Jacqueline Gold, the founder and former executive chairman of Ann Summers, has died at the age of 62 after struggling with breast cancer for seven years.
A statement released by her family expressed their "unspeakable sadness" at her passing.
Her family members were by her side in her last moments.
Gold started working at Ann Summers as an intern and worked her way up to become its executive chairman.
Gold's family described her as a "trailblazer, a visionary and the most incredible woman".
The founder led the business from four shops to a prominent and successful business with stores across the UK.
Sources had different ways of presenting Gold's legacy, but most emphasized her pioneering leadership in the retail industry.
Some of the sources highlighted the pro-women activism in the businesses she ran.
Others emphasized her admirable entrepreneurial skills and perseverance in growing Ann Summers' business.
All sources reported Gold's unexpected death and showed a great sense of loss in the passing of the dynamic entrepreneur.