Elle Kaplan is an entrepreneur, thought leader, and the CEO of wildly successful, game-changing firm LexION Capital Management. Her financial wisdom and sage advice have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNBC, Fox, Yahoo! Finance, and countless other publications.

Elle’s fascination with investing started young – even as a three year old, she couldn’t understand why the children in Mary Poppins were throwing their tuppence to the birds instead of getting them safely in the bank where they could accrue interest. Hailing from the Midwest, Elle moved to New York City fresh out of undergraduate school, and wasted no time chasing after her dream. When she arrived in New York, she had a degree in English and Chemistry, just $200 in her pocket, and no job. With resourcefulness and unwavering determination, Elle transformed these beginnings into a successful career with some of New York's most reputable finance firms.

At first, she was repeatedly turned away. Finally, when interviewing for a job as a receptionist, her interviewers noted her A average and suggested that she would be bored answering phones. Elle agreed, and took the position as Analyst. From there, Elle worked her way up Wall Street, working in investment banking, private equity, asset management, institutional trading, and private banking. Along the way, she earned her Executive MBA in Finance from Columbia University while working full time.

It was always her vision to create her own firm, though, the anti-Wall Street, Wall Street, a place that was inclusive, woman-owned, client-centric, ethical, and transparent. After a decidedly fruitful and rewarding decade on the Street, nevertheless dreaming of better things all the while, Elle decided to turn her fantasy into a reality: the idea for LexION Capital Management was born.

Prior to launch, the common reaction to her business plan was "Are you insane?" After the tacit avowal of three separate clients, however, Elle decided to jump in and launch the firm she’d always imagined: she exceeded her goals for new clients for the first year on the first day. The success and rapid growth of LexION speaks to the need for change in a polluted industry. More than building a company, Elle is building a movement.

Elle is also a pillar of her community who speaks at women’s conferences and universities throughout the country, mentors countless young people, is an active patron of various artist