Why Women Make Great Investors

Women really do make great investors. Why? Because investing is about more than just math and numbers.

Women are becoming more and more deeply invested in their own financial success for many reasons: Careers are being pursued and marriage is being delayed, divorce rates are higher than ever, single-moms and women who are the sole or main breadwinner in the family are increasing, cost of living is rising steadily, job security is virtually non-existent…the list goes on. There are no guarantees in life and situations can change drastically in the blink of an eye. Independence and self-sufficiency are more than just words; they are a gateway to freedom. Women are no longer content or willing to be dependent on others for their quality of life.

A lot of the Myths about Women and Money floating around out there are simply false. Statistics show that women are blowing the stereotypes out of the water when it comes to money and investing: Women are MORE likely to join a retirement plan, women save on average 10% MORE than men, women actually spend LESS than men, and women are MORE likely to diversify their investment portfolio.

True power and independence happen not when you HAVE money, but when you know how to MAKE money.

Just ask any lottery winner or divorcee who has blown through a divorce settlement trying to sustain a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget! A lump-sum goes away pretty fast when there is nothing in place to replenish it. The first step is learning about Assets & Liabilities; the next step is doing something with that knowledge.

As Rich Woman Coach Nichole explains in a video Coaching Tip about Women and Investing on Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad website, there’s a lot more to successful investing than just numbers and calculations. The Rich Woman coaches identified their top 5 characteristics that make women great investors:

  • Asking for help
  • Planning
  • Multitasking
  • Diligent research
  • Value shopping

Let’s take a closer look at these strengths, how they each contribute and add up to a Great Investor Profile:

Asking for Help. Women typically know how to ask for help when they know they need it. And in my experience, more often than not, they prefer to ask other women. Have you noticed all the networks and clubs and resources that are geared towards supporting women in financial and business endeavors? The Daily Worth, WomenOwned.com, Ladies Who Launch, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), My Wealth Spa to name a few. Many of these were created or developed just in this past decade.

Women seek and value mentors that can support and assist them in a non-intimidating, non-judgmental forum. Although men often view women’s lunchtime or evening gatherings as a sewing circle gossip session, women frequently use friends and colleagues as sounding boards for new ideas, thoughts and perspectives. Brainstorming and round-table sessions are becoming more and more mainstream, even in the ‘Old Boys Club’ organizations because there is strength and power in teams and in seeking outside opinions and help.

Planning. Most women become good planners by necessity. Often in addition to full-time employment or business ownership, women take on, or inherit by default, the monumental task of running the household, juggling kids activities, making and keeping family appointments, planning and organizing family vacations, meals, etc. It takes a lot of planning and organization to make sure everything runs smoothly from day to day and week to week.

Investing demands a similar kind of planning and organization to be efficient and get the most out of your capital. The ability to make and stick to short and long-term goals is important but having a system to monitor and track it all is priceless, especially when it comes to finance and investing.

Multitasking. Women are also known to be exceptional multitaskers. Handling several issues or tasks at once is all in a day’s work for most women. This translates well into the world of investing because there are always many different things going on in many different markets and across many different asset classes.

Women who are able to see various market factors and how they can affect an investment will be much more able to predict possible outcomes and proactively make adjustments as needed. Diversification is also easily appreciated and accepted by women who are more likely to hedge their bets as opposed to going for the glory in a single ‘Hail Mary’ home-run move.

Diligent Research. Women know how to do their homework. They are used to budgeting, comparing prices, finding the right pediatrician, school, camp, mechanic, gardener, insurance, etc. In finance and investing, this means that women know how to investigate and identify investments that will work best for them.

Investing involves a LOT of research. ‘Due Diligence’ is an investment term that refers to the process of verifying data presented, investigating the investment parameters and terms so that the investor can make an educated decision to purchase or decline. As a real estate investor, I screen and analyze literally hundreds of properties before finally deciding to offer in on one or two. Diligently investigating the investment and the people involved is a crucial step in protecting your investment funds up front and finding a good fit for your specific purposes.

Value Shopping. Warren Buffet once said, “Price is what you pay; value is what you get.” Women seem to intrinsically know how to stretch a budget and shop for bargains. They are aware of what’s available, what the going rates are and will go clear across town to get something at a discount. Women know that it makes sense to get a designer gown at half price if they are willing to find and sew on a couple of missing buttons.

Investing for value or value-add opportunity follows the same principles as shopping for any kind of bargain. You need to have a good idea of the general market value so that you have a benchmark to evaluate the investment you are looking to purchase and know when it’s priced below its true value, or when a few simple steps are all it takes to realize its potential (add value, like sewing on a button). Once you know what to look for, it gets easier to spot the gems.

Finance and investing may seem like a spider’s web of intricacy and detail but understanding the rules and knowing how to filter out the junk makes it a lot easier. Women have the skills and qualities to excel in the investment arena on their own terms. Women really do make great investors!

“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt ~

Jacqueline Ross, CCIM is an experienced investor, educator and real estate professional. She founded Investment Strategies, Inc. to work with property owners and investors nationwide to achieve personal and financial goals through real estate and related investments. Sign up to receive eNews updates and learn more about strategies that can help manage risk, create additional income, tap into and activate ‘lazy’ equity, maximize retirement fund potential, truly diversify investment portfolios and build wealth.

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