Name: Alexis Maybank
Age: 42
Job Title and Description: CEO & Co-Founder at Project September
College Name/Major: Harvard University, Business
Website: projectseptember.com
Twitter Handle: @ProjSept
Instagram Handle: @projectseptember
What does your current job entail? Is there such thing as a typical day?
Alexis Maybank: Every day is different. My mornings usually begin at a breakfast meeting with anyone from an investor to the style director at a magazine, etc. From there, I go straight to the office and continue meetings internally that include product development and design, marketing and public relations, and brand development. I spend a lot of time actively using the app – it is important that I see it from the perspective of our users. This is how I will find things that I think work or don’t work, should be changed, or could be made easier. We are working every day to make sure that our interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate. I try to keep all of my meetings earlier in the day so that I can make sure to get home to my husband and three kids at a reasonable hour.
What inspired you to start both Gilt and Project September?
AM: Most of my career has been focused on starting new businesses. When I went to Gilt, it was to start a business with a friend of mine, Alexandra Wilson, to create a business allowing us to shop in a new way. Project September was an idea that came to me when I saw a whole new way in which people were starting to connect to and discover fashion. There was so much beautiful visual content being shared across the social sphere and I found myself spending so much time just swiping from image to image wanting to know immediately what was being featured in an image from people that I followed. To interact almost directly with the pixels themselves to find out where that dress is available for sale, or where I could buy those summer sandals—and have all that be a very quick experience, where I could click, learn, check out. And that did not exist yet. That was the inspiration for Project September: to finally have a platform for immersive, visual shopping, new looks and new places to buy brands that I loved.
What is the best part of your job?
AM: I am pursuing an idea that I am passionate about. It’s so important to do something you really love and believe in, something you can relate to and truly enjoy.
What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
AM: That in pursuing a business idea that you want to get off the ground, it’s important to remember that every month it might feel like things are going wrong, things are breaking. Competition changes, your role changes, and new, unforeseen challenges pop up. You just have to keep it all in context and remember that you have to just go with it and most importantly adapt.
What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
AM: I’m a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed optimist—never saw an idea I didn’t like. I used to gravitate toward people with similar thinking when looking to expand. However, I began to realize that my entire team consisted of big-picture thinkers. In a startup, it is important to also have employees that are cautious and want to know every detail; you need a balanced team that can tackle a concept, challenge, and opportunity in a different way.
What do you look for when hiring someone?
AM: Of course, I’m going to assess their skill, and the good news is I can see that on paper or call references. As an individual, you know what you are good at and what you’re not good at, so over time as you are hiring, you should be hiring for the skill requirements as the rule, but you should also be thinking, “What am I less good at?” and knowing you need to hire those people to create a stronger team. Different personalities are good at different things, but as a leader and an entrepreneur, it often has to start with you and building around your shortcomings.
What advice would you give a 20-something with similar aspirations?
AM: First and foremost, without a doubt, is resilience. As an entrepreneur, you are often failing as much as you are succeeding. You are falling on your face as much as you are stepping up and moving forward. You need that ability to get up, re-gather, think of what you are going to do next, not letting that misstep pull you down. Next, you cannot be afraid of looking stupid or not being perfect. You have to be okay with sticking your neck out, being willing to fall down, and knowing that you are more measured over time about how you are getting back up.
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