Team work has always been a key factor in Schwab Pomerantz’s career.

Question: How do you lead as a woman in business?

Carrie Schwab: I have been very fortunate to work in a company [Schwab & Co.] that has a large percentage of women. I don’t know if it’s a San Francisco company, or if it is a reflection of my father for being very conclusive.

It is a very purpose oriented company and has really strong values that we talk about. One of those values being teamwork.

I don’t know if it is just part of my DNA, but team building and being inclusive of other people and their thoughts, and respectful to me is really key to leadership and having people follow you is letting them feel a part of the process.

The other difference or important component to leadership is having passion and really caring about what you do, and feeling like you’re making a difference. I think whether your man or woman having that and having people surround you who share that passion, you can do unbelievable things.

That is really some of the disciplines or values that I have used in my own work and found successful.

I have to say for my father, same thing. He really was passionate about democratizing investing. He did not like the way Wall Street treated the average American. So he created a business that was more inclusive and helped more Americans

And I guess, in some ways, I followed that somehow. Again, I really related to that and try to take it to whole different level by including or making investing more accessible for women, for disadvantage populations and others who may not have access.

And it is rewarding and it makes you want to work harder.

Question: What challenges remain for women in business?

Carrie Schwab: I absolutely do think there is definitely sexism in the work place. I think it is critical for women to take a note of that and not look for a company that allows those kind of behaviors to occur. We do have control over that. We don’t have to participate in it. And there are plenty of companies who value women and what they have to offer.

As we know, a diverse workplace makes a stronger company.

You hear a lot also about women get disenchanted with the business world and they go and create their own businesses, I say “go do it.”

We have a lot to offer and don’t let anything stop you.

Recorded on: March 27, 2008