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Girls and Financial Literacy
Three Life Stories, Many Powerful Lessons
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Female financial literacy has been top-of-mind recently as I've been dealing with some "issues" in my own life and with someone close to me.  It's led me to think about what girls are taught today, what we've been taught historically, and where the opportunities lie for your business and community.

 

Even today, girls and women do not receive the same cultural messages or practical information required to lead financially safe and stable lives. I find this troubling, but I also see an INCREDIBLE opportunity for banks, credit unions, businesses and community groups to form partnerships to help -- and achieve multiple rewards when they do.

 

The kind of program I'm referring to is about information, but it's also about self-esteem. It's terribly important for more of tomorrow's women to be helped and encouraged now. After all, women are the ones who take care of their families, their communities, and make most of the financial decisions.  They are your future customers. Please let me know your thoughts about Article #1!

 

And in case you're wondering how this subject connects with history, women didn't arrive in this predicament overnight.

 

As a historian, I always think about context, and about the amazing women who have helped change laws and attitudes through the generations. I find women's history an endless source of inspiration and information. We have the hindsight of knowing how the story ends, and we can look at the decisions women made and the tactics they used to overcome obstacles. I have three quick historical stories in Article #2 that might be of interest. Each woman is a terrific role model for girls AND boys. Boys appreciate courage too!

 

So here's a question: Can you sponsor a talk at a community group or place of worship about an inspiring historical figure? Can you sponsor a guest speaker to appear in a school classroom? What better way to inspire young people to care about history than by connecting the dots to their own lives?

 

I would love to work with you on these important subjects.

 

Be well, and be in touch!

Bonnie Hurd Smith signature
Bonnie Hurd Smith

Girls and Financial Literary:
Can Your Bank or Business Help?
by Bonnie Hurd Smith                                                                 
Girl doing math
A future CEO and philanthropist?

It still goes on, although I am told that "things are better" than when I was growing up. Girls and boys are just not taught the same lessons about money, and the expectations for earning potential, investments, philanthropy, and planning for retirement are vastly different.

 

When I was young (I am in my 40s), not only were girls not taught about business and personal finance in school but I happen to hail from the kind of cultural background where money was never discussed at home either (a typical Bostonian thing, truth be told!). However, the unspoken message was clear that boys were expected to step into lucrative professional positions and girls were to be taken care of. That's "just the way it was."

 

Because it has taken me years (and a terrific coach) to clear my head of misguided notions and determine a much healthier way to operate financially, it really strikes a chord when I consider what girls are being taught today about their financial well being. Or, more importantly, what they're not being taught. I hate the thought of any more girls having to waste the years I did figuring this stuff out!

 

Here's what we know women do with their money:

 

· They save it

· They take care of their family

· They take care of their community

· They make the majority of a family's financial decisions

 

These are your future customers! Why not help them NOW in their formative years? (continued)

Three Life Stories, Many Powerful Lessons
Phillis Wheatley
Poet Phillis Wheatley
by Bonnie Hurd Smith

The cool thing about history is hindsight. We know the ending of the story. When we examine the life journey of a person in history who accomplished great things, we can look at their childhood and influences, education, training, decisions they made along the way -- you get the idea.


Life and business coaches always tell us not to take "no" for an answer, and it fascinates me to look at when people in history took this advice -- in many cases, despite enormous obstacles. (continued) 


History Smiths helps service-oriented businesses attract customers, achieve customer loyalty, and secure high status
in the communities they serve by incorporating history into their branding, marketing, and community outreach.