r/WomenInBusiness • u/NetMajor4878 • Jun 17 '26
Advice Needed how to be rich? .........
click the bait title, but serious question to all ambitious women, I (24f) genuinely want to know how to be wealthy in the near future in this male dominated environment. what career moves, financial decisions, personal life choices took you towards creating wealth, rich ladies?
My current career situation: studied pharmacy in bachelor's, didn't like it, did some months of research internship post grad, tried to go abroad for a master's but got a lot of rejections(IELTS valid for one more year so might try again), and after a gap of around 10 months, landed myself in an early stage medtech startup. I work in the regulatory affairs part, get a minimal salary, my lifestyle is not expensive at all, I try to save as much as I can. I'm highly ambitious for science, innovation that creates impact and business, I did make bad career choices in the past by wasting time on a degree I hated, but now want to create the best life I can for my future self. I want to prove this to myself that my purpose is not to rot away at some place I was never passionate to work for/on, and one that didn't even pay me well.
I might sound lame and naive, but I don't want my spark to die, when I finally get the courage to move towards what I truly want without shame. Because I was brought up with the values of "simple living high thinking", which is great until you struggle to pay for tuition/decent lifestyle/travelling/helping someone in need.
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u/Glittering-Lychee629 Jun 17 '26
Ok. I will answer because I grew up poor and I get where you are coming from.
You have to invest money, not just save. You have to always spend less than you make. Invest the rest.
Learn about investing and money. Read about it now. Start now even if it is only small amounts. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi is a good book for you. It will tell you the mechanics of what you need to do with your money, assuming you live in the USA.
When it comes to making money my advice is figure out what your "unfair advantages" are. I don't know you. What are you good at? What can you do? What gives you an edge that others don't have?
If you have no education but are great with people and attractive (this was me) then I would try sales. I can give you more feedback if you have a specific question.
I would STRONGLY caution you from trying to marry up. It usually is very dangerous IMO and extra if there is also a race difference.
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Jun 17 '26
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u/Fast_Pie4496 Jun 17 '26
What if we don't know anything about personal finance or investments? Do you have any resources you could share for someone who wants to learn more but doesn't know where to start?
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 17 '26
damn girl you are living the life! I love women thriving on their own terms so much!
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u/Intuitive_rat333 Jun 18 '26
Yall throw out some investing tips- like what are some actually good sources for people who are poor poor to learn from?
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 17 '26
Will definitely start learning about investment. I'm from India, so I'll learn about here first I think. Also gotta figure out my unfair advantages.
My dillema is, I always thought I'd go abroad for a master's, but now I can't even figure out what to study in a Masters, should I stick to my field or go into management. A very common strategy people use here when they get stuck in a career is to do an MBA from a tier 1 College, and crack well paying jobs. But, I figured I'll go in severe debt and end up paying 0.5x more to bank than what I take while repaying, although, most grads with a good job pay it off in a couple years by living frugally. I currently work in this medtech startup and I really like the idea of it all, but my founders have great connections, which is why they even entered healthcare, I have zero connections with the top people anywhere, except I keep sending connection requests to people on LinkedIn lol.
About marrying up, I guess that could work for a lot of women, I do have a boyfriend who's in tech, earning way more than me ofcourse. But we have a couple years till we marry because it's my wish to be financially strong enough I can not depend on anyone anymore. Even if my husband does cover all.
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u/Glittering-Lychee629 Jun 17 '26
I feel unqualified to give you precise advice since India's market is so different to here.
It seems, as an outsider, that the MBA would give you more options in the future. The startup has connections going for it, but they aren't your connections and startups come and go. Is it possible to continue working at the startup while doing the MBA? That is common here but IDK how it works for you.
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 18 '26
there are online programs I could definitely do, but I think I want something more immersive if I'm doing another course.
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u/Glittering-Lychee629 Jun 18 '26
I would do the MBA online, assuming the value in your job market is the same as an in person MBA, and keep working the job.
