Welcome to Women’s History Month — the women of One Wealth Advisors are taking over!
As I dive deeper into the financial industry, having had no prior financial background or education in the field, I find myself reflecting on the elements that contribute to why there are not more women in finance. We know girls and boys like math at similar rates in elementary school, and that for girls their interest wanes by middle school. By college, my sociology classes were mostly made up of my female classmates, and my economics classes leaned more heavily male. I pursued a sociology degree for multiple reasons, but I also can’t help but notice how comfortable I was speaking in those classes compared to my economics classes. I wonder what my experience would have been like had the gender make-up of those classes been reversed, or if I had been taught from a young age by society to believe I could excel in math.
I’m sure the industry looks different today then it did even ten years ago, but I hope we can continue to peel back the layers and collectively build bridges that bring people of all backgrounds to the table. One of the many aspects of One Wealth Advisors leadership I admire is the firm’s commitment to considering people as a whole rather than just for their resumes. Given that many women won’t apply for a job they are not 100% qualified for, this commitment is an amazing place to start. OWA found me at a WeWork in San Francisco. The accessibility and warmth I experienced as Alex talked to me about my own personal finances made me think “Hey, I actually think I could like finance.”
As a team composed of people with both humanities and analytical backgrounds, it is no secret that what connects and drives us all is a love of helping people. If gaining financial literacy and a skillset in wealth management operations allows me to make a positive impact in the lives of clients, loved ones, and my community, I’m all in. This past week I passed my Series 65, an exam and securities license required to legally act as an investment adviser in the US. The younger version of myself sitting in that economics class would not believe it.
