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==Early life==
==Early life==
Varshavskaya was born and raised in [[Siberia]], by a stay-at-home mother and a political journalist father.<ref name=nytimes14/><ref name=businessweek14/> Her parents divorced when she was 16; she, along with her father's family, moved to the [[United States]].<ref name=businessweek14/><ref name="All Things D">{{cite web|url=http://allthingsd.com/20130430/meet-deena-varshavskaya-ceo-of-social-shopping-sensation-wanelo/|title=Meet Deena Varshavskaya, CEO of Social Shopping Sensation Wanelo|publisher=All Things D|author=Liz Gannes|date=April 30, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Forbes">{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomiogeron/2013/03/27/inside-wanelo-the-hot-social-shopping-service/|title=Inside Wanelo, The Hot Social Shopping Service|publisher=Forbes|author=Tomio Geron|date=March 27, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Venture Fizz">{{cite web|url=http://venturefizz.com/deena-varshavskaya-founder-ceo|title=Deena Varshavskaya - Founder & CEO|publisher=Venture Fizz|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> She studied psychology, computer science and film studies<ref name="Women 2.0">{{cite web|url=http://women2.com/from-siberia-to-silicon-valley-wanelos-deena-varshavskaya-shares-five-startup-lessons-learned/#ePASFmqrzCIByjxP.99|title=From Siberia to Silicon Valley|publisher=Women 2.0|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> at [[Cornell University]], but dropped out two courses short of graduating.<ref name="Shop.org">{{cite web|url=http://summit13.shop.org/speaker/deena-varshavskaya|title=Deena Varshavskaya|publisher=Shop.org Annual Summit 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Tech Crunch 3">{{cite web|url=http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/16/software-is-eating-the-mall/|title=Software Is Eating The Mall|publisher=Tech Crunch|last = Tsotsis|first = Alexia|authorlink = Alexia Tsotsis|date=April 16, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref>
Varshavskaya was born and raised in [[Siberia]], by a stay-at-home mother and a political journalist father.<ref name=nytimes14/><ref name=businessweek14/> Her parents divorced when she was 16; she, along with her father's family, moved to the [[United States]].<ref name=businessweek14/><ref name="All Things D">{{cite web|url=http://allthingsd.com/20130430/meet-deena-varshavskaya-ceo-of-social-shopping-sensation-wanelo/|title=Meet Deena Varshavskaya, CEO of Social Shopping Sensation Wanelo|publisher=All Things D|author=Liz Gannes|date=April 30, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Forbes">{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomiogeron/2013/03/27/inside-wanelo-the-hot-social-shopping-service/|title=Inside Wanelo, The Hot Social Shopping Service|publisher=Forbes|author=Tomio Geron|date=March 27, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Venture Fizz">{{cite web|url=http://venturefizz.com/deena-varshavskaya-founder-ceo |title=Deena Varshavskaya - Founder & CEO |publisher=Venture Fizz |accessdate=October 28, 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021192752/http://venturefizz.com/deena-varshavskaya-founder-ceo |archivedate=October 21, 2013 |df= }}</ref> She studied psychology, computer science and film studies<ref name="Women 2.0">{{cite web|url=http://women2.com/from-siberia-to-silicon-valley-wanelos-deena-varshavskaya-shares-five-startup-lessons-learned/#ePASFmqrzCIByjxP.99|title=From Siberia to Silicon Valley|publisher=Women 2.0|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> at [[Cornell University]], but dropped out two courses short of graduating.<ref name="Shop.org">{{cite web|url=http://summit13.shop.org/speaker/deena-varshavskaya |title=Deena Varshavskaya |publisher=Shop.org Annual Summit 2013 |accessdate=October 28, 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021190848/http://summit13.shop.org/speaker/deena-varshavskaya |archivedate=October 21, 2013 |df= }}</ref><ref name="Tech Crunch 3">{{cite web|url=http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/16/software-is-eating-the-mall/|title=Software Is Eating The Mall|publisher=Tech Crunch|last = Tsotsis|first = Alexia|authorlink = Alexia Tsotsis|date=April 16, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
After dropping out of Cornell, Varshavskaya moved to [[New York City]]<ref name=nytimes14>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/fashion/Wanelo-Social-Media-Shopping-Site-Deena-Varshavskaya-ecommerce.html?_r=1#|title=Like Mall Browsing, With a Click|publisher=The New York Times|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> and launched her first web startup, ReelACT, a talent video directory for actors.<ref name="Shop.org"/><ref name="Tech Crunch 3"/> She then moved to [[Los Angeles]]<ref name=nytimes14 /> and worked for a social network doing product management and user experience design for two years.<ref name="Shop.org"/><ref name="Tech Crunch 3"/>
After dropping out of Cornell, Varshavskaya moved to [[New York City]]<ref name=nytimes14>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/fashion/Wanelo-Social-Media-Shopping-Site-Deena-Varshavskaya-ecommerce.html?_r=1#|title=Like Mall Browsing, With a Click|publisher=The New York Times|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> and launched her first web startup, ReelACT, a talent video directory for actors.<ref name="Shop.org"/><ref name="Tech Crunch 3"/> She then moved to [[Los Angeles]]<ref name=nytimes14 /> and worked for a social network doing product management and user experience design for two years.<ref name="Shop.org"/><ref name="Tech Crunch 3"/>


