Money Matters 2024 - Introduction by Emilie Bellet

On March 3rd, 2024, Vestpod's Money Matters festival took centre stage at the iconic KOKO in Camden, London. Emilie Bellet, the Founder of Vestpod, set the tone for the event by sharing Vestpod’s mission: empowering women to own their financial future. We want to bring women together to think about creating wealth and the positive ripple effects it can have on everyone around us.

Hello everyone, my dear Vestpod community,

Welcome to KOKO for the second edition of our Money Matters Festival. I'm Emilie Bellet, the founder of Vestpod and a huge supporter of women's financial empowerment. 

It's truly an honour to be up here on this amazing stage with all of you.

Money Matters: Taking charge of your financial future 

That's the big mission behind this festival and everything we do at Vestpod—bringing women together to think about creating wealth and the positive ripple effects it can have on everyone around us.

So, what happens when women have money?

It goes beyond personal security and opens up a world of choices, freedom, and opportunities. 

Money not only boosts confidence but also sets off a chain reaction benefiting entire communities. 

Women often leverage their wealth to drive positive changes in various sectors like education, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and community development.

This week, Dr. Ruth Gottesman made headlines by donating $1 billion that she inherited to make tuition free for all students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York City. That's the kind of impact women can have with their financial power.

We're all gathered here at the festival because we share the same values and dreams: putting more money in the hands of women to empower them economically.

It seems straightforward.

But the real question is: how do we turn this into reality? 

How can we tackle pay gaps, overcome financial hurdles while juggling caregiving responsibilities, and plan for a future that’s unpredictable? 

“To me, empowerment starts with creating safe spaces to openly discuss money in our own words and cultural contexts and connect with others on similar journeys. We can break barriers and build bridges for a more inclusive future. This moment and space are ours to escape, explore, share, and listen.”

It’s essential we think about: 

  • Building an economy that supports women

  • Carving out our unique journeys to go after our aspirations and challenging societal expectations

  • Making wise investment choices for financial freedom

  • Redefining wealth based on our individual values.

That's why today, we're excited to guide you on a journey—from exploring the global economy to hands-on strategies, individual journeys, and personal narratives.

 

Panel #1: How do we make the economy better for women? Credit: KOKO

 

We'll dive into our choices, challenge the status quo, and explore new ways to reshape our money mindset. 

We asked our 17 incredible speakers to consider these topics, so let’s discuss, debate, and, hopefully, find the answers we need.

For me, empowerment starts with creating safe spaces to openly discuss money in our own words and cultural contexts and connect with others on similar journeys. We can break barriers and build bridges for a more inclusive future.  This moment and space are ours to escape, explore, share, and listen.

Together, we can achieve financial independence and empower women economically through the small steps we take today.

Building on our tradition from last year, I would love to invite you to set an intention for your day, week, or even your life overall. Take a moment when you have the chance to do so. After setting your intention, please share it with at least one person in the room. I will do the same. An intention reflects a purpose and should be based on your personal values. We’ll revisit this at the end of the day.

Thank you!

Here's a little overview of what's on for the day:

  • The full program for the day is available on the screens or by scanning the QR code. You can look forward to listening to some amazing talks and panels on the main stage.

  • After the talks, authors will be available to sign copies of their books at Phlox.

  • We may have a few more spots available for those who have booked a session with EQ Investors. You can find them in the KOKO lounge if you need more information. 

  • We have a few scheduled breaks, and lunch by Ottolenghi will be served at 1:45 PM!

  • Lastly, be sure to take some time to meet our sponsors: JPMC, PensionBee, and the Financial Times!

We're also thrilled to have Channel 4 join us today—it was a great last-minute surprise! They're here filming for a feature about the upcoming budget (and us, hopefully Paul!) that will go live tonight, so if you're interested, feel free to go and chat with them!

Without further ado, it's now time for our first discussion: The Big Picture Shaping A Gender Inclusive Economy with Cressida Myers, Dianne Greyson, Vivi Friedgut, moderated by Soumaya Keynes.

Thank you and enjoy the day!

Delicious food by Ottolenghi. Credit: KOKO

Keynote interview with Candice Brathwaite and Emilie Bellet. Credit: KOKO

Catchup on Money Matters 2024:

Cherise singing at Money Matters. Credit: KOKO

Our media partner The Financial Times. Credit: KOKO

Thank you to our partners:

At JPMorgan Chase, we believe that we have a responsibility to harness our business and policy expertise, research, data, talent and global presence to help create greater economic opportunity for more people.

PensionBee is incredibly passionate about helping women to save for retirement and eradicating the gender pension gap once and for all.

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy.

KOKO is an iconic London venue featuring live music, electronic nights, art exhibitions and a dynamic cultural calendar of events within its private members club The House of KOKO.

EQ Investors (EQ) is a B Corp wealth manager with an emphasis on providing high quality financial advice.

Live Nation Women is a division of Live Nation with a mission to power progress for women.

L’OCCITANE is a real romance novel; a simple story of being in love with nature and Provence, where some of the very best ingredients in the world can be found.

TOM FORD BEAUTY is a covetable collection of cosmetics, skincare, and fragrances, shaped with Tom Ford’s distinct vision of modern glamour and crafted with quality and luxury.

ArticlesVestpodMoney Stories, Money Psychology, festival, Money MattersComment