
Alexandra Wilkis Wilson
Co-Founder, Gilt Groupe & GlamSquad; Co-Founder & CEO, Fitz Co.
A pioneering dealmaker who found success in the nexus of technology and the luxury goods sector, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson is also an advisor, mentor and angel investor who shares her expertise with diverse entrepreneurs. Alexandra rose to prominence at the nexus of technology and the luxury goods sector as the co-founder of Gilt Groupe, one…
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Full Bio
A pioneering dealmaker who found success in the nexus of technology and the luxury goods sector, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson is also an advisor, mentor and angel investor who shares her expertise with diverse entrepreneurs.
Alexandra rose to prominence at the nexus of technology and the luxury goods sector as the co-founder of Gilt Groupe, one of the first flash-sale sites in the U.S., which now claims over 10 million members, ships to over 180 countries and sells more than 4,000 international brands. Over the course of seven years, she assumed multiple roles at the influential start-up, including her initial role as Chief Merchandising Officer. Together with Gilt co-founder Alexis Maybank, she is the author of the New York Times best-selling book By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop (Portfolio/Penguin) documenting the company’s meteoric and much-imitated trajectory.
Prior to Gilt, Alexandra managed retail operations at Bulgari, overseeing 15 North American stores, worked in sales planning for Louis Vuitton North America and also worked at Financo under the tutelage of the esteemed retail guru, the late Marvin Traub. She began her career in investment banking at Merrill Lynch, covering telecom, media and technology companies throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America.
In 2014, Alexandra co-founded GlamSquad, a mobile app launched in several major U.S. cities which aims to transform beauty in the same way Uber re-imagined ridesharing for a generation of tech-savvy consumers. Accessible by smartphone, GlamSquad delivers high-quality hair, make-up and nail services into private homes by providing instant makeovers performed by seasoned professionals at an affordable price point.
Alexandra is currently the co-founder and CEO of Fitz Co., which is a part home organizer and part styling service that helps customers get dressed easier.
Passionate about entrepreneurship, Alexandra is entrenched in the New York City startup community as an advisor, mentor and/or angel investor. Birchbox, Rent the Runway, Carbon 38 and Send the Trend (which was sold to QVC), are included among these companies. Alexandra is a Mentor for Techstars and Liberty Media’s Women’s eCommerce Network (WeCN). She is an Advisory Board Member for the Harvard Business School Rock 100 Entrepreneurs Summit and is also on the Entrepreneur Board of Venture for America. Alexandra is on the Board of Directors of Perry Ellis International (Nasdaq: PERY) and serves on the Governance, Investment, Nominating and Compensation Committees.
She has been engaged in several non-profit boards, including, Dress for Success Worldwide, The National Retail Federation Foundation, Women’s Forum of New York, Inc and Fashion Group International. She is also an active fundraiser for her alma maters The Brearley School, Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University.
Alexandra speaks five languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian). She has studied, lived, and worked internationally in Latin America, Europe, and Japan. She holds a B.A. from Harvard College, from which she graduated magna cum laude, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Testimonials
Ernie was perfect for our Elders Conference at Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. We will definitely be using PDA again!

LITTLE RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA INDIANS
Our speaker was great and the crowd enjoyed her! She was very engaging. Thank you again PDA for the great list of suggestions!

MEDTRONIC
Everything went great! and our speaker was wonderful! Thank you so much for all your help PDA! Looking forward to the next one.

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
I hope that this message finds you well. We had a phenomenal time with Atsuko this past Thursday. We wanted to just let you know how amazing she was. All those that were in attendance thoroughly enjoyed her and had nothing but amazing things to say about her. Thank you for working with us to make sure this happened!

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!

SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dear PDA Group, Thank you so much for your hard work in scheduling our speaker! From the moment we reached out to you the first time, you worked with us on all details and logistics and kept us up-to-date on the progress. Thank you for all your hard work on making our event such a success! We couldn't have done it without you and your team!

SAP COMPANY
Thank you again, Dr. Kimbrough, for a great presentation, our attendees are still talking about it!

CAMPUS LABS
Dr. Henry Lee's presentation was entertaining, insightful and wise. I, and everyone at Pfizer, especially appreciate the remarks you directed about following your passion and preparing yourself to excel. Thank you, everyone, at PDA for helping to make this happen!

PFIZER
The event was successful! I received many messages expressing how awesome, outstanding and inspiring Ms. Webb-Christburg's speech was."

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFAST, BOSTON, MLK SPEAKER
Everything went well. Atsuko was very easy to work with and the students enjoyed her performance! Thank you again for your recommendation and I hope to work with you again in the future!

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Novello left this morning after a very successful event on our campus! Thank you PDA Group for your help from the first phone to the last you were with us every step of the way.

GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Jordan Carlos was very very entertaining! A majority of students who answered the event survey indicated they really enjoyed Jordan and definitely will bring him back!

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can't wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.

FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Thank you, Peter, for all your help, you'll be happy to know that the event went incredibly well! Aneesa Ferreira was by far one of the best speakers we've ever had!

FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Topics
Most companies and individuals can benefit from incorporating innovative and entrepreneurial thinking and action in the workplace. No matter if you work at a startup or in a big corporate environment, innovation leads to growth, success, job retention and loyalty among employees at all levels. In this presentation, Alexandra explains why it is critical that companies incorporate and welcome innovation and creativity from all levels of an organization.
- Everyone can benefit from a powerful network. But where do you begin building successful personal and professional relationships… and how can one leverage an existing network? Visiting chapters from her bestselling book, By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop, co-authored with Alexis Maybank, Alexandra explains why it’s important to help others whenever possible in order to build good karma — because what goes around truly does come around.
It is critical to build a compelling and consistent brand when launching a consumer facing business. But how can you do this with minimal marketing dollars? In this presentation Alexandra offers tips and insight into getting the word out about your business idea, product or venture even with minimal startup funding. She examines why some brands succeed while others fail and offers hints on how to build your brand quickly yet effectively.
- Building a team is one of the most critical things you can do to drive results within a business, whether you’re working in the startup or corporate environment. Referencing examples from her own experiences as an entrepreneur, advisor and angel investor, Alexandra examines teamwork at every level of the game, using the Myers-Briggs Test as one of many frameworks for building a high-performance team.
As a frequent and celebrated speaker at women’s organizations, Alexandra is particularly adept at encouraging women to become leaders and find their true potential in the global workplace. Sharing firsthand experience as a leader and entrepreneur in her own right, she shares stories of working in male-dominated environments including investment banking and the luxury sector, as well as the barriers she shattered in her own endeavors at Gilt and GLAMSQUAD.
It is no secret that most startups fail — how can you prime your start-up for success from the get-go? It’s about creating an entrepreneurial culture and results-oriented working environment that attracts the best talent in the business. It’s also about taking a disruptive idea and turning it into a viable business, employing entrepreneurial thought along the way. Delving into some of the stories and themes in her bests-elling book By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop, Alexandra shares tips on how to start, grow and scale a successful business.
Videos
GLAMSQUAD Co-Founder Alexandra Wilkis Wilson - Worst Advice
Unlocking a Consumer Brand in a Legacy Company — Alexandra Wilkis-Wilson + Chris Stutzman
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