Laverty, Caren: - "I was born in a small blue-collar town about an hour southeast of Cleveland. Not only was I the only girl out of four children, but my Mother passed away when I was 13 years old so I was the only girl in my family, period. My Dad was left to raise the four of us alone. He came from a hard working, family oriented, country loving, and of course, male dominated family. There were five boys and one girl in my Dad's family and all the men were very successful businessmen. It was intimidating! True to my family, I majored in business at Miami University! I married my husband, Bill, who was also a business major, and we had two children, Charlene (named after my Mom) and Joseph. After staying home with them when they were young, I decided to work part time as a trader on the phones for Fidelity Investments. I loved it! It was so energizing to work with clients and be a part of their financial decisions. When my children were older, I worked full time meeting clients face to face in the branch office. Naturally, I was one of the few women in the office. Here I was again surrounded by men again! During my thirteen years at Fidelity, I worked in a variety of roles, including trading (stocks, mutual funds, and options), stock plan services, new hire training, as an Investment Representative, and an Account Executive, among others. This experience really helped me become well rounded and able to assist clients in various financial situations. I earned countless awards including Fidelity's highest award, President's Circle. It was a fantastic experience! However, the absence of women always bothered me. Most of the time if a woman came to a financial appointment, they were silent. They seemed intimidated and uninterested in something they will depend on their entire life! As a woman, I've had to fight for a voice among men in my family and career. I feel passionate about helping women find their financial confidence and voice - and I hope that this book has helped you find some of yours!"