LearnVest

Alexa von Tobel entered Harvard Business School in the fall of 2008, but took a leave of absence and launched LearnVest.{{cite web|url=http://www.your-story.org/learnvest-launches-award-winning-personal-finance-website-for-women-54021/ |title=ELISA Kit, Antibody, Protein and more | MyBioSource Blog |publisher=Your-story.org |date= |accessdate=2015-11-17}}{{cite web|last=White |first=William N. |url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2009/10/29/von-learnvest-tobel-web/ |title=Personal Finance Web Site To Debut | News | The Harvard Crimson |publisher=Thecrimson.com |date=2009-10-29 |accessdate=2015-11-17}}{{cite web |url=https://koreyhowellphotography.com/idea-perfect-app-act/ |title=Have An Idea For The Perfect App? Act On It! |last=Howell |first=Korey |date=October 13, 2016 |access-date=2019-07-30}} Her inspiration for LearnVest started while she was a senior at Harvard University in 2006.{{cite web |url=https://qz.com/370660/dropping-out-of-harvard-business-school-may-have-been-the-best-decision-of-this-womans-life/ |title=Dropping out of Harvard Business School may have been the best decision of this woman's life |work=Quartz |first=Shelly |last=Banjo |date=March 26, 2015 |access-date=2019-07-30}}

LearnVest's headquarters are in New York, and they have an Expert Hub in Phoenix.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/learnvest-raises-165-million-2013-7 |title=LearnVest Raises $16.5 Million |publisher=Business Insider |date=2013-07-26 |accessdate=2015-11-17}}{{cite web|url=http://media.www.harbus.org/media/storage/paper343/news/2009/11/09/News/Why-Most.Twentysomethings.Dont.Understand.Personal.Finance-3826408.shtml|title=Why Most Twentysomethings Dont Understand Personal Finance|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126071808/http://media.www.harbus.org/media/storage/paper343/news/2009/11/09/News/Why-Most.Twentysomethings.Dont.Understand.Personal.Finance-3826408.shtml|archivedate=January 26, 2010|url-status=dead|accessdate=February 22, 2015}} LearnVest was selected as a TechCrunch50 2009 Company and debuted in September 2009 at the TechCrunch50 conference in San Francisco.{{cite web|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/totalreturn/2015/03/25/northwestern-mutual-is-buying-online-advice-provider-learnvest/|title=LearnVest|last=Moyer|first=Liz|date=March 25, 2015|accessdate=February 22, 2015}}

On March 25, 2015, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., based in Milwaukee, announced it would acquire LearnVest. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. LearnVest will continue to operate as a separate unit under founder and Chief Executive von Tobel. The deal has been viewed as the latest attempt by traditional financial services firms to adapt to new digital technologies. Northwestern Mutual expects the technology will encourage more adviser-client interaction and ultimately create a more rewarding experience for the customer and adviser. By adding LearnVest’s technology to the insurer’s existing planning platform, those advisers can devote more time to working with customers on carrying out their recommendations. The arrangement also puts customers in more frequent contact with those advisers.

On May 3, 2018, LearnVest discontinued its financial planning offering for consumers, as well as its LearnVest@Work program for businesses.{{Cite news|url=https://news.northwesternmutual.com/2018-05-03-Northwestern-Mutual-and-LearnVest-Take-Next-Step-in-Integration|title=Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest Take Next Step in Integration|work=Newsroom {{!}} Northwestern Mutual|access-date=2018-10-14|language=en-US}}

