Happy International Women’s Day: Top Tips for Women in Business
In honor of International Women’s Day, we’ve gathered the top tips from the women who serve on our leadership team. Together, they draw from their experiences to share their advice for fellow working women who strive to one day be in their own position of leadership. Here’s what they said:
Becky R.-A, VP, Human Resources
Becky said that although it may sound cheesy, this reminder has helped her to continually push past barriers and achieve success in her endeavors:
“Problems are simply opportunities to succeed, so don’t let a problem prevent you from rising to a challenge.”
Gay P., VP, Sales & Service
Gay reflected on her journey up the corporate ladder at shared her thoughts on becoming a strong female leader in the working world:
“Respect is something you earn; it doesn’t come with the title or position. Be honest, direct, humble and a good listener. It’s OK to say, ‘I don’t know.’”
Jill F., VP, Marketing
Jill said that in her career, she has found that holding these principles in the highest regard have been to her personal and professional benefit:
Take care of the people around you because it’s the right thing to do.
Be the person that you most admire.
Be an expert in your field, contribute to your team and share the success with others.
Lisa C., VP / CFO
Lisa shares that these attributes have helped her to become the leader she is today and believes they are key to being a positive and effective leader:
Be innovative; always think outside the box to reach for the impossible.
Be grateful to your team; appreciation them for their efforts and contributions.
Be humble and selfless; foster your team’s wellbeing and unlock the individual potential.
Be empathic and supportive; build an emotional connection with your team.
Be assertive; it is acceptable to show your position with a firm and objective conviction.
Be a fair leader; people don’t need to be managed, they need someone taking the initiative and leading by example.
Lisa P.-H, President & CEO
On her journey to becoming the President & CEO of Wheelhouse Credit Union, Lisa has learned a lot about what it takes to be a female leader in business. She said, “if I were to give young women a tip or some advice, I would say believe in yourself, be kind and persevere. I have always been a believer in working hard, surrounding yourself with good people and learning all that you can.”
Lisa adds:
Find a mentor(s) and help to mentor others.
Honesty, integrity and empathy should be your guiding principles. It will create a culture of trust.
Be humbly confident, but not afraid to show your strength.
Don’t lead so far in front that you forget the people you need most and that need you.
Walk alongside and get involved in your community.
To help you ground yourself in a purpose, find and support a cause you are passionate about.
Bring your passion to work to inspire passion in others.
Always be willing to fail upwards by taking ownership of your mistakes. There will be times things don’t work out as planned; make sure to find the wisdom in each lesson.
“At the end of the day, you should be able to reflect back and be proud of your work and interactions with others. I believe your work is your signature. It says a lot about who you are as a person…oh, and don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the moments, both big and small.”
All in all, our key takeaways for women who strive to be leaders in their field are be true to yourself, be honest, humble, and gracious, know your field, rise to the challenge, and don’t be afraid to fail.
To all our fellow women, Happy International Women’s Day.
This past year has caused many of us to re-evaluate our goals, our everyday practices, our intentions and our overall health – living through a pandemic will do this. If we’ve learned anything through COVID-19, we have learned that taking care of ourselves in all aspects of our life is crucial to our overall health. And, keeping our health in check is important insurance to fight off illnesses of any kind, including the Coronavirus.
As a result, many of us are exercising more, reading more, organizing more and spending more time with our immediate family. All of these practices are essential to good health, but many of us may be missing one very important area that needs attention…managing our finances.
Since money is central to everyday activities, approaching our finances in a way that benefits our well-being can add a sense of order and create a safe foundation in our life. Setting aside time each week to focus on money management will reduce stress, create stability and allow you to make informed decisions. However, before we focus on these weekly activities, we recommend taking the following steps:
Make a list of all your deposit accounts, the interest you are earning on each and where they are located.
Make a list of all of your loans (including credit cards), the balance owed, your interest rate and where they are located.
Create a list of all of your investment accounts and the balance in each.
Document your net monthly income and make a list of your monthly expenses. Subtract your expenses from your income to equate your disposable income.
Once you have a complete picture, create a schedule to review and manage your finances weekly. For example: 30 minutes every Saturday afternoon. We recommend covering the following during your weekly Financial Fitness Sessions:
Pay your bills and put money into your savings account, even if it is only $5 every week.
Compare your deposit rates to other financial institutions and move money, if appropriate.
Compare your loan rates to other financial institutions and refinance to lower rates, ultimately reducing your monthly expenses.
Create a path to pay off your credit cards, if you do not already do so monthly. Cash in any reward points you have for credit.
Take a look at your expenses the previous week and make a plan on what to spend in these specific areas during the next week. Ask yourself:
How much did I spend on going out to eat last week? How much do I plan on spending next week?
How much did I spend on groceries last week? Did I eat all of them? Can I spend less the next week, etc.?
How much money did I put into my savings account last week? How much can I put in next week? What do I need to do to increase my savings?
Regardless of what you accomplish each week, we are positive that reviewing and managing your finances weekly will reduce your stress and benefit your well-being.
If you’re receiving a stimulus check as part of the most recent COVID-19 Relief Package, it’s more important than ever to consider the coming months and make sure you’re using the money wisely. Let our insightful infographic help guide you through your choices as you prioritize how to spend your funds. Access, 5 Smart Ways to Use Your Stimulus Check, for a few strategic tips. If you have questions or would like more details, reach out to a financial professional located at our credit union.
Representatives are registered, securities sold, advisory services offered through CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor, which is not an affiliate of the credit union. CBSI is under contract with the financial institution to make securities available to members. Not NCUA/ NCUSIF/FDIC insured, May Lose Value, No Financial Institution Guarantee. Not a deposit of any financial institution. CBSI-3381097.1-1220-0123
You are leaving Wheelhouse® Credit Union’s website. Links that may be accessed via this site are for the convenience of informational purposes only. Any products and services accessed through this link are not provided or guaranteed by Wheelhouse® Credit Union. The site you are about to visit may have a privacy policy that is different than Wheelhouse® Credit Union’s. Please review their privacy policy. Wheelhouse® Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in these sites, nor the organizations publishing those sites, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content.
