When I won the title of Ms. Corporate America 2015 and left my dream job to live my dream life, I wanted to inspire others to do the same. The best way to do that is to highlight the experiences of others who are achieving their goals.

After interviewing hundreds of women, I realized that the best way to live your dreams is to take control of your money.

Grab your copy of my fun, female-friendly investing book on Amazon, Dividends Are a Queen’s Best Friend.

Here are some books I’ve written that showcase how I have been able to maintain financial freedom after leaving my job:

• Dividends Are a Queen’s Best Friend (available on Amazon!)
• How to Pass the Real Estate Exam in Less Than 30 Days
• A Queen’s Guide on How to Thrive During a Recession

On Sunday, June 28th, I had the opportunity to attend the Black Wealth Matters virtual roundtable. The panelists included 6 financially savvy women who are breaking the chains of debt and opening the doors of freedom.

The conversation was EVERYTHING. These women discussed the racial wealth gap, why black wealth matters, and how to start building generational wealth.

Here are the six women behind the Black Wealth Matters roundtable and a few gems that were shared during the conversation.

Aqui @financially_savvygirl

Aqui served as the host of the Black Wealth Matters roundtable. She is the founder of the Financially Savvy Girl PODCAST. Aqui is a lawyer by trade and a social justice activist who is working to bridge the racial wealth gap through the power of intention and goal setting.

Born in Africa, Aqui is an avid world traveler and has enjoyed visiting 5 different continents so far. She believes in generational wealth, creating income in the markets, and investing in her infant child and future children. Aqui and her husband live a debt free life and believe in financial freedom.

“When a community is economically empowered, they no longer go to the table where decisions are made and ask for change. They demand change. They use bargaining power to drive the change they want to see,” says Aqui.

“When you have power and authority, that’s when things change. Your voice doesn’t just echo. It is heard. We can go where we are celebrated and not just tolerated.”

Cinneah @fly.nanced

Cinneah is the founder of http://flynanced.com/. She is a 25-year-old traveler who has visited 27 countries around the world. WOW!

Since none of the travel bloggers Cinneah followed on social media spoke about money, she made it her mission to show others how they can travel and still be financially sound. Her goal is to use her platform to normalize being out of debt and building wealth.

“I see myself and my peers being among the first of black Americans to have access and opportunity to build wealth. I’m only five generations removed from slavery. It is our duty to be in this hyper digital age and shift our mindset from thinking we haven’t been taught these things to empowering ourselves and other black women coming after me. If not me, then who?”

Britt @mrs.fiscallyresponsible

Britt is a Financial Coach, Wife, and Girl Mom. She has always been passionate about personal finance and started financial coaching after paying off $39,654 of debt in only 8 months. In 2018, Britt became student loan debt-free! WOW!

Britt started documenting her journey to debt freedom after finding herself in a cycle of not having money left over. Since then, Britt and her husband have saved up a healthy emergency fund, financed a $42,000 car and paid it off in 9 months, and are on a journey to pay off their mortgage by 2024.

“I’m rooting for everyone black because I want to see my people win on all levels possible. Everything in my life is about how I can support black businesses. It’s about being confident that if you are making a good salary or any salary at all, you can pay off debt and build wealth. It’s about shifting from that “spend, spend” attitude and being able to support people that look like us.”

Liza @debtfreetotravel

Liza always hated the idea of owing anyone anything. After a month long trip to Thailand in November 2018, she knew she wanted to have cultural experiences every day, and taking control of her money would be the solution to her desires.

Liza started her debt free journey and personal finance diary to stay accountable to her goals and show others what’s possible. In April 2020, Liza officially became debt-free, paying off $25,017 in student loans, car loans, and credit card debt in 16 months! She now plans to move out the country in October.

“Financial ignorance creates a sense of dependency. When I am independent, I have so much pride. I can do things for myself and my family. We are taking away the dependency on different systems,” says Liza.

“Financial independence gives you options. You can be anything or do anything you want. We are showing you can do it and here are the steps from 1-3.”

Kenya @kenya.imani

After going through a quarter life crisis and realizing she really didn’t like her job, Kenya set her eyes on traveling around the world.

