Alexa von Tobel
{{Short description|American businesswoman, founder and CEO of Learnvest.com}}
{{promo|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Alexa von Tobel
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|10|06}}
| birth_place = Jacksonville, Florida
| alma_mater = Harvard College
| years_active = 2009–present
| occupation = Managing Partner of Inspired Capital, Founder & CEO of LearnVest.com,
| nationality = American
}}
Alexa von Tobel (born October 6, 1983) is the founder and Managing Partner of Inspired Capital, a near billion-dollar early stage venture firm backing fearless founders solving the hardest challenges facing humanity.{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Christine |title=Inspired Capital Venture Inspired Capital secures $330M fund to take venture capital 'back to the studs' |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/29/inspired-capital-330m-venture-capital/ |access-date=24 February 2025 |publisher=Tech Crunch}} Prior to Inspired Capital, Alexa dropped out of Harvard Business School to found LearnVest, one of the first fintech companies aimed at making financial planning software affordable and accessible to millions.{{cite news |title=Northwestern Mutual Acquires LearnVest™ to Redefine the Financial Planning Experience |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/northwestern-mutual-acquires-learnvest-to-redefine-the-financial-planning-experience-300055979.html |access-date=24 February 2025 |publisher=PR Newswire}} In 2015, LearnVest was acquired by Northwestern Mutual for nearly $375 million, marking one of the decade’s largest fintech acquisitions.{{cite news |last1=Mohan |first1=Pavithra |title=LearnVest's Alexa von Tobel wants to boost NYC's VC scene with new fund |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90415627/alexa-von-tobel-and-penny-pritzker-launch-inspired-capital-vc-firm |access-date=October 16, 2019 |publisher=Fast Company}} Von Tobel is the author of the New York Times bestseller Financially Fearless (published December 31, 2013), Financially Forward (published May 14, 2019), and Money Matters (published March 26, 2024).{{cite news|title=Best Sellers Business Books|url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2014-02-02/business-books/list.html|work=The New York Times|accessdate=7 May 2014}}{{Cite book|title=Amazon: Financially Forward|isbn=978-1984823526|last1=Tobel|first1=Alexa Von|year=2019|publisher=Crown }}{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/179548394-rebel-girls-money-matters |website=Goodreads |title=Rebel Girls Money Matters: A Guide to Saving, Spending,… }} Alexa is a 2016 Henry Crown Fellow and an inaugural member of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship, alongside Steve Case, Reid Hoffman, Tory Burch and others.{{cite web|title=Meet the Commerce Department's All-Star Startup Team|date=7 April 2014|url=http://www.inc.com/jeremy-quittner/commerce-launches-global-advisory-group-for-startups.html|publisher=Inc|accessdate=7 May 2014}} Before producing her own podcast, American Ambition, in 2025, she hosted Inc.'s For Starters podcast (formerly The Founders Project with Alexa von Tobel) from 2019 to 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://www.inc.com/podcasts/founders-project|title= Inc. Founders Project with Alexa von Tobel|language=en-US|access-date=31 July 2023}} Prior to that, she hosted a weekly SiriusXM radio show, Financially Fearless with Alexa von Tobel.{{cite web |url=https://www.acg.org/nyc/speakers/alexa-von-tobel |website=Association for Corporate Growth |access-date=24 February 2025 |title=Alexa von Tobel | ACG New York }} Von Tobel is a columnist for Fast Company, and a regular contributor to the Today Show and Good Morning America.{{cite web |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/user/alexa-von-tobel |website=Fast Company |access-date=11 February 2023 |title=Alexa von Tobel }}{{cite web |title=The Today Show |date=30 March 2011 |url=https://www.today.com/money/alexa-von-tobel-how-new-parents-should-save-college-tuition-6c9678055 |access-date=30 March 2011}}{{cite web |title=Good Morning America |url=https://beta.goodmorningamerica.com/living/video/expert-tips-give-holiday-bonus-117112545 |access-date=26 December 2024}}
Early life, education and family
