Financial Resilience
On March 5, 2025, we celebrated International Women’s Day with an insightful seminar focused on financial resilience presented by Joanne Spears of Newport Capital Group, Wipro’s 401k plan provider and financial partner. The event began with a fun network session titled “Joyful connections” designed to foster meaningful interactions among co-workers through a fun and engaging icebreaker. Participants received name tags with a special "dot" attached. Each attendee was encouraged to think of an activity that brings them true joy, such as arts and crafts, hosting parties, traveling, playing pickleball, enjoying Broadway shows, listening to music, baking, gardening, golfing, binge-watching movies, or even working. They then wrote the first letter of their joyful activity on the dot on their nametag.
During the networking session, participants boldly connected with co-workers they didn't know. After introductions, they guessed what each other's dot letter stood for and shared why that activity brought them joy. This simple yet effective icebreaker helped break down barriers and sparked lively conversations.
Following the network activity, Joanne, delivered a presentation aimed at empowering women (and men too) with the knowledge and tools needed to achieve financial independence.
Key Highlights:
Understanding Financial Independence: A thought-provoking discussion on what financial independence means to different individuals. This segment encouraged attendees to reflect on their personal financial goals and aspirations.
Perceptions of Financial Independence: Insights from a Bank of America study titled “Women, money, confidence, A lifelong relationship” were shared, highlighting how women perceive financial independence and the unique challenges they face.
Roadmap Towards Financial Independence: A detailed roadmap was presented, outlining the steps women can take to achieve financial independence. This included setting clear financial goals, creating a budget, and investing wisely.
Career Journey and Financial Priorities: The presentation emphasized how financial priorities change over one’s career journey. It provided strategies for addressing financial challenges at different career stages, from getting started to late-stage career and spending phase.
Tools & Strategies for Financial Hot Topics: Practical tools and strategies were discussed to address common financial concerns such as making ends meet monthly, weathering unexpected expenses, and becoming debt-free.
Saving for Retirement: A crucial segment on retirement planning, addressing the question, “Am I saving enough?” Attendees were guided on how to assess their retirement savings and make necessary adjustments.
Additional Financial Tips: The presentation concluded with additional thoughts on the importance of saving early, diversifying investments, understanding risk profiles, and utilizing available resources.
Following the session, Wipro presented Joanne with a gift and participants enjoyed snacks in the cafe area. For those who missed the session, Newport’s presentation is available here.
Big shout out to Aimee Chan for snapping some dazzling photos that truly captured the event's magic!