Strong Voice Interview #40: Margarethe Honisch

Margarethe Honisch is the founder of the financial platform Fortunalista, a Spiegel bestselling author, and a sought-after speaker. Since 2017, she has been inspiring women to take charge of their finances and overcome fears of investing and the stock market. With more than a decade of investment experience, her bestselling books such as "Easy Money" and "So wirst du finanziell frei", and regular appearances in leading media like Tagesschau, Spiegel, and Handelsblatt, she has become one of the most influential voices for financial literacy in the German-speaking world.

In this interview, Margarethe shares what drives her — and how she empowers women to achieve greater financial freedom.

What originally inspired you to found Fortunalista?

For a long time, I had no real plan for my finances and eventually realized how much that was holding me back. Once I started diving deeply into money matters, my whole life changed — I actually felt freer and more independent. It became clear to me: if this knowledge gives me so much security and confidence, then it can empower other women too. That’s exactly why I founded Fortunalista — to share this knowledge.

Is there a book, a person, or a quote that has particularly shaped the way you think about money?

"Rich Dad Poor Dad" was a real eye-opener for me because it showed me for the first time that money is not just something to spend, but a tool for freedom. For me, it’s not about simply being rich — it’s about creating a life on my own terms. That’s a mindset I want to pass on to every woman today.

What simple routines or tools would you recommend to women to keep a better eye on their finances in everyday life?

The most important step is to make finances a routine — as natural as exercise or brushing your teeth. I recommend scheduling a fixed date in your calendar, for example once a month, to check accounts, savings plans, and budgets. Digital tools like budget apps or even simple Excel sheets are incredibly helpful to stay on top of things. And automated ETF savings plans take care of most of the work for you — so you stay on track almost effortlessly.

Were there moments when your success was dismissed as “luck,” and how did you deal with it?

Yes, that definitely happened — especially in the beginning. People often overlooked how much strategy, discipline, and work actually went into Fortunalista. I learned not to let that unsettle me, but instead to let results speak for themselves. My most important KPI? The impact on women. Luck might play a role, but without consistent commitment, this success would never have been possible.

Women need spaces where they are taken seriously and strengthened — and that is one of my biggest driving forces. Visibility comes when we experience that our voice matters and that we are not alone. In the Fortunalista Bootcamp, we create exactly such a safe space: women not only learn the basics of investing, but also experience how empowering it is to support one another and to become visible through knowledge. The more women develop this inner conviction, the more natural it becomes to show up loud and clear — in the financial world and far beyond.

What three things would you like to pass on to every woman who is just beginning to consciously take her life into her own hands — whether in terms of money, career, or self-realization?

First: Just start, even if you don’t feel perfectly prepared yet — the first step is the most important.

Second: Stay consistent and stick to your goals, even when it gets uncomfortable.

Third: Allow yourself to dream bigger than you ever have before — because often, we are our own biggest limitation.