Forbes Ranks the Richest Self-Made Women in Austin and Texas

Texas women have made fortunes for themselves in endeavors ranging from tech and health care to fashion and jewelry.

That’s one takeaway from a new ranking from Forbes magazine of the wealthiest self-made women in the United States. Another is that four of the nine Texas women on the list are from Austin.

The magazine, which publishes various annual rankings of world billionaires, tallies a “self-made score” along with assessing their net worth. The goal of the metric is “to show how far each of these billionaires has climbed to make it to the top,” Forbes says.

Scores of 1 through 5 indicate that someone inherited some or all of his or her fortune; 6 through 10 are for those who started a company or otherwise established the fortune. For the purposes of this list, Forbes said, only women scoring a 6 or higher were included.

Here’s a look at the Texas women among the 100 entrepreneurs on the list:

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Thai Lee

At No. 6 on the list with a net worth of $6.1 billion is Thai Lee of Austin. She is the CEO of IT infrastructure company SHI International, which is considered one of the largest woman-owned businesses in the United States.

Robyn Jones

Robyn Jones, cofounder of Goosehead Insurance, launched her business in 2003 after raising six children and becoming frustrated that her husband, a truck driver, spent so much time on the road.

“Having created a successful business so that Mark doesn’t travel, that’s my passion,” she once said. Jones is now worth $1.2 billion, tied for No. 28 on the list, and is based in Fort Worth.

Gwynne Shotwell

Also worth $1.2 billion and tied with Jones for the No. 28 spot is SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell. Shotwell, who now lives in Jonesboro, was the eleventh employee of Elon Musk’s company when she joined it in 2002, Forbes notes.

Kendra Scott

Ranking No. 41 among America’s richest self-made women is Austin-based jewelry designer Kendra Scott, who began making colorful earrings and necklaces in her spare bedroom in 2002. She is now worth $900 million, according to Forbes.

Lisa Su

Lisa Su, CEO of semiconductor firm Advanced Micro Devices, ranks No. 43 on the list with a net worth of $820 million. Although the company is headquartered in California, it has a major presence in Austin, where Su lives.

April Anthony

At No. 45 on the list is April Anthony, CEO of the home health and hospice care firm Vital Caring. The Houston resident has a net worth of $780 million, according to Forbes.

Kathleen Hildreth

After serving in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot, Kathleen Hildreth founded defense contractor M1 Support Services and built a fortune of about $630 million to rank at No. 56 at the list. She retains a 10% stake in the company and lives in Aubrey, in North Texas.

Paige Mycoskie

Paige Mycoskie was working in a California surf shop when she had the idea to start her own line of vintage-inspired apparel, Aviator Nation. She now lives in Austin and is the No. 65 richest self-made woman in the United States with a fortune of about $520 million.

Merrilee Kick

Merrilee Kick was a public school teacher when she came up with the idea for BuzzBallz, the single-serve cocktails you can find at convenience stores and supermarkets across the United States. She is the No. 89 richest self-made woman in the United States, with a fortune worth $400 million, and lives in Plano.

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Not included in the roundup of self-made Texas women is Houston icon Beyoncé. She is among the richest self-made women in the U.S., according to Forbes, with a net worth of about $780 million. Though Texans are Texans wherever they roam, the magazine lists her state of residence as New York.