When the Dow Jones industrial average was plummeting early Thursday morning, Lynn Smith's investment instincts lit up. The veteran Morgan Stanley Dean Witter financial adviser says she looks at the market the same way any good shopper would. When the Dow is trading below 10,000, she says, it's no time to panic. Appearing on the same panel with Smith was Joe Milam, president of Legacy Capital Management. He told the audience that there is a gender bias in investing that benefits women.
Women play to their strengths.
They leverage their patience and recognition of value. Men swing for the fences hoping to hit the home run so they can brag about it. But you never hear about the stocks they strike out on. I had the great fortune to sit on the investment panel with Smith and Milam, not only to get their take on the market, but also to hear what individuals are thinking and doing in the market. I'm a new investor.