Drive, passion, hustle, and perseverance. These are all common words used to describe those who strive to make a change in the world through their business. But for entrepreneurs, these words are more than just a description of their character. They are perspectives and for some even a way to live a life. Although the struggle is known to any person who pursues an entrepreneurial life, women still have it harder which is why the gender gap between female-owned businesses and male-owned businesses in the United States is still a very large one. Regardless of this terrifying fact, female entrepreneurs are slowly but surely making great strides for business innovation and introducing new business models in an industry mainly predominated by men, risking their livelihood and sticking their neck out for enterprises they wholeheartedly believe in. With a clear sharp vision and a goal to make a change, these women don’t back down, paving the path for female entrepreneurs to be.
That is why we are ecstatic to introduce our newest Cool Face of Bastet Noir, Alexa Von Tobel — a fierce entrepreneur who managed to turn her idea into reality through persistence and hard work. LearnVest, Von Tobel’s bravest business venture, created a safe space for people to plan their finances in an innovative and modern way. However, this marks only one of this ladyboss’ admirable achievements: she’s co-founder of Inspired Capital, a New York Times Bestselling Author, and host of IncMagazine’s weekly podcast The Founders Project . Yes, she really does it all. Her work ethic is admirable, which is one of the crucial points that makes this woman so powerful.
Who is Alexa Von Tobel?
I’m a mom (of three), wife, daughter, company-builder, and fan of entrepreneurs.
What’s your morning routine like?
My mornings revolve around my kids — getting them settled, kissing everyone good morning, and sneaking in a coffee! On an extra good day, I find time to exercise and have a moment of sanity.
Do you remember what your first job was and how that experience shaped you to become who you are today?
Alexa Von Tobel wearing the Lampe Dress custom-made for her
Absolutely. My first job was working at my dad’s office. He was a developmental pediatrician and watching him take care of children who were struggling made me realize how grateful I was for the basics of what I was fortunate enough to have in my own life. Not to mention, it showed me firsthand how important hard work is.
What was the most challenging and most exciting project you’ve worked on?
LearnVest. Building a company is incredibly challenging. I often say, if you knew what it took to be an entrepreneur, you’d never start. But the feeling of creating something new, from the ground up, is invaluable.
At LearnVest, we were creating a category around tech-enabled financial planning. Educating consumers on the importance of financial planning and then delivering on that vision was challenging in so many ways, but I was always driven by the underlying mission of helping families take control of their money.
Three things you wish you knew before starting out…
Listen to your own voice.
Trust your hard work.
And dream big because no one else will do it for you.
Books that changed your life
So many! To name a few: Why We Sleep, The Purple Cow, and Atlas Shrugged.
Biggest failure/setback in life and what you’ve learnt from it?
I think some of the hardest days were getting no's, particularly when I was first pitching LearnVest. When you pour your blood, sweat, and tears into a business, it can feel like a major setback to have someone pass on you. But I wasn’t afraid to keep going and pushing through until I found people who believed in me and my vision.
Favorite female empowerment speech
I think one of the most empowering speeches I’ve watched is Steve Jobs’s commencement speech. Highly recommend
What’s in your Bastet Noir cart?
The Lampe Dress!
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