NOTSO KITTY

I have a confession to make: I have been in full-blown shop-a-holic mode the last few weeks. I blame a combination of job stress and the ability to access many fine wares within a few clicks of a mouse or a short walk down the street– a combination that will likely leave me bankrupt if I don’t rein it in soon! But sometimes we all need our stress relief– and since I’ve been too tied up to do much other in the way of creative ventures, shopping has been a welcome relief.

I mention the previous story only because they are the conditions that originally lead me to discover the Gilt Groupe in 2007. For those that don’t know, Gilt is an amazing sample sale website that offers deals “by invitation only.” (If you are curious and would like a free invite from me, just click here). Gilt has quite literally transformed the way that I shop; for better or worse for my wallet. Everyday  at noon they have a new list of sample sales in categories like clothing, food, homegoods, travel, and local deals. The founders, Alexis Maybank  and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, went into this venture realizing there was a lack of sample sale availability (that they loved physically shopping in NYC)  in other locales. They also were committed to building the best sample site possible : with high-quality photographs, superb customer service, and a selection that is both covetable and at a price point which will make people instantly click and buy.

A recent gilt groupe home page screenshot

“By Invitation Only” gives the account of the rise of the Gilt Groupe from a start-up company to a business valued over a billion dollars. I have always admired those with an entrepreneurial spirit and their ability to get things done– the Gilt Groupe is an excellent example of this phenomenon. This book gives details of the good, the bad, and the ugly in the world of start-ups; though the site is a magnificent specimen now it took hard work and perseverance (and perhaps a little dumb luck) to get that way. I liked reading this book because it gave insight into the founder’s thought processes– it was written in both of their words– and it also gave an idea of how difficult it might be to build something big well.

Has the book convinced me that the world of start-ups is for me? Hell no! Those women went through so much stress to build the business that they are so proud of that it took a toll on both their health and other priorities. It also described how start-ups operate uncomfortably in the world of uncertainty (sometimes for extended periods of time) and this is something I know I don’t personally handle well. However, Alexis and Alexandra did say the most important things are being able to assess the quality of a team and being willing to put in the effort that is needed to move forward— two things I think are more in my wheelhouse. Do I want to ever be a CEO of a billion dollar company? Not after reading this book. But a million dollar company? Perhaps

I really enjoyed reading “By Invitation Only” and gaining insight into why I love shopping so much on the Gilt Groupe— it is no happy accident! These women worked hard for the things they dreamed of and put everything on the line to develop one of the best-designed sample sale websites out there. I love stories of strength and determination: hence why Notso gives this book two paws up!

Disclaimer: This review contains affiliate links though I am not paid by anyone to write about this book. Just in case you needed to know

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