But there was one problem: Kenya was living above her means and accumulated over $15K in consumer debt and student loans she didn’t really need. She started documenting her financial progress on social media and soon realized this was a way that she could empower people.

Kenya’s work focuses on the connection between social justice, economics, and finance. She was inspired by other financial bloggers to create a financial freedom vision board that showcases the possibilities ahead.

“You don’t need to make 6-figures to become debt free. I show what it looks like to implement the information that we all have access to. I’m a black woman, this is what I go through, and this is how I use personal finance. We many not be high earners but we are high achievers.”

Jateria @debtfreetraveljourney

Jateria is the Founder of Debt Free Travel Journey where she helps millennials get out of debt and raise their credit scores. After quitting her job in 2017 and moving abroad to South Africa, she dived into her debt free journey to take advantage of more travel experiences so she wouldn’t have to be a broke traveller.

Jateria’s website showcases a timeline of her journey from receiving study abroad scholarships in 2014, paying off her car and traveling to Dubai debt-free in 2018, and working as a financial coach now to help more people become debt-free and live their best life through travel.

“Money impacts so many things we do. The food we eat, the school we attend, and the healthcare we get is all impacted by money. We think a certain [income] number equates to a certain education when it comes to finances but it doesn’t.”

Are you on a journey to financial freedom? Join the Wealthy Women Daily NetWorthChallenge Facebook Group!

What black financial bloggers do you follow? Share their information in the comments below!

Subscribe to Wealthy Women Daily to get weekly money and investing tips!

The popular saying, “Your network is your net worth” comes to life when you’re at QuickBooks Connect. You’ll be surrounded by business owners who have surpassed the $1 million mark and are using digital technologies to make an impact all over the world. You’ll learn the best tips and tricks from those around you and be inspired to make your business dreams come true.

QuickBooks Connect is the premier conference for developers, business owners, and accountants. It’s not your ordinary business conference and this event is always filled with high-energy keynote addresses and workshops that take you to the next level in your personal and business development. Past speakers include Oprah Winfrey, Tyra Banks, Malcolm Gladwell, and Jessica Alba.

The 6th Annual QuickBooks Connect Conference took place in San Jose, California from November 6th-8th. This year’s sold-out event included celebrity appearances from Common, Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Hyman, Jade Simmons, and Michael McQueen.

If you didn’t attend QuickBooks Connect 2019, here are a few highlights:

Meet Up with Your Tribe

It doesn’t matter if you attend QuickBooks Connect alone or with a group of people. When you arrive, you’ll have a chance to Meetup with various groups that have the same interests and goals. Day 1 of the conference included Meetups with Spanish Speakers Unite and Black Accountants and Bookkeepers. Great opportunity to hang out, network, and hear best practices from others.

I had a chance to meet Shani Bevans, Founder & CEO of Shani Shania & Associates, at a Meetup and she introduced everyone to an easy way to instantly connect with everyone around you on LinkedIn. The crowd turned on their LinkedIn settings and they were able to instantly connect with everyone in the room around them just by pressing a few buttons. Business cards, anyone? Not needed! Thanks, Shani!

Learn About the Latest Technologies

What technologies are you using to run your business? If you’re not using technology now, you’ll be left behind in this digital world. Don’t worry. QuickBooks has many workshops and a full expo room to expose you to technology partners that can make your life easier.

During Alicia Katz Pollock’s session, “Running Your Business from Your Car Using QuickBooks Online“, the session was a walkthrough of how business owners can use the QuickBooks Online Mobile app to its full potential.

Here are some items to note:

• You can do your bank feed while waiting in line
• Use your camera on your phone to take pictures of your receipt
• Take advantage of the new receipt capture feature
• Location tracker helps you to document mileage
• Convert estimates to invoices from your phone
• Accept credit card payments immediately

If you’re managing your own business finances, this is something you should look into.

Are you thinking about starting a business or want to get that almighty business plan in order? Check out LivePlan! It’s a cloud-based business plan software. I sat down with Kathy Gregory from Palo Alto Software to discuss how it all works.

