Speaker Deborah Owens tells “Seven Wealthy Habits of Successful Women”
Financial speaker Deborah Owens gave a talk to Gettysburg Students on Wednesday about how to become financially secure and independent. Photo Credit: yourgirlcheryl.net
By Kayla Britt, Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Dec. 20, students gathered in CUB 260 to hear Ms. Deborah Owens speak about how to become financially secure and independent, geared particularly towards women. Smart Women Securities and the Eisenhower Institute co-sponsored Deborah Owens’ dynamic talk entitled “Seven Wealthy Habits of Successful Women.”
Owens, a native of Detroit, Michigan, started her career in retail. She later switched careers and worked as a secretary for a real estate office. Her superiors noted her potential and offered her the opportunity to take the broker’s license exam. She then simultaneously worked and studied for the exam, and passed on the first attempt. Owens is now an entrepreneur, radio show host, and speaker.
Owens began her talk by clarifying that this would not be a one-sided lecture, but an interactive dialogue between her and the audience. This established a more relaxed, comfortable atmosphere which encouraged the audience to offer feedback and ask questions.
She first spoke about her own background, career choices and changes. She noted that it is important to sometimes “get a foot in the door.” Wealth is most often referred to in its financial sense, but Owens discussed wealth in another context. “Wealth is created by adding value to others,” she emphasized.
She told the story of her mother, who married young and later divorced her father. After her mother divorced, she had to learn how to manage financially. Unfortunately a lack of confidence in financial know-how is common among young women: only 2 in 10 feel prepared to make financial choices. However, more and more women are becoming the breadwinners in their households, signifying that women are making progress.
Owens appealed to the audience by using clever analogies. In order to explain investment, she compared it to shopping: it is what you do with your money that counts, not necessarily how much you have. It is important to invest wisely- like bargain shopping. She mentioned that it is not enough to earn income, but that you also have to build wealth with the resources you have in order to establish financial security.
She also asserted that becoming successful is a mentality that requires practice and effort. Excellence is not an act, but a habit. Most people choose to do the bare minimum, but being successful requires going above and beyond. To be promoted or to get to the next level takes commitment and dedication. Karina Matlock, a senior who attended the event, said, “I specifically enjoyed the fact that [the speaker] was very realistic in saying that it is important to establish yourself first within any organization/corporation you want to be a part of and do a little more than everyone else to be excellent. It is one habit I exercise but not as often as I should.”
Owens touched on seven different habits, one being the habit of adding value. In doing this, we often find that wealth is more about giving than getting. She also discussed an important habit: leveraging strengths. One way to increase your likelihood of success is by doing something that you love to do and that you excel at.
Owens asked the audience who they thought the two most successful women in the country are. Although Oprah was a solid guess, the identity of the second woman eluded many audience members. She revealed that the top two were indeed Oprah and J.K. Rowling, and that their “gifts” are communications and writing, respectively.
Other habits she talked about were viewing problems as opportunities, systemizing finances, and paying it forward. She highlighted the importance of investing in value. By investing now, you can increase your future financial stability.
Smart Women Securities and the Eisenhower Institute sponsored an informative, engaging event led by an inspiring speaker. She encouraged many students to be proactive and take initiative in securing their financial futures. Matlock said, “I plan to take her advice and use it to my advantage. She was an amazing speaker and I would love for her to attend campus again.”
