"While other women were riding the roller coaster of Wall Street, my portfolio stayed calm, collected, and completely untouched by the chaos.” - Sarah Nicole Nadler

So far this month, the S&P 500 is down 12%. Meanwhile, headlines are swirling with whispers of recession, rate hikes, and new tariffs. Sound familiar?

As a female entrepreneur using your profits to build personal wealth, market volatility like this isn’t just noise—it's a direct threat to your financial security.

Your retirement accounts dip.

Your brokerage balances shrink.

Your peace of mind starts to wobble.

But here's the truth: the real issue isn't the market dip. You're likely missing a key financial strategy to protect your portfolio when the economy throws a tantrum.

And just like in your business, when we solve the wrong problem we often end up poking more holes in a leaky ship and things start to sink even faster!

“Most wealth managers love to brag about their 7% average returns. But only 17% of them actually beat the market in a given year.”

— SPIVA U.S. Scorecard, 2023

Oof. That's not confidence-building, is it?

But here's the good news: there's a way to keep your investments safe and growing even during market crashes—without having to become a financial analyst, watch CNBC all day, or ride the emotional rollercoaster of investing during a downturn.

All you need is a volatility shield.

So let's talk about the market crash protection strategy I use to guard my portfolio against months like this. It's one of the reasons my net worth has actually grown this week, while many other smart women are panicking as they watch the dumpster fire.

Why Listen to Me?

As a financial advisor and money coach for female entrepreneurs, I see behind the curtain of business owners’ financial lives every. single. day.

But I don’t just teach this—I’ve lived it.

The last time the market took a nose dive was during the height of the pandemic. It was 2020, and I had just started my own personal investing journey.

I saw the headlines.

Heard the panic.

I watched friends lose tens of thousands from their retirement accounts in a matter of weeks.

Every scroll on social media was filled with anxiety, fear, and frustration.

And honestly? I was nervous, too. I was so new to investing, I barely had the language to understand what was happening.

But when I opened up my portfolio…

✨ Everything was fine.

My account hadn’t dropped at all.

While other women were riding the roller coaster of Wall Street, my portfolio stayed calm, collected, and completely untouched by the chaos.

That moment changed everything for me.

Not just because I felt safe—but because I finally understood what true financial peace of mind feels like. And from that day forward, I made it my mission to teach other high-earning women how to experience that same confidence, even when the market feels like a dumpster fire.

And maybe most importantly—it allowed me to be fully present for the people who needed me.

Because I wasn’t panicking about my finances, I had the emotional capacity to show up with a clear mind and a full heart—for my clients, my friends, and my family. I could hold space, stay grounded, and help others lead with resilience.

That financial stability made me a better leader during one of the hardest seasons we’ve faced as entrepreneurs.

That’s the power of a well-designed wealth strategy.

That’s the power of what I now call the OWL Method—and it’s one of the smartest ways I know to protect your portfolio while still letting your money grow.

And that year? It lit a fire in me.

I saw too many heartbreaking posts on social media—brilliant women who had been in business for 30+ years shutting their doors, watching their retirement dreams vanish, and questioning everything they had worked so hard to build.

I knew something had to change.

In fact, that was the moment when Fierce Feminine Finance was born!

This blog is more than a platform—it’s a mission to rewrite the money stories of women in business. To give you the tools, language, and strategies to not only survive uncertain markets—but to rise, rebuild, and thrive through them.

Because your wealth should be as bold, unshakable, and powerful as you are.

This article is about real, tested strategies that I personally use and recommend to my clients. Including my Fear to Fierce Financial Formula:

• Profit – Making sure you pay yourself first and prioritize revenue streams.

• Prepare – Ensuring you are ready for disaster preparedness and unexpected expenses.

• Eliminate – Paying off debt and building strong credit to create financial freedom.

• Protect – Safeguarding your assets and ensuring your financial security.

• Grow – Building long-term wealth and creating passive income streams.

With every episode of Fierce Feminine Finance, I like to empower you with a POWERFUL free resource that goes with the episode which you can implement right away to create some of the same results, if not better, in your business.

This week, since we are talking about ways to protect your legacy, I want to invite you to my Ultimate Guide To Financially Bulletproof Your Family for Female Entrepreneurs to help you implement the strategies I talk about here...and a few extra I didn't mention!

After going through this free guide you will be able to identify the missing pieces in your family's financial strategy. So you can start taking steps right away to secure your future!

