Wealth Building and Management

Building wealth does not mean making more money! In reality, it's more about how you manage what you already have. I’ve met salaried professionals earning ₹50,000 a month who have more discipline and ultimately more peace of mind than high-income ones with 0 financial structure. The secret is that they follow principles like the 5 laws of wealth. Let’s break these down in a practical way: -- Savings: Save at least 20% of your monthly income. As of today, over 39% of urban Indians don't save regularly. Without a consistent savings habit, you're one emergency away from dipping into high-interest debt. -- Invest: Your money should work harder than you do. A monthly SIP of ₹5,000 in an index fund (with a 12% annual return) could grow to ₹1 crore in 25 years. -- Invest in Yourself: Allocate 5-7% of your income toward learning. Warren Buffett spends 80% of his day reading because he knows the ROI on knowledge is exponential. -- Patience: The most underrated virtue in wealth-building. We’re in a generation that celebrates “overnight success,” but long-term investing has proven to outperform active trading for most people. -- Diversification: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The 2008 crisis and even the COVID crash taught us that markets are unpredictable. Spreading your investments across 5–7 asset classes. Wealth is built by doing small things right over a long period. If you’re just getting started, pick any one law and apply it this month. Tag someone who’s been trying to fix their finances but doesn’t know where to start. #finances #moneymanagement

If you’re running an asset management company and you let investing slip from being the core of everything you do, and/or worse, you let integrity slip, no committee, brand campaign, or a series of reviews will save you. Over long term, performance becomes apparent. And when it does, you’ll realize you only ever had one job: to invest your unitholders’ capital competently and honestly. Everything else - marketing, sales, operations, etc. is there to support you. You must make their job easier. Competent and straightforward people should come and tell you that you don’t need them. You do, but you get the point. The foundation is trust, and that comes from 2 things: performance and alignment. A fund manager must think and act like a steward, not a salesman. Sales just happen because you are a good steward and a reasonable performer. You have to be the investor’s representative in the company, not someone trading their capital for career points. Investors must trust you. When that’s done right over time, reputation builds, outcomes improve, and the right kind of investors stick with you. Miss that, and over time, the stagnation is inevitable.

🚨 The richest women in the world? Most got their wealth through divorce or inheritance. The richest men? They built companies. And how did they do it? Venture capital. Now, here’s something that should make you stop and think: 💰 2%. That’s the amount of global venture capital funding that goes to women founders. Two. Percent. In 2025. If you think this doesn’t affect you, think again. Venture capital shapes the world we live in. The tech you use, the products you buy, the medicine you rely on—it’s all backed by VC money. And because that funding overwhelmingly goes to men, we are literally building a world for men, by men. Let’s put this into perspective: 📉 When male founders start a company and add a woman as a co-founder, the chances of raising capital dropped by 81.5%—simply because a woman with equal experience and a proven track record, joined the team. 📊 Women-founded companies hire more women, pay women more, and outperform male-founded companies when backed—yet they still receive just a fraction of the funding. And yet, some still claim gender inequality is a thing of the past. This is why the wealth gap persists. This is why we still don’t have a level playing field. It’s not that women don’t want to build. It’s that they aren’t given the capital to do so. If we truly care about innovation, economic growth, and fairness, the answer is clear: We need to actively fund more women. Because until the playing field is even remotely level, we are all losing. #VentureCapital #startups #Funding #vc #investors

20 years ago, analysts predicted that by 2025, women would own the majority of the UK’s wealth. The opposite has happened. Today, women’s share of UK personal wealth has fallen to 45% (per ONS data) - with the average woman holding £78,000 less than the average man. Why? The barriers are depressingly familiar: → A 13% gender pay gap (even wider for mothers). → A pension gap of 48% - with men aged 60-69 holding £150k more on average than women of the same age. → Career breaks, caring responsibilities, and part-time work exclude many women from auto-enrolment into pensions. → Lower levels of investment confidence - 52% of women have never held an investment outside their workplace pension. The story is not about women working less hard or performing less well. Girls still outperform boys at GCSEs. Women are founding businesses in record numbers. But our systems - childcare, pensions, investment, taxation… are still stacked against them. That’s why I’m incredibly proud of the work I do with initiatives like the Invest in Women Taskforce Without systemic change, women will continue to be wealth underachievers relative to their talent, contribution, and potential. We’ve known the problem for decades. And the numbers tell us: optimism alone won’t close the gap, action will.

