Achievement motivation refers to the attainment of business goals. An entrepreneur can receive a reward from the achievement motivation in terms of intrinsic or extrinsic rewards. However, due to cultural norms, stereotyping, and patriarchy, Rwandan women face difficulties when starting a business. Some women broke the glass ceiling and launched their businesses amidst many challenges. A quantitative method guided this study. The survey collected 409 questionnaires from purposively selected women-owned SMEs in Kigali. The findings indicate the challenges they faced, such as HIV/AIDS, a lack of entrepreneurship skills, and market opportunities. Despite the challenges they faced, their businesses performed well, which supported the theory of ‘achieve motivation’. This resulted in rewards, such as respect among family members, the community, and an improvement in their lifestyle, which is critical in Kigali. This study provides novelty in discovering women’s SME achievements in Kigali based on motivation theories.  The findings of this study provide a directive to policymakers to improve women-owned businesses under patriarchal environments in Kigali.