Album: All 13 Tracks Ranked
Ranking the songs of a visual album can feel a bit like ranking scenes of a film — and yet, favorites always emerge. The scene that makes you weep, the one that motivates and inspires, or the one that reclaims power. With Something Beautiful, the ambitious and glamorous ninth album from superstar Miley Cyrus, she gives us all of that — and then some. More from Billboard Robin Thicke and April Love Geary Marry After Six-Year Engagement Rihanna's Father, Ronald Fenty, Dies at 70: Report Selena Gomez Congratulates Taylor Swift on Buying Back Her Masters: 'So Proud' Across the album's 13 tracks, including a prelude and two interludes, Cyrus manages to deliver her most raw album yet. Throughout, she openly details the mental gymnastics that accompany the end of a relationship, the push-and-pull desire to be loved, and her own capacity to give love. Everything is on the table, and the result is a clear snapshot of an artist who has put in the work — and emerged in her prime. She'll be the first to say that she only got to this moment thanks to a public life of highs and lows – but as this project proves, there's beauty in it all. She also only arrived at this moment thanks to knowing herself well enough to put her own wants and needs first. As she joked at a listening event for fans earlier in the week: 'I love making music with everybody on this carpet – I don't do stages now,' a nod to news that she has no desire to tour again. It was on the same carpet, in an intimate room at Los Angeles' Chateau Marmont, that Cyrus workshopped the songs that became Something Beautiful. As she said, 'Watching [the album] become this butterfly and have this metamorphosis and evolution, it's so reflective of my life and everything I'm experiencing.' The album will be followed with a short film of the same name. After debuting at Tribeca Film Festival, Something Beautiful will be shown as a one-night-only screening across North American theaters on June 12 and internationally on June 27. And while these 13 tracks as a whole are what create Something Beautiful, you can find Billboard's ranking of the songs that soundtracked Miley's own metamorphosis below. Without a single word, the album's second interlude seems to say, 'enough of that.' Serving as the project's halfway point, it signals a shift toward what's to come: bigger beats, bigger balls and ultimately a breath of relief that marks the end of an era of significant personal growth. And really, what's more beautiful than that? What begins as a creeping interlude quickly spirals into what sounds like a late-night, on-foot chase scene. The fact that this 14-second instrumental bit is positioned in between 'More to Lose' and 'Easy Lover' is no coincidence – after singing about the end of a relationship and sharing after-the-fact reflections, that time stuck in between could be likened to a racing mind, trying to outrun one's own thoughts – and in the case of a superstar like Cyrus, the thoughts of everyone else too. This mostly spoken-word opening transitions from a twinkling, dazzling introduction to an aching, almost ominous entry point. Miley draws the listener in with just the right amount of intrigue, suspense and above all else, trust. 'Like walking alone through a lucid dream,' she says slowly, as the production swells. 'The beauty one finds alone is a prayer that wants to be shared,' she later says, underscoring the entire mission of this project. Not only is it a journey each listener should take alone – forming their own perspectives, finding their own beauty reflected within a particular scene or song – but it's a journey that Miley had to take alone to get to this point. And now, she's sharing that prayer. Recalling Miley's days spent working with The Flaming Lips or even the inspiration she said she took from Pink Floyd's The Wall (though mostly its film adaptation), 'Pretend You're God' is a slow-burning psychedelic interrogation: 'Do you still love me?' Miley begs to know. 'I gotta know. Never mind, just keep it quiet if you don't…I gotta know,' she sings, waffling between wanting the truth and thinking that maybe it's better left unsaid. As the song plays on, the torment of the unknown takes its toll, and the voices in her head grow louder and cloudier. By the song's end, there's no clear answer, and maybe that's the point; 'Pretend You're God' could just as well be a commentary on religion and faith, and searching for answers that can't be answered by anyone else. A continuation of 'Every Girl,' there's a hypnotic, trancelike quality to 'Reborn' – perhaps a necessity for the process of killing one's ego. Though at the same time that Miley suggests a rebirth, she requests, 'give me all your love!' – placing the eternal ego battle under a spotlight. But if that's what it takes – all the love – to be reborn, here it sounds like a fair and worthy exchange. By the song's end, in one of the few instances where Miley uses the word 'beautiful' outside of the title track, she cries out, 'you're so beautiful' repeatedly, as if she's looking directly at her newly emerged self. As she said at a listening event for fans earlier in the week: 'What's considered beautiful should be personal. It's about