When investment-savvy brothers David and Tom Gardner founded their financial services company, they looked to these lines describing a contemplative yet comedic character for their name. Sick of the tired, boring investment publications found in 1993, the brothers decided to offer advice without taking themselves too seriously. They injected humor and wit into their thoroughly researched reports, gathering a strong following in the process. Almost 20 years later, the community at The Motley Fool is tighter than ever, with each person offering and taking advice on the rising and falling stars of the stock market every day.

Motley Fool's personal finance experts cover myriad topics, including finance, investing, and retirement, with features appearing in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and on Good Morning America. The site sends out regular newsletters on a diverse range of topics, and hosts a national radio show and podcast heard by more than 200,000 listeners weekly. They've also packaged their advice into services, helping clients avoid resorting to reading tea leaves in order to gauge the market.