Source: Fortune
Summary
Fortune highlights the early careers of the 2026 Most Powerful Women, including Jane Fraser of Citi, Mary Barra of GM, Lisa Su of AMD, Julie Sweet of Accenture, and others. Many began in entry-level roles, such as factory work, retail, or customer service. Their paths involved education, internships, and strategic career moves. The article emphasizes how these women overcame early challenges to reach top executive positions. Their stories reflect resilience, adaptability, and the importance of foundational work experience.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
Jane Fraser started at Goldman Sachs, then moved to Spain and earned an MBA.
Mary Barra began at a grocery store and later worked on a GM assembly line.
Lisa Su studied engineering and worked at Texas Instruments before joining AMD.
Julie Sweet started as a reservationist at 14 and later became CEO of Accenture.
These women built their careers from the ground up, often in roles far from the boardroom.
Author: Evan Null
Early Jobs and Career Foundations
The article highlights the early careers of the 2026 Most Powerful Women, including Jane Fraser of Citi, Mary Barra of GM, Lisa Su of AMD, Julie Sweet of Accenture, and others. Many began in entry-level roles, such as factory work, retail, or customer service. Their paths involved education, internships, and strategic career moves. The article emphasizes how these women overcame early challenges to reach top executive positions. Their stories reflect resilience, adaptability, and the importance of foundational work experience.
From Factory Floors to Boardrooms
Jane Fraser started her career as a mergers and acquisitions analyst at Goldman Sachs, later moving to Spain and earning an MBA. Mary Barra began working at a grocery store and later worked on a GM assembly line. Lisa Su studied engineering and worked at Texas Instruments before joining AMD. Julie Sweet started as a reservationist at 14 and later became CEO of Accenture. These women built their careers from the ground up, often in roles far from the boardroom.
Education and Strategic Moves
Many of the women on the list pursued higher education, such as MBA programs or law degrees. For example, Lisa Su earned her bachelor’s and PhD in electrical engineering at MIT. Julie Sweet attended Claremont McKenna College and later earned a law degree from Columbia. Mary Barra studied at the General Motors Institute and later worked as an electrical engineer at GM. These educational and career moves helped them climb the corporate ladder.
Overcoming Early Challenges
The article emphasizes how these women overcame early challenges to reach top executive positions. For instance, Kecia Steelman started as a floor associate at Target, making $8 an hour. Ana Botín began her career at J.P. Morgan and later took over Santander after her father’s death. Mitsuko Tottori started as a flight attendant and rose to become CEO of JAL. Their stories reflect resilience, adaptability, and the importance of foundational work experience.
Foundational Work Experience
The article highlights the importance of early work experience in shaping the careers of these powerful women. From working in retail to factory floors, these roles provided valuable skills and insights. For example, Grace Wang started as a teenager in manufacturing and later co-founded Luxshare. Bela Bajaria began at a car wash and later became a key figure in Hollywood. These early jobs laid the groundwork for their future success in leadership roles.
