The Tricks or Treats of the Investment Industry: Female Investors

As female investors, there’s no denying the haunts and horrors we’re faced with. Especially when looking at the scary statistics surrounding the gender investment gap. However, it’s not all doom and gloom ladies! We’re here to help you find the little tricks and treats amongst the nightmares.

The Trick: Gender Bias

One of the most significant challenges female investors face is gender bias, and no, it’s not just an old wives’ tale (despite what some media outlets try to tell us). It’s something that we as women sadly have to face in all aspects of life and when it comes to the investment industry, the story’s still the same. Historically, the investment industry has been predominantly male-dominated (surprise, surprise), leading to a lack of female representation and unequal, unfair treatment. One of the most ridiculous stereotypes women face is the suggestion that for women to have more money, they should just spend less (cue eye-roll). However, these biases are slowly being challenged with female focused investment platforms (Oh, hi Propelle) encouraging women to grow their money, as well as increasing female representation in the financial industry with more organisations striving for greater gender diversity. 

The Treat: Empowering Education

Education is a key way to overcome gender bias. Building our financial knowledge, builds financial confidence so that we’re ready to take on our male counterparts. Take the time to refresh your knowledge, hear insights from female experts in the field and challenge yourself (you can access a wealth of resources on the Propelle Platform in the ‘Learn’ section). The thing to remember here is that it’s not all on us as women, and when it comes to education, men have a lot to learn too…

*This is a public service announcement to all male managers: women are in fact BETTER investors than men!’*

The Trick: Risk Aversion

Women tend to be more risk-averse than men when it comes to investing. Now, whilst there are no right or wrong answers when it comes to risk, there are a few tricks to ensure you’re balancing your risk appetite with your desired returns and financial goals… the main thing to consider is ensuring your investment portfolio is diversified. (Not sure what your attitude towards risk is? Use our Risk Tool here and learn how to manage your portfolio in our Portfolio Management Course here.)  

The Treat: Playing the Long Game

Remember when we said that research shows that women are in fact better investors than men? Well here’s why: women tend to have a long-term mindset. This is extremely advantageous in the context of investing, which is of course, inherently long-term. 

The Trick: Balancing Act – Can women really have it all?

You’re not alone if one of the biggest struggles you face is fitting it all in. Balancing career, family responsibilities, a social life, your health and so much more alongside striving to achieve your financial goals may feel tricky (see what we did there). However, setting clear financial goals and prioritising those financial goals should not be overlooked. 

The Treat: No really, you’re not alone

We understand that when it comes to talking about money and investing, it’s often seen as taboo. It can leave us feeling isolated and alone in our financial decision making. However, finding your community (just like Propelle) can provide support, mentorship, and a platform for women to share their experiences and insights regardless of what stage they’re at on their investment journey. If you have a question, query or something to share, why not post on the Community Chat.

Conclusion: Tricks or Treats?

There’s no denying the tricks and treats of the investing industry, specifically for women. However, whilst we might sometimes be faced with scary statistics, monsters, ghouls and ghosts (we’re not naming any names), investing wisely can lead to financial independence, financial security and generational wealth. Just ensure you do your due diligence when it comes to making any financial decisions and to look beyond the mask of your investment opportunity to see what lies beneath. 

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Disclaimer: Propelle does not provide investment advice. If you are unsure about anything, please seek financial advice from an authorised advisor. Your capital is at risk.