Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy
Misty L. Heggeness
University of California Press (January 2026)

How women can escape the confines that limit their economic fulfillment and personal independence

Why did Misty Heggeness write Swiftynomics?

Over several years, she gathered a wealth of information about “the untold economic stories of the women around us.”  In the book, ” explore the disproportionate ways in which their economic lives have been ignored, dismissed, or undermined. This book is about the generations of women who have harnessed intellect, wit, and perseverance to ensure they and the world around them flourish.”

She then adds, “With Taylor Swift as my muse [hence ‘Swiftynomics’], and armed with the underreported, newly developed statistics, I challenge ingrained thinking about the economic situation of women and the challenges we face as we strive for gender equity. I correct misperceptions of the role women play in our economy and highlight the abundance of economic activity occurring in the daily lives of women throughout history.”

As I began to work my way through Swiftynomics, I was again reminded of the most important insight in Ernest Becker’s classic work, Denial of Death. Becker duly acknowledges that no one can deny physical death and only a suicide controls when, where, how, etc. But there is another form of death that can be denied: that which occurs when we become wholly preoccupied with fulfilling others’ expectations of us. In this instance, men’s expectations of women in the workplace.

In or near the central business district in most major cities, there is a farmer’s market at which –at least until COVID — merchants would offer slices of fresh fruit as samples of their wares. In that same spirit, I now offer these brief excerpts from Heggenes’s narrative to suggest the thrust and flavor of her thinking:

o “Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Mon Laferrte, and P!nk, to name a few, are current-day examples of women who take control of their talent and power to rewrite the script of an entire industry, including the script of how they merge motherhood and work…Women artists are successful because others see themselves in their artistry, buy their albums, attend their concerts, purchase their merchandise, and follow them on social media. They succeed because they are active agents in determining how they will balance family and children with careers, often choosing a nontraditional path thatallows their roles as mothers to fluidly interact with their professional personas. They are nimble and flexible because the constraints imposed on them by their industry are rigid.

“‘Swiftynomics,’ the art of escaping the confines that limit women’s economic fulfillment, recognizes women’s power and autonomy and encourages women to follow their gut. Because we live in a world overwhelmingly construxtedcforbthe conveniencemof men, women must often change paths in order to overcome barriers to success and fulfillment.”   (Pages 17-18)

o “We are driven by past stereotypes in defining the roles of women. We continually compare women’s positions to expectations that society has created for men in the workplace. We have historically overlooked the needs of women. We must envision a society where women have the space and time to flourish under their own visions on their own timeline. It’s not about women reaching the goals of a male-driven society, but rather about women creating their own goals and pushing for a society that breaks down barriers that prevent them from succeeding in the ways they see fit. It’about society seeing these goals, acknowledging them, and creating the infrastructure to help make those goals a reality.” (Page 123)

o ” At the end of the day, ‘Swiftynomics’ is about surrounding yourself with those who support your longer-term vision of yourself. Find yourself momanager-level support among family, friends, and coworkers. Find the people who believe in you. Fight to get all the complex aspects of your life and your goals as an economic being recognized in both your personal space and in public policy. Believe in your goals and trust your path, just like Taylor did. If you do, great things can happen. We will be there cheering you on the whole way. Just know that it is not over. You’ve only just begun. Use the black space. Fill it with you.” (Page 175)

Almost 250 years ago, a new nation was founded — and declared its independence — based on principles that included i rights, fundamental human rights, that are inherent, cannot be taken away, sold, or transferred, and belong to everyone simply by being human, famously including the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as stated in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. These rights are considered universal, enduring even if a government fails to protect them, and obligate societies to recognize and defend them as essential for human dignity.

Think about it. In 1789, the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights were adopted; and eventually, in 1920, women were finally allowed to vote (19th Amendment). Many (if not most) women in the United States still do not have all of those “inalienable rights.” That is unacceptable.

I urge those who share my high regard for Misty Heggeness and her efforts to check out Kevin Evers’s There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift, published by Harvard Business Review Press (April 2025). It will have special value for women who are now preparing for a career in business or have only recently embarked upon one.

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Here are two suggestions while you are reading Swiftynomics: First, highlight key passages. Also,  perhaps in a lined notebook kept near-at-hand,  record your comments, questions, and action steps (preferably with deadlines). Pay special attention to Heggenese’s suggestions (e.g., make a list of the women whose intellect, wit, and perseverance have impressed you most), and, to her concluding thoughts in the “Afterword” (Pages 176-180).

These two simple tactics — highlighting and documenting — will expedite frequent reviews of key material later.