7 notable U.S. business leaders setting new trends for startups

Great business leaders possess many diverse qualities; they should be motivated and authoritative as well as creative and empathetic. They should have an incredible vision of not only what new invention will pave the way for the future, but also to know what makes people tick. Ultimately, great business leaders aren’t afraid to share their knowledge with others.

Here are 7 valuable business leaders in the U.S. who are helping entrepreneurs achieve their business goals:

1. Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is the richest self-made woman in America, with a net worth of $2.8 billion. She invests in very specific markets, namely in the food, media and education sectors. From startups that use plant-derived tech to prolong and enhance the lifespan of food to a Swedish company that makes plant based dairy products, it is the health sector that Winfrey invests in the most – recently  investing $43 million in a New York-based firm that makes and sells products and services for weight management products.

At the end of 2021, she donated a $1 million grant to Teach for America, an organization focusing on placing teachers in urban and rural locations across the US.

2. Laura Cowan

Laura Cowan, a successful New York-based business attorney is a shining example of valuable business leadership. Cowan’s experience in law, accounting, and entrepreneurship have helped numerous startups fulfill their business goals. In just a short space of time, Cowan has catapulted herself in the top three of the best estate planning attorneys in the city, after having been named “Rising Star™’ by Super Lawyers™ in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Cowan is passionate about helping people realize their business dreams, and has recently invested in an e-learning initiative on her brand new online platform, particularly aimed at women. The easy-to-access courses include invaluable information on the legal side of starting a business in the US, and covers a broader range of new topics for aspiring entrepreneurs including accounting and marketing.

3. Bill Gates

Bill Gates is a well-known philanthropist and one of the richest men in the world, having founded tech giant Microsoft, with an estimated worth of $134.2 billion. He is also known for his stance on climate change and ongoing fight to reduce global carbon emissions. He often invests in what is known as ‘tough tech,’ which are radical energy startups requiring long-term business strategies, including the  pioneering of new inventions and efforts into hydropower and nuclear fusion – a business venture that has cost him $1 billion.

What makes Gates a valuable and notable business leader is his stance on investing in business education. In 2017 Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for $26.2 billion to build a social platform that was purely business-focused. LinkedIn helps millions of entrepreneurs network and showcase their products and services all around the world.

4. Marc Benioff

Benioff is the founder of Salesforce, a software company that provides customer relationship management services and applications. His net worth is $10.4 billion. Benioff has said that businesses are the greatest platforms to change the world, and has most notably recently invested $20 million in startup You.com, a tech company challenging Google by developing a more customizable search engine.

Benioff’s philanthropic generosity is well known. He has donated millions of dollars to hospitals and often campaigns for other rich businessmen to donate to the poor.

5. Mary Barra

Mary Barra has been General Motors’ CEO for the past seven years, and is the first ever to attain CEO position as a female leader. Barra made remarkable inroads into the male-dominated industry  by moving GM into electric-powered cars through acquiring startup Strobe, who specialize in driverless technology.

Barra was awarded the Yale Executive Leadership Institute’s Legend in Leadership Award in 2018 and served on then President Trump’s business forum to strategize on policy and economic issues with a focus on boosting entrepreneurship.

6. Marie Forleo

Marie Forleo is an American entrepreneur who worked her way from the ground up, never faltering on her desire to build a business coaching empire. A true rags to riches story, Forleo went from bartending and cleaning toilets to being the New York Times bestselling author of business advice books Everything is Figureoutable and Make Every Man Want You.

Her online business program, B-School, is a 6-week online learning program for value-driven entrepreneurs wanting to build a meaningful, profitable business. It includes free training courses for cash-strapped startup hopefuls as well.

7. Jenna Kutcher

Jenna Kutcher is a modern digital marketing guru, having started out with wedding photography as her side hustle. She now mentors business-minded people on her podcast Goal Digger, and teaches courses on all things business and digital marketing.

Kutcher is a self-proclaimed obsessive when it comes to helping entrepreneurs launch and scale their businesses, and is well on her way to becoming one of the most influential female business women in the US.

Final scoop

With the changing world of business, there are clearly plenty of valuable resources and even more inspiring business leaders to help you on your way to business success.

Story by Virginia Sagal

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