The LearnVest Program focuses on behavior change and “takes you from cutting expenses to budgeting for goals to investing your money.”{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/04/15/personalized-financial-planning-service-learnvest-raises-28m-from-northwestern-mutual-capital/ |title=Personalized Financial Planning Service LearnVest Raises $28M From Northwestern Mutual Capital |publisher=TechCrunch |date=2014-04-15 |accessdate=2015-11-17}} Clients work with LearnVest Planners to make progress on their money.{{cite web |url=https://www.putnam.com/about-putnam/press-releases/putnam-provide-401k-participant-access-wellness-services.jsp |title=Putnam Investments To Provide 401(K) Participants With Access To Financial Wellness Services To Help Plan and Prepare For Retirement |publisher=Putnam.com |date=2013-09-09 |accessdate=2015-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118171215/https://www.putnam.com/about-putnam/press-releases/putnam-provide-401k-participant-access-wellness-services.jsp |archive-date=2015-11-18 |url-status=dead }} There are “three tiers of access to financial plans”{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/your-money/financial-advice-for-those-with-hummingbird-nest-eggs.html?_r=0|title=Financial Advice for Those With Small Nest Eggs|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=2015-11-17}} The LearnVest Program was featured in von Tobel’s New York Times Bestseller, Financially Fearless.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/personalinterest/2014/01/27/financially-fearless-book-alexa-von-tobel/2774/ |title=Alexa von Tobel talks money mindset in "Financially Fearless" book |publisher=Blogs.denverpost.com |date=2014-01-27 |accessdate=2015-11-17}}

The Money Center is an online tool that lets users track their spending, visualize their budgets and financial goals.{{cite web

| last = Hardawar

| first = Devindra

| title = Financial planning for all: LearnVest gets its biggest update yet

| work = Venture Beat

| date = 11 September 2012

| url = https://venturebeat.com/2012/09/11/financial-planning-for-all-learnvest-gets-its-biggest-update-yet/#Dr4HIyVH14HZAiUO.99

}}

In addition to the built-in budgeting system, full goal tracking, full trends and analysis, and a financial inbox, Money Center allows live co-viewing of user’s account and dashboard between the user and his or her LearnVest financial planner.{{cite web

| last = Perez

| first = Sarah

| title = It's Not Just For Women Anymore: LearnVest Brings Financial – And Now Investment – Planning To Everyone

| work = TechCrunch

| date = 11 September 2012

| url = https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/11/its-not-just-for-women-anymore-learnvest-brings-financial-and-now-investment-planning-to-everyone/

}}

LearnVest Planning, a subsidiary of LearnVest Inc., is a Registered Investment Advisor through which LearnVest employs Certified Financial Planners nationwide.

{{cite news

| last = Carrns

| first = Ann

| title = LearnVest Dips Its Toes Into Investment Advice

| newspaper = The New York Times

| date = 11 September 2012

| url = http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/learnvest-dips-its-toes-into-investment-advice/

}}

As a registered SEC financial advisor, LearnVest is able to offer portfolio recommendations and general investment advice.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}

LearnVest released free iPhone and iPad apps that help users track their spending and their financial goals. The LearnVest app was featured as an iTunes App Store New & Noteworthy pick.{{cite web

| last = iTunes App Store

| title = LearnVest

| work = Apple

| year = 2012

| url = https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learnvest/id568189808?mt=8| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121025172135/https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learnvest/id568189808?mt=8| url-status = dead| archive-date = October 25, 2012}}

LearnVest raised a $4.5 million Series A round,

{{cite news

| last = Miller

| first = Claire Cain

| title = Accel Invests in Personal Finance Site for Women

| newspaper = The New York Times

| date = 1 April 2010

| url = http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/accel-invests-in-personal-finance-site-for-women/?scp=1&sq=learnvest&st=cse}}

a $19 million Series B round,{{cite web

| last = Rao

| first = Leena

| title = Accel And Others Put 19M In Female-Focused Personal Finance Guide LearnVest

| work = TechCrunch

| date = 12 July 2011

| url = https://techcrunch.com/2011/07/12/accel-and-others-put-19m-in-female-focused-personal-finance-guide-learnvest/}}

a $16.5 million Series C round, and a $28 million Series D round.

Investors include Accel Partners, Northwestern Mutual, American Express Ventures, Claritas Capital, Ed Mathias of The Carlyle Group, and Todd Ruppert of T. Rowe Price.

