The billionaire teaching women to take risks through poker

Jenny Just: From Trading Floor to Empowering Women Through Poker

Key Concepts:

• Peak6: A multi-billion dollar FinTech company founded by Jenny Just, initially a trading firm, now focused on technology supporting companies like Robinhood, SoFi, and Betterment.
• Poker as a Framework: Utilizing poker not just as a game, but as a tool for developing courage, risk assessment, strategic thinking, and decision-making skills, particularly for women.
• Compound Experience: The idea that repeated practice and learning in one area (like poker) can positively impact performance in others (like business).
• Risk Tolerance & Capital Allocation: Understanding and managing risk, and effectively utilizing resources to maximize potential gains.
• Non-Linear Career Path: The value of diverse experiences and the benefits of embracing unexpected opportunities.

I. Introduction & The Poker Initiative

Jenny Just, a self-made billionaire and 2025 CNBC Changemaker, is actively teaching poker to over a million women. This initiative stems from a realization that the skills honed through poker – courage, risk-taking, and strategic thinking – are directly transferable to success in business and life. She began informally teaching poker to CNBC Changemakers, observing their enthusiastic engagement and subsequent application of the game’s principles within their organizations. Just emphasizes that women have historically been excluded from poker culture, and her program aims to bridge that gap.

II. The Accidental Path to Poker & Peak6’s Origins

Just’s journey into poker was initially accidental. Observing her daughter struggling in a tennis match in 2019, her partner suggested she learn poker to understand strategic thinking. This sparked a personal exploration that quickly revealed parallels between poker and her existing career in finance. Peak6 was founded in 1997 with $1.5 million, born from a desire to innovate beyond the traditional trading floor. Just and her co-founder capitalized on the emerging opportunities in off-exchange trading, leveraging technology to compete with established financial institutions. The firm’s success was built on a combination of strategic risk-taking, technological innovation, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. A key point is that Just initially avoided public attention for nearly 25 years, focusing on building the business rather than self-promotion.

III. The Power of Poker: Skills & Applications

Just identifies several key skills developed through poker:

• Decision-Making Under Pressure: Poker forces players to make choices with incomplete information, mirroring real-world business scenarios.
• Strategic Thinking: Analyzing opponents, understanding position, and evaluating potential outcomes are crucial poker skills that translate to business strategy.
• Capital Allocation: Managing resources (chips) effectively to maximize gains and minimize losses is directly applicable to financial management.
• Patience: A critical, often overlooked skill, poker demands patience and disciplined decision-making.

Just notes that these skills are particularly valuable for women seeking to advance to senior leadership positions, where risk-taking and financial acumen are paramount. She observed that women often excel in many areas of business but can sometimes hesitate when it comes to making significant financial decisions.

IV. From Four Lessons to a Global Program

The poker initiative began with four lessons for ten girls and their mothers. The positive impact on the girls’ confidence and the realization of the game’s broader applicability led to expansion. Initially, the program was offered to families within Peak6, then to larger organizations like Morning Star. Today, the program has reached over 370 organizations in 60 countries, including major banks, tech firms, and law firms. The program now includes men, but its primary focus remains on empowering women.

V. Leadership Evolution & Personal Insights

Just reflects on her own leadership evolution, attributing much of it to her experiences with poker. She acknowledges that she historically operated from a place of fear, which limited her risk-taking. Learning poker fostered patience and a more methodical approach to decision-making. She believes she could have avoided ten years of losses in her career had she learned poker earlier.

Just also discusses the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, noting that she often had to work harder to be taken seriously. She advises women to be more assertive when seeking funding, adopting a “raise, not limp” approach – meaning confidently presenting a strong vision and demanding appropriate investment.

VI. Balancing Work & Life & Key Life Hacks

Just acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining a work-life balance, particularly as a mother of four and a founder of multiple companies. Her “life hacks” include:

• Seeking Advice from Female Friends: Leveraging the collective wisdom and support of a strong female network.
• Short-Term Commitments: Making flexible commitments with children, recognizing that their needs and interests will change.
• Compromise: Finding mutually acceptable solutions, even if it means sacrificing personal preferences.

VII. Conclusion

Jenny Just’s story is a testament to the power of embracing unexpected opportunities and leveraging diverse experiences. Her journey from a trading floor to a FinTech leader and now a champion for women’s empowerment through poker demonstrates the value of continuous learning, strategic risk-taking, and a willingness to challenge conventional norms. Her initiative highlights the potential of poker as a valuable tool for developing essential skills and fostering confidence, particularly for women navigating the complexities of the business world. The core takeaway is that embracing discomfort, learning from failures, and building a strong support network are crucial for achieving success and making a lasting impact.