The financial services industry can be personally and financially rewarding, so why is it that so few women are in the field? Arthea Reed and Diane Dixon draw upon the results of a Women in Insurance & Financial Services research study and their own extensive knowledge to explain the shortage as well as to inspire more women to enter or remain in the field. Some of the most successful women in financial services have overcome great personal tragedy, professional ridicule, and failure to reach the pinnacle of success. By studying their moves, you can: follow in the footsteps of successful female financial services professionals; train up-and-coming female professionals so they have the knowledge and tools to succeed; and promote a workplace thats inclusive, inspirational, and encouraging for everyone. Walk down the path to a successful and rewarding career in financial services and help others do the same by learning from amazingly successful women. Whether youre already in the industry or considering it as a career, youll get a roadmap to overcome challenges with Financial Services: Women at the Top.
This book contains advice and direction for women who are either seeking a career or who have already embarked on a career in financial services. The book first aims to help the female reader gain clarity on her motivation in pursuing a career in finance. It then identifies potential gender-specific challenges that could create problems if she is unaware or unconscious to her surrounding work environment. Lastly, it provides insights and exercises to develop a strategy for career accomplishment. Written by a former Senior Financial Executive for several fortune 500 firms including M&M Mars, a Wealth Manager/Owner of a fee-only Registered Investment Advisory firm, and Professor of financial planning at the University of South Florida, the book will help women identify pitfalls, create game plans to transcend the limitations of their workplace cultures, and learn how to collaborate with their peers to create healthier work environments. Told through personal stories, anecdotes from other women and academic research, Gender on Wall Street helps women identify the internal and external obstacles to their success. This book will also provide a means of overcoming these obstacles through conscious engagement, personal reflection and strategy-building exercises at the conclusion of each chapter. The reader will be guided into creating their own personal career plan—the STAR plan—which will help them achieve career success.
This book examines the world of finance and the role of gender within it. It looks at the financial services industry, arguably the most powerful and remunerative sector that exists, and shows how it was created by men for men. The author explains how historically women were excluded, how minimal progress has been made, and outlines how the sector still needs to change to function effectively in a modern, equal opportunities world. Addressing gender inequality in financial services is of utmost urgency and importance because of the extent to which it affects women in all stages of life. Women’s exclusion in financial services is also mirrored by how men have been excluded from parenting through a similar set of societal expectations, government legislation and corporate policies. The author maintains that to succeed, we need to address both financial services and parenting. To do so we need regulatory support. Because of its power and dominance, the financial services industry has the opportunity to lead this change and to champion gender equal practices. These practices are economically beneficial to all participants, not only female employees and consumers. We all need these benefits as we rebuild our economies following the COVID-19 pandemic. The book makes an important contribution to the critical and increasing awareness of gender concerns. It presents insights drawn from original research and data about gender biases. The book is an essential secondary text for a range of university courses, including economics, finance and accounting, business studies and gender related courses, as well as MBAs and Executive Education programmes that focus on gender in business. It is also a must read for policy makers, managers in financial services institutions and any other businesses that seek to attract the growing market of female consumers, employees and business leaders.
IBPA BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARD WINNER and INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARD WINNER Wealth manager and host of The Fiscal Feminist podcast Kimberlee Davis taps her 25 years’ experience to teach women how to take charge of their money and control their financial destiny. As a woman, you’re likely to live longer, earn less, and have to work harder than men to get ahead, especially if you’ve spent time out of the workforce raising children. What’s more, the pandemic has undone decades of progress in women’s long, slow march toward financial equality. The good news is, you can improve your financial health and take charge of your destiny by increasing your financial literacy and healing your money issues. Kimberlee Davis, a wealth manager and host of The Fiscal Feminist podcast, taps her twenty-five years’ experience to show you how to independently achieve—and maintain—financial wellness on your own terms, no matter your age or circumstances. In this book, you’ll learn how to: Dismantle obstacles to your financial health Make career choices that are in keeping with your financial goals Implement the five key steps to fiscal freedom Money-proof your relationship Get a jump start on retirement funding Avoid hidden financial risks and technology traps Invest for financial independence Davis’s empowering message is: The better you understand your finances and your own choices regarding money, the more likely you will be to secure your future in both calm and turbulent times. This book will show you how.
