Lessons Learned From The World's Most Successful Women
- Angela Chan
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
I was honored to speak at Female Invest ‘s U.S. launch, celebrating their expansion and sharing key lessons from successful women. I've had the privilege of interviewing and working with CEOs, founders, and industry leaders in fashion, tech, media, and more.
Success varies for everyone, but five powerful lessons resonate consistently.
1. CLAIM YOUR CONFIDENCE
Confidence isn't about waiting for permission or external validation—it's about taking action. LydiaFenet's book, Claim Your Confidence, captures this: True confidence comes from embracing your authentic self. It's not about knowing everything but trusting yourself to learn and adapt. This applies to investing—start early, as you can never perfectly time the market. The same goes for opportunities in life; jump in and don't look back.
2. DON'T LEAVE MONEY BEHIND
Money brings power and freedom, and financial literacy is essential. In my hiring experience, most women don't negotiate, while men typically do. Know your worth and negotiate. If your salary isn't what you want, consider asking for more vacation days or an earlier performance review. If you don't ask, you won't receive. And start investing—it's never too early or too late. You don't need millions to begin. Instead of buying more "stuff" for my kids, I give them stocks for birthdays and holidays—a gift that grows!
3. FOLLOW YOUR PASSION
In college, I faced a tough choice: stay in Boston to be an accountant or pursue my dream in fashion in NYC. My professor advised, "Unless you want to count bottle caps forever, chase your dream." So, I took the leap—juggled three jobs, lived on frozen corn and rice, and never looked back. Passion fuels resilience.
Take Matilda Djerf and Rasmus Johansson, who built a $35M e-commerce brand in four years without a business degree. Their success was based on passion, long-term vision, and smart scaling.
4. YOU ARE ENOUGH
I grew up seeing TV commercials that glorified women "doing it all"—working full-time, taking care of the house, looking flawless. That's a lie.
Success isn't doing everything but prioritizing what matters. Sarah Harden, CEO of Hello Sunshine reminds us that perfect balance doesn't exist. Instead, embrace grace, say no guilt-free, and set boundaries. Perfection is a myth; progress is what counts.
5. YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR NET WORTH
Successful women build meaningful relationships. Surround yourself with supportive people. Quality outweighs quantity. Give before asking—offer help, share insights, and invest in others. A strong network creates more opportunities.
✨ Final Thought: Life will throw surprises your way. Embrace them. I never set out to be a writer, but sharing these stories has led to some of the most rewarding connections of my career.
Thanks, Female Invest, Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen Camilla Cloëtta Falkenberg for empowering women through financial confidence. Let's keep supporting each other!
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