About

Women’s Investment and Social Exchange is the brainchild of Kathy Cook Noble. Initially, Kathy asked a group of friends to meet in her home to share stock tips and trading suggestions. The idea was that each woman would research a stock and present it to the group explaining why she believed her choice was a solid investment option.

The women gathered in Kathy’s living room with hors d’oeuvres and glasses of wine. Kathy was ready to present her stock of choice. She was excited to hear about the stocks her friends were going to share with the group. When the discussion began, instead of presenting stocks the women began peppering Kathy with questions like “What is a stock?”; “How do investments work?”; “Is investing risky?”. At that moment, Kathy realized her club had taken a different track. The evening became less a sharing of stock tips and more a financial Q & A.

That is when the concept of W.I.S.E. was born. Kathy came to learn that most of her female friends and acquaintances left the finances to their husbands and partners. Some of the women had no idea how much money they had in savings. They did not know if the money was invested at a bank or in mutual funds or stocks.

“…women tend to live longer than men. That means that, at some point, most women are going to be forced to look after their own finances, whether they like it or not….For women, once they become the one who has to look after their finances, either because of divorce or death or whatever the case is, you have to know your money stuff.” – from All Ladies Should Use the F-Word: A Guide to Loving Your Finances by Kathy Cook Noble

From the belief, women should understand and take control of their finances and financial futures, W.IS.E.: Women’s Investment and Social Exchange has become a reality.