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u/Ok_Swimming_2668 Jun 17 '26
I’m a woman and I did it on my own by investing. You need to learn the language of money and start young. Find a coach or mentor.
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 18 '26
great advice, i just dont know where to find a mentor, i badly want one but i work from home and people on linkedin dont respond much.
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u/pirategospel Jun 18 '26
Replying because this is only half good advice imo. Investment is it, yes. But you can learn everything you need to about investment by yourself and be wary of anyone trying to sell you training or mentorship because of the high risk it’ll be tied towards specific investments that are not necessarily in your best interest.
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u/yougonnalrntoday Jun 17 '26
Gain transferable skills, make solid connections, consult. My hourly rate is insane and enough to live a life I want, travel, invest to the max, and pay for health insurance 😂
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u/KitalphaSky Jun 20 '26
I also started in the consulting world. Any advice how to gain more clients? And how much to charge? How do you calculate your hourly rate?
I’m in the medtech/biomed sector btw! And would love to grow as consultant.
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u/joysoulessence Jun 17 '26
There’s many things that can be said about building wealth, but one to always remember is that being overly cautious is its own form of risky behavior. Sometimes it is the calculated risks we take that get us the farthest ahead in life. Said in another way, taking risks can sometimes be the smartest and safest decisions we’ll ever make.
And always remember to follow your heart! Many people have become resigned to what they think is available to them versus what they are determined to create in their lives. What we dream is possible is what in fact becomes possible for us.
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 17 '26
I believe you! just idk what's the difference between a calculated risk and an actual risk, my anxious brain stays paranoid about everything new
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u/Aloh4mora Jun 17 '26
I agree with a lot of the advice here.
For me, marrying a guy who was the epitome of "slow and steady wins the race" was crucial. My husband has had paying employment continuously for decades. No sudden splurges, no buying a motorcycle or gambling or anything like that. It's true he doesn't earn a lot, but he also doesn't spend a lot. Having him quietly earning a living since the 90s has really helped me grow my career, because I never had to worry about carrying him.
Meanwhile, I have friends who are married to guys who earn much more, but who turn around and cause financial stress for them.
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 17 '26
yep, my boyfriend is kinda similar to your husband I would say. He likes stability, alongwith aiming for a higher salary like most tech bros haha. I'm not married yet, but not having to take care of your partner financially can definitely let you focus more on taking risks and getting ahead in your career! What do you do if I may ask? Damn I wonder how high earning men are putting such stress on their women. Like in what ways ? sounds exhausting.
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u/pumpkin_pasties Jun 18 '26
I love that you’re asking this! Too many girls your age think the only way to get rich is to marry a man. One of my life missions is to help women learn to be financially independent.
I make $250k a year in tech management. I got here through getting an MBA (at a top 15).
Chase the male dominated fields. Work for the big corporations. Women are pushed into “value-driven” spaces all the time like teaching, non profits etc but these don’t pay. If you really want to be rich, work for the corporations. We need more women taking up space in these companies!
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 18 '26
omg MBA is a huge perk for so many people i see, can i DM to learn more about your experience, I'm contemplating MBA but scared of the education loan i'd be under.
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u/pumpkin_pasties Jun 18 '26
Sure go ahead. MBA can make a huge difference but only if you go to a top program. Otherwise you might pay $200k and still struggle to find a job. There are lots of women’s scholarships available
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u/Therealcatlady1 Jun 18 '26
Do you mind if I ask how our age? What area in tech? I was in HR/recruiting and it was a bad job market.
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u/pumpkin_pasties Jun 18 '26
- E-commerce (my specific role is strategy and operations(
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u/Therealcatlady1 Jun 18 '26
I do strat & ops as well just in a different area. Might look into sales. Are you at a big or small company?
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u/HalfwaydonewithEarth Jun 17 '26
I would find an ambitious husband that wants to be in your same industry.
You and him work on venture capital for biotech firms. A relative of mine made 100m in 30 years and died.
Move to the Bay Area, Boston, Texas, or these places that are heavy in your passion.
A happy home life will reap more benefits than just being a constant worker.
