Back in 2018, we did a simple Google image search of the word “investor”. At the time, you were instantly overwhelmed by photos of men in suits and ties, peering seriously at stock charts, pointing at computer screens together, and even holding handfuls of money. To the extent that women were included, they were usually standing behind their male partners gently offering emotional support. We put this to the test today, and unfortunately not much has changed.
The message continues to be loud and clear: the world generally considers men to be the more skilled and knowledgeable gender when it comes to investing. Years ago, we dispelled the myth that men are better investors than women. In fact, the opposite is true. The data shows that women earn better investment results. Why? As women, we usually conduct more research before investing, maintain a long-term perspective more often, and tend to view investing less as a game to be won, and more as a means to accomplish our goals. If you’d like to dig in a bit more, check out the data we put together.
But what if you are new to investing?
It’s no secret that money matters can be daunting. In our experience, women are already money smart. We often serve as the de facto family CFO, have budding or demanding careers, or gain valuable experience via volunteer work. This is a great starting point for learning more and in doing so, building confidence. We also know that the world of investing is filled with jargon and unnecessary complication. Investment vehicles like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds can be confusing. And when you start hearing about things like asset allocation and risk tolerance, it’s easy to feel lost. But don’t worry! We’re here to help. Having a grasp of financial terminology is an excellent place to start. Here we break down Here we break down 20 financial terms you need to know. With this foundation in place, you’ll be on your way to money mastery in no time.
Just like achieving a state of physical fitness requires time, dedication, and consistency, the same can be said for ‘financial fitness’. And just like with physical fitness, building positive money habits early on increases the likelihood that you’ll thrive later in life from a financial standpoint. First, it’s important to get comfortable with money. This means understanding basic money concepts and being aware of your spending patterns. Once you have a good handle on your earnings and spending, you can start thinking about ways to grow your money. The earlier you start saving and investing, the more time your money has to grow. And the more consistent you are with your savings and investments, the closer you’ll get to reaching your financial goals. Here we break down some simple ways women can achieve financial independence before they retire.
Our advice for how to get started? By focusing on a short list of investment principles, you can achieve excellent investment results. Curate your investment resources and don’t get distracted by dazzle and jargon. After 30 years in the business, we’ve weathered good markets and bad, and have generated results that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to our clients’ financial well-being. We take our fiduciary responsibility as stewards of your investments very seriously. For most of our clients, the assets we manage represent the bulk of their wealth. We aim to maximize returns while also managing risk and volatility. We maintain the discipline and perspective needed to resist the temptation to pursue speculative investments during sizzling markets or to let doom-and-gloom scenarios prevent participation during market rebounds. As a result, our client portfolios are resilient and designed to weather a range of unpredictable market storms intact. Click here to review some of our portfolio guidelines to get started.