taking these experiences and wrapping them in beautiful ribbons and bows.' There's a lighter, freeing nature to 'Give Me Love' – as if everything exists in perfect harmony on the other side of the rebirth Miley sings of on 'Reborn.' Or, as she says here, 'once you get past the gray.' At the halfway point of the song, Miley's own vocals harmonize to form what can best be described as a choir of angels, encompassing the listener in the very thing she's asking for: love. And while Miley said at her listening event earlier in the week that what is considered beautiful is personal, this closing track underscores the one thing that can be universally agreed on as such: a continuous exchange and flow of love. A magnetic, synth-bumping disco-pop track, 'Walk of Fame' is a glorious kiss-off that soundtracks Miley metaphorically walking away from what doesn't serve her. Where's she going? Doesn't really matter; as she says, 'every time I walk, it's a walk of fame.' This song – which features Brittany Howard, a guest who makes perfect sense once the funky and electric bridge hits – serves as a manifesto for moving forward. Because if it wasn't clear yet, Something Beautiful is about the journey. This near-five-minute-long song is arguably the album's most bittersweet, as Miley repeatedly wonders: 'Can I have you, if I never let you down?' Though as the song plays on – and especially following the album's second interlude, which does arrive as a bit of a slap to the face – it begs a different question: Who is she trying to do right by? 'Surrender,' she later sings, 'and I'll never let you down.' And there, it seems, she's speaking more to herself; surrender to trying to please anybody else, she's saying. And in doing so, she can never let herself down. 'You're the only one, under the golden burning sun,' she sings. At first, following the dizzying prelude, it may seem that Miley is going to ease listeners into her world with this jazzy, soulful song. But just before the two-minute mark, that world gets rocked by a distorted, fuzzed-out crash as her vocals sound as if she's falling down a well and glitching at the same time. And it's quite possible that's how she felt while making this album, chronicling the ride that led her here. As is echoed throughout the project, there's beauty in everything – even, or perhaps especially, in moments of spiraling chaos. 'Every Girl You've Ever Loved' could be a distant cousin of 'Midnight Sky' as it delivers the same full-forced vocals from Miley. But here, the rougher rock edges have been refined into a glimmering disco track. Featuring spoken-word from none other than Naomi Campbell, her role is both observer and wingwoman, as she gasses Miley up ('She has the perfect scent. She speaks the perfect french,' she states). Throughout the track's latter half, Campbell repeats a singular instruction — 'pose' — as the production swirls and builds into the perfect soundtrack for a spellbinding vogue-off. Falling into the category of sultry pop song, 'Easy Lover' would sound right at home in a dim, hazy jazz club. Despite being separated by a brief interlude, it does feel related to 'More to Lose,' only more influenced by the anger and acceptance of a relationship ending rather than the sudden sadness. As she admits on 'More to Lose,' Cyrus knew her partner would do what she couldn't; and on 'Easy Lover,' she doubles down, saying, 'Tie me to horses and I still wouldn't leave ya.' After enough listens, the song's title takes on a double meaning: As Miley sings of someone being difficult to love, she's detailing her own capacity to love in spite of that. The question then becomes: Does she love too easily? Yet again, the album's overarching sentiment snaps into focus: Can't that be beautiful too? For those who have been following along, Cyrus wrote 'End of the World' for her mom, Tish. It's also one of the songs that shapeshifted as she workshopped the album through private shows for friends and family at Chateau Marmont. But in its current form, 'End of the World' is a soaring anthem that invites everyone to sing along on the chorus of 'oh ooh, oh ooh.' For a song that asks its listener to pretend like it's not the end of the world, Cyrus succeeds in offering a distraction – and even if it only lasts about four minutes, the message is eternal. While Something Beautiful offers high-energy glam rock alongside sultry pop songs, 'More to Lose' stands out as the sole ballad – and as anyone knows, Cyrus' ballads never miss. Much like 'The Climb' or 'Angels Like You,' her vocal prowess and poignant songwriting fuse for this devastating song about a relationship coming to its end. 'I knew someday you'd do what I couldn't do,' she sings. Yet, it's the pre-chorus that's become the most sticky, when she declares with a touch of knowing frustration: 'You're looking like a movie star in a worn-out coat, so I throw away my pride. It happens all the time.' There's a laughable relatability to the line, in which a superstar in her own right can be just as easily swayed as anyone else – proving the power, and cost, of love. But even still, to her entire point, how beautiful to have loved and lost at all. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
