New Orleans Native Named 2025 Inc Female Founders 500
- Carrita Cloud
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
New Orleans Native, Carrita Tanner-Cloud, Named Inc Female Founders 500
Inc.’s eighth annual Female Founders list highlights the nation’s top business leaders who challenge the status quo to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems
New Orleans, LA – March 11, 2025 – Inc., the leading media brand and playbook for entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future, today announced its eighth annual Female Founders list, honoring 500 women whose innovations and ideas are leading their industries forward. These forward-thinking entrepreneurs collectively generated nearly $9 billion in revenue and secured $10.6 billion in funding in 2024.
Each year, Inc. editors review thousands of applications from female founders who are redefining industries and addressing major business challenges. The selection process includes three rounds of judging, evaluating both quantitative and qualitative achievements from the past year. Key criteria include sales, revenue growth, funding, and audience size, as well as social media momentum and impactful storytelling.
Carrita Tanner-Cloud, founder of Creativity Justified, one of the 500 women honored, shares, “Less than a decade ago, I was an Executive Assistant at Ochsner Health. Today, I lead an agency serving Ochsner, the New Orleans Saints, the NFL, and other national brands—proof that dreams aren’t just imagined, but realized. To every young woman: Dream boldly, believe fiercely, and keep pushing forward. Your potential is limitless.”
Carrita Tanner-Cloud and her team at Creativity Justified have made a lasting impact in advertising and brand strategy, including their work on the NFL’s Guide to Orleans for Super Bowl LIX. Their deep understanding of the New Orleans market helped ensure the event’s success by providing key strategic direction.
Nicki Ewell, Director of Events at the NFL, shared: “Carrita & team at Creativity Justified not only delivered to the terms of the scope of work for a Super Bowl project but became a trusted advisor in the city of New Orleans and guided the NFL on key decision-making. Her team was professional, courteous, prompt with communications and frankly made us better as we navigated our first Super Bowl in New Orleans in 12 years. They are a company of All Stars.”
With that kind of impact, it’s easy to see why Creativity Justified is receiving this honor.
Creativity Justified played a pivotal role in a workplace culture project led by Dr. Darvelle Hutchins, Vice President of Impact & Culture at the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, to create a centralized onboarding experience for all new hires across Gayle Benson’s sports teams. From team-branded culture boxes and welcome cards to tissue paper, Creativity Justified delivered a polished, warm welcome.
Deeply involved in the project, they also helped shape the storytelling for the video shoot, which included local New Orleans artists, produced by the Emmy Award-winning Saints and Pelicans production team. The video reinforced the organizations’ core values and commitment to community and putting people first. This work elevated the organizations’ onboarding process, strengthening team culture across all three sports organizations.
Before venturing into professional sports, Creativity Justified played a key role in the Wisewoman Campaign with the State of Louisiana, raising awareness around heart health screenings for women. The team handled graphic design and media buys, strategically placing ads across radio, billboards, magazines, and social media. By tailoring the visuals and messaging to resonate with at-risk women, they drove engagement and made a lasting impact on women’s health across Louisiana.
To understand what it takes to stand amongst such distinguished ranks, Diana Ransom, Inc. Executive Editor, said it best: “Female founders know what struggle is, but they’re also experts of improvisation, adaptability, and creativity. The women featured on this year’s list exemplify these qualities. Through times of uncertainty, their unwavering dedication and steadfast leadership are not only inspiring but vital to driving progress.”
Several honorees will be featured in Inc. magazine’s Female Founders issue, on newsstands March 18, 2025. To see the complete list, visit: https://www.inc.com/female-founders
About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
About Creativity Justified
Creativity Justified is a women-owned and led advertising agency specializing in brand strategy, creative direction, and media placement. With a focus on cultural relevance and impactful storytelling, the agency delivers innovative marketing solutions that set new standards in the industry. For more information, visit https://creativityjustified.com/.
For media or press information, please contact:
Alysha JeanCharles
Director, Client Experience
Daisha Windham
Director, Projects and Contracts
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