Lifestyle, success.

5 Successful Women Who Started From the bottom

Life can get hard, and sometimes you feel like your dreams are going to stay in fantasy land forever. It’s in those times that you need inspiration, and what’s more inspiring than seeing successful women who grew up in poverty but turned their lives around and became winners.

Yes, it’s much easier to have a good life when you’re born into one, but even if you aren’t, you can choose to make your life good. Don’t believe the lies that you’ll be stuck forever, get in the driver’s seat of life like many successful women did and take yourself to your desired destination.

For extra inspiration, here are five successful women who started from the bottom:

1. Oprah Winfrey

(Vox)

Oprah’s story is one of the most inspiring you’ll ever come across. She grew up with her grandmother who used to wash clothes for a living. They were so poor that she used to dress Oprah in potato sacks. But today, Oprah is one of the richest and most successful women who have ever lived.

2. Linda Ikeji

(Instagram/officiallindaikeji)

Linda Ikeji has never been shy about sharing her grass to grace story which is nothing short of amazing. Linda had to work part time while she went to school just to make ends meet. She tried to start various businesses but they didn’t work out. Then she started her blog in 2006 and is now running a multi-million naira media enterprise.

3. Viola Davis

(Porter Edit)

Viola Davis was so poor that as a child she had to go through trash to find food to eat. In 2017, she became the first black actress in history to win Oscar, Emmy, and Tony awards.

4. Jane Michael Ekanem

(Instagram/Jane Michael)

The Nigerian celebrity stylist didn’t have an easy childhood. Due to financial problems at a young age, her family was forced to move about and squat in other people’s homes. Today she works with the crème de la crème and has her own fashion line.

5. Ursula Burns

(WXXI)

Ursula Burns was born in a dangerous New York neighbourhood which was riddled with poverty, drugs and crime. But she rose to become the CEO of Xerox, a Fortune 500 company.

These five successful women show that you don’t have to stay where you are. You can reach for better and with a little determination you can make your dreams true.

In case you need more inspiration, here are three business lessons you should learn from Toyin Lawani.