After this, Varshavskaya was founder and CEO of experience design agency, Dynamik Interactive, where she worked with large-scale consumer web properties designing digital and social experiences.<ref name="Girls in Tech">{{cite web|url=http://www.girlsintechla.org/v1/how-deena-varshavskaya-rocks-the-tech-world/|title=How Deena Varshavskaya Rocks The Tech World|publisher=Girls in Tech Los Angeles|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="So Cal Tech">{{cite web|url=http://www.socaltech.com/interview_with_deena_varshavskaya__wanelo/s-0034024.html|title=Interview with Deena Varshavskaya, Wanelo|publisher=So Cal Tech|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="First Round">{{cite web|url=http://firstround.com/team/Deena_Varshavskaya|title=Deena Varshavskaya|publisher=First Round|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref>
After this, Varshavskaya was founder and CEO of experience design agency, Dynamik Interactive, where she worked with large-scale consumer web properties designing digital and social experiences.<ref name="Girls in Tech">{{cite web|url=http://www.girlsintechla.org/v1/how-deena-varshavskaya-rocks-the-tech-world/|title=How Deena Varshavskaya Rocks The Tech World|publisher=Girls in Tech Los Angeles|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="So Cal Tech">{{cite web|url=http://www.socaltech.com/interview_with_deena_varshavskaya__wanelo/s-0034024.html|title=Interview with Deena Varshavskaya, Wanelo|publisher=So Cal Tech|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="First Round">{{cite web|url=http://firstround.com/team/Deena_Varshavskaya |title=Deena Varshavskaya |publisher=First Round |accessdate=October 28, 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175712/http://firstround.com/team/Deena_Varshavskaya |archivedate=November 4, 2013 |df= }}</ref>


