From billion-dollar exits to quiet reinventions, here&rsquo;s where the era&rsquo;s most famous female founders landed after their whirlwind rise in the 2010s.

In the mid-to-late 2010s, a wave of millennial entrepreneurs emerged, reshaping the startup world with buzzy brands, Instagrammable marketing, and a certain &ldquo;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/politics-culture/the-complicated-message-of-being-a-girlboss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">girlboss</a>&rdquo; sheen. These women weren&rsquo;t just founders; they were faces of their companies, blurring the line between personal brand and business strategy. They promised not only disruptive products, but also empowerment, community, and a new kind of aspirational lifestyle for young women.
From direct-to-consumer <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/categories/beauty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beauty lines</a> to chic co-working spaces and sustainable <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/categories/fashion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fashion</a>, their ventures sparked headlines, raised millions in venture capital, and inspired countless think pieces. Many of these founders became fixtures in the media, gracing magazine covers and speaking at conferences about hustle, resilience, and redefining leadership. But the hype cycle moves fast, and so do the challenges of running a business in the public eye.
Some of these ventures thrived, others stumbled, and a few collapsed under the weight of controversy, internal conflicts, or changing market conditions. Still, the stories of these women remain a fascinating snapshot of a particular moment in business culture: one where optimism, branding, and money collided to create a short-lived but unforgettable era.
Here&rsquo;s a look back at six of the most high-profile &ldquo;girlboss&rdquo;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/who-is-ty-haney-outdoor-voices-news-ceo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> founders</a>, the businesses they built, and where they&rsquo;ve landed since their whirlwind rise to fame.

Ty Haney at The Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything Festival in 2019. Getty Images.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/who-is-ty-haney-outdoor-voices-news-ceo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ty Haney</a> made her mark in the 2010s with Outdoor Voices, the &ldquo;Doing Things&rdquo; athleisure brand that became a millennial staple. By 2020, tensions with investors and critical press forced her out, but she quickly rebounded with two 2022 launches: Joggy, a plant-based energy drink, and Try Your Best, an NFT-powered rewards platform.
In mid-2025, Outdoor Voices wiped its social media clean, following only Haney &mdash; a hint that proved true. Her return was announced in a documentary-style Instagram video outlining her vision for the brand&rsquo;s next chapter. Haney&rsquo;s comeback not only revives Outdoor Voices but also reaffirms her status as a defining figure of the &ldquo;girlboss&rdquo; era.

emily weiss glossier ceo

Emily Weiss founded Glossier in 2014 out of her beauty blog Into the Gloss, building it into a billion-dollar brand with a cult following. After stepping down as CEO in 2022, she moved into an executive chair role, focusing on creative direction and long-term vision while Kyle Leahy took over as CEO. Under Leahy, Glossier expanded into Sephora and international retailers and saw major growth in fragrance sales. In 2025, Leahy announced she&rsquo;ll step down by year&rsquo;s end, with Weiss playing an active role in choosing her successor&mdash;cementing her continued influence on the brand she built.

<h2>Sophia Amoruso &mdash; Nasty Gal</h2>

sophie amoruso nasty gal

Sophia Amoruso turned an eBay vintage shop into Nasty Gal, a fast-fashion giant valued near $100 million before filing for bankruptcy in 2016. She rebounded with Girlboss Media, a women-focused content and events platform she sold in 2019. Today, Amoruso runs Trust Fund, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups, building on her experience as an angel investor.

audrey gelman the wing

Audrey Gelman co-founded The Wing in 2016, building it into a buzzy women&rsquo;s co-working empire before resigning as CEO in 2020 amid criticism over workplace culture. She later pivoted to retail, launching The Six Bells, a Brooklyn home d&eacute;cor store with a whimsical, cottagecore aesthetic. In 2025, she expanded the brand with The Six Bells Inn, a boutique countryside hotel in upstate New York.

steph korey away brand

Steph Korey co-founded Away in 2015, growing it into a billion-dollar luggage brand before resigning as CEO in 2019 following reports of a toxic workplace culture. She briefly returned as co-CEO in 2020 before stepping down again and joining the board. Today, Korey is an investment partner at XFactor Ventures and co-founder of Charmspring, a children&rsquo;s developmental brand launched in 2024.

yael aflalo

Yael Aflalo founded Reformation in 2009, building it into a trailblazer in sustainable fashion with eco-conscious production and stylish designs. In June 2020, she resigned as CEO amid accusations of a non-inclusive workplace culture, issuing a public apology, donating $500,000 to civil rights causes, and launching internal reforms, including a Diversity &amp; Inclusion board and an independent investigation.&nbsp;
Since stepping away from the spotlight, Aflalo has kept a low public profile&mdash;but recently resurfaced with a new self-financed brand in 2024, called Aflalo. It marks her quietly embarking on the next chapter, blending her design roots with entrepreneurial instincts.

Where Are the Girlbosses of the 2010s Now?

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