On centre-stage: Some inspiring women entrepreneurs from Liberia
#WomenGrowLiberia #EmpowerWomen #SheCreates #SustainableFuture #WomenInAfrica
In the “Land of Liberty” women are planting ideas that grow into thriving businesses – and transforming communities along the way.
To be specific, in the heart of West Africa, Liberia’s women entrepreneurs are rewriting the nation’s economic story – one bold venture at a time. Despite decades of civil unrest, economic challenges, and deeply rooted gender inequalities, Liberian women have emerged as the backbone of recovery and innovation. Today, they make up more than half of the country’s entrepreneurs, leading small and medium-sized enterprises, agricultural ventures, and social initiatives that are transforming communities and inspiring a new generation of leaders.
From bustling marketplaces in Monrovia to grassroots cooperatives in rural regions, these women are turning adversity into opportunity. They are not just business owners. They are changemakers – driving economic growth, empowering other women, and reshaping societal norms. Supported by initiatives like the Liberia Women Business Empowerment Network, the Ministry of Gender and Development, and international partners such as UN Women and the African Development Bank, their access to training, funding & mentorship is growing steadily.
Their journeys are stories of resilience, creativity & courage – proof that when women rise, nations thrive. Against all odds, Liberia’s women entrepreneurs continue to build a future powered by determination, dignity & hope.
Let us now focus our attention on some inspiring women entrepreneurs from Liberia.
- Adenah Bayohm, Founder, Cornbread & IHOP Franchise Owner
Adenah Bayoh is a successful entrepreneur and real estate developer who owns multiple restaurants, including four IHOP (International House of Pancakes) franchise locations. She is also the founder of the fast-casual restaurant Cornbread and has developed significant real estate projects, including affordable housing.
She is Liberian refugee who escaped the civil war, and became a powerhouse entrepreneur in the United States. In fact, she is one of the youngest IHOP franchise owners and also owns multiple restaurants, real estate developments, and affordable housing projects.
https://www.instagram.com/adenahbayoh
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adenah-bayoh-b7285919
- Dr Thema Bryant-Davis, Founder, The Homecoming Podcast
A Liberian-American psychologist and wellness expert, she is the Founder of The Homecoming Podcast and has built a platform merging psychology, culture, and spirituality. Dr Thema Bryant-Davis has also served as the president of the American Psychological Association.
The ‘Homecoming Podcast with Dr Thema’ is a podcast hosted by Dr Bryant-Davis, who is a minister, psychologist & sacred artist. The podcast focuses on a journey of returning to oneself through spiritual and psychological exploration. And what is special here is that it is presented as a supplement to, not a replacement for, therapy. It offers weekly inspiration and tips, drawing from psychology, spirituality, art & culture to help listeners connect with their authentic selves.
https://www.instagram.com/dr.thema/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxpb1ZdNd6M99Fhaw09H81Q
- Kabeh Sumbo, Village Entrepreneur
Kabeh Sumbo is a Liberian ‘village entrepreneur’ who was featured by Global Communities and in 2013, also participated in the Clinton Global Initiative. She is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women program, which helps provide business education to women entrepreneurs.
Featured by the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative, she is a village entrepreneur who sold dried meat and clothes. She used her profits to pay for her children’s education and support the children of deceased friends.
As a “village entrepreneur,” she has used her skills to create opportunities not just for herself, but also for others in her community. Her success highlights the significant role that entrepreneurship can play in – rural development & poverty alleviation.
Another interesting fact is that her selection to participate in the prestigious Clinton Global Initiative brought international attention to the potential and challenges of grassroots entrepreneurship in developing regions.
- Annie Weah, Business Woman
Annie Weah of Careysburg Market is a very sincere, hard-working woman. As a beneficiary of the Next Level Business Programme, she wasted no time in putting her training to work.
For starters, the programme revealed the benefits of opening a bank account and the importance of saving money, and this enabled her to purchase more goods for sale and expand her business.
She appears to be a successful market woman in Careysburg who sells produce and water. But it was through the “Next Level Business Programme” supported by UN Women, that she learned to manage her finances & expanded her business. And this actually allowed her to move from renting to owning a home.
She now owns several market stalls, and has started a business in selling sacks of cold water in the market.
The cold water business is thriving – with sales of up to 200 sacks of cold water a day bringing in an income of US$50 before expenses – and she employs three marketers to run it while she manages her stalls.
https://www.facebook.com/people/Annie-Weah/61555838717940/#
- Geneva Garr, Fashion Designer & Owner of Approved Wear Fashion House
Geneva Garr is a tailor who runs a clothing business in Liberia. She is a testament to the resilience of local businesswomen, who overcome challenges – like unreliable electricity to build their enterprises.
On a formal note, she is a Liberian tailor and businesswoman who runs a clothing business. In 2012, her designs were featured at Liberia’s second annual fashion show, where she was one of only three designers selected to present her work.
She started the business in 2005 in Accra, Ghana and moved to Liberia in 2008 once she was sure peace was restored.
Owner of Approved Wear Fashion House on Duport Road in Paynesville, she is among many Liberian business people faced with many obstacles as they transition from being petty traders to full-fledged entrepreneurs. So, as they say growing a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in postwar Liberia is not easy!
Like many small-business owners in Liberia, she has faced challenges, including unreliable power supply. She has also highlighted the difficulty in finding employees with the proper skills, noting that Liberian universities primarily train students for office jobs rather than specialized fields like tailoring.
https://www.instagram.com/geneva_k_
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garr-k-geneva-b98175bb/?originalSubdomain=lr
https://www.facebook.com/genevak.garr.9/?locale=sw_KE
- Hannah Daye, Founder, RESOrganics
In the World Bank Report, notable Liberian women entrepreneurs include Hannah Daye, Founder of the natural cosmetics brand RESOrganics. They are driving businesses in sectors like agriculture and trade.
Women entrepreneurs in Liberia face challenges such as limited access to finance and education, but many are overcoming these obstacles through resilience and innovation.
RESOrganics is an award-winning Liberian cosmetics brand specializing in natural products. And she is equally qualified as she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the United Methodist University, where she focused on marketing and supply chain management.
In addition to her business, she is also a motivational speaker who encourages young Liberians to turn their passions into businesses. She is noted for transforming the lives of young women and girls in the country through her work.
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