October 24, 2018

How we can support the “Onlys”

In October 2018, Lean In and McKinsey & Company released the Women in the Workplace 2018 report which found that companies indicate they are highly committed to gender diversity but that commitment does not translate into meaningful progress.

The report states that “Women continue to be vastly underrepresented at every level. For women of colour, it’s even worse. Only about one in five senior leaders is a woman, and one in twenty-five is a woman of colour.”

Corporate talent pipeline graphic: for men, entry-level positions are at 52%, while the C-suite is at 79%, of the overall talent. For women, the percentage goes from 48% to 21%, respectively.

Source

Too few women results in too many “Onlys” – women who are the only or one of the only women in the room. Being an only is challenging and these negative experiences take a toll. We need to work together to change this.

We have an opportunity to take action, as individuals and as leaders within our organizations. We are seeing examples of positive change such as new funding models, more initiatives to support women entrepreneurs, and programs like Female Funders, focused on increasing representation of women who are investing directly and those who are influencing investment decisions.

In 2015, women held 30% of all wealth controlled by individuals or families globally, 44% had grown their wealth independently as entrepreneurs. We make 80% of the purchasing decisions. We have the expertise, experience and the influence but we have not always had the access, especially in the investment sector.

Female Funders is committed to changing this. We provide a gateway to the knowledge and networks through education, mentorship and collaboration. The participants in our program are female corporate leaders and innovators who are committed to making meaningful change and returns together.

When we have diverse perspectives making investment decisions, a broader range of companies building unique products and services receive capital. The result is a stronger ecosystem of support contributing to more sustainable businesses.

With more women investing, we don’t have to the be the “Only” and we can influence change to incorporate more diversity in leadership teams so that those women don’t need to be an “Only”. We need to take action now.


Take action to increase diversity in the investment and entrepreneurial sectors

Apply for Angel Academy today to join a supportive community of like-minded women and learn to evaluate startup companies, to understand the mechanics of venture investing, and to build a path to your first angel investment.

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