How A 23-Year-Old Built A $375 Million Business From Her Laptop

At 23, Alexa von Tobel dropped out of Harvard to launch a financial education company, LearnVest, during the Great Recession. She put her life savings into starting the business. Years later, she sold it for $375 Million. This is her story.

🐦 Follow the host: https://x.com/shamusmadan

📩 Join The Dealroom: https://dealroompodcast.com/subscribe

Follow the guest: https://x.com/alexavontobel

Check out Inspired: https://www.inspiredcapital.com/

(0:00) Introduction to Alexa von Tobel and her entrepreneurial journey (0:36) Starting LearnVest during the Great Recession (2:07) Building LearnVest from Starbucks beginnings (4:32) Overcoming entrepreneurial challenges (7:23) Strategies for pitching to investors (10:26) Leveraging content to grow a business (15:59) Inside the acquisition by Northwestern Mutual (21:08) Reflections on sharing acquisition news with the team (22:49) Key advice and life rules from Alexa von Tobel (24:47) Discussing Inspired Capital's strategic goals (25:48) Exploring ambition and delusion in founders (26:41) Closing remarks and expressions of gratitude