The Curve was an idea conceived by Victoria Harris after she started taking note of the number of friends approaching her for advice around finance and investing — an industry in which she has worked for over 10 years (she is currently a portfolio manager at Devon Funds Management).
Launched last year with the help of her business partner Sophie Hallwright, this platform — now comprising an Instagram and a website — has cultivated a fast following for the way it offers clear, concise information and advice around investing, skewed specifically to a female audience.
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“The Curve came about to provide a platform for women to learn more about investing in a non-scary environment,” Harris explains. “I wanted to create a forum where people could ask questions without feeling judged and where there wasn’t any confusing industry speak or intimidating jargon.”
So far, The Curve’s growth has been organic, driven by a groundswell of interest from women of all backgrounds and experience levels who want to up their financial literacy.
Harris has done a few speaking events (which proved hugely popular) and reveals how off the back of that reception, she and Hallwright are now gearing up to launch a podcast. Speaking about her decision to use The Curve to target women specifically, Harris explains how passionate she is about encouraging diverse participation in a space that has historically been dominated by men.
After all, if women earn less (on average) than men, take time out of their earning careers to have children and statistically live longer, it is clear that theirs is a demographic that should be thinking harder about making money work in more efficient ways.
But where to start? For most, investing feels a world away, but as Harris points out, it’s actually about listening to the world around us.
“What I often say to people is look around you,” she explains, “there are so many investable companies that we use every day, and when you actually stop and observe, you’ll start noticing those big trends that can drive investor behaviour. Think about when we all started converting to iPhones, or the rise of certain products and services because of the recent global lockdowns… if you’re seeing those trends, then it’s likely that everybody else is too. So next time you find a product that you love using, look it up and see if it’s listed and start doing some research around whether you want to dip your toe into investing.”
This cuts to the heart of The Curve’s success so far, capturing the way this platform grounds finance and investing in the real world, addresses its complexities in a conversational way and gives women not only the confidence but the practical tools to start.
Looking forward, Harris reveals that alongside events and the launch of The Curve’s podcast she has been running staff education workshops for various corporations — demand for which, she tells me, has been growing. “I would also love to run in-person courses with small groups,” she says, “and potentially speak to girls in schools”.
With a clear mission, Harris’ work with The Curve is undeniably important for the financial empowerment of everyday women and is something we will continue to follow with interest.
