Merrill Lynch was founded in 1914 by Charles E. Merrill, who opened a one-man shop on Wall Street with a revolutionary vision for the financial industry (Merrill Lynch login). The company grew into a powerhouse by bringing Wall Street to Main Street, making investing accessible to ordinary Americans rather than just the wealthy elite. Its guiding Principles put clients' interests first, which built enormous trust and fueled the firm's expansion for nearly a century.