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[insert music notes here] “Business School Drop Out”…. (sung to the tune of “Beauty School Drop Out” from Grease)…
OK maybe that doesn’t work. But 30-year-old Alexa von Tobel has gone from leaving a promising career on Wall Street and Harvard Business School to create the best site for women* around finance. Actually, just the best site around finance, period.
(She says LearnVest is not just for women, but it IS resonating with women in droves. Why? Because it finally makes sense. And the majority of her marketing is very appealing to women. So I secretly think it IS for women, but… who cares; it’s an amazing platform.)
LearnVest is now one of the largest, fastest-growing financial planning companies in the country. For just $399 a year, and a $19 monthly fee, you get access to a Certified Financial Planner who will address all your financial needs, including savings, debt, credit, real estate and retirement.
As Alexa explains, “We’re making getting access to financial advice as consumable as getting a gym membership.” And this Glambition Girl knows how to get the money. Alexa has raised $45 million in funding so far for her venture.
Business Week has called her “the next Suze Orman”. Forbes declared her a “Woman to Watch”, and she has been selected as one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs”. (We have also both been named one of Ernst & Young’s Winning Women Entrepreneurs. That’s why she returned my call, LOL.)
Her recent New York Times bestseller, Financially Fearless, is a do-it-yourself, action-oriented financial planning guide that’s getting rave reviews. Alexa says she wrote it because she wanted to give people the tools they need to start feeling good about money.
You’ll have to listen to our Glambition Radio interview to hear all of her valuable advice, but here are a few of her top success tips… in her own words:
Tip #1: You have to feel GOOD about money
Alexa says, “As individuals, we make about six to ten money decisions every single day, yet we’re totally uninformed about how to optimize, how to make the right decisions, and really it’s a fundamental thing. Money is this tool that affects all of us for every day of our life, for the rest of our life. It should be something that we feel good about.”
Tip #2: Keep a VERY close eye on your credit card debt
“For entrepreneurs, you’re juggling your normal household, plus trying to start a business, and you’re actually more financially at risk because there are more variables that are going on. You must have a financial plan. You must know exactly how much risk you can really take on, and you need a game plan for what you’re going to do when the business is successful or if the business falls apart.” ~Alexa von Tobel
Tip #3: Networking is about building connections and cultivating friendships
Alexa says, “One of the things I say about connections is don’t ever think about it as networking. Think about it as just making real friendships. When people really care about what you’re doing or building, things go significantly farther. I never think of it as networking as much as I think about it as just building new friends.”
You also have to hear what she says about good debt versus bad debt. Really good advice. Please listen to this episode of Glambition Radio by clicking the play button below. And if you want to hear my most recent episodes head over to iTunes to listen or subscribe for automatic updates.
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Love and success,