In 2021, I became the first woman to head a unicorn in Israel, AKA Startup Nation. In many parts of the world, women are excluded from even the most basic financial services, so leading a fintech company is far from their reality. United Nations data estimates that 3.8 billion women live in the world, 50% of which are adults. According to the World Bank’s Global Findex Database, 1.4 billion of those 1.9 billion adult women, are unbanked. That’s 73.65%. Visit that statistic again. It represents a disturbing gender gap in financial access, with women being far less likely than men to have bank accounts or access formal financial services. This financial exclusion has personal impact. It diminishes women’s economic empowerment by restricting access to education and limiting their potential for personal growth and independence. It makes women more financially dependent, and therefore, more vulnerable. There's economic impact, too. Research by McKinsey highlights the economic loss due to financial exclusion of women, noting that closing the gender gap in labor force participation could add trillions to global GDP. Financial inclusion isn’t just a matter of equality – ensuring the same opportunities for all. It’s a matter of equity - ensuring women have the tools and access they need to fully participate in the global economy. That’s where technology enters the picture to level the field. The rise of mobile banking is a great example of innovation enhancing financial inclusion. According to a report by the International Finance Corporation, mobile money accounts are more popular among women in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where access to traditional banking is limited. Various fintechs provide financial literacy resources, helping women understand financial products, budgeting, and saving strategies. Other solutions include AI-driven platforms that offer personalized recommendations and advice, empowering women to make informed financial decisions. Aside from personal apps and solutions, fintechs can facilitate community-based lending and saving initiatives, allowing women to support each other through group savings or microfinance schemes, fostering a sense of solidarity and shared purpose. This International Women’s Day’s theme is "accelerate action". In my mind, nothing accelerates action like innovation. As we mark International Women's Day, let’s advocate and innovate to enhance financial inclusion for women worldwide. #IWD2025 #financialInclusion Papaya Global

Have you ever wondered why some people build wealth while others fall behind even when they work just as hard? Being invested isn’t just for investors. It’s for anyone who wants to take ownership of their future. One theme I keep returning to, both on stage and in my own conversations, is that investing is not reserved for the fearless, but the intentional. Here’s why: Even the most risk-averse among us can’t afford to let their money sit idle. Inflation is not neutral. It erodes purchasing power and over a lifetime, that erosion becomes a barrier to freedom, opportunity and legacy. The key is to approach investing with intention. Whether you’re a founder, a professional or just beginning your wealth-building journey, I find it helpful to use a simple investment lens: 🔹 Life stage: Are you early in your career or approaching retirement? Time horizon shapes strategy. 🔹 Cash flow: What are your income sources and obligations? Liquidity matters more than return when cash is tight. 🔹 Risk appetite: Are you comfortable with volatility? Or do you prefer stability? There’s a spectrum of instruments for every profile. 🔹 Purpose of investment: Are you investing for growth, for income, for children’s education, or for long-term security? Your “why” will influence your “how.” 🔹 Diversification: Never put all your eggs in one basket, across sectors, geographies and asset classes. But this lens only works if it’s built on something deeper: confidence. Most people hesitate to invest not because they lack resources, but because they lack confidence. And confidence builds with education, over time. Fortunately, we have more access than ever before: professional advisors and digital platforms; open-source content, podcasts, and explainer videos as well as communities and conversations that normalize financial learning. We don’t need to have all the answers, but we do need to start asking the right questions. 📹 This snippet is from a panel discussion I had at the Forbes 30/50 Summit on Women, Wealth and What Comes Next. It was a reminder that we all have a stake in the future, and being invested is one way to shape it. #FinancialLiteracy #InvestingWisely #WealthBuilding #FutureThinking #FinancialFreedom #Investment

When it comes to decent income, the odds are stacked against women. Not only do women have lower access to formal credit, property ownership, than men, but research shows that women also have lower levels of financial literacy—a key indicator of financial inclusion. And that’s not just a statistic—it’s a systemic barrier that keeps women financially dependent and limits their ability to build wealth. 💰 Think about this: 1.Women earn only 77 cents for every $1 a man earns globally. 2.Women-owned businesses receive only 2% of venture capital funding. 3.Women are 80% more likely than men to face poverty in retirement. This isn’t because women are less capable. It’s because financial systems weren’t designed with women in mind. Why does financial independence matter? Because money isn’t just about numbers—it’s about choices, security, and freedom. 📍 A woman with financial independence can leave a toxic relationship without fear of survival. 📍 She can walk away from an unfair job because she has a safety net. 📍 She can invest in her dreams, her children’s future, and her own well-being. Yet, many women are still raised to "save money" but not to grow it. To "budget" but not to invest. To "depend" rather than own. 🚀 It’s time to change this. ✔️ Teach young girls about money, investments, and wealth-building. ✔️ Encourage women to take charge of their own financial decisions. ✔️ Support policies that ensure equal pay and access to financial resources. 💡 Financial independence isn’t just an economic issue—it’s a human rights issue. This International Women’s Day, let’s move beyond words and take action. 💜 Encourage. Educate. Empower. LinkedIn LinkedIn News India LinkedIn Guide to Creating #InternationalWomensDay #FinancialFreedom #FinancialLiteracy

