She Cleaned Her Way Into History
When we talk about iconic American business leaders, our minds often jump to the giants of industry—Carnegie, Rockefeller, Ford. But standing quietly among them, with grit every bit as strong and a legacy still felt in homes today, is a woman many people have never even heard of: Anna Sutherland Bissell, the first female CEO in the United States.
And what she built wasn’t steel, oil, or automobiles.
It was a simple, powerful idea: a cleaner, more efficient way to care for the American home.
Welcome to the story of a woman whose determination swept across the nation—literally—and helped shape the modern household.
From a Humble Cottage to a National Company
Anna Sutherland was born in 1846 in Nova Scotia, but her journey truly began when her family moved to Michigan in search of opportunity. Life in 19th-century America wasn’t easy, especially for families settling on the frontier. But even as a young girl, Anna showed the same qualities that would one day define her career: resilience, cleverness, and a no-nonsense work ethic.
At 19, she married Melville Bissell, a charming entrepreneur and small-town shop owner from Grand Rapids. The couple ran a crockery shop together—a partnership that was equal parts business and marriage. And it was inside this little shop that history took an unexpected turn.
Dust and sawdust constantly settled into the shop’s carpets, no matter how often they cleaned. Melville, a tinkerer by nature, created a carpet-sweeping machine to tackle the mess. His invention worked so well that customers started asking where they could buy one.
The Bissells had stumbled upon something big.
When Tragedy Struck, Anna Took the Helm
Demand for the carpet sweeper exploded. The couple built a small factory and launched the Bissell Sweeper Company in the late 1870s. Anna wasn’t just a helper—she was a partner, traveling around the country selling sweepers to major retailers, negotiating deals, and building a national brand at a time when women weren’t expected to be anywhere near the business world.
Then, in 1889, everything changed.
Melville died unexpectedly, leaving Anna—a widow with five children—in charge of the family and the business.
Most people expected her to step aside.
Anna did the opposite.
She stepped up.
The First Female CEO in America
Taking control of the company at a time when business leadership was strictly a “man’s world,” Anna Bissell became the first female CEO of a major American corporation. And she proved instantly that she was not just filling a seat—she was born to lead it.
Under her direction, Bissell expanded nationally and internationally, securing patents that protected their products from imitators. She strengthened quality standards within the company and paid fair wages, which was nearly unheard of in the late 1800s.
Her sales strategy was brilliant:
Anna realized that women were the primary keepers of the home, so she marketed directly to them. Bissell sweepers were advertised in women’s magazines and placed in department stores—right where female shoppers would see them.
By the turn of the century, Bissell was the top-selling carpet sweeper in the world.
A Champion for Workers and for Women
Anna wasn’t just ahead of her time in business—she was ahead of her time in the way she treated people.
She implemented progressive labor policies, including:
Workman’s compensation benefits
An employment system that rewarded longevity
A commitment to safe working conditions
Competitive wages for factory workers
At a time when industrial workers were often treated as disposable, Anna valued people.
She was also a strong advocate for women’s rights, lending her voice and resources to causes that lifted up women in business, education, and civic life. She became president of the National Women’s Suffrage Association in Grand Rapids and worked alongside other trailblazing women who were fighting to expand the roles society allowed them to have.
A Household Name for Over 140 Years
If you’ve ever used a Bissell vacuum, carpet cleaner, or steam mop, you’ve used a piece of Anna’s legacy.
What started as a simple idea—making life easier for families—grew into one of the most trusted cleaning brands in the world. The Bissell Company is still privately owned today, still headquartered in Michigan, and still innovating just as Anna and Melville did in their little shop more than a century ago.
Anna led the company until 1919, guiding it through rapid growth, a changing economy, and an evolving nation. She passed away in 1934, leaving behind not just a company, but a legacy of leadership, courage, and ingenuity.
Why Anna Bissell Still Inspires Us Today
Anna’s story is more than a business success.
It’s a reminder that leadership is not about titles or expectations—it’s about stepping into the moments when you’re needed most.
She was a: Pioneer – Innovator – Mother – CEO -Advocate
And a woman who refused to be told what she could or could not do
Her rise to the top wasn’t planned—it was built out of necessity, grit, and a belief that she could carry on the work she and her husband started.
And she did.
She carried it farther than anyone could have imagined.
My Final Thoughts
Every time we plug in a vacuum, run a carpet cleaner, or tackle the chores that keep a house running, most of us don’t think about the woman who helped shape the industry. But Anna Bissell deserves her place on the list of remarkable American innovators.
She didn’t just lead a company.
She led a movement, showing women everywhere that they, too, had a place in the world of work, leadership, and invention.
A woman with a vision.
A company with staying power.
And a legacy that is still sweeping across America today.
Until Next Time!
Susan