EP 36: JENNY JUST
Jenny Just, co-founder of PEAK6 and Poker Power, is a visionary powerhouse, and one of the few self-made female billionaires in the United States. From the days of cutting her teeth on the trading floor in Chicago to now running a fintech empire, she has started and/or turned around more than fifteen companies.
Jenny co-founded PEAK6 in 1997 with $1.6M in seed capital as a proprietary options trading firm and since then has grown it into a multibillion-dollar financial services and technology giant housing the next generation of products & service brands including PEAK6 Capital Management, PEAK6 Strategic Capital, Apex Fintech Solutions, PEAK6 InsurTech, and Zogo.
With a true knack for unearthing talent and opportunities, Jenny looks for underfunded and underappreciated sectors to transform into high-growth businesses. Her passion specifically lies in finding opportunities for women to succeed at every table — from the classroom, to the conference room, to the poker room, to the boardroom.
This passion led her to launch Poker Power in 2020 with her daughter Juliette, a woman-led company that teaches poker to all who identify as female, and by extension, teaches women strategic thinking, capital allocation, and decision-making skills.
Additionally, Jenny has created programs to help women advance their careers including the Women’s Trading Experience and Women’s Technology Experience. She currently serves on the Women and Public Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Jenny's remarkable success has earned her a number of accolades, including being named to Forbes’ list of America's Richest Self-Made Women, Forbes 50 over 50 and Worth’s Groundbreaking Women. She was also the recipient of the Women’s Poker Association’s Industry Innovation Recognition Award and received a Tony Award for her involvement in Memphis the Musical.
PEAK6 doesn’t do anything the traditional way. Mainly because we’re not your typical investment firm. We follow opportunities, not the status quo.
Headquartered in the Chicago Board of Trade Building with offices worldwide, PEAK6 is powered by the same trading that got us our start. It fuels us to think outside the box and remain nimble. We don’t chase a bottom line; we adapt our vision to embrace and empower today’s consumers through technology, simplifying processes, improving performance, and creating new wealth.
Poker Power builds critical life skills through the game of poker. Join Poker Power’s virtual classes, real-life events, and mobile app to practice decision-making, risk assessment, and negotiation skills in a supportive, non-gambling environment. Whether you play against the computer or join in on community games, Poker Power combines fun, personal growth and community. Start your journey by downloading the free app.
