While men are taught to build wealth and careers, marketing teaches women to spend money on the products and services that will make us beautiful. Jessica Higgins contends that this messaging actually pits us against success. So, how do we overcome this deep-seated cultural conditioning to develop a mindset of wealth accumulation? How do we learn to look out for ourselves first? Higgins is a researcher, consultant and marketing communications professional who supports business leaders and entrepreneurs in understanding the impacts of emerging cultural trends. Higgins holds executive and board positions in companies in the arts, consulting and technology space, and she is the author of the newly-released book, 10 Skills for Effective Business Communication. Today, Higgins explains how the pursuit of continuous learning contributes to her success. She shares current cultural trends toward cryptocurrency and AI, discussing the small number of women who are adopting these emergent technologies and the complex cultural motives behind our hesitation. Higgins also walks us through the themes of her forthcoming book, discussing the importance of communication skills like listening and empathy in creating influence at scale. Listen in for Higgins’ insight on surrounding ourselves with a trustworthy team and developing a mindset of wealth accumulation. Key Interview Takeaways Women are less likely than men to adopt emergent technologies. Cultural trends toward digital currency and artificial intelligence have big implications for the way we work moving forward, yet only 8% of women are using cryptocurrency, for example. Marketing teaches women to spend money. While men are taught to build wealth, advertising encourages women to depart with our money to look pretty. Higgins contends that this pits us against financial freedom and wealth accumulation. Develop a mindset of wealth accumulation. Higgins advocates for women to look out for themselves first, setting intentions and then acting in selfishly as necessary to achieve success. Communication is key in creating influence at scale. To affect true change, business leaders must hone their skills in areas like listening, negotiation and empathy. Make communication as human as possible. Only 8% of the messages we send come from the words themselves, while the rest is communicated by tonality and body language. Surround yourself with people you trust. If we choose to work with someone who is unethical, it’s only a matter of time before this will become a point of contention. Connect with Jessica Higgins Jessica Higgins’ Website Jessica Higgins on LinkedIn Jessica Higgins on Facebook Email [email protected] Resources 10 Skills for Effective Business Communication: Practical Strategies from the World’s Greatest Leaders by Jessica Higgins, JD, MBA, BB How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job by Sally Helgesen Coinbase a href="https://www.linkedin.