Varshavskaya came up with the concept for Wanelo in 2006 after realizing the need for a different online shopping environment that empowers the individual.<ref name="New York Times 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/08/30/technology/startups-explorer.html|title=Which Start-Up Could Be the Next Big Thing?|publisher=The New York Times|author=Jenna Wortham|date=August 30, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Entrepreneur">{{cite web|url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227067|title=Giving Ecommerce a Social Twist|publisher=Entrepreneur|author=John Patrick Pullen|date=August 11, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Entrepreneur 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/219675|title=How Polyvore Became a Trend-Setter in Social Shopping|publisher=Entrepreneur|author=Jennifer Wang|date=May 23, 2011|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> Varshavskaya wanted to know what her friends were shopping for, but there was not yet an existing platform that made online social shopping easy.<ref name="New York Times 3">{{cite web|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/a-look-at-wanelo-a-social-commerce-site-for-younger-shoppers/|title=Wanelo: Social Commerce Site Is Big With Young Shoppers|publisher=The New York Times Bits|author=Jenna Wortham|date=January 24, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> In April 2011, Varshavskaya moved to San Francisco to raise funding. After 40 investor rejections, she closed her first round of funding and launched the company in 2012.<ref name=nytimes14 /><ref name=businessweek14>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-24/wanelo-deena-varshavskayas-site-takes-over-social-shopping|title=With Enough Customers, You Don't Need a Product|publisher=Bloomberg Businessweek|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name=forbes14>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinehoward/2014/05/28/the-power-women-who-are-reinventing-the-way-you-shop-online/|title=The Power Women Who Are Reinventing The Way You Shop Fashion Online|publisher=Forbes|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> As of August 2013, Wanelo has 11 million registered users.<ref name=businessweek14 /><ref name="New York Times">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/17/technology/hanging-out-at-the-e-mall.html?pagewanted=all&_r=3&|title=Hanging Out at the E-Mall|publisher=The New York Times|author=Jenna Wortham|date=August 17, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Social Media Today">{{cite web|url=http://socialmediatoday.com/janessa-mangone/1721841/wanelo-pinterest-s-younger-more-attractive-sister|title=Wanelo: Pinterest's Younger, More Attractive Sister|publisher=Social Media Today|author=Janessa Mangone|date=September 18, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> The company has raised $14 million in funding.<ref name="Venture Beat">{{cite web|url=http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/07/wanelo-3-0-makes-e-commerce-less-primitive-by-organizing-products-around-people/|title=Wanelo 3.0 makes e-commerce less ‘primitive’ by organizing products around people|publisher=Venture Beat|author=Rebecca Grant|date=May 7, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Fox Business">{{cite web|url=http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/2013/07/26/wanelo-next-verb-in-digital-dictionary/|title=Wanelo, Next Verb in Digital Dictionary?|publisher=Fox Business|author=Natalia Angulo|date=July 26, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Tech Crunch 1">{{cite web|url=http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/07/internet-mall-wanelo-gets-personal-with-wanelo-3-0/|title=Internet Mall Wanelo Gets Personal With Wanelo 3.0|publisher=Tech Crunch|author=Alexia Tsotsis|date=May 7, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref>
Varshavskaya came up with the concept for Wanelo in 2006 after realizing the need for a different online shopping environment that empowers the individual.<ref name="New York Times 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/08/30/technology/startups-explorer.html|title=Which Start-Up Could Be the Next Big Thing?|publisher=The New York Times|author=Jenna Wortham|date=August 30, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Entrepreneur">{{cite web|url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227067|title=Giving Ecommerce a Social Twist|publisher=Entrepreneur|author=John Patrick Pullen|date=August 11, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Entrepreneur 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/219675|title=How Polyvore Became a Trend-Setter in Social Shopping|publisher=Entrepreneur|author=Jennifer Wang|date=May 23, 2011|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> Varshavskaya wanted to know what her friends were shopping for, but there was not yet an existing platform that made online social shopping easy.