Investment advertisement has made a lot of investors quite nervous and with obvious good reason. Bernie Madoff once took advantage of many investors which caused them to lose a lot of money along the way. However, while so many investors have been wary, Elle Kaplan is making moves and seems to have spotted something well worth it, according to CNN Money.

Elle Kaplan decided, after working for quite a few years with investment banking, that she would build a firm that was built on honesty without all of those excessive hidden fees and broker fees that people end up so frustrated over. It is amazing to think that after just one month, Lexion Capital Management, built by Kaplan, had already received $1 million worth of assets. Other clients that she had in previous firms were pleased to help her out. Kaplan says, “I didn’t expect it to be successful this quickly. It felt gratifying because I had worked hard to create a place that was worthy of them.”

The reason she did not expect the success to happen so quickly is because there is still a lot of fear coming from investors especially after the entire ordeal that took place with Bernie Madoff. Kaplan says, “People, especially in New York, were still reeling, because of the mortgage scandals and the fraud perpetuated by Bernie Madoff.”  She also says, “I handled it by putting a slide in our presentation: ‘How do you know we’re not the next Madoff?’”

A financial adviser, Eric Donner, says, “Clients are so uncertain right now. They’ve been placed into products and programs without the advice.” He says that investors, of course, need help but they need professional and helpful advice from someone who is not going to scam them, like Madoff did to many investors.

The way that Kaplan set up the account is that clients will sign an agreement. The agreement enables Kaplan to trade accounts and work only as a money manager. She will be unable to take out any of the money from accounts, which proves that she is reliable and honest. Kaplan says,  “If everyone did that, no one would have to worry,” she said. Having the authority to trade and withdraw money should never be mixed, she said. “It’s like oil and water.”

Kaplan also believes that a lot of investors no longer feel safe when using a large bank. Just because the bank is large and well-known, does not mean that the money is always going to be secure. Kaplan says, “The dissatisfaction and the scandals have made my job easier.” Because Kaplan’s mother, who became a window unexpectedly, struggled with money issues along the way, Kaplan specifically caters to women. She wants to help her female clients and has even said, “I wanted to create a place that was worthy of my mom — someone who is vulnerable and overwhelmed by the process.”