It’s no secret that women run the world, and our favorite movies have been showing that for, well, ever. Some of these leading ladies are the funniest, most down to earth, chicest (hello, powersuits!) people we’ve ever seen. And they provide us the inspiration to go after our dreams (and an excuse to load up our Netflix queues). So whether you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up, or you do and just need a role model, check out these 11 boss ladies who are simply killin’ it.

1. Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

Elle Woods never apologized for who she was, and even though she went to law school to chase a boy (ugh, Warner!), she came out on top and proved she didn’t need a man to be a successful lawyer. In Legally Blonde, Elle transforms from a superficial, ditzy girl who relies on the men in her life to a mature woman who uses her intelligence for greater good. Elle represents the late bloomers who take a little longer to fine-tune their career goals, but still manage to come out totally successful. We aspire to have her unapologetic self-confidence, and to not be afraid to take a different path to the top.

2. Kate Holbrook, Baby Mama

In this film, Tina Fey plays Kate, a high-powered VP of a Whole Foods-esque health market. Kate believes in her company’s mission, and spreads the organic food love. She handles her crazy boss in stride, and makes being a corporate mogul look so easy. When life hands her lemons (or in her case, a T-shaped uterus), she goes against the grain to get a surrogate and start her family on her own.

3. Andy Sachs, The Devil Wears Prada

While Andy isn’t into fashion, she puts in her time with a demanding boss to make her dreams of becoming an amazing journalist happen. Andy puts up with a lot of crap from Miranda Priestley, but when she realizes that she’s let the fashion world go to her head, she turns fortune and fame down to go back to her roots, and the man who made her feel special (hello, Adrian Grenier!). We’re jealous of her stunning makeover, and totally respect her go-getter attitude. Andy reminds us to hold on to our values and the people who support us, because no matter how successful we are, it’s better when you have someone to share it with.

4. Mary Fiore, The Wedding Planner

Event planning can be intense, but J.Lo’s character in The Wedding Planner pulls it off with ease. Plus, think of all the cake she must get to taste! She’s determined to become a partner at her company, so she scores the right client whose wedding will showcase her skills. She finds herself in a tough situation with a soon-to-be-married man, but does the right thing by not becoming the other woman. Mary goes through a difficult love roller coaster, but shows us that if we do what’s right, we will end up in the right place.

5. Dr. Ryan Stone, Gravity

Sandra Bullock was literally on top of the world in this movie, playing a medical engineer/mission specialist/astronaut. Dr. Stone is smart as hell, thinks on her feet, and above all, she’s a survivor. When the going gets insanely tough in this movie, Dr. Stone follows her mind, instead of her heart, to think things through and ultimately save her own life.

6. Dr. Minerva, It’s Kind of a Funny Story

Viola Davis plays the head physician who works on de-stigmatizing mental health issues at a hospital in this movie. Dr. Minerva works with her patients to help them overcome depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. She helps people recognize the qualities that make them stand out as strong, important, and talented individuals to help them get through the obstacles that life throws them.

7. Carol Solomon, In A World…

This film is produced by, directed by, written by and stars Lake Bell, who plays a struggling vocal coach who wants to live up to her father’s Hollywood clout. Ultimately, she gets the dream job of doing the voiceover for a Hunger Games-esque movie, beating out many stiff competitors. Carol fights the challenges of a male-dominated industry to accomplish her goals, demonstrating to us that no matter who or what is working against us, if we work hard enough, we can shatter gender stereotypes to get the jobs we deserve.

8. Chantry, What If

Zoe Kazan plays an adorable hipster animator in this wonderfully awkward rom-com. Chantry goes after a promotion she feels she deserves. She doesn’t make all of the right career decisions; instead, she values a relationship with the wrong guy over her career goals. Ultimately, she realizes the mistake she made and fights for her career, landing her dream job and a guy who treats her right.

9. Becky Fuller, Morning Glory

Rachel McAdams’ character is a bubbly TV producer with dreams of producing The Today Show. When she thinks she’s ruined her chances, she gets an opportunity to produce a new morning show and hits it out of the park. Because of a couple of difficult TV stars, Becky is forced to take risks and juggle responsibilities in order to make the show a success. She believes in her work, and does whatever it takes to get the job done. Her people skills and determination drive her to stick with her show, even when bad ratings get her coworkers down. Her relentless perseverance pays off, and she is able to turn the show around and make it a hit.

10. Gracie Hart, Miss Congeniality

Sandra Bullock brings power and spunk to this undercover FBI agent (who also makes for a killer beauty queen). Gracie goes above and beyond to fulfill the responsibilities of her dangerous job, even when it means giving up donuts for sparkly dresses and hair spray. She learns to be open-minded, with the help of Sheryl, an unlikely friend. Gracie ultimately saves her friend’s life by trusting her own instincts, even when her boss disagrees with her.

11. Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady

This woman is an inspiration to any collegiette aspiring to make their mark through politics. Margaret Thatcher was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, making history and inspiring women in politics around the world. The Iron Lady exposes Thatcher’s softer side, cracking the surface of the strong-willed exterior that she showed to the public. The film takes us through her struggles to break into the male-dominated world of politics, and the grief she felt when she lost her husband. Thatcher will always be remembered as a history-making woman, and Meryl Streep’s portrayal of her shows us that we can be strong and successful and still have a personal life.

11 Female Movie Characters Who Have Our Dream Jobs