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LearnVest

2011 SAWIB WinnerCompany: LearnVest
Company Description:
Our mission at LearnVest is to empower women everywhere to take control of their personal finances so that they can afford their dreams. We’re here to help by giving you the information, tools, and support you need to earn well, save well, and spend well.
Nomination Category: Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Executive – Service Businesses – up to 100 Employees

Nomination Title: Alexa von Tobel, Founder and CEO

Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated executive during the eligibility period (up to 500 words):

Von Tobel likens LearnVest to an online version of The Suze Orman Show, but with the goal of reinforcing positive finance habits early on. “Suze Orman helps 45- year-old women get out of debt,” she says. “Why not reach 20-year-olds to keep them from getting into debt?” (4)

Business Insider named von Tobel to the Silicon Alley 100 list in September 2010. The silicon Alley 100 is a list of the “New York’s coolest coolest tech people of the year.” (2) Business Insider also named LearnVest to their list of the 30 most valuable Internet Start Ups in New York in October 2011. (3)

In July, LearnVest raised a $19 million round, bringing its total funding to $24.5 million. It's seeing quick adoption among advertisers and users, and conversion rates on its recently launched subscription product are exceeding expectations. It is estimated to have a $100 million valuation.

Inc magazine named von Tobel to their prestigious 30 Under 30 list of the coolest young entrepreneurs in America in July 2010. (4)

Alexa von Tobel was a featured speaker at the annual Women’s Conference in California in October 2010. Hosted by California First Lady Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Women’s Conference® 2010 was the nation’s premier forum for women, empowering women to be Architects of Change® in their own lives, their communities and the world. More than 150 extraordinary speakers came together with 30,000 women to be educated, inspired and empowered. The Women’s Conference was also a global online community, where more than one million women gathered to learn how to truly change the world. (5)

List the URLs (web addresses) of any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that you would like the judges to see that support your entry. IMPORTANT: List each URL on a separate line, begin each URL with http://, and enclose each URL in square brackets. For example, [http://www.yourcompany.com/pressrelease.html]:

1. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=62240169&privcapId=62099801

2. http://www.businessinsider.com/sa100-2010#alexa-von-tobel-63

3. http://www.businessinsider.com/most-valuable-new-york-startups-2011-10#29-learnvest-2

4. http://www.inc.com/30under30/2010/profile-alexa-von-tobel-learnvest.html

5. http://www.womensconference.org/the-women-s-conference-201/

Provide a brief biography of the nominated executive (up to 100 words):

Alexa came up with the idea for LearnVest during her senior year at Harvard when she realized she, and most of her peers, had no formal education to effectively manage their finances . Upon graduation, she worked as a trader at Morgan Stanley and went on to become the Head of Business Development at Drop.io, a start-up backed by RRE and DFJ Gotham Ventures. Ms. Von Tobel received an A.B. in Psychology with Honors with a citation in Romance Languages and Literature at Harvard College(1). Ms. Von Tobel enrolled in Harvard Business School. In 2009, she took a leave of absence from HBS in order to launch LearnVest. In addition to LearnVest, she is the co-founder of L.W.A.L.A. ) a 501c3 focused on fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa.