During Women’s History Month, Knox Grove Financial is honored to spotlight remarkable local women who are not only shaping our economy and institutions but helping define the future of our community. These women, with whom we have the pleasure of working, are entrepreneurs, authors, attorneys, educators, and visionaries. Some have built businesses from the ground up. Others lead organizations, guide clients through complex decisions, or help shape the next generation.
Each of them is building something meaningful and in this series, they’re sharing a bit of their insight in their own words.
To launch this series, we’re honored to feature Nancy B. Kennedy, a journalist and author whose words have informed, inspired, and sparked meaningful conversations across our community. With a career spanning journalism, digital media, and nonfiction books focused on women’s history, Nancy’s work reflects both adaptability and purpose.
Defining my Path: I discovered my passion for writing as a college freshman and went on to build a long career in newspapers and magazines, including working for Dow Jones, publisher of the Wall Street Journal. Each chapter of my career has required flexibility and a willingness to embrace change. I left Dow Jones to start a freelance writing career and over the next 15 years, I wrote for many publications, including the online Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. In yet another pivot, when parenting made it difficult to meet tight deadlines, I began writing books. I am the author of eight nonfiction books, the most recent being Women Win the Vote! 19 for the 19th Amendment (Norton Young Readers). I continue to write and speak about the woman suffrage fight. Visit my website at www.nancybkennedy.com.
What’s one risk you took that paid off?
While working as an editor for a daily newspaper, I answered an ad seeking journalists for an online database, Dow Jones News/Retrieval, the very earliest electronic news service. I didn't even know what a database was, but it looked like the future to me, and before I was even offered the job (which, fortunately, I was!), I quit my newspaper job.
What’s one thing you wish more women understood about building wealth?
It astounds me how many women are uninterested in knowing how to invest and manage money when our long-term financial well-being depends on it. When I started at Dow Jones, I didn't know the difference between a stock and a bond, but I learned everything I needed to know by reading the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Morningstar and the Motley Fool. Anyone can do that!
A Favorite Inspiring Quote
"We want to know more, do more, be more!" -- suffragist Alice Duer Miller (1874-1942)
Nancy’s story reminds us that growth often requires courage and reinvention. Stay tuned as we introduce more remarkable women from our community in the weeks ahead.
If you’re ready to take charge of your own financial future with clarity and confidence, Knox Grove Financial is here to help. Call us today to start building a plan designed for your goals, your life, and your legacy.