Jane Kenyon

Women and the pursuit of wealth are strange bedfellows. Every time I pose the question ‘Who wants to be wealthy’? to a group of women a few hands are tentatively raised not without a look of sheer guilt at the audacity of such an admission. Slowly these brave few seem to give others the permission to join it too and pretty soon the whole group is in agreement. But why the procrastination? Why the initial hesitation? It is as though we need to apologise for having financial ambition.

It would appear that many women have hangs ups about vast amounts of money. We may desire it and the lifestyle it can provide for us and our nearest and dearest but we somehow equate it to greed, unnecessary or in some cases undeserved. We convince ourselves that having just enough to look after our family is OK and expecting anymore is simply not right. But this is just a belief and a pretty limiting one at that!

I believe in the philosophy of wealth contribution; i.e. create wealth and do something with it! After all there are only so many houses you can live in, so many cars you can drive, so many islands you can own. There comes a point when money per se is meaningless and money without passion/purpose or a cause will motivate no-one. Just take a look at some of the wealthiest celebrities in the world and tell me I am wrong???

The UK is a rich country, overflowing with resources and opportunities. Regardless of our current economy we are still up there with the best. Let’s get this in perspective….
Today, around the world 16k people died of curable diseases; over 1 billion people do not have access to fresh water and millions of women were unable to feed their children and it will all happen again tomorrow.

If you have a roof over your head, sleep in a bed, own a fridge, have a bank account and fresh water on tap you are already richer than over 95% of the world population. Sobering eh?
So back to just looking after number one and saying that is OK – is it? Do we have the right to live in a country overflowing with opportunities and do nothing?

Controversial maybe, but I believe it is the entrepreneurs of the world that will change the world, not governments, nor aid charities. Entrepreneurs are driven by a need to make a difference and have the capability to think big and create serious wealth. Just look at what some of the most successful global entrepreneurs on the planet are doing with their money today – Branson has pledged all of the profits from Virgin Airlines and Rail to climate control projects and the search for a better fuel, this equates to £3 billion over the next 10 years. Bill Gates has allocated the lion’s share of his net worth, some £35 billion to his own Foundation to tackle world poverty and aids. Warren Buffet, the big time investor has just given The Gates Foundation $35 billion of his wealth. Oprah supports leadership academies for girls in Africa and is a huge supporter of aids work. These business men and women get it – it being the ideology that wealth needs to flow globally for the benefit of ALL and we need more of it!

This country needs more Anita Roddicks – an amazing social entrepreneur who made millions and directed millions to global causes that drove her passion and made her life a legacy.

I know you are out there and my message to women is think big, create some sustainable wealth beyond you and your immediate needs and make a difference to the world you live in. Find your passion, your cause and let this be your driver, then creating wealth has a purpose and you no longer have to apologise for it!

If this does not motivate you beyond the Mulberry handbags then nothing will!