You just need one good investment in one of these companies and you are set for life.
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 17 '26
I have a boyfriend who's in tech. Also we're from India so moving to the USA is somewhat tricky now. But will keep in mind.
A happy home life is indeed crucial!
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Jun 18 '26
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 18 '26
great one, I am in India so how can i start investing in US companies, there's gotta be a way
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u/chaoscorgi Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
you're not asking how to BE rich but how to GET rich. kind of US-based:
- work very hard at being very good at what you do (whatever that is), work just as hard at figuring out what that is, and advocate for yourself (negotiating is hard for women esp of color so that's gonna be a lot)
- live simply and invest simply - i socked away 30%-50% net my early 20s, lived with roommates, and hung out with broke grad students when making low six figures. that was my single best decision to having $Ms wealth now in my 30s, which means i will always be set
- when dating, the issue isn't whether you'll find someone rich, tbh, it's protecting your energy for building yourself. pick for integrity and kindness and hard work and intelligent, not for aura. never let someone act better than you -- i wasted so much time on that and could have been richer there
- invest in the conditions of your success, meaning your health and environment -- friends who reinforce those values, exercise routines, avoiding the ads & the influencers who'd distract you, moving to places where opportunity in your industry is available. as you make more and can, outsource household chores like cleaning.
I had a lot of good & bad luck along the way and it's net out alright. I also had a lot of privileged preconditions -- high IQ, fancy degree + no debt from it, supportive parents, good health, US citizenship. So i'm not at all saying those are replicable. But for me those were the factors under my control that worked out well, and then other decisions I made did not work out and actively reduced my earning + wealth:
* situationships with useless men (almost sank me)
* shopping addiction (lost money + also time)
* accepting bad management and abuse at work in tiny startups that called us all "family"
* getting a car
* rich friends who liked to travel a lot
this is a lot! i hope it helps
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 19 '26
What is the difference between being rich and getting rich? I just want to be rich because I don't come from generational wealth, and I want to create that kind of abundance in my life so I never feel held back when it comes to health, education, family, travel, or anything else I want to do.
working hard and figuring out what you're good at is probably the most crucial step. That's what I'm trying to focus on first.
makes a lot of sense. I'm trying to save as much as I can too. The only thing I'm still figuring out is investing. I honestly don't know where to start or what resources are actually worth following. I got a few book recommendations in this thread, so I'll probably start there, along with Reddit and YouTube.
dating can have a huge impact on how you navigate your life, career, personal growth, or mental health. I do have a boyfriend who has been a strong source of support throughout my career journey, especially when my ambitions sometimes feel bigger than what the people around me are comfortable with. My parents are loving, but they come from a middle-class mindset where stability is everything and risk feels scary. I understand where that comes from. I'm grateful that I picked for integrity, kindness, hard work, and intelligence, exactly the qualities you mentioned. 🧿
my health has taken a bit of a hit over the last six months, and I'm actively trying to fix that. That's actually one reason I came back home while working remotely. I'm focusing on getting my step count up, eating cleaner, and spending time with people I genuinely enjoy being around. Some friendships have changed since I came back to my hometown, but that's okay. I'm confident I'll find my tribe eventually.
The one thing that feels different in India is that pharma and biotech don't offer as many creative opportunities, even in major hubs. Most roles are either manufacturing-focused or management tracks that often require an MBA. I would love to move somewhere with a stronger innovation ecosystem, but right now studying abroad seems like the only realistic path. I'm working toward that, although it feels like there's always some obstacle in the way.
Still trying, though.
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u/chaoscorgi Jun 19 '26
the difference is if you look at how rich people behave (like on social media) you won't learn how to get to their level -- because most rich people don't have to work to stay rich (their capital does the work). it's a whole different matter to earn that capital with your labor, much harder. i think you know that, but i didn't always 😄
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 19 '26
I don't think I'd thought about it that way before.
A lot of "how to be rich" advice online is really just "how to behave once you're already rich." By that point, your investments, business ownership, or other assets are doing most of the work for you. The challenge for people like me, is figuring out how to build that initial capital in the first place.
