Girls Just Wanna Have Impact Funds: A Feminist Guide to Changing the World with Your Money

by Emma Due Bitz, Camilla Falkenberg, Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen

What if building your own personal wealth didn’t have to come at the expense of the planet?

Put your money where your mouth is when it comes to handling your finances and join the Female Invest trio on a mission to investigate sustainable stocks and funds, angel investing, and empowering initiatives—for both you and the planet.

Cutting through the noise, this trusted resource will rationalize the vast scope of the term “sustainable investing” and consider how investments, funds, stocks, and shares can be responsible, ethical, green, and impactful—enabling you to partake in a truly circular economy. Ditching the jargon shrouding finance, this book will assess the pros and cons behind crowdfunding and crowdlending, navigate around the many pitfalls of greenwashing, and make building a more sustainable portfolio—that prioritizes the issues you really care about—accessible to everyone.

Genres: Nonfiction, Finance, Audiobook, Business, Self Help, Danish, Personal Finance

192 pages, Hardcover

Published January 16, 2024

Reviews

[Lady Shalott · Rating 2 out of 5]

(For my personal records only.)
I really wish I could give this a higher rating, but I haven't learned much beyond what the first book provided. I thought this would be a bit more extensive on strategies and metrics for analyzing ESG funds, but alas...This was a lot of vague encouragement and self-work chapters.

Great design and mission. I just would have liked more case studies or examples of how to measure and weight options in the sustainable fund world. I don't really feel that I have much leverage having read this book other than a few websites to consult.

Also, personal pet peeve, there's frequent mention of how "boring and dry" this content is, but only general encouragement to keep learning without much substance provided. Stop reminding the reader it's a boring and difficult subject. Just make it engaging and keep it engaging--especially if the reader is a first-time investor, they'll never know the difference!

[Tereza · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*? 4*? Nice introduction to sustainable finance from an individual's perspective which is written in a pretty accessible way. I feel like the book could definitely use some more editing though - sometimes there were typos and formatting mistakes and sometimes the information seemed a bit scattered, repetitive and with some sections not connecting smoothly. I would have also expected the book to either A. go into a bit more depth, or B. to include more topics, e.g. with content related to the impact of savings in unsustainable banks or insurance/pension accounts as these play a big role too, but maybe it just went beyond the scope of the book and it's really meant as an introduction. But anyways, it's great that this book exists and hopefully it will help more people think about the topic and be more intentional about what they directly and indirectly support with their money.
In general I'd recommend it for anyone thinking of how to use their money for good (even if it's very small amounts) and how to avoid financing things you don't want to be supporting. It works as a solid starting point with simple tangible ideas in an easy-to-read form which doesn't assume much previous knowledge of finance/ESG, although for someone with no background at all it might be good to read general finance texts first.

[Laurie]

something has to be done about gradients in book design (also so many typos)

[Amalie Katrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very inspiring introduction to the many investment options of impact investments. I simply loved this book and how the book conveys the importance of investing in what you believe will create a better world. This book gave me a long list of ideas for investments in the coming years.

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

An excellent guide to losing your hard earned money by taking up amateur stock picking and angel/crowd investing in high risk start ups.

There was so much potential to provide guidance on ETFs with sustainability credentials but the authors decided to place huge emphasis on doing research on individual companies instead.

There was also practically nothing on how to spot greenwashing, understand fund labels, SFDR, or what the PRI and other initiatives are trying to do and what we can learn from them.

The book could have also addressed how far your £10k investment will go towards making an impact so people don’t feel guilty about the amount of resources they can put towards all this ‘research’ when in fact the market is on the whole only really affected by investment firms with huge assets under management.

[Lærke Maj · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its and okay book, but it seem like they put a lot of HUGE fonts in just to make it longer. It’s easy to understand tho, but I feel like the information I got from it could have been said in maybe 10-15 pages? I like the first book better

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Soooo this really felt like it was an article that was overly extrapolated into a 200 page book. It kinda contradicted itself when it said that there are "no perfect investments" but then created these overly complicated and picky exercises to supposedly help you decide upon the companies you want to invest in. I felt too overwhelmed with all the ethical and moral quandaries they proposed, rather than empowered to feel like I could decide what to invest in. It's obviously incredibly time consuming to do all of this and to continuously google the morality of a company within an inch of its life. Chapter 7 on "due diligence" also basically just repeated everything that was said in the first 2 chapters so that was a waste of pages. I'd rather this book just listed some cool stocks to invest in and weighed up the ethics of them for me. They talked about ETFs but i feel like they should have pressed this more as a far more efficient way of impact investing. The financial experts do all the work for you, in line with a green or feminist goal, whilst also diversifying properly.

[Thabata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I am not new to this subject, I was happy to learn more about impact investing with this book. The writing is simple to understand and the overall layout design of the book is very pleasant.

This book is not about learning how to invest - that topic is covered in their first book: Girls Just Wanna Have Funds. The main focus of the book is how to research companies to find out how they fare in terms of ESG, and from then on, how to make sure what they do align with your own values.

In that sense, I felt like the book could be a bit shorter - it does repeat itself a little, and it also could have added more resources - like sites that can help you research, or examples of what an ESG managed fund looks like. I did however, learn something new about the subtleties of impact investing, and this information will help me from here on now.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a great guide for many different options regarding impact investing. It would be good to have a starting knowledge of investments (or as suggested by the authors to read their first book), and then this is an easily understood guide. It covers what impact investing is, common dilemmas, following your inner values, investing basics, mainstream options and beyond, strategies for impact investing, and non-investing ways to be a changemaker.
There's a glossary at the end, but the book was full of explanations and ideas, and while it gives a lot to think about, I found it helpful as it laid out steps in order. I recommend this for individuals interested in doing something more with money than just investing in the stock market.

