#77 Fixes for Feminists in a Time of Trump: Sallie Krawcheck

Anyone who cares about diversity, feminism and closing the gender gap should be fired up about this show.

Author, entrepreneur and - yes provocateur - Sallie Krawcheck is our guest.  Her forthcoming 2017 book is "Own It: The Power of Women at Work."  Sallie is CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest, a digital investment platform and wealth management site for women.  

For years, she has been well known as one of the most senior women on Wall Street and was called "the last honest analyst" by Fortune Magazine after the 2008 financial crisis.  She has deep experience in "the biggest boys club in the world" - the financial industry, where 86% of investment advisers are men.

 First off we talk about why the Trump Presidency could be good for feminists.  “It’s (locker room talk) on the table now,"  she says. The infamous conversation with Billie Bush, and the widely discussed New York Times column "How Wall Street Bro Talk Keeps Women Down" are both "a really important wake up call."

 Sallie lists the many benefits of true diversity. Organizations where many different voices are respected perform better than those with narrow like-minded leaders from the same gender and social class. 

 Being successful does not mean acting like men, Sallie tells us. "The power of diversity is not bringing a bunch of women or people of difference together and having them act like middle-aged white guys."

Sallie’s Solutions: 

  • For women: Make sure your work gets noticed your supervisors and make sure goals are quantified and acknowledged. 

  • For men:  Be a fully equal partner with your spouse:  do the laundry.

  • For companies: Diversity is a crucial ingredient to a firm's success, but it won't happen without clear leadership from the top. 

  • Investing: Diversify your portfolio and save for the long term.  Instead of trying to beat the market, invest in a range of mutual funds that include U.S. and international sources plus large and small companies.