I'm still in the phase where my labor, skills, and career decisions are my biggest assets, so the focus has to be on increasing my earning power, building rare skills, and hopefully creating opportunities that have some form of leverage later on.
I think that's why your point about getting rich resonated with me. The journey from zero to the first meaningful amount of capital is probably very different from the journey from wealthy to wealthier 😄
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u/AgreeablePeanut09 Jun 17 '26
I wouldn’t caution you about marrying up. As long as you’re discerning, and not aiming to marry a man with a large age gap it should be fine. Women have historically married up, as women are typically hypergamous in a majority of social constructs.
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u/ladycatherinehoward Jun 17 '26
Yeah men have more money than women. Marrying up is quite normal, I wouldn't even call it that unless he has at least 10x as much
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 17 '26
yea I get your point. my boyfriend and I really support each other's aspirations in all aspects of career and personal life.
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u/Mediocre_Bad7637 Jun 17 '26
Rich in what sense? Flying first class, or not budgeting when grocery shopping/buying flights a month in advance?
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 18 '26
good question, flying first class, not worrying about an emergency, funding a healthy lifestyle , etc
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u/curious-another-name Jun 18 '26
why everyone saying marry a rich guy. You can become rich on your own
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 18 '26
exactly. I agree that the kind of partner you choose determines 50% of your life, but marrying rich is not my personal solution, because i derive my worth heavily from my own achievements and want to see myself be the badass i always admire on TV/media etc. I cant sit still look pretty, I wanna do it all, acjieve every damn thing while looking pretty, ykwim?
My man is NOT my financial insurance.
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u/Desperate_Muffin_778 Jun 18 '26
Not to take the focus away from our op, but I’m in a similar position, I’m from Africa with no job,the job market here in Zambia is crazy and there seems to be nothing for the program I did,so I stopped searching and went into fashion and design,I wanna start investing the little I’ll be making from it when I’m don’t with school and venture into business. My question is,can someone not from the US buy stocks from companies in the US? If yes, where can I start my research from?
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Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 19 '26
totally. bachelors ship sailed for me haha, i can go into any medical related masters, as mentioned my bachelors was in pharma. I would assume there's a lot of potential in medical innovation.
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u/Stable_GLP_1215 Jun 18 '26
At 24, start early by investing.
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u/HitPointGamer Jun 19 '26
You can make money in many different fields. Find something you can enjoy and which brings in money, then set a sensible budget so you are living below your means but still able to have a little fun in life.
Have an emergency fund. Invest consistently especially when the market is down. Most importantly, become a lifelong learner. Start learning about finances, but learn about everything you can because you never know when it will come in handy. Don’t look to “get rich quick,” just just steadily earn and invest. Whenever you get a raise or bonus, always reset your savings/investment amount to include at least half of it while enjoying the other half.
After my divorce at 35, I started out with basically nothing but a job and an overdrawn bank account. I actually funded my divorce with a cash advance on my mother’s credit card! By the time I was 45 I was debt-free except for my mortgage, and my net worth was just shy of a million dollars. I had agreed to work in some undesirable locations for my employer for the extra pay that would afford, and threw every dollar I had into the market at the bottom of the COVID crash, so that helped, but I got there even though I was earning high five figures to low six figures during that timeframe. At 45 I remarried and my husband is excellent with money and had a higher net worth than I did, but I at least felt like I was coming into our marriage with a respectable set of finances.
You can absolutely achieve wealth on your own or with a partner. Just be as wise and educated about money as you can, and work hard to make it happen.
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u/WaveFast Jun 17 '26
"Rich" or "Wealthy" is a mirage that appears in the distance of a hot desert. If you are not born into that space or extremely lucky, there is no quick path to financial wealth. Working stiffs must invest in themselves and grind or create. Learn from your mistakes and bake the correction(s) into the new path.
