Lunch Atop the World Trade Center

In 1998 my mother and I saw Maria Bartiromo on the packed floor of the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) on a trip to New York City to celebrate my mom’s birthday. We had lunch on top of the World Trade Center afterward, and I recall that my mother had California Rolls for the first time. What a wonderful memory I have whenever I see Maria!

Here is a great article by Maria from the CNBC that offers long term perspective, which is so important for investors to have. She is beautiful in person as well as brilliant. What an excellent example of a financial woman! Here is an exert from her article about the changes she has seen on the exchange floor:

Consider that in 1995, 3,000 people crammed onto the floor of the Exchange — and just one TV correspondent, jostled about as traders made their deals.

Executing a trade took an average of eight minutes. The Internet was a speculative adventure land and globalization was an economists’ term, not a household word. And the Dow was at 4500.

Today, that era seems remote.

There are only about 1,000 traders on the floor — but more than 20 news stations! Most trades are done electronically in about seven seconds. We’ve seen booms and busts, watched the Dow rise above 14,000 — and plunge with sickening speed. Exchanges around the world now compete for business, and every American knows that our economy is intricately connected with those of people in Madrid, Shanghai, Johannesburg and everywhere else.

Life changes, and the world of investing definitely changes. Are you aware of the changes that are happening that affect your financial future, or are you avoiding the issue and letting someone else have total control in this area of your life? Commit to learn what you need to know to feel empowered and confident around your money because knowledge is what provides that financial empowerment.