You can download it right away by clicking here or on the photo above 👆

This is NOT financial advice. It's my strategy based on my own financial situation and experience, and is not the advice I would give to every client. If you'd like the support of a financial advisor to work out your own plan, click here to connect with my team.

The Volatility Shield Strategy That Keeps Your Portfolio Safe (and Growing) During A Market Crash

Let’s talk about how to actually protect your portfolio when the market crashes—and grow it at the same time. 

Yes, it’s possible. 

No, it’s not boring. 

And no, you don’t need a finance degree to figure this out!

Indexed Accounts: The Heart of the OWL Method

When it comes to saving and growing your money, there are really three types of accounts you can use:

1. Fixed accounts — Think: your traditional savings account. Your money’s safe… but it’s basically collecting dust with 0.001% interest.
   
   

2. Variable accounts — Think: 401(k)s, IRAs, or brokerage accounts. These are invested directly in the market, which means they grow when the market grows… and tank when it doesn’t.
   
   

3. Indexed accounts — This is where the OWL Method starts. And this, my friend, is the volatility shield you didn’t know you needed.

An indexed account grows based on the performance of a market index—like the S&P 500—but without the risk of actually being in the market.

Here’s a fun way to think about it:

Imagine the S&P 500 is a roller coaster. A variable account (like your 401k) is sitting in the cart, holding on for dear life. An indexed account is standing safely on the ground, watching the ride. If the roller coaster goes up, you get to enjoy part of the view. But if it drops? You stay firmly planted—no panic, no losses.

📌 Put simply: you get to earn when the market goes up, but you’re protected with a 0% floor when it goes down. That’s the core of what makes it a volatility shield.

Why We Use The OWL Method (But Not Exclusively)

I put some (not all) of my investment money into an indexed account using this OWL Method. I use it partly to force myself to save more than I would if I didn't have this "bill", partly as a long-term wealth compounding tool, and it's also part of my estate plan (to protect my husband in case anything ever happens to me).

But I don't recommend putting every penny of your investment funds there. Here's why:

1. Diversification still matters
   Just like you wouldn’t build a wardrobe with only shoes (even if they’re stunning), you don’t want all your money in one vehicle.
   
   

2. Capped growth
   Indexed accounts typically have a growth cap—around 10% to 15%. So when the market booms, you may not earn as much as you would with direct investments.
   
   

3. You don’t have full liquidity
   While OWLs offer flexibility, they aren’t designed for constant in-and-out access. It’s not a checking account—it’s a long-game wealth builder.
   
   

4. They grow slower than variable accounts in bull markets
   When the market is soaring, traditional investments can outperform an indexed account—but that comes with risk (and sleepless nights).
   
   

So, we use the OWL Method (indexed accounts) as a stability anchor in your portfolio—not the whole boat.

Let’s Compare: OWL vs. 401(k)

If you're like most women I work with, you've been told the 401(k) is the gold standard for retirement. And to be fair, it’s not bad—it’s just not the whole story.

Let’s break it down in real talk.

The 401(k) Feels Like:

You’re hiking a mountain. Some days you’re making epic progress—other days, you're sliding back down and losing your footing. You're exposed to the elements (aka, the market), and no one’s coming to rescue you if things get rough.

• Yes, you can grow your money, especially in good market years.
  
  

• But you’re fully exposed—when the market drops, so does your account.
  
  

• You can’t touch the money until you’re 59½ without penalties.
  
  

• And if something happens to you? Your family might get whatever’s left—after taxes and fees.
  
  

The OWL Method Feels Like:

You’re floating above the chaos in a hot air balloon. You still get the beautiful view of the market rising, but when a storm rolls in—you don’t crash. You just hover safely until it passes.

• You still get growth, often up to 10–15%, depending on your policy.
  
  

• You can’t lose money in a crash—there’s a built-in “floor” that protects you.
  
  

• You can borrow from it at any time—no age restrictions or penalties.
  
  

• It comes with life insurance, so if something happens, your family gets a tax-free payout—guaranteed.

Summary

So while your 401(k) might do well in a great year, there’s no guarantee. And if a crash hits? You’re stuck waiting it out and hoping you have enough time left to recover.

With an OWL, you don’t get the same wild highs—but you never get the gut-wrenching lows.

And that, my friend, is how you stay calm, protected, and confidently growing your money while others are panicking.

Ready to explore whether the OWL Method is a good fit for your wealth plan? Click here to schedule a meeting with me!