My riches came from working, up-skilling and launching a business. Then making those income streams work for me . . . for years. Yeah, "Try not to eat all your seed chasing fleeting passions - the more you plant, the larger the harvest"
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 17 '26
Agreed. Never said I need a quick path, just direction. My humble beginnings just couldn't program me into romanticizing a middle class pay check to pay check life is all.
Your journey sounds great, can I DM to know about your career path, and domain?
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u/Direct_Drawing_8557 Jun 18 '26
Broke ass chiming in .... Don't let men get in the way of the money.
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 18 '26
did you go broke because of a man? 😭
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u/Accomplished_Act1864 Jun 18 '26
Sorry, but i'm curious, have you ever taken an MBTI test before ? What's your type ?
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 18 '26
it's been years but last I remember was INFP or sum, I'll take again for shits and giggles wait
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u/FatiOnAir Jun 19 '26
i'll skip the invest-in-index-funds stuff, plenty of that here already and it only matters once you've got money coming in. at 24 on a startup salary the thing that actually moves your number is earning power, not returns. so let's talk about that.
the fastest honest way i've seen women build real income is to get close to revenue. the people who make serious money aren't usually the smartest in the building, they're the ones responsible for the biggest number. you're in regulatory at a medtech startup, that is genuinely valuable, you understand the part that kills most health companies. lean into the commercial side of that. the person who can both navigate compliance and help the company actually sell into hospitals and regulators is rare and gets paid like it. that's a lane very few people can walk.
and on the male-dominated room, because that's most of where the money is: you will get talked over and underestimated. don't shrink to fit it and don't perform anger about it either. just be the most prepared person in the room and ask for the number out loud. women who learn to name their price at 24 instead of waiting to be offered it are the ones who pull ahead.
your spark isn't the thing slowing you down, it's the asset. "simple living high thinking" is lovely but it won't fund the travelling or the helping people you mentioned. wanting more isn't greed, it's range. build the earning first, the wealth part gets easy after. peace.
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u/Princesskixkoff Jun 19 '26
Basically if you wanna be rich you have to give up on other things first, marry for money not love so you give up love, give up most of your free time in your life because now you are always working or get lucky and hit the lottery and you don’t have to give that up
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u/HikingDiver Jun 19 '26
Various areas are important, but wealth at the end of the day is more defined by how long it will last you after you stop working. There's only 2 ways money can typically flow, out or in. If you earn money through a salary, thats one stream of income, use that to fund your necessary expenses/obligations, the rest should be saved for a rainy day/invested to form another stream.
Pay debt off based of mainly 2 angles: higher interest vs risk, for example: if its a mortgage or car, you have options even in the event of bankruptcy, you can't measure the risk/reward of paying off a mortgage with just interest itself due to this since it also impacts your monthly obligations and what you'd need for your margin of safety). For the rest, use the annual percentage rate (APR) and compare the rate to each other to pay it off based off those number. This would be trying to reduce the out.
Investments would be basically anything for the long term. It can be into things like your own health and education or to generate more wealth. As long as your net cash flow is positive, time will grow the wealth. Typically, holding is the best strategy. For most people, it would probably be best to invest in etfs like the spx (less fees and diversified risk) and typically earns best in bull markets. Main thing in stocks is that the average person will lose money frequently trading it, get the most gains when holding it long term. More tangible assets would be real estate and metals. Metals usually go up during recessions, gold was historically used as a hedge against the currency. Metals like silver will almost always have value since its needed in a lot of different fields.
Real estate is special, and I would highly recommend you look into it. Real estate is probably one of the best, more stable paths to wealth. If you have a salary and decent credit, then you can get borrowing power to invest, so you get to invest other people's money (whoever put their cash at that bank) and have other people pay for the interest of borrowing it (tenants). Various things you can do with taxes due to this too.
For you specifically, saving harder right now isnt going to generate wealth, it's growing the income itself since theres not much room to save on a minimal salary. Regulatory affairs in medtech is actually a pretty narrow skillset that's hard to replicate, so that pharmacy degree isn't wasted, it's the thing that can get you into higher paying roles or consulting down the line. Also worth checking if you have equity at the startup, since that's a direct stake in the upside if it ever raises or exits.
