The Business Woman Today
Family entrepreneurship is entering a new era—one shaped not only by founders and innovators, but by grandmothers who pass down resilience, values, and business wisdom that span generations. They are the quiet architects behind many family success stories. While the world praises CEOs, entrepreneurs, and disruptors, the foundation of entrepreneurial courage often comes from the grandmother who taught her daughters and granddaughters how to think, lead, adapt, and rise. These women are becoming active contributors and role models in multigenerational entrepreneurship.
The Legacy of Entrepreneurial Wisdom
Grandmothers offer something no leadership book can teach:
long-term perspective. They understand cycles: economic, emotional, and family cycles. They teach patience when markets crash, courage when opportunities arise, and empathy when leading teams and building relationships. Across cultures, grandmothers have historically been the guardians of wisdom, stability, and community. Now, they are also catalysts for:
- Sustainable growth
- Empowered leadership
- Financial literacy
- Intergenerational collaboration
This legacy is reflected in many powerful women, many of them members of Global Woman Club.
Ama Bartimeus, in her feature “Rise with Courage, Lead with Heart”, speaks of an 80-year-old Tanzanian grandmother whose resilience reminded her of her own grandmother from Ghana—women who carried entire families through crisis and inspired her lifetime of work in empowerment and justice.
Antigoni Louca’s grandmother, Anthousa—a natural healer—shaped her lifelong commitment to wellness, movement, and holistic care.
Sherry Finkel Murphy reflects on the wisdom passed through generations as she redefines how midlife women approach finance, caregiving, and longevity.
Harmony N. Oswald’s groundbreaking work in fintech and legal tech echoes the grit of women who came before her—women who pushed through barriers long before there were official titles for it.
Across continents, backgrounds, and industries, grandmother wisdom echoes through every achievement.
Building Empowered Multigenerational Families
When grandmothers take an active role in shaping entrepreneurial mindsets, families evolve from simple business units to intergenerational ecosystems.
Grandmothers teach:
- Confidence by example
- Independence through survival
- Leadership through everyday decision-making
- Healing, compassion, and emotional intelligence
- The value of service and community
Antigoni Louca’s grandmother healed without charging a fee—a lesson in purpose before profit.
Ama Bartimeus’s grandmother farmed to sustain her entire family—a lesson in resilience and devotion.
Sherry Murphy’s mother taught her the courage to take financial leaps on her own terms.
Harmony Oswald’s path shows how generational strength can shape modern innovation.
These women didn’t just raise children. They raised leaders.
Why This Generational Exchange Matters
When wisdom flows from grandmother to mother to daughter, the impact extends far beyond one family. It strengthens:
- Communities — through shared values
- Entrepreneurial ecosystems — through ambition grounded in legacy
- Economic stability — by empowering women financially
- Leadership pathways — that prioritize integrity, empathy, and inclusion
As Ama Bartimeus says, real transformation lives in the stories behind the numbers. It lives in the women who wake up at 3 a.m. to hold families together, those who heal generations through holistic practice, and those who guide midlife women through life transitions with honesty and clarity. This is the heart of family entrepreneurship.
The New Era of Female-Driven Legacy
Today’s grandmothers are:
- More educated
- More financially involved
- More entrepreneurial
- More present in their daughters’ and granddaughters’ careers
- More aware of global opportunities
- More connected than any previous generation
They attend business summits, contribute to startup ideas, invest in family ventures, and support their daughters’ leadership journeys. They are not “past their prime”, they are the architects of continuity. Their stories align with the larger mission of global woman’s empowerment promoted through Global Woman Summit, Global Woman Club, and Global Woman events.
The Future of Entrepreneurship Is Multigenerational
If the last decade focused on women rising as entrepreneurs, the next decade will focus on women rising together as families. Grandmothers will give the wisdom to mothers, who will provide structure to daughters. Finally daughters will integrate innovation. And together, they will have built legacies. Not just businesses. Legacies.
