W-T-W on Connected Women
WOMEN WINNING WORLDWIDE
HOW WOMEN ARE CREATING MASSIVE SUCCESS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD BY RUNA MAGNUS
Name: Dagmar Frank
Web site: w-t-w.org Twitter @wtwfinance
Year you started your business: 2011/2012
Your or Your Business tag-line: An International Site for and about Finance and Women
What was the main trigger that got you into your business? We have often discussed the need to develop a global platform for women in finance focusing on financial literacy and anti corruption. This is not an easy subject. To make it more clear and also more fun, we developed the idea of combining hard information with cartoons. Pictures sometimes say more than 1000 words.
What is your definition of success? To reach as broad an audience is possible by engaging the best editors, finance experts and female cartoonist to join and advise us. To develop together a knowledge database about women in finance in countries around the world. We will organize a list of speakers who are top experts in their field and are willing to speak around the world. If we raise awareness about corruption and financial literacy, we will be a success.
Is your business today as you envision it to be when you started the business? No not at all. It is a lively, changing and developing organism. We invite our readers to participate, posting articles of interest that come to their attention, sharing useful information for women entrepreneurs and executives. After you look at w-t-w.org, we incite readers to comment on what is missing and make suggestions for improvements.
What’s the same? What has changed? It is an adventure to communicate and work with our wtw team. We learn a lot every day. I love the combination of very serious matters and the cartoons with a bit of black humour
Where would you like to see your business in 5 years from now? Women connected worldwide, being well informed about global finance and fighting corruption. Helping women learn that is not dangerous to speak up. And that our (female) cartoonist getting lots of awards and becoming famous for the best finance cartoons worldwide.
Do you think women in your network/community have equal opportunity and interest to start their own business? Some of our advisers and speakers have reached the top of their field. They can speak to groups about how they did this.
What do you think is holding women back to become self-employed? I believe that women can do all the things men do. We need opportunities, stable governments, microloans, and the support of other women and men too!
How do you keep your passions for your business alive? My I follow my gut instincts and then do the hard grunt work. We are seeking appropriate sponsors who share our vision. Our cartoons are available for sale.
You have been writing number of blogs and articles about women & corruption and women & finance, why do you feel it’s important to raise awareness to women in particularly about these two topics?
I feel that we must raise urgently women’s awareness about corruption and finance. Why should women say something? “Role of underground economy harms future generations.”
Fighting corruption is a global concern because corruption is found in both rich and poor countries, and evidence shows that it hurts poor people disproportionately. It contributes to instability, poverty and is a dominant factor driving fragile countries towards state failure. Rich and well organized countries are in danger because organized crime is using them for money laundering. Organizations like UNOCD /Transparency warns that organized crime has infiltrated our civil society The UNODC estimates the proceeds from organized crime for 2009 to $ 2.1 trillion. Only 1% of these monies were confiscated. Organized Crime ranks under the 20 largest economies
Criminals are the first‐movers wherever there are opportunities to exploit. Criminals are faster to adapt than the international community’s ability to respond.
Take a look at the Working Group AC / How can women work against corruption? & If you see something, say something!
Click on who ratified United Nations Convention against Corruption and find out if your country is on the list and has ratified the convention. Ask questions. Why did some countries not ratify, why is bribing officials not punishable in those countries? This is only the first step. Let’s discuss implementation and enforcement of United Nations Convention against Corruption in the various countries. Let’s look for stories about women who have fought corruption! Tell us about such brave women.
What is your favourite motto? “Nothing kills an old pony rider”
What is the best advice you’ve received? Just do it and go ahead.
Thanks for the interview
GLOBAL DATABASE ABOUT WOMEN IN FINANCE | CONNECTED-WOMEN BLOG