YOUR ONE-STOP HANDBOOK FOR CONNECTING WITH AFFLUENT FEMALE INVESTORS "How to Give Financial Advice to Women is full of specific and useful suggestions to help financial advisors serve female clients more effectively. A great addition to any financial planner's professional bookshelf." -- Rick Kahler, CFP, coauthor of Conscious Finance and The Financial Wisdom of Ebenezer Scrooge "Finally a comprehensive answer to Freud's famous question, 'What do women really want?'--at least when it comes to financial advice. . . . A must-read manual for financial advisors on how to work authentically and appreciatively with women." -- Eleanor Blayney, CFP, President, Directions for Women, CFP Board Consumer Advocate "How to Give Financial Advice to Women arrives perfectly timed for advisors seeking guidance with the changing landscape of modern financial management. Addressing the dramatic rise of women in business, investing, and wealth, Kathleen Kingsbury clearly articulates how advisors can and need to understand the perspectives of female clients. Every advisor should read this book and learn these skills." -- Jim Grubman, PhD, FamilyWealth Consulting About the Book: During the next several decades, women will inherit approximately $28.7 trillion in assets and will need good financial guidance to manage their increasing wealth. The problem is that two-thirds of women don't trust financial advisors. Even if you are the best at what you do, a female client will pass you over if you can't effectively communicate and establish a trusting relationship with her. How to Give Financial Advice to Women is your one-stop handbook for connecting with affluent female investors. Written by a wealth psychology expert with over 20 years of experience coaching women, this practical book helps you understand the wants and needs of affluent female clients and shows you how to appeal to this group of loyal investors. First, it breaks down the psychological fundamentals of women and wealth, and then it outlines the skill set you need to effectively communicate and advise affluent women. With the help of concrete action steps, in no time at all you will: Refine your advising style to appeal to women Be sensitive to the realities of affluent women’s lives Meet the unique needs of women in a variety of life transitions Connect with women both as individuals and as part of couples Build trust, actively listen, and foster financial confidence Help women prepare their children to receive wealth Whether you are a male or female advisor, How to Give Financial Advice to Women shows you how the industry has historically made women feel misunderstood and undervalued and gives you everything you need to buck the trend and capitalize on being female friendly. This complete guide even comes with valuable marketing dos and don'ts to ensure you attract the right clients in the most cost-effective way. How to Give Financial Advice to Women tells you what every wealthy woman wants her financial advisor to know.
Women invest differently than men. Collectively, their approach has proven profitable and reliable, and it outperforms the industry at large. The portfolio managers interviewed in this book exemplify the best traits that women investors tend to exhibit. Read Women of the Street to learn from them and start investing a little more like a girl.
YOU ARE A SMART WOMAN, BUT DO YOU STILL: —Feel you’re too busy to invest your money? —Rely on someone else to deal? —Get bored by financial talk? —Think that investing is something only men do? —Worry you’re not smart enough? THINK AGAIN. Women have made strides in so many areas and yet we still have a blind spot when it comes to managing our money. Why? A myriad of factors cause women to earn less than men over a lifetime, making it all the more imperative that we make the money we do have work for us as much as possible. And here’s a reality check: as many as nine out of ten of us will have to manage our finances and those of our family at some point in our lives. And a lot of us think that means keeping our money “safe” in savings accounts, and not investing it. But not doing so has an opportunity cost that will lead to opportunities lost—the ability to pay for a college education, own a home, change careers to pursue a dream, or retire. Alice Finn wants to change how you think about your money, no matter how much or little you have. In Smart Women Love Money, Finn paves the way forward by showing you that the power of investing is the last frontier of feminism. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience as a successful wealth management adviser, Finn shares five simple and proven strategies for a woman at any stage of her life, whether starting a career, home raising children, or heading up a major corporation. Finn’s Five Life-changing Rules of Investing will secure your financial future: 1. Invest in Stocks for the Long Run: Get the magic of compounding working for you, starting now. 2. Allocate your Assets: Strategize your investing to get the most of your returns. 3. Implement with Index Funds: Take advantage of “passive” investing with simple, low-cost, and diverse funds. 4. Rebalance Regularly: Sell high and buy low without much effort, to keep you on track toward your goals. 5. Keep Your Fees Low: Uncover hidden fees so you don’t lose half of your wealth to Wall Street. Finn will also provide the tools you need to achieve long-term success no matter what the markets are doing or what the headlines say. So even in the face of uncertainty— such as the possible dumping of the fiduciary rule (requiring financial advisers to act in their client’s best interests) by the Trump administration—Smart Women Love Money will help you protect yourself and all of your assets for your future. Whether you have $10, $10,000, or more, it’s time to get smart about your money.
According to a 2016 report by Catalyst, women in the United States make up 46.8% of the workforce and 51.1% of management and professional positions, but only a startling 4% of top leadership positions in S&P 500 companies. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, and this paper will consider the major theories behind it. Through the lens of the financial services industry and using both the qualitative research technique of semi-structured interviews, and quantitative techniques to measure the findings from the qualitative research, this paper endeavors to show which factors impact female leaders' ability to reach the senior levels of management from their own perspective, and illustrate how these may differ from the challenges their male colleagues experience. The goal of this research is to provide insights to help direct future research and offer guidance to the financial services industry regarding steps to take to ensure women are afforded equal advancement opportunities. The research shows that both harassment and social role conflict impact women to a greater extent than men in the financial services industry.
This book explores gender diversity in the financial system, focusing especially on regulations, disclosure standards, theories and literature on the relationship between women in atypical positions and bank performance, female representation in governance bodies of banks and insurance companies, the gender pay gap and the gender balance in Central Banks. The topics are examined highlighting the progress towards gender equality (SDG 5) and the room for improvement in financial services with implications for policymakers, regulators and researchers in both finance and gender studies.