[j · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Girls Just Wanna Have Impact Funds" is a thought-provoking read that delves into the world of social impact investing through a gender lens. The author's passion for empowering women in the financial sector is evident throughout the book. The narrative flows smoothly, and the examples provided are insightful.

"Girls Just Wanna Have Impact Funds" serves as a good introduction to the intersection of gender and finance in the impact investing space. It sparks important conversations and encourages readers to consider the impact of gender diversity on investment decisions.

Overall, this book is a worthwhile read for those interested in social impact investing and gender equality. However, readers seeking a more in-depth analysis may find it lacking.

[Madeline Luedke · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, however I still highly recommend the book because it’s an accesible introduction to an important topic. It’s concise and visually pleasing. It offers the reader the opportunity to shift their perspective on investing to generate impact or “change the world.”

Constructively, there is a real need for careful attention to detail in editing, there were several typos, formatting errors, and redundancies. A theme I’ve noticed across DK books. At times, the content was comically shallow. Encouraging research or evaluation without depth or instruction, or laying out steps of a process and not actually touching on the “how” for certain steps.

As mentioned, I still recommend as the value outweighs the drawbacks. Plus it elevates the bookshelf aesthetic.

[Ulf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I'm not exactly the target audience for this book, I quite enjoyed it and found it useful.
Tackling the subject of personal investing, the book stands out with its emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility. It neatly walks through various investment avenues accessible to private investors, providing high level insights into adopting an impact-focused strategy.
The book is an enjoyable and easy read, digestible even for those not steeped in finance jargon.
It does tread a bit on the shallow side, perhaps intentionally, leaving readers curious for more.
Overall, a commendable effort that makes investing feel more accessible and ethically attuned.

[Nynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

En fandens vigtig bog. Jeg håber at alle mænd og kvinder der investerer læser med.

Om det så er klimakrise, ligestilling, eller andre udfordringer du gerne vil være med til at løse, så giver det mening at investere bevidst og i tråd med dine værdier.

"Hver gang man bruger penge, stemmer man på den fremtid, man selv gerne vil leve i - på egne og kommende generationers vegne. Det er på tide, at kvinder og marginaliserede stemmer tager ejerskab over deres økonomiske magt og udløser deres potentiale til at skabe forandring i en verden, der har desperat brug for det."

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to commend my fellow Danish women for taking steps to changing the world with their knowledge, and by being advocates for women all over. A good introduction to impact investing, and definitely lots to consider. Broken down into easily digestible chapters, I found it easy to comprehend what can sometimes be overwhelmingly technical terms and concepts. The book could do with another proof read and consideration of the “$75k” rule; it’s hard to put into perspective when the currency isn’t specified.

[I Read, Therefore I Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Female Invest is a learning platform aimed at helping women to make the most from their money. This informative follow-up to GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUNDS focuses on impact (i.e. ethical) investing, explaining what it is and what to look for in a way that is easy to understand. However I wished it had been more explicit on the financial and environmental risks of crypto and the financial risks in crowd-investing as I found it a little cursory.

[Amanda Walt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surface level introductory read for those new to impact investing. Offers a basic overview of concepts but lacks depth, especially when it comes to comparing impact funds to traditional investments or strategies to increase impact while ensuring returns. I also hoped for more guidance on spotting greenwashing in companies claiming to be aligned with your values. Overall, it's great for beginners but doesn't go deep enough for those looking for more actionable insights.

[Kamma Gustavsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bogen er en brugbar start til den helt nye investor (mig)!

Jeg synes sku Female Investor er for seje, og af den grund får de også 5 stjerne.

Jeg synes de forklarer grundbegreberne godt, og til den grønne nybegynder. Jeg har intet overblik på området, men de eksempler på måder at gribe denne nye verden an.

Desuden har denne bog det twist at de fokusere på impact funds, hvilket er fantastisk, at der sættes fokus på det!

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am amazed Goodreads managed to identify the authors of this book because the book itself does its very best to hide the actual authors who are three women - which is odd for a book labelled a feminist guide.

This covered the basics in a reasonable format. I'm not a fan of the overly-designed graphic page layout, but maybe that appeals to a younger audience.

[Patricia Rodrigues · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if you never heard anything about investing this might be a good start but it's very incomplete and barely scratches the surface for it to be a practical guide, and you have to do all the work yourself later to figure out on what to invest. The book seemed more focus on having a "cute" design than good substance

[Jess Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. good intro to the topic and very accessible but i was honestly hoping for a bit more in depth discussion of investment strategies. i am by no means a finance girlie and i still felt like it was too watered down at times. overall enjoyed and it was a quick, empowering read!

[Morgan Poulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Highly recommend to all

Important topics put into easy to read sections, with real life examples. Very powerful knowledge here.

[Aimee Cole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Useful but a bit repetitive

[Robin]

Worth a skim if you're wondering about how investing works. Very girl-boss she-EO vibes tho.

[Estelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeg elsker at den går i dybden med investeringer. Man kan læse den første bog som giver en basal viden, også giver denne mere til. Det var hvad jeg manglede i den første.

[Ana Mafalda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to impact investing

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well explained and in such an interesting way. Every girl needs this book as an intro.

[Sash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really useful and getting me to think about how to be mindful when using my investments, however, i should of read the first book first to understand how to invest.

[Niya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid summary of options with useful self awareness insights.

[Laura Thing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Den var tung at læse men lærerig

[Cecilie Bramsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0⭐️⭐️⭐️