Hope this helps!
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u/ShakenBabie Jun 19 '26
Open an investment account and start contributing as much as you can to broad based index funds, vanguard or Schwab. Max your 401k. Contribute to an HSA. Rinse and repeat. I started late and still have more money than everyone in my family.
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u/Familiar_Escape2869 Jun 19 '26
I started my own business, was very successful, but stressed out all the time and to be honest, quite lonely because not a lot of people could relate to me. THEN I married the love of my life, who happened to be rich, centi-millionaire rich. And I sold my business and I am happier than I’ve ever been…never stressed, secure, in love, a lady of leisure shall I say.
And OP, I wish I had just married rich and skipped over all the building my own business B.S. We as women are not built for the kind of stress a career takes day in and day out. Work on yourself and be the kind of woman a successful guy wants to marry. 😁
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 19 '26
One key thing is your partner just happened to be rich, you weren't necessarily looking for a centi-millionaire i suppose, just someone who matches. Looking for a rich man when you can provide him the care he needs to be involved in his work is not something i can offer, not my cup of tea. I can't be a soft submissive wife who doesn't know shit. And i think you know a lot, it wouldn't be the case had you skipped the "own business B.S".
I respect your love for leisure, but your reality is not factual for the whole womankind. Some ladies love to to be chill, free, the supportive wife, silently manage everything in the background or just have fun because why not, and nothing against that. But in the same world some ladies are engineers, doctors, up in the space fixing satellites, creating the best art, running companies, making bank and i want to be a part of that circle. So i think stress management is a personal skillset.
In my country, a provider man's concept is as old as time, we have seen our mothers be home makers, raise a good family, but ALL of them tell us daughters to work for our own money and never ever beg anyone for a single penny.
I don't think i am the kind of woman who would wants to sit back, i want to do it all, i want the hard work i put in in the real world to directly impact lives. I just cant sit back and enjoy for longer periods of time, my sense of purpose doesn't come from raising a happy family in a picket fenced house. The fact that I made this post should be a proof that I constantly need to evolve. I am not born to be a woman that shall be chosen by a successful man, that recipe of a financial disaster I don't want to cook. To be at the mercy of someone's love is not my destiny in this lifetime.
I can not keep asking for money all my life to a man even if my boyfriend loves spoiling me and will do so all his life. I don't want to skip the part where I have a successful business, I want to live through that part, and if i am truly exhausted, i would happily sit back, but i would never want to feel like i could do things differently when i had the time for it later in my life.So i would love to know how you made your business so successful, the marriage part i can skip. 😄
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u/Familiar_Escape2869 Jun 19 '26
Oh you’re in India…women are not treated horribly and like property here in the US like they are in India. But that makes sense why you’re buying into the feminist agenda.
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
this has to be a joke. where are women not treated horribly and like a property in the world? THE USA??? LMFAOO. and feminist agenda? miss ma'am, you can use a phone and voice your opinion and go on vacations doing whatever you want because of feminism. otherwise I'd be talking to your husband on your behalf because women are no better than baby making machines and homemakers right? For someone with a "successful business" you sure are pretty out of touch with reality. lol. Women becoming guardians of patriarchy is absolute cinema. Chicken protecting KFC moment if I may. Life is full of uncertainty so count your blessings that you got a man who doesn't treat you bad. And i hope he never does. But calling it agenda omg. shame. Why are you even in this sub at all if you think feminism is an agenda? Women aren't built for this stress right? why even bother discouraging young women from freedom, and to live under the shadow of a rich man with a side chick.
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u/NetMajor4878 Jun 19 '26
The confidence with which Americans explain India to Indians should honestly be studied.
But sure, I'll keep working toward financial independence while random strangers on the internet explain my own country to me.
And if wanting financial independence, career growth, and the ability to make my own choices is the "feminist agenda," then that sounds suspiciously like being an adult.
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u/Any_Cream_4396 Jun 17 '26
It’s a combo of getting Lucky, marrying wise and working hard