Hi Dayre!
So I'm a bit bummed because I was invited to speak again at SGX, this time at a conference organised by finance website The New Savvy.
The topic is a lot closer to my heart this time as it is all about how the future is female (I've been ranting at how Hilary Clinton's win would have been such a huge step forward for the US and feminists but oh well).
Among all my financial blogger friends who really believe in the same values as I do, and in teaching the public about financial literacy and how to manage your own finances…I'm the only female.
Those of you who know the finance blogging scene or who came for the CPF talk last week would have realised this. Females are a minority in this space, unlike #dayrebeauty or #dayrefatties food bloggers.
And I'll be honest, it hasn't been easy for me either. I never started out wanting to teach people about personal finance, but as word of my blog and analysis spread, it inevitably attracted both fans and critics. I got sucked into the scene, and being a teacher, I lived off the energy and fulfilment from you guys who are all so eager to learn. It makes me feel useful and like I'm contributing back to society, you know?
Yet being a female has also worked against me. I had to grapple with men calling me nasty things like a prostitute, accuse me of sleeping around or living off other men to pay for my dates so I could save money, describing my comments and posts as bimbotic…
Like wtf seriously.
Maybe men can't comprehend how a female is actually interested, or even moderately good, in finance. They've never encountered this before. All legendary investors are male. Where are the women?
Which is why I was super excited about meeting Lauren Templeton at this year's Value Investing Summit and I asked for an exclusive interview with her to feature on my blog, because she's one of the rare females who have actually made a name for her investing abilities.
However, even Lauren Templeton herself, who is insanely smart and analytical, had to grapple with naysayers and critics when she first started.
Some said she was riding on the wings of her grandfather, the great Sir John Templeton.
Some said her investing track record was because her grandpa probably guided her.
Some said, he said, she said, critics said… I shan't continue cos their comments and views have now been proven wrong. Lauren has earned her name now.
I had the opportunity of a lifetime to learn from the woman whose words and books I've only read before this…in the flesh.
But I understand that I was incredibly lucky, and not everyone may get this kind of opportunity. If I weren't owner of Budget Babe, I might not even have been invited to the conference, nor would the organisers entertain my request for an exclusive interview.
It can get lonely investing in a world dominated by men. Having a support network is crucial, otherwise you won't be able to hear a diversity of views and analysis, as well as get the emotional support to stay on this journey for the long run. Therefore the Facebook group Women Who Invest was born – thanks to one of you readers who emailed me to initiate this. I feel like I'm like your mummy in a way in this group LOL
I've also selectively been curating the member requests to join – because there were some which obviously were fake accounts trying to enter our network. I don't know who these folks are or what their agenda is – whether to sell insurance, a MLM or get rich scheme – but I've been doing my best to reject these questionable requests. I've also rejected the male readers who have written in to me asking to join. There are enough male platforms out there.
If your request is also still on-hold for too long and you think I might have accidentally mistaken you as a fake account, please feel free to email me and I'll approve immediately. Sometimes it is also hard for me to discern especially when I get to only view public profiles with limited info to make a judgment call on.
When The New Savvy contacted me to speak on this upcoming conference, I was really excited to be a part of it! Unfortunately I'll be away for my honeymoon during the date so SORRY GUYS 😢 I'm as disappointed as you are.
This conference is catered specifically to modern, independent-minded women who are ready and keen to make smarter decisions about their finances. Decisions that can and will transform your relationship with your finances — and change your life. The organisers and speakers will be simplifying financial concepts to suit the interests of women specifically.
(y'all remember my 3-in-1 shampoo analogy that I shared during the #dayrefinance crash courses in Dec and Jan right? Haha)
What you can expect to learn
💰Be introduced to the concept of Personal Finance Management.
📚 Learn about investment products, money management, and financial know-how.
🔦 Be provided with a structure on how you can manage your finances effectively.
👥 Hear from men and women from across industries and generations who have redefined conventional pathways to success.
🔬Explore common issues in the personal and professional lives of modern women.
🎎 Figure out how you can uncover your inner genius to overcome gender
Ticket registration: futurefemale.peatix.com
Accordingly to the organisers, you'll also learn how to tap into your natural feminine instincts to thrive in your investments. Remember my Dayre post about Zeltiq Aesthetic stock previously? None of my male friends who invested saw that as an opportunity even when I told them about it. Cos…men 😂 they will never understand our obsession with #dayrebeauty but we can, and act on it to make money for ourselves!
I also took the initiative to ask the organisers for free tickets to give my readers given that so many of you are females, and I thought some of you might just be keen to attend and boost your learning!
I'm giving away 2 tickets ($250 each) to 2 readers to attend this conference!
All you have to do is to leave a comment below and tell me which talk in the conference agenda interests you the most + what you hope to learn from reading my writings.
Or, if you've been following my ramblings for a while now, let me know when you started and what's the biggest takeaway you've had from my blog or Dayre so far.
(I may use some of your suggestions for future posts! Haha win-win via crowdsourcing.)
🙆 Bonus points if you like my Facebook and Instagram page (sgbudgetbabe) HAHA and leave a comment with your username once you've done so, so I can check! +1 bonus point for each 😂 if you want your privacy you can also FB message me directly
Note: This is NOT a paid post and I do not get any benefit (whether monetary or in-kind from the organisers) at all from sharing about this event. Heck, I don't even get to attend and get a free ticket!!! I'm sure you guys know my stance towards how I approach my sponsored posts or advertorials by now.
