Women’s Equality Day: Conversations with Inspiring Women

Women's Equality Day is celebrated on August 26th and this year it has a special meaning. It marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave many women in the U.S. the right to vote. This right was further extended with The Voting Rights Act of 1965. These important achievements opened the door to other opportunities, and we’re now outpacing men in college and advanced degrees, we comprise 47 percent of the workforce, we’re entering previously male-dominated fields and we’re getting elected to public office at unprecedented rates.

But this day reminds us that there’s still work to be done to see additional progress and achievement, especially in today’s challenging climate.

I’ve spent my career working to empower and uplift women, particularly in taking control of their finances. And while finances are a critical piece in our collective effort to achieve gender equity, there are so many other actions we can and need to take. In honor of Women’s Equality Day, I spoke with three women who inspire me, and I wanted to share their wisdom: Caroline Fairchild, Editor at Large at LinkedIn News; Justine Siegal, Founder of Baseball For All and the first woman to coach professional baseball; and Tiffany Aliche, Founder and CEO of The Budgetnista.

Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz (CSP): Women’s Equality Day is about elevating women. What’s something anyone can do, regardless of who they are and what industry they’re in, to empower and uplift the women they work with?

Caroline Fairchild (CF): Listen to them, and then repeat what they have to say. Particularly as many of us continue to work from home, it can be easy to be cut off in video calls or not have an opportunity to speak in a big team meeting. If you have women on your team who have solid ideas but may not be the first to speak up with them, invite them into the discussion. And when they do make a great point in a meeting, repeat what they said and give them the credit so it’s clear that their contribution is valuable for the whole team. 

Justine Siegal (JS): Be kind, and know that it’s okay to have more than one of us in a room and at the table.

Tiffany Aliche (TA): We can all bloom where we’re planted. When women succeed, we give other women the hope, the right and the encouragement to succeed as well. We can also listen and provide a safe space for women to learn, to share, to grow.

CSP: This is all such great advice, which segues wonderfully into my next question. What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started your career, and what has been a highlight thus far?

CF: When I started my career, I wish I knew how important adaptability is to being a good colleague and a successful employee. I think early on I thought that the way that I went about getting work done was the only way. Now, I understand that I have so much to learn from the styles of every single one of my colleagues and also that pivoting your strategy is key.

As for a highlight, I’ve most enjoyed the moments in my career where I’ve been able to build something from scratch. At Fortune, that meant launching The Broadsheet and growing the daily newsletter into a must read for women across industries. And at LinkedIn, I’ve launched newsletters and live show concepts that have been so rewarding to bring to light and see a community of dedicated subscribers grow around them.

JS: My whole coaching career I had my daughter by my side, so there are so many mother-daughter moments that are just everything. I wish I had known how hard the journey would be but at the same time, I’m so glad I didn’t.

TA: I wish I knew there was no limit and that all my limitations were self-imposed. When I started my career, I was a preschool teacher. I knew I wanted to live a life of service but did not want to be a financial martyr with low earning potential. I believed that I could not serve and make money. I’ve since come to realize that it’s possible to do good work, help good people and make good money.

There are a number of highlights I’m proud of: I’ve been able to help my community of over 1 million women save $200 million and pay off $150 million in debt, buy homes, travel, start a business and take care of their families. In January 2019, myself and Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight passed The Budgetnista Law, making it mandatory to integrate financial education in New Jersey middle school classrooms. In February 2020, I wrote and published my first children’s book, Happy Birthday Mali More, which teaches children ages 3-7 pre-financial education lessons in a way that’s age-appropriate and fun.

CSP: These are all such inspiring stories. For me, I wish I knew more about the importance of networking and wasn’t so afraid to seek out role models earlier on in my career. It’s a great time to learn from others and build lasting professional relationships.

Tiffany, my next question is for you. We both work in finance and share a passion for financial literacy and education. What is your advice for women hoping to take control of their finances? How can we as a society ensure women have the access to financial education and the tools they need to be financially independent?

TA: My advice for women hoping to take control of their finances is to start now and start small. Think to yourself; what can you do now? Is it to join a financial-themed Facebook group? Is it to read a book or watch a YouTube video? Take a simple step as soon as possible. The way knowledge works is that it builds upon prior knowledge. The sooner you can learn something new, the sooner you can take your knowledge to the next level.

