Meet three female entrepreneurs making waves in Dallas-Fort Worth

North Texas has long been known for its ability to launch careers and businesses, and the abundance of opportunities for a more diverse group of entrepreneurs is growing. Wells Fargo recently ranked the region as one of the best places in the country for women CEOs, and that honor builds on the reputation and success of the women already leading growing businesses in Dallas.

D CEOThe June and July issue of took a look at three businesswomen making an impact in the community, profiled below. Lauren McMinn Clarke’s Turn continues to be a leader in sustainability, while Mahisha Dellinger adds a beverage brand to her successful hair care line, and Sulagna Bhattacharya continues to make waves in the pharmaceutical field by literally curing blindness. Read on to learn more.

Lauren McMinn Clarke Turns Dallas Residents’ Trash Into Fertile Soil

In 2018, Lauren McMinn founded a composting company called Turn, which aims to improve waste management practices and drive sustainability in her community. The Dallas-based company operates on a subscription model, offering residential and commercial customers weekly pickup of their food scraps. The scraps are transformed into nutrient-rich soil through partnerships with local farms. Six years later, Turn now serves more than 1,000 customers in 17 zip codes. “As a Dallas girl, one of my biggest goals is to transform our dead urban spaces into living green spaces,” McMinn says. Her advocacy doesn’t stop at the environment. “I would love to see more women working in environmentally friendly businesses. My industry is dominated by men, and it pushes me to work harder, be kinder, and trust that the next generation will appreciate all of our efforts.” —Bridget Reis

Mahisha Dellinger Moves From Hair Products to Huzzy Smart Drinks

A former Intel marketing executive, Mahisha Dellinger founded CURLS in 2002 to fill a void in the market for natural hair care products for women of color. Today, it’s a $20 million hair care empire with products in 100,000 retail stores nationwide. Ulta Beauty recently began carrying the brand as part of a commitment to have 15 percent of its products come from Black-owned brands. “I’m beyond excited about the growth of my category and my business,” Dellinger says. “The acquisition of a new customer base and the mainstream acceptance of natural hair also makes me excited about the future.” A few years ago, her TV series, Mind your business with Mahisha, The show aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network. It features Dellinger helping various women entrepreneurs. It is also expanding into other consumer product lines. In early 2024, Dellinger launched a line of health-conscious soft drinks called Huzzy Smart Sips. —Celie Price

Sulagna Bhattacharya’s Mission to Bring Sight to the Blind

Growing up, Sulagna Bhattacharya lost her uncle’s sight. Since then, she’s been on a mission to find a cure for inherited retinal degenerative diseases. Bhattacharya is co-founder and CEO of Nanoscope Therapeutics, which is developing a series of gene therapy treatments to restore sight to people with profound vision loss, potentially impacting millions of people around the world. The company’s latest trial results have shown significant improvement in nearly all patients, allowing them to return to work, school, and life, and putting the treatment on a fast track to FDA approval. “It was my childhood dream to find a cure for these patients,” Bhattacharya says. “I can’t explain it in words, but it’s more than a business. It’s a life-changing journey.”—Will Maddox

Authors

Will is the lead writer for D CEO and editor-in-chief of D CEO Healthcare. He has written about healthcare…