<ref name="New York Times 3">{{cite web|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/a-look-at-wanelo-a-social-commerce-site-for-younger-shoppers/|title=Wanelo: Social Commerce Site Is Big With Young Shoppers|publisher=The New York Times Bits|author=Jenna Wortham|date=January 24, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> In April 2011, Varshavskaya moved to San Francisco to raise funding. After 40 investor rejections, she closed her first round of funding and launched the company in 2012.<ref name=nytimes14 /><ref name=businessweek14>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-24/wanelo-deena-varshavskayas-site-takes-over-social-shopping|title=With Enough Customers, You Don't Need a Product|publisher=Bloomberg Businessweek|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name=forbes14>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinehoward/2014/05/28/the-power-women-who-are-reinventing-the-way-you-shop-online/|title=The Power Women Who Are Reinventing The Way You Shop Fashion Online|publisher=Forbes|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> As of August 2013, Wanelo has 11 million registered users.<ref name=businessweek14 /><ref name="New York Times">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/17/technology/hanging-out-at-the-e-mall.html?pagewanted=all&_r=3&|title=Hanging Out at the E-Mall|publisher=The New York Times|author=Jenna Wortham|date=August 17, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Social Media Today">{{cite web|url=http://socialmediatoday.com/janessa-mangone/1721841/wanelo-pinterest-s-younger-more-attractive-sister|title=Wanelo: Pinterest's Younger, More Attractive Sister|publisher=Social Media Today|author=Janessa Mangone|date=September 18, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> The company has raised $14 million in funding.<ref name="Venture Beat">{{cite web|url=http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/07/wanelo-3-0-makes-e-commerce-less-primitive-by-organizing-products-around-people/|title=Wanelo 3.0 makes e-commerce less ‘primitive’ by organizing products around people|publisher=Venture Beat|author=Rebecca Grant|date=May 7, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Fox Business">{{cite web|url=http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/2013/07/26/wanelo-next-verb-in-digital-dictionary/|title=Wanelo, Next Verb in Digital Dictionary?|publisher=Fox Business|author=Natalia Angulo|date=July 26, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Tech Crunch 1">{{cite web|url=http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/07/internet-mall-wanelo-gets-personal-with-wanelo-3-0/|title=Internet Mall Wanelo Gets Personal With Wanelo 3.0|publisher=Tech Crunch|author=Alexia Tsotsis|date=May 7, 2013|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref>
==Recognition==
==Recognition==
[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|''Vanity Fair’s'']] November 2013 issue named Varshavskaya one of their fifteen "up-and-comers to keep an eye on".<ref name=forbesvanity>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2013/11/13/deena-varshavskaya-talks-retail-mobile-and-empowerment/|title=Deena Varshavskaya talks retail, mobile, and empowerment|publisher=Forbes|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Vanity Fair">{{cite web|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2013/11/next-establishment-fifteen-up-and-comers_slideshow_Deena-Varshavskaya-_14|title=The Next Establishment|publisher=Vanity Fair|author=Max Chafkin|date=November 2013|accessdate=October 26, 2013}}</ref> She was featured as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in 2013 and 2014 by Goldman Sachs.<ref>http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/11/13/deena-varshavskaya-wanelo/</ref><ref name="The Cut" /> ''[[TechCrunch]]'' gave Varshavskaya the Best Ecommerce Application award for the Wanelo Shopping app at the Crunchies Awards 2013.<ref name=techcrunch14>{{cite web|url=http://techcrunch.com/video/wanelo-voted-best-e-commerce-app-crunchies-awards-2013/518118882/|title=Wanelo Voted Best E-Commerce App, Crunchies Awards 2013|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> In 2014 she was named one of [[Fast Company (magazine)|''Fast Company’s'']] Most Creative People in Business,<ref name=fastcompany14>{{cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3029517/most-creative-people-2014/deena-varshavskaya|title= Most Creative People 2014 49: Deena Varshavskaya|publisher=Fast Company|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> included in [[Details (magazine)|''Details Magazine’s'']] list of Digital Mavericks,<ref name=details14>{{cite web|url=http://www.details.com/culture-trends/critical-eye/201404/palmer-luckey-oculus-winklevoss-twins-2014-digital-mavericks|title= Digital Mavericks 2014: Meet the tech innovators revolutionizing our cultures—and our lives|publisher=Details Magazine|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> named an “Influencer” on the National Retail Federation’s “List of People Shaping Retail’s Future,"<ref>{{cite web|title=The List 2015: The Influencers|url=https://nrf.com/news/the-list-2015-the-influencers|publisher=National Retail Federation|accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref>and recognized by Glamour Magazine as one of "35 Women Under 35 Who Are Changing the Tech Industry".