HOW TO FIND YOUR VOICE AND MAKE AN IMPACT
Giving is what women do, of course. We nurture kids and relatives. We drop everything for friends in need. We form neighborhood associations, join walkathons, sit on school boards and give to clothing drives. Often as not, we also write charitable checks. So what’s this all about? Something of a revolution, really. Increasingly, women are […]
REWARDS: FLEXING THE POWER OF ONE
Stories about women working toward a bigger purpose, building something that will outlive them, are surfacing frequently. These are altogether contemporary legacies, on a scale without precedent or model. The stories are ongoing and evolving, so the full impact is still largely under the radar. Here are snapshots of four women who put their commitments […]
MAKING YOUR MONEY WORK: Focus on Results, Not Financial Ratios
The frontier for nonprofits these days is impact. How do you measure the social good you do? For that matter, how do you measure which cultural arts are worthwhile or what kind of educational efforts will be effective a decade down the road? What does success mean in the charitable arena? Forward-looking practitioners are walking […]
HOW PARENTS CAN MAKE THEIR KIDS FEEL POWERFUL
Getting young kids to give or volunteer is a great idea, of course. We all want our kids to develop compassion and the habit of helping others. Plus, starting early instills two powerful lessons. First, even though kids are small and lack influence or money, they learn they can make a big difference. That’s an […]
THE BLISSFUL FEELING OF HAVING ENOUGH
For some years now, I’ve been delving into women’s mixed emotions about money and power, including anxiety, pride, envy, anger and guilt. I’ve been reporting on and investigating sex-based elements of leadership and entrepreneurship, looking at women’s social and political accomplishments and setbacks. And during that time, whether among women with inherited wealth, women who […]
FAMILY PHILANTHROPY IS GROWING
Despite the downturn, the number of US households with a net worth of $5 million or more still is at record levels. Increasingly, these millions of baby boomers — who primarily earned their money the hard way, by themselves rather than by inheriting it — have wrestled with how to nurture their children’s empathy and […]
TIME TO GO FOR THE GOLD
There’s a triple whammy of sex, money and power coming together, just waiting for women to harness in order to achieve worldwide change and leadership. First, women are sitting on Fort Knox. High-net worth individuals in this country are increasingly female. Next, more women are shunning the Prince Charming syndrome to manage their own finances […]
HOW WILL YOUR STORY BE WRITTEN?
Decades from now, what would you like to say about your family and dreams? If you want your family close, productive, open to experience, making a difference in the world, then what are you going to do now to get you there? People often avoid financial planning because they think talking about far-reaching decisions will […]
THE REAL STORY OF PRINCESS CHARMING
Let me tell you the real story of the woman who married Prince Charming. During their forty years together, he enjoyed a lucrative and secure career. She never asked about their assets or how much they spent or saved. They had kids and lived well. You can see where this is headed. The prince died. […]
CREATIVE WAYS TO GIVE (BEYOND CASH OR VOLUNTEERING)
There are lots of options for giving besides writing a check or giving time. Here’s a roundup of suggestions. Before taking action, of course, check with your tax and financial advisers. Give your house. Gifts of real estate cover a house, apartment building, farm, vacation home, commercial buildings and land. If you cede a fully […]