We as a society can help women by first teaching financial education in schools. It’s also imperative to make financial education accessible, affordable and empowering for all women. So many women lack confidence when it comes to managing their money. By uplifting women’s voices in the financial education space, we could help to foster more confidence in other women seeking to change their lives.

CSP: This is so true! Our recent Charles Schwab Financial Literacy Survey found that nearly one-third of Americans agree that a lack of financial education contributes to gender inequality. We need to make financial education accessible to everyone, especially from a young age.

I wanted to pivot back to Justine. Justine, as the founder of Baseball For All, you work to break down barriers for women and girls to succeed in baseball, whether through coaching or playing. Major League Baseball history was made when the San Francisco Giants became the first MLB team to have a female coach on the field during a major league game. What’s something we should be doing to ensure that women continue to make strides like these at all levels, from youth leagues to professional sports?

JS: If we want more women at the top, then we have to support the girls from the bottom; the beginning, starting with youth sports. Too many girls are still told they can’t play baseball because they are girls. We have to change that narrative and provide equal opportunities for girls to participate.

CSP: Definitely, Justine. Looking back at my childhood, I was a tom boy and played lots of football with other kids in my neighborhood. I still claim to have been a great quarterback! Unfortunately, where I grew up there was not a lot of organized sports for women. I regret that as I’ve now seen what organized sports has done for my daughter and her confidence in all aspects of life.

Caroline, as a LinkedIn News editor, you have an interesting role working as a journalist at a professional networking company, and you also founded Fortune's Broadsheet. How has your role and professional experience shaped your perspective on advancing women in the workplace?

CF: I’ve spent my career covering women in the workplace and interviewing diverse leaders across industries about how they got to where they are. What strikes me about all of these conversations is that most of them did two things: They took big risks earlier on in their career and they weren’t afraid of advocating for what they were worth.

Too often, women are afraid to go for an opportunity within their company that they are not sure they are 100% qualified for. The female leaders who I speak with have all at some point raised their hand for an opportunity that made their career, despite uncertainty for how ready they were for it. And when it comes to advocating for your worth, I think it’s critical that as women advance in their careers, they don’t undersell their experience and expertise. We know from research that women who speak up about their accomplishments are more likely than their male peers to be seen as arrogant. But the reality is that until more women are coming forward and saying they have what it takes for that big project or important role, we are going to continue to see the number of women in leadership positions advance at a slow rate.

CSP: This really resonates with me. When I first started my career my mentor gave me the opportunity to lead Schwab’s Women’s Initiative with her, and while it was a challenging experience, it helped shape the career path I took and where I am today. It’s so true that there can be a lot of reward in taking risks.

To close out this piece, I wanted to ask you all a question that I hope will resonate, especially as we work to inspire other women, regardless of where they are in their careers or in life, to reach for the stars. What do you hope the legacy of your career will be?

CF: I want to look back at my career and feel like my reporting and interviews made people more fulfilled and inspired both inside and outside of the office. I enjoy learning from leaders across industries and sharing those insights with my audience. Together, I think that the more stories we tell of diverse leaders who are thriving across corporate America, the more we’ll see the archetype of a successful leader shift towards women and other underrepresented groups.

TA: I hope my legacy will be one of service and education, that there will be women and their families that are better because I was here. One thing that my father taught me is that you can take a lot away from someone but knowledge once given can never be taken, it can only be shared.

JS: It’s an honor to make history but it’s much more important we build a better future. I hope my legacy will be a message for girls to believe in themselves and in their dreams.

A Final Thought

Caroline, Tiffany, Justine, thanks so much for sharing your unique perspectives with all of us. The work you’re doing across your respective industries is truly inspiring. I encourage you all to visit Caroline, Tiffany and Justine’s websites to learn more about their work.

We’ve made so much progress in advancing women and I’m so excited for what’s to come. Like the video below mentions, we need to help the women in our lives become invested. One action I’m planning to take today is to advocate for having more open conversations about money and equality with the women in my life. Check out my video and let me know how you’re celebrating omen’s Equality Day. Please leave me a comment and let me know!

(#0820-0HVY)

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, consult with a qualified tax advisor, CPA, financial planner or investment manager.