When Women Lead Financial Decision-Making

Women are often the most directly impacted by the world’s challenges including health care, unemployment, education, climate displacement, and violence, yet are excluded from financial leadership roles and capital allocation. Only 5% of chief executive officers, fund managers, or venture capital recipients are women (Shaber, Marime-Ball, 2022). Today, 97.8% of allocated investment capital is managed by men. What would the U.S. look like if more women led in financial decision-making?

In their book The XX Edge: Unlocking Higher Returns and Lower Risk, Ruth Shaber and Patience Marime-Ball make the compelling case that when women are included as leaders and financial decision-makers across all asset classes, money is managed more efficiently, investors see higher profits, and our society experiences accelerated economic growth. Combining stories with data and extensive research, The XX Edge illustrates the power of women’s financial leadership and proves that diversity not only matters, but is necessary for the benefit of individuals, communities, and entire economies.

The XX Edge is more than a book, it’s a movement working towards greater diversity across all industries, from top to bottom. When women lead, we all benefit.

How can individual investors support women?

Invest through women
Hire more women
Mentor more women
Promote more women
Design for women
Vote for women
Listen to more women

How can you support The XX Edge movement?

Purchase the book for yourself, your financial advisor, and everyone that you know. We are all investors! 100% of proceeds will benefit the Tara Health Foundation and Women of the World Endowment, organizations that are centering women as solution-drivers for today’s accelerated challenges.
Contact your alma mater. Reach out to your alma mater or local university and ask them to carry The XX Edge for sale in their campus bookstore. Colleges and universities will all benefit from sharing this book with their professors, students, and alumni networks.
Refer your connections in the finance industry. The XX Edge team is looking for individuals in the finance industry who would be willing to participate in off-the-record, 45-minute interviews to discuss and provide feedback on key messages and calls to action regarding gender-diverse investing. They are currently targeting men for this round of interviews and will open their outreach to women in the future. If you know someone who would be willing to connect with them, please contact Robyn Russell at [email protected].
Authors Ruth Shaber and Patience Marime-Ball joined WDN for an insightful discussion on The XX Edge movement. If you’re a WDN member, watch the recording. WDN members can also find additional resources through our Impact Investing series, hosted by CEO of Chicory Wealth and WDN Board Chair Maggie Kulyk.