LivePlan was developed as a tool for entrepreneurs to create and manage a business plan. It’s not a plan that you just develop and sit on your shelf. Because it’s stored on the cloud and includes many capabilities that enhance your decision making, it becomes a “living plan”.

You can also connect LivePlan to your accounting solutions to track your business financials. “The financials reveal operational performance,” says Kathy Gregory. “The metrics always tie back to something in the business that is not good or good with the operations.” LivePlan gives you the resources you need to course-correct in order to meet your business goals.

Sign up here to see how LivePlan works.

Identify Ways to Fund Your Small Business

Need money? On the “Funding Your Small Business” panel, three entrepreneurs discussed the ways they were able to fund and grow their small business.

Marissa Louie, CEO & Chief Designer at Animoodles, used her savings and a Kickstarter campaign to expand her business. Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform you can use to obtain funds from individuals who support your goals. Louie informed the audience that running a Kickstarter campaign is “a lot of work”. You need money to fund your marketing efforts during this process and you’ll need the time to be creative in how you share your vision with the world.

Precious Williams from “Perfect Pitches by Precious” used her persuasive communication techniques to fund her dreams. She’s a 13-time elevator pitch conference champion who raised over $150K to start her first company. Her tips for “knocking your audience socks off” include mastering your story, beginning with the end in mind, and knowing your audience.

Delorean Johnson, CEO & Principal Lighting Designer at Au Courant Interiors, took advantage of QuickBooks Capital to fund her business. Obtaining funding through QuickBooks Capital is different than going through the traditional SBA loan process. “QuickBooks can go into your books and fund you the next day,” says Johnson. “If you don’t have your books up to date, there is capital you don’t have access to.”

Are you attending next year’s QuickBooks Connect conference? Head on over to the QuickBooks Connect website for more information!

Ready to create a business from anywhere in the world? Find out how QuickBooks ProAdvisor and Consultant Heather Satterley did it. Heather Satterly shared tips on how to “Design Your Dream Tax Practice from Anywhere in the World” at QuickBooks Connect 2017.

Here’s Tyra Banks’ advice to entrepreneurs at the QuickBooks Connect 2017 conference.

Do you want more conference updates, travel hacks, money tips, and investing insights delivered to your inbox? Join us here for FREE!

Don’t forget to get your copy of “Dividends Are a Queen’s Best Friend” available on Amazon!

From Philanthropy to Angel Investing, women have the power to control where their money goes.

But women have to first understand money management and their values in order to be intentional about making it happen.

On Wednesday, October 23rd, 2019, DyMynd brought the highly anticipated money conversation to the Mid-America Club in Chicago.

At the inaugural Black DyMynds Financial Empowerment Event for Women of Color hosted by Dr. ML Black and Carolyn Jean “The Option Queen”, Chicago’s most influential leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs convened to discuss the power of the purse.

“It is not about living within your means it is about underwriting your values” -DyMynd

If you weren’t there to hear the gems delivered by the phenomenal line-up of speakers, here are some highlights from the event.

Develop a Money Mynd$hift

Dorri McWhorter, CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, wowed the audience with a keynote speech that will make you think about your role as a philanthropist and an investor in a different way.

McWhorter, an experienced CPA and former partner at one of the nation’s largest accounting firms, has discovered the secret to achieving the double bottom line: generating income while making an impact.

In 2018, she led YWCA’s involvement in the creation of the first socially-conscious ETF (YWCA Impact Shares Women’s Empowerment ETF WOMN) focused on women’s empowerment. This ETF is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. McWhorter is changing the game in the non-profit space by using the capital markets to raise money for a good cause.

McWhorter is on a mission to “create an inclusive marketplace where everyone thrives”. Now, women who are seeking to invest can support funds that align with their values!

Join the #IAMAPHILANTHROPIST Movement

When you think about a philanthropist, what comes to mind?

For many, the thought of an old, rich white man in a suit is the leading image of a philanthropist.

During a fireside chat with Nicole Robinson, Dr. ML Black explores what it means to be a philanthropist and shatters myths about what it takes to get involved.