<ref>{{cite web|title=35 Women Under 35 Who Are Changing the Tech Industry|url=http://www.glamour.com/inspired/2014/09/top-new-women-leaders-in-technology/29|publisher=Glamour Magazine|accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref>In 2015, she was named to AskMen’s list of the “Top 99 Most Outstanding Women”<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 99 Most Outstanding Women 2015|url=http://www.askmen.com/specials/2015_top_99/85-deena-varshavskaya.html|publisher=AskMen|accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref>and included on the San Francisco Business Journal’s “40 under 40” list.<ref>{{cite web|title=40 Under 40 Class of 2015: Retail honorees|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/gallery/162811?r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bizjournals.com%2Fsanfrancisco%2Fblog%2F2015%2F03%2F40-under-40-sfbt-winners-everlane-wanelo-walker-co.html|publisher=San Francisco Business Journal|accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref>
[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|''Vanity Fair’s'']] November 2013 issue named Varshavskaya one of their fifteen "up-and-comers to keep an eye on".<ref name=forbesvanity>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2013/11/13/deena-varshavskaya-talks-retail-mobile-and-empowerment/|title=Deena Varshavskaya talks retail, mobile, and empowerment|publisher=Forbes|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Vanity Fair">{{cite web|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2013/11/next-establishment-fifteen-up-and-comers_slideshow_Deena-Varshavskaya-_14 |title=The Next Establishment |publisher=Vanity Fair |author=Max Chafkin |date=November 2013 |accessdate=October 26, 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026144658/http://www.vanityfair.com:80/business/2013/11/next-establishment-fifteen-up-and-comers_slideshow_deena-varshavskaya-_14 |archivedate=October 26, 2013 |df= }}</ref> She was featured as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in 2013 and 2014 by Goldman Sachs.<ref>http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/11/13/deena-varshavskaya-wanelo/</ref><ref name="The Cut" /> ''[[TechCrunch]]'' gave Varshavskaya the Best Ecommerce Application award for the Wanelo Shopping app at the Crunchies Awards 2013.<ref name=techcrunch14>{{cite web|url=http://techcrunch.com/video/wanelo-voted-best-e-commerce-app-crunchies-awards-2013/518118882/|title=Wanelo Voted Best E-Commerce App, Crunchies Awards 2013|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> In 2014 she was named one of [[Fast Company (magazine)|''Fast Company’s'']] Most Creative People in Business,<ref name=fastcompany14>{{cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3029517/most-creative-people-2014/deena-varshavskaya|title= Most Creative People 2014 49: Deena Varshavskaya|publisher=Fast Company|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> included in [[Details (magazine)|''Details Magazine’s'']] list of Digital Mavericks,<ref name=details14>{{cite web|url=http://www.details.com/culture-trends/critical-eye/201404/palmer-luckey-oculus-winklevoss-twins-2014-digital-mavericks|title= Digital Mavericks 2014: Meet the tech innovators revolutionizing our cultures—and our lives|publisher=Details Magazine|accessdate=August 2, 2014}}</ref> named an “Influencer” on the National Retail Federation’s “List of People Shaping Retail’s Future,"<ref>{{cite web|title=The List 2015: The Influencers|url=https://nrf.com/news/the-list-2015-the-influencers|publisher=National Retail Federation|accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref>and recognized by Glamour Magazine as one of "35 Women Under 35 Who Are Changing the Tech Industry".<ref>{{cite web|title=35 Women Under 35 Who Are Changing the Tech Industry|url=http://www.glamour.com/inspired/2014/09/top-new-women-leaders-in-technology/29|publisher=Glamour Magazine|accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref>In 2015, she was named to AskMen’s list of the “Top 99 Most Outstanding Women”<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 99 Most Outstanding Women 2015|url=http://www.askmen.com/specials/2015_top_99/85-deena-varshavskaya.html|publisher=AskMen|accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref>and included on the San Francisco Business Journal’s “40 under 40” list.<ref>{{cite web|title=40 Under 40 Class of 2015: Retail honorees|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/gallery/162811?r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bizjournals.com%2Fsanfrancisco%2Fblog%2F2015%2F03%2F40-under-40-sfbt-winners-everlane-wanelo-walker-co.html|publisher=San Francisco Business Journal|accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 01:42, 10 December 2016