I recently read an interesting McKinsey & Company report that predicts women will control up to 45% of all retail financial assets in the EU and US by 2030. That’s trillions in capital. Trillions in influence. And yet? The wealth management industry hasn’t kept pace. According to the research, many wealth managers are still defaulting to male clients—without truly tailoring their services to meet women’s financial needs. And I was curious about the reasons behind this: ▪️Only 1 in 5 wealth advisors in Europe is a woman. ▪️Most wealth management teams still assume men are the primary decision-makers. ▪️And there’s not enough outreach to younger women – even though they’re the ones driving the shift. This isn’t only gender bias—it’s bad business. If women are set to control nearly half of the world’s wealth, they will be increasingly willing to walk away from advisors who don’t take the time to understand them. The next generation of investors will look totally different to the investors of today. So, wealth management companies have a choice: build systems that reflect that change, or stick with a model that will soon be a thing of the past. Adapt? Or lose relevance? As a CEO, to me the answer is clear. (I’ve attached the report for those interested in the full stats and insights.)

💡 Bridging the Gender ISA Gap Last week, I attended the AJ Bell Money Matters breakfast at the UK House of Lords, discussing the gender ISA gap and its impact on women’s financial futures. A huge thank you to Baroness Helena Morrissey for the kind invitation—it was wonderful to see you again after interviewing you for Vestpod many years ago! 📊 The reality: Men hold nearly 500,000 more stocks and shares ISAs than women. On average, men’s ISAs are worth £3,000 more, adding up to a £6.6bn gap (HMRC). 👉 What is an ISA? An Individual Savings Account (ISA) is a tax-efficient way to save or invest in the UK. There are different types, including Cash ISAs (savings accounts) and Stocks & Shares ISAs (investment accounts). ISAs help people grow their wealth without paying tax on interest or investment gains. At Vestpod, we see similar patterns: ✅ Women are great investors—tend to be disciplined, long-term investors, trading less frequently, taking measured risks and researching more—leading to steadier growth and often better returns over time. ⚖️ But they tend to be more risk aware (not adverse!), keeping more money in cash rather than investing. 💡 Women often invest to reach life milestones or after an external trigger (e.g., lump sum payment, low interest rates, word of mouth). So, what’s holding women back? 🔹 Lack of knowledge—or rather, the perceived lack of knowledge (lack confidence, not capability) 🔹 Beliefs & Fear: Worrying about making the wrong decision or losing money, and the misconception that investing is only for those with significant wealth. 🔹 Choice paralysis (understandable, given the overwhelming number of options!) 🚀 What can we do? Focus on education—clear, jargon-free guidance Encourage starting small with diversified portfolios Leverage existing platforms to make investing more accessible Build confidence through communities & peer learning We need systemic change and individual action to close this gap. What do you think would make the biggest difference? Let me know! It was great to connect (and reconnect!) with the amazing personal finance community—I won’t name you all here, but you know who you are! Thank you to the AJ Bell team Jenny Putley Laura Suter Danni Hewson Emma Keywood. #InvestingForWomen #FinancialEquality #GenderWealthGap #MoneyMatters #IWD2025

In honor of Women's History Month, I want to share some data points from the chapter, "Listen to Women", in "The Soul of Wealth." The long and short of it: Women are the ultimate behavioral investors, but no one (not even most women), believes it. The data shows that: - Women generate higher investment returns than men at both the retail and professional level. - Women trade less, take a more measured approach, and are more likely to stick to long-term plans. - During bear markets, women outperform men by 1.3 percentage points, according to Openfolio Yet, despite their superior track record: - Only 18% of CFA charterholders are women - 82% of married men report handling big investment decisions alone - 40% of female investors say advisors ignore their input Even women underestimate themselves. - Only 9% of women think they’re better investors than men—despite the overwhelming data proving otherwise - Women are twice as likely as men to describe themselves as “financially insecure” regardless of actual income Meanwhile, firms with more women in leadership outperform their peers: - Gender-diverse teams make better M&A decisions with lower failure rates - Companies with higher female representation see stronger financial performance over time Let's start to tell a new story about women and money that's based in fact and not old, biased thinking.