Here’s the conclusion: you don’t need millions of dollars to invest in others. Through philanthropy, you can put your money where your heart is and contribute to causes that mean the most to you.

That’s exactly what Nicole Robinson, Vice President of Community Impact at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Bronzeville resident, has done through her philanthropic initiatives. Robinson co-founded a giving circle in her community and is cultivating the next generation of givers.

Join the #IAMAPHILANTHROPIST movement! Learn more about the South Side Giving Circle here.

Move from Fear to Fuel

How do you own your financial future?

Dr. Lynessa Rico, a seasoned business development professional and Director of Undergraduate Business Programs at National Louis University
Assistant Professor, led a money conversation that all women need to be a part of.

During the “Fear to Fuel” panel, three leaders in the finance and investing place discussed their personal journey of fueling their finances and gave recommendations to the audience.

Florence Hardy, Chief Equity Officer at truCrowd, started an equity crowdfunding portal that connects startups and emerging businesses with non-accredited and accredited investors. She recommends that women “be comfortable being uncomfortable” and “show up” because you never know where your next opportunity will come from.

Charlene Rhinehart, Founder & Editor-in-Chief at Wealthy Women Daily, shares her experience leaving her full-time job in 2015 and offering financial coaching services to show people how they can live a life that aligns with their values. It’s all about being intentional with your money. “If you pay yourself first, you’ll always be ahead of the game. If you pay yourself last, you’ll always be left behind,” says Rhinehart.

Shanda McFadden, a leading Financial Advisor in Chicago, helps high-net-worth individuals build a financial strategy to meet their goals. She shares her personal values to help clients think about what matters most to them and how they want to allocate their money. “What drives me is making sure that my 13-year-old son doesn’t have to be rejected by multiple bankers when he’s ready to start his business. He can come to mom like other people that I know. For the first time in my family, I’ll be able to do that and that’s my value.”

Become an Angel Investor

What are your values? Do you want to invest in other women who share the same values?

Become an Angel Investor! DyMynd Angels have created a platform that allows women to invest in other women within minutes!

Women no longer have to beg for a seat at the table. Dr. ML Black and Carolyn Jean “The Option Queen” have created a table for women to take the lead in growing the female funding ecosystem.

Close the Gender Funding gap by investing in Female Founders today! Start here.

Are you ready to learn how to invest and build wealth on your terms? Join us! Subscribe here to get the best money tips delivered to your inbox. Don’t forget to grab your copy of “Dividends Are a Queen’s Best Friend” on Amazon!

Charlene attended the “Tools for Choosing the Best 529 Plans, HSAs, and Target-Date Series” session. Morningstar researchers shared best practices in choosing these three goals-based investments.

HSA Plans

“The tax advantages in the HSA plans are unrivaled in the tax code,” says
Leo Acheson, Associate Director at Morningstar, as he shares how fast HSAs have grown. “It’s better than 401 (k), individual retirement accounts, and 529 [college savings] plans. Your contributions are tax-free [and] the growth on your investments and interest is tax-free. You also skip out on payroll taxes such as Medicare and social security. When you withdraw it, it’s tax-free. So, you aren’t paying taxes as long as you spend it on [qualified] medical costs. “

While HSAs are known for being a great tax shelter, these accounts are also a way to save for healthcare during retirement. But you must be covered by a high deductible health care plan to qualify.

During the presentation, Acheson evaluated fees associated with HSA spending and investing accounts and analyzed top HSA plans.

Some items to consider when choosing an HSA is maintenance fees, excess contributions fees, interest, and investment choices and quality.

Homework: Look into the HSA Authority.

529 College-Savings Plans

Next, Madeline Hume – an Analyst at Morningstar – discussed 529 college-savings plans and what distinguishes them from target date funds and HSAs.

The first differentiator is the location you reside in. “Unlike HSAs and target date [funds], the state that you or your clients live in may influence which plan is best for you,” says Hume during her presentation. “All 529 plan investors qualify for certain federal tax benefits given that they meet certain rules and restrictions.”

Hume mentions that states may also provide additional tax savings in the form of an income tax deduction or income tax credit.