Von Tobel is from Jacksonville, Florida.{{cite web |last=Staff |first=Crushable |date=March 18, 2010 |title=Crushable questionnaire: Alexa von Tobel |url=http://crushable.com/other-stuff/crushable-questionnaire-alexa-von-tobel/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603123031/http://crushable.com/other-stuff/crushable-questionnaire-alexa-von-tobel/ |archive-date=June 3, 2012 |accessdate=June 21, 2011}} Her mother, Darlene Marie von Tobel, is a nurse practitioner and her father, the late Dr. Harry M. Von Tobel, worked in a private practice specializing as a developmental pediatrician.{{Cite news |date=2013-03-24 |title=Alexa von Tobel and Michael Ryan Jr. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/fashion/weddings/alexa-von-tobel-michael-ryan-jr-weddings.html |access-date=2023-01-19 |issn=0362-4331}} Von Tobel received a B.A. in Psychology at Harvard College. Alexa von Tobel is married to Michael Ryan Jr.; they met at Harvard.{{Cite news |date=2013-03-24 |title=Alexa von Tobel and Michael Ryan Jr. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/fashion/weddings/alexa-von-tobel-michael-ryan-jr-weddings.html |access-date=2023-01-19 |issn=0362-4331}} The couple has three children.{{cite web|title=11 Female CEOs and Founders on What It's Really Like to Have a Baby While Running Your Company|url=https://fortune.com/longform/11-female-ceos-and-founders-on-what-its-really-like-to-have-a-baby-while-running-your-company/|work=Fortune|accessdate=31 July 2023}}
Career
After graduation, she worked as a trader at Morgan Stanley before leaving to be the Head of Business Development at Drop.io. {{cite web|title=Alexa von Tobel: How To Be The Master Of Your Financial Future|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2014/01/20/alexa-von-tobel-how-to-be-the-master-of-your-financial-future/?sh=81893b74a682|work=Forbes|accessdate=31 July 2023}}
Von Tobel came up with the idea for LearnVest in 2006 while working at Morgan Stanley when she realized she and most other people had never had any formal education about how to manage their personal finances.{{cite web| title = LearnVest's founder: Is Alexa von Tobel Suze Orman 2.0? | date = July 7, 2010 | url = https://venturebeat.com/2010/07/27/learnvest-alexa-von-tobel/ | accessdate = June 21, 2011|work=VentureBeat}} In April 2009, Von Tobel closed a $4.5 million series A round of funding led by Accel Partners.{{cite news | last = Miller
| first = Claire Cain | title = Accel Invests in Personal Finance Site for Women | date = April 1, 2010
| url = http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/accel-invests-in-personal-finance-site-for-women/ | accessdate = June 21, 2011
| work=The New York Times}} LearnVest raised a total of $72 million while a private company, from investors including Accel Partners, American Express Ventures and Northwestern Mutual Capital.{{cite web|title=Personalized Financial Planning Service LearnVest Raises $28M From Northwestern Mutual Capital|date=15 April 2014 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/04/15/personalized-financial-planning-service-learnvest-raises-28m-from-northwestern-mutual-capital/|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=7 May 2014}}
On March 25, 2015, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., based in Milwaukee, announced it would acquire LearnVest for a reported price of $375 million.{{Cite web|last=Mohan|first=Pavithra|date=2019-10-16|title=LearnVest's Alexa von Tobel wants to boost NYC's VC scene with new fund|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90415627/alexa-von-tobel-and-penny-pritzker-launch-inspired-capital-vc-firm|access-date=2021-04-16|website=Fast Company|language=en-US}} After LearnVest’s acquisition, Alexa became Northwestern Mutual's first-ever Chief Digital Officer, leading product and technology strategy as the company achieved $35 billion in annual revenue. She later became Chief Innovation Officer, overseeing Northwestern Mutual’s venture arm.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/author/alexa-von-tobel/ |website=Tech Crunch |access-date=1 February 2023 |title=Alexa von Tobel, Author at TechCrunch }}
In 2019, Von Tobel launched a new early stage venture capital fund, Inspired Capital, along with Penny Pritzker.{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2019/02/08/penny-pritzker-alexa-von-tobel-fund/|title=Exclusive: Billionaire Penny Pritzker Joins Forces With Alexa von Tobel to Raise New $200M Fund|website=Fortune|language=en|access-date=2019-08-07}} Inspired Capital's latest fund totaled $330 million, bringing the firm's commitments to nearly $1 billion.{{cite news |title=Inspired Capital secures $330M fund to take venture capital 'back to the studs' |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/29/inspired-capital-330m-venture-capital/ |publisher=Tech Crunch}}
Awards and recognition
She has been honored with numerous recognitions including: a Forbes magazine cover story, Fortune’s 40 Under 40, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30, and World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader. Alexa is a member of the 2016 Class of Henry Crown Fellows and an inaugural member of President Obama’s Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/author/alexa-von-tobel/ |website=Tech Crunch |access-date=24 February 2025 |title=Alexa von Tobel, Author at TechCrunch }} Additionally, Von Tobel has been included in lists like Business Insider's 2010 "Silicon Valley 100,"{{cite web | last = Insider | first = Silicon Valley | title = Silicon Valley 100 | website = Business Insider | date = December 8, 2010 | url = http://www.businessinsider.com/sa100-2010#alexa-von-tobel-63
