Entrepreneurs who changed how Americans bought, financed, marketed, wore and consumed everyday products and services.
Singer improved and commercialized the sewing machine through manufacturing, installment payments, advertising and a broad dealer network. The Singer company became an early model of global consumer-product marketing and brought mechanized sewing into ordinary households.
“If I had thought about it, I wouldn’t have done the experiment.”
Lauder turned small-scale beauty sales into a global cosmetics company through personal selling, department-store distribution, prestige branding and free samples. Her approach helped define modern beauty marketing and made Estée Lauder one of the industry’s most durable American brands.
“I have never worked a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it, and I sell it hard.”
Factor came to Los Angeles and developed cosmetics suited to motion-picture photography. His innovations moved from film studios into consumer retail, helping popularize modern makeup and linking Hollywood glamour with mass-market beauty products.
“Makeup is the greatest invention since clothing.”
Rubinstein built an international skin-care and cosmetics empire before making New York a central base. She combined luxury branding, scientific claims and aggressive retail expansion to help create the modern premium beauty business.
“There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.”
Claiborne co-founded Liz Claiborne Inc. to make stylish, practical clothing for the rapidly growing population of women working in offices. The company’s success helped redefine American ready-to-wear and became the first company founded by a woman to enter the Fortune 500.
“I created Liz Claiborne for women like myself: real women with real lives.”
Giannini founded the Bank of Italy in San Francisco to serve immigrants, workers, farmers and small businesses often overlooked by established banks. His expansion of branch banking and consumer finance helped build the institution that became Bank of America.
“I am no longer working for money. I want to see what I can do for the people.”
Straus came to America as a child and, with his brother Nathan, eventually took control of Macy’s. Their management helped turn the department store into one of the largest and most influential retail institutions in the country.
“We have lived together for so many years. Where you go, I go.”
Straus helped build Macy’s with his brother Isidor but became especially known for public-health philanthropy. He financed pasteurized-milk depots and campaigned for safer milk supplies at a time when contaminated milk was a major cause of childhood illness and death.
“What you give to the poor, you lend to God.”
Cherng came to the United States and, with family members, developed Panda Inn and then Panda Express. The fast-casual chain grew into the largest Chinese-American restaurant brand in the country, bringing an adapted Chinese menu to mainstream American shopping centers and communities.
“Every day, work harder on yourself than you do on your business.”
Ulukaya bought a closed yogurt plant in upstate New York and built Chobani into a leading American food brand. Its growth helped popularize Greek yogurt nationally while creating manufacturing jobs and drawing attention to refugee employment and community investment.
“Business can be good and do good at the same time.”