Celebrating Fifteen Years of the Women’s Wealth Counsel
Fifteen years ago, we launched the Women’s Wealth Counsel (WWC) with a clear mission: to engage and support our female clients.
The creation of the WWC stemmed from a realization that, while women often manage household budgets and expenses, they were frequently disengaged from long-term financial planning and investment decisions.
“Many times, women are either ignored or treated as second class citizens by our industry. This is the case with both women working in the industry and those who are clients,” says Sr. Advisor, Shareholder, and former WWC Chair Chris Carleton.
We sought to provide a different experience to our female clients, not only in how we deliver our services, but also by creating events that would resonate with their priorities and interests—discussions that were financially relevant but not solely focused on investments. This approach has fostered a space where women can connect, learn, and gain confidence in managing their wealth.
“We recognize that women have different goals, needs, and experiences when it comes to money and finance,” says Director of Client Growth Kristine Kolzing. “And we recognize that the financial sector has always been male-dominated and that women want to feel included, understood, and valued.”
The Largest “Niche Market”
It’s true that women continue to face unique challenges in the financial industry—both as clients and professionals. Historically, the industry has overlooked or underserved women, thinking of female clients as a ‘niche market’—an attitude that remains pervasive today.
“You can’t look at women as a niche because females are half of the population,” says Director of Marketing, Shareholder, and current WWC Chair Abby Tuke. “We really like to think of women as having different needs, especially when it comes to understanding financial services and how they approach their own financial lives.”
Many firms across the industry have come forward with ‘women’s initiatives’ in the last few years—marketing to women without truly understanding their distinct financial needs and frequently without meaningful female representation on their teams.
“More firms are marketing to women, but don’t realize that women’s financial needs can be different,” Carleton says. “They typically live longer, are more interested in supporting family members and charities and may have a lower risk tolerance for investing in stocks. They may give lip service to serving women as a niche market, but don’t treat them differently than any other client relationship.”
By contrast, the Women’s Wealth Counsel has long been a pillar of our work at Truepoint, reinforcing to our clients and professional partners that we understand and seek to serve women’s unique needs.
Whether they are single or with a partner, we want all of our clients to feel comfortable discussing and engaging with every aspect of their finances.
Perhaps the dated attitude of the industry is not surprising considering its makeup has changed very little over the decades. In fact, 30 years ago only 21% of Certified Financial Planners were women. In March of 2025, that number has barely increased to 24%.
The team at Truepoint tells a different story—one to which Carleton attributes much of the long-term success of the WWC: “As Truepoint has grown over our 35 years, the number of women who work here has continued to grow as well. If half of Truepoint’s employees were not women, this could have easily just been a short-lived initiative without any real purpose.”
Kolzing agrees, pointing out the trust that is built between female clients and their advisory team when they understand the intentional and inclusive atmosphere ‘behind the scenes’ of the Truepoint team. “When women know they can have a female advisor and are working with a company where women are C-suite level leaders, department heads, and shareholders, they’ll feel good about how they and their money will be treated.”
The Changing Landscape of Women and Wealth
As we approach the Great Wealth Transfer—where trillions of dollars will shift from one generation to the next—women will increasingly become the primary financial decision-makers in their households. Given that women tend to outlive their spouses, many will find themselves solely responsible for their family’s finances. This shift makes financial education and confidence more critical than ever.
At Truepoint, we recognize that serving women effectively means more than just managing their wealth; it means empowering them with knowledge and ensuring they feel comfortable in their financial roles.
Reflecting on the WWC’s history, Tuke says, “The fact that the Women’s Wealth Counsel has been around for 15 years is really an incredible thing. I think so many firms and other industries are just kind of catching on to the fact that they need to have some kind of “women’s initiative.” But we’ve never viewed this as an initiative. This has just been an extension of our client experience.”
As we celebrate 15 years of the Women’s Wealth Counsel and 35 years as a firm, we are committed to continuing to foster an environment that genuinely supports women, both now and in the years to come.
