Financial Empowerment Archives

Financial Empowerment

Guest commentary: Financial considerations for women facing separation or divorce: Empowering women to make informed decisions about their financial futures

By Brittany Heard, guest contributor Having walked alongside several women as they went through separation or divorce, I have seen firsthand how overwhelming, emotional and isolating this transition can be. For many women, divorce brings not only grief and uncertainty, but also the sudden responsibility of managing financial decisions that Read more…

By Macey Shofroth, 1 week1 week ago

Financial Empowerment

No resolutions — let’s talk about money: three tips to get started in 2026

By Ashlee Vieregger, JD, CFP®, CTFA, AEP®, TPCP®, Senior Lead Advisor & Shareholder, Foster Group It’s early January and I’m already bored with the same old New Year’s resolutions, often some combination of eat better, exercise more, purge clutter or try a new hobby. Been there, done that and honestly, Read more…

By Macey Shofroth, 1 month1 month ago

Child Care

Survey on gender equity in Iowa: DEI, health care, child care, wages identified as top issues

Compiled by Macey Shofroth and Emily Barske Wood Nearly 500 people, a record number, shared with us their thoughts about the status of gender equity in Iowa. The Business Record has published its annual survey on women’s and gender issues as part of our Fearless initiative for the last several Read more…

By Macey Shofroth, 10 months10 months ago

Financial Empowerment

Essay: My journey to financial freedom and career independence

By Mollie Giller Sometimes you learn about compounding interest in the hardest of ways. Despite having a pretty good understanding of my personal finances and how to manage them (or so I thought), at the end of 2019 I found myself underwater in credit card debt, feeling like Sisyphus every Read more…

By Macey Shofroth, 10 months10 months ago

Financial Empowerment

Guest Column: Taking charge of your financial future: Budgeting tips for women to empower your life

By Heather Kriener As the financial literacy director for the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services, I’m proud to lead initiatives like the SmartHer Money program, which empowers Iowa women to make informed and confident financial decisions. My passion for financial literacy stems from my early career work with Read more…

By Macey Shofroth, 11 months12 months ago

Financial Empowerment

Guest opinion: Iowa employers should show the wage on job postings to boost applicant pool

By Rachel Manuel Bruns Are you looking for a simple and no-cost solution to increase both the quantity and quality of applications you receive for job openings at your organization? With Iowa’s unemployment rate at 3.1% and more than 50,000 job openings, employers need to leverage every tool available to improve their applicant Read more…

By Macey Shofroth, 1 year1 year ago

Financial Empowerment

Fewer women than men report feeling financially included, according to Principal research

Women and men still diverge in how they feel about financial matters. It’s a common finding in surveys and research, including by Des Moines-based Principal Financial Group. The company tracks many trends in consumer sentiment in service of its array of insurance, investment and other products. A segment of data Read more…

By Nicole Grundmeier, 1 year1 year ago

Financial Empowerment

Guest column: Women and investing: Changing the conversation around money and owning your financial future

SUBMITTED BY LISA GREFE When it comes to money stereotypes, women often find themselves on the receiving end of remarks like “women aren’t good with money” or “they don’t understand investing.” Such stereotypes stand in the way of financial empowerment for women. As a woman in the financial industry, I Read more…

By Nicole Grundmeier, 2 years2 years ago

Confidence

Fearless panel on financial empowerment: It’s not just the wage gap keeping women from security

Kara Hoogensen told her co-panelists an uncomfortable statistic. “The fact is, there’s five panelists here on this event today. Odds are, at least one of us is going to go through a period of time during our career where we’re unable to work for a lengthy period of time. And Read more…

By Nicole Grundmeier, 2 years2 years ago

Child Care

How can Iowa work toward gender equity in 2024 and beyond? Fearless audience shares thoughts

Compiled by Emily Barske Wood One name came up a number of times in responses to this year’s Business Record survey on gender equity in Iowa: Caitlin Clark. Several respondents noted the University of Iowa basketball star’s achievements among the biggest advancements for women in the last year. It’s not Read more…

By Emily Barske Wood, 2 years2 years ago