{{cite web

| last = Casserly

| first = Meghan

| title = LearnVest Planning's $16.5 Million Cash Infusion

| work = Forbes

| date = 26 July 2013

| url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2013/07/26/learnvest-plannings-16-5-million-cash-infusion-and-more-good-news/}}

The company hosted its first live event, LearnVest LIVE, in New York City in October 2012, featuring lectures by fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, Cosmo editor and Project Runway mentor Joanna Coles, Top Chef judge Gail Simmons and Gilt Groupe cofounder Alexandra Wilkis Wilson.{{cite web

|title = Announcing: LearnVest LIVE, an Inspiring Evening of Lifestyle and Money Advice

|work = Fox Business

|url = http://mymoney.m.foxbusiness.com/quickPage.html?page=32703&content=76256201&pageNum=-1

|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130710065959/http://mymoney.m.foxbusiness.com/quickPage.html?page=32703&content=76256201&pageNum=-1

|url-status = dead

|archive-date = 2013-07-10

}}

LearnVest has since held LIVE events in Los Angeles, Boston and San Francisco.{{cite web|url=http://guestofaguest.com/new-york/calendar/2013/october/learnvest-live-a-night-to-be-financially-fearless |title=LearnVest LIVE: A Night to be Financially Fearless - New York Calendar |publisher=Guest of a Guest |date= |accessdate=2015-11-17}}{{cite web|url=https://circles.leanin.org/spaces/28605/collections/10495/posts/329932 |title=LearnVest LIVE is coming to Los Angeles! |accessdate=June 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714233322/https://circles.leanin.org/spaces/28605/collections/10495/posts/329932 |archivedate=July 14, 2014 }}{{cite web|last=Schicktanz |first=Julie |url=http://finovate.com/2014/01/learnvest-inspired-book-financially-fearless-tops-charts-as-best-seller.html |title=LearnVest-Inspired Book, Financially Fearless, Tops Charts as Best Seller |publisher=Finovate |date=2014-01-15 |accessdate=2015-11-17}}

In 2014, LearnVest CEO Alexa von Tobel kicked off a 20-city book tour for Financially Fearless.{{cite web|author= |url=http://lifehacker.com/im-alexa-von-tobel-founder-of-learnvest-and-this-is-1501893209 |title=I'm Alexa von Tobel, Founder of LearnVest, and This Is How I Work |publisher=Lifehacker.com |date=2013-06-23 |accessdate=2015-11-17}} The book tour focused on going across the country to help people make progress on their money.

• TechCrunch50 2009
• Forbes's Top 100 Websites for Women{{cite web

| last = Casserly

| first = Meghan

| title = Top 100 Websites for Women 2012

| work = Venture Beat

| date = 20 June 2012

| url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeswomanfiles/2012/06/20/top-100-websites-for-women-2012/}}

• Business Insider's Digital 100 List{{cite web

| last = Shontell

| first = Alyson

| title = 2011 Digital 100: The complete list 1-100

| work = Business Insider

| date = 21 September 2011

| url = http://www.businessinsider.com/2011-digital-100--1-100}}

• Time Magazine's annual list of 50 Best Websites{{cite news

| last = McCracken

| first = Harry

| title = 50 Websites That Make the Web Great

| work = Time

| date = 16 August 2011

| url = https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2087815_2088176_2088185,00.html| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110817104855/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2087815_2088176_2088185,00.html| url-status = live| archive-date = August 17, 2011}}

• FinovateFall Best of Show 2011, 2012, 2013{{cite web|last=Penn|first=David|url=http://finovate.com/learnvest/ |title=LearnVest Acquired by Northwestern Mutual for More than $250 Million |publisher=Finovate |date=2015-03-27 |accessdate=2015-11-17}}
• Most Influential Content 2014{{cite web|author=Brittany Dowell|url=http://blog.influenceandco.com/were-proud-to-announce-influence-cos-3rd-annual-mvp-awards |title=We're Proud to Announce Influence & Co.'s 3rd Annual MVP Awards!|publisher=Blog.influenceandco.com |date=2014-03-07 |accessdate=2015-11-17}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{Official|http://www.learnvest.com}}

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Category:Financial services companies of the United States

Category:American companies established in 2009

Category:Financial services companies established in 2009

Category:2015 mergers and acquisitions

Category:2009 establishments in New York City