| accessdate = June 21, 2011| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512205406/http://www.businessinsider.com/sa100-2010| archivedate=12 May 2011 | url-status=live}} “Women to Watch” by Forbes,{{cite news | title = Women to Watch
| date = January 5, 2011 | url = http://video.forbes.com/fvn/wtw/alexa-von-tobel-learnvest-finance | accessdate = June 21, 2011
| work=Forbes| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721224932/http://video.forbes.com/fvn/wtw/alexa-von-tobel-learnvest-finance| archivedate=21 July 2011 | url-status=dead}} “18 Women Changing the World” in Marie Claire,{{cite web
| title = 18 Women Changing the World | date = September 13, 2010 | url = http://www.marieclaire.com/career-money/jobs/articles/women-on-top | accessdate = June 21, 2011}} and BusinessWeek's annual list of “Best Young Tech Entrepreneurs.”{{cite web
| title = Best Young Tech Entrepreneurs | date = January 5, 2011 | url = http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20110516/best-young-tech-entrepreneurs-2011/slides/2 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110521005600/http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20110516/best-young-tech-entrepreneurs-2011/slides/2 | url-status = dead | archive-date = May 21, 2011 | accessdate = June 21, 2011}} In 2012, she was selected as a Fortune "Most Powerful Women Entrepreneur" and named a scholar at the Aspen Ideas Festival.{{cite web|title=Personal Finance Expert Alexa von Tobel to Deliver Woman of Achievement Lecture|url=http://www.meredith.edu/calendar/event/5741|publisher=Meredith College|accessdate=7 May 2014}}
Von Tobel has been a featured speaker at several conferences and events such as the 2012 SXSW Interactive,{{Cite web
| last = Chang
| first = Angie
| title = Female Founders To Watch: 2012 SXSWi Speakers Edition
| work = Women 2.0
| date = 2 March 2012
| url = http://www.women2.com/female-founders-to-watch-2012-sxswi-speakers-edition/}}
TEDxWallStreet Event at NYSE,{{Cite web
| last = Ted Talks
| title = Alexa von Tobel: 4 TEDTalks That Impart True Insight
| work = Mashable
| date = 19 November 2012
| url = http://mashable.com/2012/11/19/alexa-von-tobel-ted/}}
Stern Entrepreneurs Exchange Summit 2012,{{Cite web
| last = Sharma
| first = Gary
| title = Best Tech Events This Week (4sq Day, NY Tech Day, Fashion 2.0, food+tech, SkillShare Penny Conf, General Assembly Assemled Capital)
| work = BetaBeat
| date = 16 April 2012
| url = http://betabeat.com/2012/04/best-tech-events-this-week-2/}}
Ruth's Chris Steak House and Marie Claire Celebrate Female Entrepreneurs: Women in Business Speaker Series,{{Cite web
| last = Lepore
| first = Meredith
| title = LearnVest CEO Alexa von Tobel Said Raising Money For A Startup is 'Most Gruesome'
| work = The Grindstone
| date = 8 May 2012
| url = http://www.thegrindstone.com/2012/05/08/mentors/learnvest-ceo-alexa-von-tobel-said-raising-money-for-a-startup-is-most-gruesome-519/
| access-date = 10 July 2013
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130420171724/http://www.thegrindstone.com/2012/05/08/mentors/learnvest-ceo-alexa-von-tobel-said-raising-money-for-a-startup-is-most-gruesome-519/
| archive-date = 20 April 2013
| url-status = dead
}}
Fortune Summit: Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs,
{{Cite web
| last = Leahey
| first = Colleen
| title = 10 Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs
| work = Fortune Magazine
| date = 27 September 2012
| url = https://money.cnn.com/gallery/smallbusiness/2012/09/27/most-powerful-women-entrepreneurs-2012.fortune/9.html
| access-date = 10 July 2013
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130522161106/https://money.cnn.com/gallery/smallbusiness/2012/09/27/most-powerful-women-entrepreneurs-2012.fortune/9.html
| archive-date = 22 May 2013
| url-status = dead
| df = dmy-all
}}
The George Washington University 5th Annual Women in Business Conference,{{Cite web
| last = Greenberg
| first = Molly
| title = GW Women in Business Event to Host a Whole Slew of Impressive Female Entrepreneurs
| work = DC Inno
| date = 1 April 2014
| url = http://dcinno.streetwise.co/2014/04/01/george-washington-university-why-you-should-attend-gwwibs-5th-annual-spring-conference}}
and Inc.’s GrowCo Conference in 2013.{{Cite web
| last = Stillman
| first = Jessica
| title = How to Disrupt an Industry
| work = Women 2.0
| date = 18 April 2013
| url = http://www.women2.com/how-to-disrupt-an-industry/}}