529 savings plans are also unique because of the shorter time horizon for these investments. Parents are only saving for 18 years for their child’s college education.

Target Date Funds

Target-date funds emerged in the 1990s, and are growing in popularity among investors who seek to save for retirement during their working years while managing risk as they get closer to their “target date”.

The last presenter, Jeff Holt – Associate Director at Morningstar, talked about the use of target-date funds as a retirement strategy.

“The strategic equity glide path is the easiest way to stack up different series of target-date funds,” says Jeff Holt. “It simply shows how far an investor is from retirement and how much equity they hold over time and how that compares to the industry average.”

Looking at the quality of underlying funds, performance, and historical information in a target-date series may be quite the task but it’s good to be aware. Morningstar is releasing a new report to assist with that.

Want more conference updates and investing tips to get you started and keep you going? Join us! Subscribe below to “Wealthy Women Weekly” and our Youtube channel here.

If you’re ready to start investing, download my step-by-step guide here!

Hi, it’s Charlene! I had the opportunity to attend the Morningstar Investment Conference from May 8-10, 2019. Check out the highlights from Day 1!

If not, you have no idea what you are missing! But, no worries. I provided LIVE conference coverage and shared interviews with CEOs below that will give you a sneak peek into what happened this year.

If you have ever attended a ProMat conference, comment below and let me know what you thought about your experience. If you’ve never attended, what would you have liked to see or what do you think about mobile robots?

Check it out here! Subscribe on YouTube for more updates!! If you can’t attend your favorite conference, we’ll cover the details for you!

VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8qXVLrJ6mA

Learn how #Voxware Helps Retailers Master #Omnichannel Fulfillment with Dawn Fritche of Haggar Clothing Co.

Attendees had a chance to participate in a Warehouse Virtual Reality experience!

Watch how going “Hands-Free” in the #Warehouse yields productivity gains and boosts worker morale and efficiency!

Need LIVE conference coverage, a robust digital strategy, or social media updates? We can help you share your story! Contact Charlene at charlene@charlenerhinehart.com and work with us at CEO Unlimited LLC!

Talk soon! Leave your questions and comments below.

Are you a female founder or aspiring entrepreneur? After reading stories about Blavity’s founder, Morgan Debaum, who raised over $6 million in funding, you might be inspired to take the leap and bring your product or service to fruition.

Don’t be misled by all the “glamorous” success stories. Being a female founder isn’t easy. According to data from PitchBook, women received only $1.9 billion of the $85 billion total invested by venture capitalists in 2017. That means women only received 2.2 percent of venture capital funding. Yikes!

During a founders chat at the AfroTech Conference in San Francisco, entrepreneurs shared their stories and insights with other aspiring entrepreneurs. Sevetri Wilson, Founder of ExemptMeNow, is the first black woman in New Orleans to raise over $2 million for her startup. She talks about the importance of having a strategy. “We were very strategic about what investors we reached out to. I went on LinkedIn to see who could make an introduction to the people I wanted to connect with. It was about getting in front of the investor which was one of the hardest parts.”

The road to success may be difficult for women but it’s not impossible. All you need is the right mix of ingredients in your portfolio to get you closer to your funding goals.

Are you ready to become a bad@$$ female founder? Here are 5 tips to get you started. 

Know Your Narrative

What’s your story? Be prepared to tell your story like no one else can. Your story should be so compelling that it helps to reveal the why behind what you do. Explain your story in the simplest terms. Make it so relatable and understandable that a 10-year old can understand your reason for creating your product or service.

Know Your Numbers

What’s your financial model? Make sure you are able to tell investors how you make money. That’s what they really want to know. Angel investors and venture capitalists also want to grow their money so you should be ready to show them how you can scale your business. Be prepared to talk about your financial metrics to date and where you plan to go in the future.

Know Your Customers

What’s your customer acquisition strategy? In other words, who is your target audience and how do you plan to appeal to them? Complete a customer profile and identify demographics, activities, habits, education, and other characteristics that will allow you to reach them where they are at.

