Happy International Women’s Day!
We want to take this opportunity to celebrate all of the female traders here on eToro, whose numbers are growing each year. We would especially like to honour these female Popular Investors who are not only successful themselves, but also strive to help others to invest. They are an inspiration to us and, no doubt, to women everywhere. We asked them what being an investor means to them, and what message they would like to relay to other women. Here’s what they had to say.
“Being an investor means taking active responsibility for my future.”
— Sharon Connolly, Popular Investor
Sharon Connolly (@sharonconnolly) had no previous experience with financial investments before joining eToro. “Just start” is her advice to other women who want to begin investing. “Start and slowly learn as you go.” Before Sharon signed up to the platform, however, she did have some reservations. “I kept reading reviews and checking legislation, and felt comforted when I saw that eToro was regulated.” She joined eToro in 2013 and has been consistently investing in companies that she is already familiar with as a consumer. “I have an iPhone and an Apple watch, I listen to music on Spotify, and watch movies on Netflix. If you invest in what you know about, it’s easier to spot and read news articles,” Sharon explains.
“Being an investor means I am in control of my destiny.”
— Lena Birse, Popular Investor
Today, Lena Birse (@onegirl) has other traders on the platform copying her even though she has no formal investment training. “I am completely self-taught,” Lena confirms. She joined eToro after seeing the platform featured on a BBC documentary and found the idea of social trading fascinating. As a successful Popular Investor, Lena greatly enjoys sharing the skills and knowledge she has amassed with others, and tells women, “If you’re used to managing a budget at home, you can just as easily manage a portfolio.” She points out that, on eToro, the point of entry is low, allowing first-time investors to get started with a relatively small amount of money. “In the past, if you wanted a portfolio of stocks like mine, you would need an account worth millions.”
“For me, being an investor is an opportunity to increase my capital. I want people to see that investing is the key to a successful future.”
— Tat’yana Agureyeva, Popular Investor
Even with a Master’s degree in Economics, Tat’yana Agureyeva (@lorderonia) well understands why women might hesitate when considering investing. “Any person has a fear of losing their own capital,” she affirms, “but those who do not take risks cannot profit. The only way to combat the fear is to start investing.” There is, however, a distinct advantage for those investing for the first time, to do so on eToro. “Social trading helps people who are not versed in the market to gradually delve into the features of trading and get help from successful traders,” says Tat’yana. “When trading with other brokers, you are one on one with the market. With eToro, we are a whole team of traders.”