By Stamatina Notaras
From writing her friends’ resumes in high school courtyards to helping her corporate colleagues build budgets in lunchrooms, Téa Angelos has remained steadfast in her goal to educate and empower women towards an independent and fruitful future, no matter their circumstance.
Five years after betting on herself and leaving behind life on the corporate ladder as a management consultant, Téa, the founder of Smart Women Society (SWS), is a best-selling author of Smart Moves, has been an expert guest on established podcasts, made countless morning show appearances, and cemented her place as a front-runner in the entrepreneurial landscape.
With a mission to empower women in all aspects of their lives, SWS serves as a safe, non-judgemental space where, no matter the question, you’ll always find an answer.
“As we built SWS, I wanted to create a platform that covered all of life’s big topics – money, career, well-being, and love – so women could come for tips and tools with whatever area they needed guidance in,” she says.
“One day, I was helping an older manager, who had recently gotten divorced, with her budget when she shared with me that she had no financial knowledge, as she had never had to manage her finances before.”
For some, when the topic of finances come up in conversations, it can feel awkward, daunting, and downright confusing. And, let me tell you – you’re not alone. Believe it or not, it doesn’t always have to be like this. According to Téa, the journey begins with mapping out this simple three-step theory: “Talk about money, create a plan for your money, and put your money to work.”
While the structure of traditional society has women playing catch-up, there’s no time like the present to dive right in and take the power back – power that for so many years before us, was stolen away. And just like a mechanic’s ability to fix a car, all you need are the right tools, and someone willing to show you the ropes. This is where SWS comes into play.
“The reality is that today, women are falling financially behind in every single country. We earn, save, and invest less,” Téa says.
“It starts very early in life, with stereotypes and messaging that ‘women aren’t good with money,’ and money should be left to the men.
“As we move in the workforce, we’re faced with conscious and unconscious discrimination and bias in hiring and pay decisions. Because of this, we’re less likely to get a pay rise and less likely to be promoted.”
While writing her 80,000-word best-selling book Smart Moves (which she wrote in just four weeks, might I add), the ultimate goal was to “create something that you come back to for advice as you navigate life’s twists and turns, rather than a book that collects dust on the shelf.”
Although Téa is busier than ever with partnerships, projects, and guest-panel judging for entrepreneur awards in full swing, building a business is no easy feat. Her journey to the top was forged by gutsy grit, self-belief, passion for the cause, and a whole lot of sleepless nights.
“No one ever tells you that starting your own business is going from working 9-5 to working 24/7. I didn’t expect how much work goes into building your brand and reaching more people. The work is endless and all-consuming… but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” she says.
With another huge year coming to an end – which saw her launch a second company Vivlo Learning, aimed at transforming corporate training and earning with their innovative social-media-style learning programs – SWS is an empire in the making, making impossible possible for women from all walks of life.
If you’re on the precipice of starting your own entrepreneurial journey or simply taking a leap of faith in any form, now is the time to whip out your pens and papers as Téa shares the mantras that she lives by.
“Firsty, shoot your shot. Every key moment in my business (and my life) has been as a result of taking a risk and shooting my shot. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’ll always be in the same place,” she says.
“Secondly, if you weren’t ready, you wouldn’t have the opportunity. Don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back. You are capable, you can do hard things and everything will turn out even better than you could have ever imagined.”
So, with the world at your fingertips and SWS in the palm of your hands, you’ll be on your dream flight to Europe in no time – without having to give up your favourite things. It’s all about balance, baby! Just ask Téa.
