Understanding What Core Values are and Why Core Values are Important for Women in Investing

Today I turn 40, which has me thinking about what it really means to be a female investor. That’s why I want to talk about how to define your core values as a female investor.

Knowing what you value will be instrumental in making sure you are getting the most out of your investment. It will also help you become an investor who businesses want to turn to because they know that you care about more than just a good return.

What are Core Values?

Let’s start by defining what I’m talking about when I say, “core value.” This is one of those buzzwords we hear a lot in business. If you’ve ever worked for a large company, you’ve probably had to go through some sort of training where an HR rep or the CEO talked to you about what the company’s core values are and how you should act to make sure you are following them.

But what does “core values” really mean?

Put simply, a core value is defined as a guiding principle or fundamental belief that you have as an individual. In business, core values are the guiding principles that a company follows when dealing with suppliers, clients, the public, and its internal staff.

For private business investors, core values act as a sort of moral compass. They will help you make sure you are making investment decisions that align with your fundamental beliefs and will keep you from getting off track when something comes along that just doesn’t “feel right.” Most importantly, core values will help you determine what really matters to you when it comes to investing in a business and can help you make good decisions about where you want to put your money.

Defining Core Values for Female Investors

You may already have some ideas in mind of what your core values are. Today, I want to share with you my list of core values. You can use them for inspiration or as a jumping-off point for defining core values for yourself as an investor.

I want you to be successful, and I believe that I have been successful largely because I have followed the following core values. I encourage you to follow the same core values to find success as a female investor.

Core Value #1: Integrity

Operating with integrity is one of the most important aspects of being a female investor. Why do I talk about this first? I want to emphasize integrity because when you’re dealing with someone’s livelihood, in the form of their business, you need to hold that as more valuable than money!

I hear so many people say, “it’s just business.” NO, it’s not just business. When you are a private investor in a company, your investment is very personal. As an investor, you have a great responsibility of investing in a company to improve lives—the lives of the founders and the founding team, the lives of the employees, and the lives of the customers and clients they serve.

When you hold the responsibility of improving all of these lives through your investment, you need to make decisions that aren’t just valuable to yourself. They need to also add value to everyone who will be impacted. Don’t agree with shady deals that will only benefit a few people while hurting others, and steer clear of founders and businesses that don’t operate with integrity.

Core Value #2: Meeting Challenges with Optimism

I’m not going to lie to you. As amazing as it is to watch businesses (and your wealth) grow as a female investor, it isn’t all a field of roses. You are going to face difficulties as an investor. Sometimes, you may find yourself torn between taking two paths, and you’ll need to figure out the best solution.

When I’m faced with a challenge, I choose to be optimistic instead of only thinking about doom and gloom. During challenging times, it’s important to remember that how you meet the challenges is more important than the end result. Commit now to meet challenges with optimism, knowing that, even if things don’t go as planned, the way that you approach a difficult situation will impact the future. How will you press for a better tomorrow?

Core Value #3: Contribute with Heart and Mind

As an investor, it’s important to take a logical, systematic approach to every investment-related decision. But don’t make the mistake of letting your brain run the show while your heart sits there doing nothing. This is especially true when you have investment partners.

I always strive to find a way to add value to my investment partners by contributing with my heart as well as my mind. So many times, I see investors who don’t build their partners up, which has long-term implications. If you’re so focused on strategy that you miss opportunities to build your partner up, you will end up destroying relationships that could have helped you as a person and as an investor. In the long-run, investors who regularly tear their partners down hurt the companies they invest in.

Core Value #4: Become Someone Who Creates Value

I try to live this final core value every single day as a person, business owner, and investor. When you strive to create value in everything you do, you become invaluable to the people around you. As an investor, you will generate greater returns for your shareholders when you are always focused on making decisions that add value. You will also benefit people and society.

Creating value at every opportunity should be a guiding principle for your priorities, decisions, and actions. If you only take one thing away from this blog post, I want it to be this core value. When you live your life to add value, you are going to see that you get returns you could have never conjured in your wildest dreams.

What are Your Core Values?

I have shared my core values with you because I believe they are essential for any woman investor to follow. Now I want to know, what are your core values? Do you have anything to add to my list? If you’re a successful female investor who lives by her core values, I want to talk to you! Click the button below to apply to be a guest on my podcast so you can enlighten my listeners and share your story.

I hope that you carry these four core values with you as you become a successful female investor. When you implement them into your life, you are going to see your wealth explode in ways you could never have imagined.