There is a lot of information about the pay gap between men and women. Then there is the fact that women owned businesses have less access to capital and so on. One perspective is that gender bias is alive and well in our culture, society, etc. and in part that is true. An intuitive perspective would be that we (women) could change all of that by becoming more financially savvy and changing our pictures about money. As we grow in our understanding of money then we can have control of making, spending and investing it.
Admit it – most women shied away from anything more than the basics of finances. In part that is cultural programming. Women in my generation and before were not expected to manage money beyond the household banking accounts and maybe not even that. So we move about the world in the energy and pictures that money is not our thing. This perpetuates the stereotype of women having less concern about money and so others see us in that way.
There is distinction between money, finance and affluence. Women know about money but often go unconscious about finance. Finance is the understanding of money and how to use it to be affluent. Many women don’t expect affluence (our picture), expect it from their partner (our picture) or work hard to make money but not affluence.
We can change this and the change begins within us. I work with business owners – men and women. Financial intelligence is a problem for far more business owners than you might expect. Even in companies that seem to be doing well the owner may not have a handle on the company’s finances. Money in the bank is their basis for assessing success. This is not sustainable. Talk to any business coach and they will tell you the single strongest indicator of the sustainability of a company is the owner’s certainly about her financial plan for success.
If women really want to become affluent beyond inheriting money then becoming knowledgeable about finance is the next step. I spoke with two new clients yesterday. One is a young career woman moving up the corporate ladder. She mentioned that the company owner came to her office to review the financials with her team. This is the first time she saw financial reports for an entire company. She had this opportunity because of a recent promotion. I asked if she was intimidated. Of course she was but she was also empowered by the experience. Now she wants to become knowledgeable about finance so that she can use financial reports to make strategic decisions. We will be working on that in her coaching sessions.
I met with another woman who has a successful business that she started twenty years ago. She contacted me because suddenly she is financially strapped for the first time. When I asked her to share the company’s financial reports her eyes glazed over. In all these years she has never looked at financial reports for her business. Kathy is eager to take a step up and dive into learning about business finance so she can create a plan to diversify.
To match the energy of affluence we have to match the energy of finance which means being conscious and aware of what we don’t know about money and finance then finding a way to fill in those gaps so that we feel empowered. It means not avoiding what we don’t know and trusting our ability to take ownership of our finances – personally and professionally.
So the first step is to know your own money pictures. What are your thoughts and concepts about money? Start to let go of those that get in the way of your certainty. Use meditation to release the energy around money, usually fear and uncertainty. Money is not a mystery. It is just what we believe about it that gets in our way. Jump in with both feet; clear your thinking and emotions about money. Make it work for you in your life.
As you clear your concepts, energy and emotions about money also begin to learn more, become more savvy about money and notice how quickly things will change. Set clear financial goals and create a plan. Make affluence a goal then change to get there. Affluence is so much more than money. Notice – can you imagine being affluent? If not, meditate on this concept until you can imagine having it and see it in your mind’s eye. When you can see it then you are ready to make it happen.
Best wishes on your success, Kay