Rosalia Mera, co-founder of Zara

Net Worth: $4.5 billion

How She Got To Where She Is: For Rosalia, dropping out of school to become a seamstress at age 11 was the smartest thing she's ever done. After Rosalia began making gowns and garments in the living room she shared with former husband, Amancio Ortega, the two went on to co-found clothing parent company, Inditex, which eventually resulted in the formation of Zara. 

Notable Accomplishments: While Forever 21's known for fast fashion, Zara's cornered the market on stylish, classy clothing women depend on for wearing from 9-to-5 and also from 5-to-9, making dressing for daytime and nighttime much easier and more affordable.

And That's Not All... Her contribution to charitable causes is nearly unparalleled. With the $600 million dollars she nabbed from Inditex's IPO, she has invested in companies ranging from one that seeks out cancer treatments using oceanic compounds, to creating the Paideia Foundation, which helps disabled and other vulnerable groups integrate further into society.

Key to Success: Do whatever you can yourself. Sometimes it's best to tackle things on your own, no matter how difficult they may seem. Inditex currently designs and manufactures most of its products in-house, which likely is part of the reason it's become the largest clothing company in the world.

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