Know Your Competition

Who are your top 3 competitors in the space you are in? What is their market share? How are you different from others in the market? Show potential investors that you’ve done your market research by fully understanding your competition’s advantage, weakness, and future potential.

Know Your Strengths

What are your top strengths as a leader? Write it down. Then ensure that you spend at least 80% of your time capitalizing on your strengths so your business can reach its’ full potential. You also want to be aware of your areas of opportunities so you can surround yourself with other people who are gifted in those areas. Building a strong team or “board of directors” can take you places that you wouldn’t have been able to go on your own.

Are you a female founder? Do you want access to more funding or investing tips? Join us below! Wealthy Women Weekly will be delivered to your inbox 4 times a month. 

That’s exactly what happened during the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Scale-Up Pitch Competition sponsored by FedEx. Ten NBMBAA semi-finalists were selected to pitch their idea to a panel of judges at the 40th Anniversary Conference in Detroit that was held from Sept. 25-29. The competition was quickly narrowed down to three finalists who shared their revolutionary ideas in the entertainment, food, and housing industry.

Kwame Boler, the co-founder and CEO at NEU Inc. won the competition and walked away with the Grand Prize of $50,000. During an interview with Boler, he spoke about his preparation techniques and the requirements of a first-time founder.

Do you want more insight to get you started on the road to pitching success? Here are top tips from founders who attended the NBMBAA Conference:

Communicate with Confidence

If you want to prove your competence, you have to communicate with confidence. Eliminate the killer filler words such as ah, ya know, so, and hmmmm and replace it with clear and concise words that clearly communicate your value proposition. Pay attention to your non-verbal cues such as eye contact, body posture, and hand gestures because they can overpower your words if you are not intentional.

Ready to take your communication skills to the next level? Find a speaking coach or mentor who can help you take your communication skills to the next level.

Share Your Vision in Simplest Terms

“Not everyone is going to get it, and when they don’t; that means your pitch is wrong. Dumb it down so that a 5th grader can explain it to a friend,” says C.J. Mitchell, Co-founder of Instrumental.ly and 3rd place winner of the 2018 NBMBAA Scale Up Pitch Competition. “Try pitching to 10-year-olds to see if they can understand your business and the problem you’re solving. If they can’t… you’re doing it wrong.”

Become a Market Expert

“One of the most important things we can do when starting a business is to look around and see what the market wants and what the market needs,” says Tamira Chapman, leading attorney and entrepreneur in Detroit who led the breakout session titled Tech & Innovation – Big Data: Algorithms vs. Human Analysis at the NBMBAA Conference. “If you start off in an area where you are providing products that are already in demand to a group of people that want them, that gives you capital, access to opportunity, and momentum to put out something later that you may have had in your heart. We’ve got to start off smart first.”

Know Your Numbers

Investors want to know about the market opportunity and profit potential for your idea. Do you have an expense budget? What is your sales forecast? Do you have a cash flow statement, balance sheet, and profit and loss statement?  If you can’t effectively communicate your financial future, you’ve already wasted your time.

Think about it. Would you invest in something that doesn’t have a positive financial outlook? Investors aren’t in the business of losing money. They want to see a sizable return on their investment. Work with an experienced CPA who can help you communicate the numbers with ease and confidence.

Ask for Advice

“You’re going to have to work two to three times as hard to prove and validate that you’re credible,” says Boler. He recommends that first-time founders start the conversation with investors at the idea stage and build relationships. “There’s a growing mantra that’s quite prevalent within this industry, which is that if you ask for money, you’ll get advice. And if you ask for advice, you’ll get money. So be sure to do the latter.”

Wealthy Women Daily is on the move and we want you to join us! Help us educate and inspire more women by donating today and getting your free copy of “Invest in 5 Minutes a Day”.

Looking for more tips to help you attract funding for your business? Sign up below to gain access to 5 more tips to help you become unstoppable when pitching to investors.

Are you wondering what it takes to be successful in the real estate market? Real estate is one of the oldest forms of wealth-building in the world and is responsible for creating a number of billionaires. If you want to tap into this industry and all the potential it entails, check out these three things you need to know in order to position yourself as a real estate expert.

