Being a woman in this modern day and age is no joke. Double standards, societal pressures to look and act a certain way and a pay gap don’t make it easy to work your way to the top and be the successful female you deserve to be. These bad*ss women, however, are amazing examples of female leadership and not letting anything or anyone stand in your way.
1. Jessica Pels – Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan
You probably recognize this absolutely bad*ss lady from the Costa Rica episode of Pilot Pete’s Bachelor season. Allow me to formally introduce the one and only Jessica Pels, Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan. Her resume of success is as long as it is impressive. She’s worked at The New Yorker, Glamour, Vogue, Marie Claire and Teen Vogue so let’s talk about a hard-working lady. Not to mention, she is the youngest ever EIC of Cosmopolitan which we’re going to partially credit to her 8th-grade classmate who predicted it. Jessica, can I pretty please spend one day with you learning everything you know, fashion advice included? Thanks, xoxo!
2. Daniella Monet – Mommy, Actress, Activist, Entrepreneur
If you recognize this name it’s because you probably grew up watching her on Victorious. That’s right, this glowing gal played Trina Vega (you know…Chicago and all that jazz). Not only is she a full-time mom, but she is also a full-time entrepreneur and activist who has never been afraid to speak up about her passions. As a vegan, she has made a name for herself by co-founding Kinder Beauty with Evanna Lynch, aka Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie series. She also helped launch Sugar Taco, an all-vegan taqueria in LA. You can catch up with her and her fiancé on their weekly Adulting like a MotherFather podcasts!
3. Samantha Feher – Fashionista, Entrepreneur, Assistant to the EIC at Cosmopolitan, Bachelor Expert
If you’ve never had the pleasure of learning about Sam and what she does, allow me to educate you. She is the Assistant to the Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan (yea, the bad*ss one you just read about) and she’s also one of the funniest people I’ve ever followed. Everything from her fashion sense and witty captions to her Bachelor live-stories and “food blogging” makes me want to switch lives with her ASAP. She also curates the online fashion blog called Brunch Club that will make you contemplate blowing an entire paycheck.
4. Acacia Kersey – Mommy, Influencer, Sustainable Guru
Odds are if you had a Tumblr during the 2000s, you know who Acacia is. This sustainable living queen is now a full-time mom, YouTuber and online influencer who also live-streams on Twitch for all you gaming gals out there. Acacia’s vegan lifestyle with her absolutely adorable baby girls, two pups and incredible husband is something out of a Pinterest board dream. Following along with her vlogs always makes my day and teaches me something new about being environmentally conscious. And yes, I would steal her entire wardrobe in a heartbeat.
5. Abby Silverman – Creative Director at Cosmopolitan, Fashionista, All-around Bad*ss
Let’s cut to the chase, if you didn’t know who Abby Silverman was before reading this, you’re going to want to follow her ASAP. She is without a doubt the most stylish person on my feed at all times and will shatter any glass ceiling above her. Her previous jobs saw her working for Victoria’s Secret, InStyle, W Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and Travel + Leisure. Since stepping into her role as Creative Director for Cosmopolitan, she has elevated the mag’s style and visual aesthetic in ways never done before. Do yourself a favor and subscribe immediately so you never miss any of her stunning photoshoots. And yes, she really does look like that and slay the streets of NYC on the daily.
6. Mikayla Shocks – Mommy, Influencer, Blogger, Full-time Inspiring Lady
Mikayla, also known as Mama Shocks, first went viral after photos of her oldest daughter Ayda started circling Twitter. Her ability to make the most gorgeous babies with her husband Adrian is a damn talent, tbh. She, and her husband, juggled finishing college while raising a child together and documented every step in the most beautiful and brutally honest way. Her UnWined Wednesdays live-streams on Instagram are the best part of my week and leave me cackling – yes, cackling – every time. Her newly launched blog (GET EXCITED) should be bookmarked on your browser so you can follow along with her gorgeous little family + puppy and dream about living her life one day. She’s as “raw, real, relatable” as it gets and I honestly want to be her when I grow up.
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