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Female influencers – Beyonce, Hillary and Sheryl

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Apparent differences of female influencers often hide similarities. Women share commonalities that go beyond the industry or career they are working within. Beyoncé Knowles, Hillary Clinton and Sheryl Sandberg come from different worlds of success, but they all have similarities. Put aside the prominence of Beyonce, Hillary and Sheryl within their fields — entertainment, politics and business — and these connections become clearer.

Strong female influences

While their careers were growing, powerful female influences were helping goals be reached. Sisters, grandmothers and mothers were all behind the scenes as Knowles, Clinton and Sandberg ambitiously climbed to the top.

For the strongly passionate Sheryl Sandberg, her grandmother Rosalind Einhorn was always a figure of influence and encouragement. Einhorn lived in a Jewish neighborhood for her child hood and later faced extremities such as poverty, The Great Depression and breast cancer. Despite limitations, she attended college and graduated from U.C. Burkley with a degree in business, saving her family from their finical difficulties. After her death in 2011, Sheryl took the public to show the influence her grandmother had on her.

She was one of the most capable people anyone ever met – a tireless fundraiser for breast cancer detection, an active volunteer in her community, and the person everyone turned to for help in every crisis,” Sheryl said.

Beyoncé and Clinton also grew up with strong female influence. With mothers who wanted nothing more than for their children to succeed, the two women grew up with incredible support backing them. Tina Knowles encouraged Beyoncé and her talent from a young age and worked hard personally designing costumes for Destiny’s Child. Clinton’s late mother, Dorothy Howell Rodham encouraged her to advance in a developed education and also pursue an independent and developed career, despite never doing so herself.

Personal life of female influencers

Despite what the three women are famous for, their personal lives seem oddly alike in regards to children and marital status. All three have been married, have given birth to only daughters and all three have either faced the demons of divorce or the unsettling affects of public scandal.

During his presidency, Bill Clinton faced various accusations surrounding his faithfulness towards his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton. Rumours first arose prior to his election, but the relationship with former White House intern, Monica Lewinsky was what caused controversy. The inappropriate relationship was confirmed with Hilary stating that she was strongly focused upon putting things right again and reaffirming their connection as a married couple, however it has been discovered that privately she was determining whether she wanted the marriage to continue. She was strongly prominent while her husband was president and people claim that could be why she swept the issue under the carpet. Despite her choice, many viewed her as a strong and poised woman.

In her 2003 memoir, she explained her decision to stay married.

“No one understands me better and no one can make me laugh the way Bill does. Even after all these years, he is still the most interesting, energizing and fully alive person I have ever met,” she wrote.

Sandberg also experienced divorce quite shortly after her first marriage to Brian Kraff in 1994. This experience left her feeling unconfident and like a failure. She has used the divorce to her advantage as a way to push forward and become successful. Beyoncé is currently the focus of buzz in the media with divorce rumours with her husband Shaun Carter, better known as Jay Z. There has been question of unfaithfulness and loyalty in their relationships. Tabloids have exploded about the couple, which juxtaposes their previous quiet relationship with the media.

Hurdles and hardships of  female influencers

Hurdles and difficulties are inevitable when chasing success within any industry for female influencers. Despite the industry differences between the women, they all have been faced with their fair share of hardships. The adversities allowed growth and development for each woman.

Beyoncé has faced struggles including a divorce between her parents after an 18-month affair by her father was found out. This aside, she also suffered a miscarriage in 2010-2011, which left her feeling helpless and heartbroken, but strengthened her determination building a passion for her to return to the studio and produce music. She had picked names, heard the thud of the baby’s heartbeat and also envisioned what her future child would look like. Her musical outlet helped her cope and grieve.

“It was the best form of therapy for me, because it was the saddest thing I’ve ever been through,” Beyoncé said.

Clinton lost her 92-year-old mother in 2011. After losing her father in 1993, Hillary felt grief strongly and turned to a prayer group in Washington called ‘The Fellowship.’ She has said that tere she was able to clear her mind and stay in control. As for the passing of her mother more recently, Clinton has turned to family and friends for support also highlighting the impact she had on her and also her daughter.

Sandberg has had struggles in regards to learning to manage both her business life and career among with her motherhood lifestyle. With two daughters, she has worked to publish a self-help book called ‘Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead’ which works to provide advice to other women in areas including that of a working mother.

Beyoncé, Sandberg and Clinton are from disparate fields, but in many ways are sisters under the skin, sharing similar challenges to the rest of us.

About Lauren Robinson

A Journalist at The Business Woman, Lauren has a solid passion for the world of writing. Previously working with Fairfax Regional Media and Bauer Media Group Lauren loves beauty, entertainment, lifestyle and human-interest stories.

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