Note: Technology, social media management, relationship building, marketing, and other skills were not mentioned in this article. These are just a few of the foundational skills you will need to differentiate yourself in the market and become a sought-after expert in the industry. And don’t forget to join professional organizations like NAR that will give you the blueprint for success!

Understand Interest Rates

Real estate is one industry that is highly sensitive to fluctuations in interest rates. Pay attention to what the Federal Reserve Bank is saying about policy on interest rates and how it impacts your position in the market. When asked what is the most dangerous trigger that can impact the housing market, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun responded “interest rates”. Yun also predicts that interest rates will rise in December.

Become Best Friends with a Tax Professional

Tax reform has revamped tax laws for real estate professionals. Mortgage interest deductions, property tax deductions, and state and local tax (SALT) laws aren’t the same. If you have no idea how tax law works and how you can maximize your deductions, find a tax professional as soon as possible. A CPA or knowledgeable tax professional can walk you through the changes in tax law and help you calculate the impact these new laws will have on the amount of money you keep in your pocket. Set aside as much money as you can so you can work with a professional who can save you money. Don’t wait until year end because then you’ll be in a line with hundreds of other professionals who are in dire need of tax advice.

Subscribe to Real Estate Publications

If you want to be ahead of the game in the real estate space, make sure you know how the game is played and what’s going on every step of the way. During a panel discussion hosted by the National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE), experts discussed the state of real estate journalism and how it can help you stay on top of the latest industry news. What publications are you subscribed to? Are you on the list for Wealthy Women Daily? We provide female-friendly insights to make investing and shopping for assets as fun as shopping at the mall! Journalists from publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Washington Post were there to share their insights on the evolution of news media and what the industry is doing to provide timely, relevant, and valuable information to consumers.

Do you want to unlock more real estate and wealth success tips? Having a game plan for success and access to the right information will help you win in any industry.

Grab your weekly copy of Wealthy Women Weekly by signing up below! New stock tips for a recession coming soon!

The Fund Conference took place in Chicago from October 24-25th, 2018. The first day of the Fund Conference kicked off with a half-day women’s event designed to bring female founders and funders together in one space.

Nicole Vasquez, the co-founder of Forward Fund, shared her story and insights at the Fund Conference.

Becoming a Female Founder

Five years ago, Vasquez quit her corporate job to start a co-working space. She obsessively researched, planned ahead, and spoke with people in the business.

With no interior design and construction background, Vasquez set out on a mission to create a hub in the neighborhood where people could learn, collaborate, and connect. She got loans, maxed out credit cards, and leveraged savings to make it happen. Approximately three months ago, Vasquez sold the business to a long-time member.

The Launch of Forward Fund

Nicole is a woman who is making significant moves in Chicago and paving the way for other female founders.

Driven by a desire to give back and help women overcome the financial challenges associated with becoming a female founder, she joined resources with other women and co-founded Forward Fund. Forward Fund awards quarterly grants to individuals or small groups of collaborators who need a little extra support to make their project a reality.

Meet the group of women paying it forward in Chicago!

Vasquez ended her words of wisdom with an uplifting message inspired by Michelle Obama, “When you reach a certain level of success and walk through that door of opportunity, you don’t turn around and close it behind you. You turn around and help other people through. Success and doing well is not a zero-sum game. If I do well, I can help other people do well.”

Thank you! Great to know my story was helpful, I had a lot of help myself along the way, need to #payitforward! https://t.co/6ye1vevVCK

— Nicole Vasquez (@NicoleRVasquez) October 24, 2018

About Nicole: Nicole Vasquez is the co-founder of Deskpass (a multi-city coworking membership service), co-founder of Second Shift (a coworking space in Chicago), and The Shift Forward (a social impact programs company). She received her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia College Chicago and her M.B.A. from Loyola University of Chicago.

For more insights, join us at Wealthy Women Daily! We’re on a mission to help more women build a stock portfolio that’s bigger than their shoe collection. Get the latest investment ideas, tips, and news by signing up for your copy of Wealthy Women Weekly below!