{ What's Your Worth? }
When I hear women say things like, "I don't want to think about money," or "I hate the bookkeeping part of my business," I have two reactions. The first - as a professional bookkeeper- is sympathy and empathy. I get that for some of us, the bookkeeping part of our lives or business is work, perhaps it doesn't come naturally or isn't the "fun" part. That's why I have a thriving business and get paid to do something I love. The second, more private deep down response is, "Put your big girl panties on and get that done!" And here's why: a hundred years ago we couldn't vote, we couldn't own property, let alone businesses, because we WERE property and we had no money of our own.
Women are reinventing themselves and the world around them into new business models and a new consumerism, that flies in the face of those found on Wall Street. With technology and education they are reshaping what "having it all" means. They can stay home with the kids and run a successful business from the guest room or they can manage their money, pay their bills and shop from their i-Phones or Blackberries at the doctor's office or on a lunch break. They can join online book clubs and converse with women in other countries about universal experiences. This new era and generation of women isn't always intentionally making waves. Most days they're just putting one foot in front of the other. But the upshot of that is that simply, by living their lives, these women are changing the economy around them. They have a power of which they are not always cognizant.
The fact that women now outnumber men on college campuses, are the fastest growing demographic of new business owners and have firmly staked out their positions as entrepreneurs in online boutique e-tailing is no small matter or coincidence. But these are the same women who most likely cannot tell me how much money is in their checking accounts today and if I asked them what their net worth was, they'd most likely not be able or willing to answer. I'd even venture to guess that if I asked the women who own their own companies how much in inventory they have right now or what their net loss or gain for the first two quarters of 2008 was, perhaps only half would be able to answer. Women bring a different perspective to business and finance (personal or professional) that is necessary. We should not and cannot continue to move through the world by or in a preconceived, out dated male dominated methodology that doesn't reflect our values as women. All that I am advocating is that oblivion about money shouldn't be one of those core values. We've come far in 100 years and we owe it to women 100 years from now to continue to push the envelope.
I challenge every woman who reads this today to ponder this question: If you don't know how much your are worth then how does anyone else?
Women are reinventing themselves and the world around them into new business models and a new consumerism, that flies in the face of those found on Wall Street. With technology and education they are reshaping what "having it all" means. They can stay home with the kids and run a successful business from the guest room or they can manage their money, pay their bills and shop from their i-Phones or Blackberries at the doctor's office or on a lunch break. They can join online book clubs and converse with women in other countries about universal experiences. This new era and generation of women isn't always intentionally making waves. Most days they're just putting one foot in front of the other. But the upshot of that is that simply, by living their lives, these women are changing the economy around them. They have a power of which they are not always cognizant.
The fact that women now outnumber men on college campuses, are the fastest growing demographic of new business owners and have firmly staked out their positions as entrepreneurs in online boutique e-tailing is no small matter or coincidence. But these are the same women who most likely cannot tell me how much money is in their checking accounts today and if I asked them what their net worth was, they'd most likely not be able or willing to answer. I'd even venture to guess that if I asked the women who own their own companies how much in inventory they have right now or what their net loss or gain for the first two quarters of 2008 was, perhaps only half would be able to answer. Women bring a different perspective to business and finance (personal or professional) that is necessary. We should not and cannot continue to move through the world by or in a preconceived, out dated male dominated methodology that doesn't reflect our values as women. All that I am advocating is that oblivion about money shouldn't be one of those core values. We've come far in 100 years and we owe it to women 100 years from now to continue to push the envelope.
I challenge every woman who reads this today to ponder this question: If you don't know how much your are worth then how does anyone else?
posted by Steph at
8:19 AM
1 Comments:
If you don't know how much your are worth then how does anyone else?
Oh well said, well said indeed ! And too many of us under value ourselves.
Thanks for making us think.
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