For every woman who ever thought, “Is it just me, or is this… intimidating?”

For a lot of women (even smart, capable, and financially savvy women), there’s a quiet narrative in the back of their mind: “What if I mess this up? What if I lose it all?” It’s so common, it even has a name: the “bag lady” fear – the idea that no matter how much we save or earn, we’re one wrong move away from losing everything.

That’s just one thing I learned when I had the privilege to sit in on The Power of Her Portfolio event that Equities.com presented last week. I didn’t initially realize how complex and psychological it can be when comparing men and women and their investing habits. 

This fear isn’t random. It has been intricately woven into our culture since the beginning of patriarchal ideologies. Boys are often told to be bold with their money – “make it, grow it, flip it, risk it” – girls are usually taught to be careful. Save. Budget. Be grateful.

Therefore, it makes sense that when women approach investing, they do so more cautiously. Not because we aren’t capable, but because we’ve been conditioned to believe that we need to know everything and be as precise as possible before taking action. There’s even a name for this, too: the confidence gap.

My dad always reminded me of this interesting take as I was growing up: “Boys tend to do as little as possible – the bare minimum – to still succeed.” And honestly, it ultimately works in their favor.

We women tend to underestimate our financial knowledge, even when our ability is equal to (or better than) that of our male peers. That hesitation often keeps us on the sidelines, even when data shows that when women do invest, we often outperform men in the long run. (Thank you, long-term strategy and fewer emotional trades!)

Women and investing risk

Another hurdle? Risk perception. Studies show that women tend to be more risk-aware, which doesn’t necessarily mean we are risk-averse, but rather that we are thoughtful about the potential downsides. That can be a strength as long as we don’t let it freeze us. The financial world, however, still tends to label our caution as negative.

Something even more interesting? Finance communication is often buried under layers of jargon and overly complex language that feels more like gatekeeping than guiding. When women ask for clarity, we’re usually met with someone mansplaining or dumbing down information in a way that just feels condescending.

Let me be clear: simplifying something isn’t dumbing it down. It’s making it accessible. And guess who benefits from that? EVERYONE.

The truth? Women are already investors. Whether it’s managing a household, launching a side hustle or making intentional spending decisions, we’re constantly making strategic choices. The next step is to confidently claim ownership of stocks, funds and portfolios without apology.

You don’t need a finance degree to grow your wealth. You just need clear communication, trusted resources and a reminder that you belong in this space.

All the best,  

Maddy Forlenza

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