Deena Varshavskaya
Born
Siberia
Alma materCornell University (did not graduate)
OccupationCEO of Wanelo

Deena Varshavskaya is the founder and CEO of Wanelo (“wah-nee-loh,” from Want, Need, Love) a digital mall where users can discover and buy products from anywhere online.[1] She lives in San Francisco, California.[2][3]

Early life

Varshavskaya was born and raised in Siberia, by a stay-at-home mother and a political journalist father.[4][5] Her parents divorced when she was 16; she, along with her father's family, moved to the United States.[5][6][7][8] She studied psychology, computer science and film studies[9] at Cornell University, but dropped out two courses short of graduating.[10][11]

Career

After dropping out of Cornell, Varshavskaya moved to New York City[4] and launched her first web startup, ReelACT, a talent video directory for actors.[10][11] She then moved to Los Angeles[4] and worked for a social network doing product management and user experience design for two years.[10][11]

After this, Varshavskaya was founder and CEO of experience design agency, Dynamik Interactive, where she worked with large-scale consumer web properties designing digital and social experiences.[12][13][14]

Varshavskaya came up with the concept for Wanelo in 2006 after realizing the need for a different online shopping environment that empowers the individual.[15][16][17] Varshavskaya wanted to know what her friends were shopping for, but there was not yet an existing platform that made online social shopping easy.[18] In April 2011, Varshavskaya moved to San Francisco to raise funding. After 40 investor rejections, she closed her first round of funding and launched the company in 2012.[4][5][19] As of August 2013, Wanelo has 11 million registered users.[5][20][21] The company has raised $14 million in funding.[22][23][24]

Recognition

Vanity Fair’s November 2013 issue named Varshavskaya one of their fifteen "up-and-comers to keep an eye on".[25][26] She was featured as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in 2013 and 2014 by Goldman Sachs.[27][2] TechCrunch gave Varshavskaya the Best Ecommerce Application award for the Wanelo Shopping app at the Crunchies Awards 2013.[28] In 2014 she was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business,[29] included in Details Magazine’s list of Digital Mavericks,[30] named an “Influencer” on the National Retail Federation’s “List of People Shaping Retail’s Future,"[31]and recognized by Glamour Magazine as one of "35 Women Under 35 Who Are Changing the Tech Industry".[32]In 2015, she was named to AskMen’s list of the “Top 99 Most Outstanding Women”[33]and included on the San Francisco Business Journal’s “40 under 40” list.[34]

References

  1. ^ "3 brands that are driving the future of social-mobile shopping". The Next Web. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Julie Ma (June 25, 2013). "Wanelo: The Online Shopping Site Built by a Woman for Women". New York Magazine The Cut. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  3. ^ Jenna Wortham (March 27, 2013). "Wanelo, Social Commerce Site, Picks Up Speed". New York Times Bits. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d "Like Mall Browsing, With a Click". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d "With Enough Customers, You Don't Need a Product". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  6. ^ Liz Gannes (April 30, 2013). "Meet Deena Varshavskaya, CEO of Social Shopping Sensation Wanelo". All Things D. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  7. ^ Tomio Geron (March 27, 2013). "Inside Wanelo, The Hot Social Shopping Service". Forbes. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  8. ^ "Deena Varshavskaya - Founder & CEO". Venture Fizz. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "From Siberia to Silicon Valley". Women 2.0. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
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  11. ^ a b c Tsotsis, Alexia (April 16, 2013). "Software Is Eating The Mall". Tech Crunch. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  12. ^ "How Deena Varshavskaya Rocks The Tech World". Girls in Tech Los Angeles. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  13. ^ "Interview with Deena Varshavskaya, Wanelo". So Cal Tech. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  14. ^ "Deena Varshavskaya". First Round. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Jenna Wortham (August 30, 2013). "Which Start-Up Could Be the Next Big Thing?". The New York Times. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  16. ^ John Patrick Pullen (August 11, 2013). "Giving Ecommerce a Social Twist". Entrepreneur. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  17. ^ Jennifer Wang (May 23, 2011). "How Polyvore Became a Trend-Setter in Social Shopping". Entrepreneur. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  18. ^ Jenna Wortham (January 24, 2013). "Wanelo: Social Commerce Site Is Big With Young Shoppers". The New York Times Bits. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  19. ^ "The Power Women Who Are Reinventing The Way You Shop Fashion Online". Forbes. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  20. ^ Jenna Wortham (August 17, 2013). "Hanging Out at the E-Mall". The New York Times. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  21. ^ Janessa Mangone (September 18, 2013). "Wanelo: Pinterest's Younger, More Attractive Sister". Social Media Today. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  22. ^ Rebecca Grant (May 7, 2013). "Wanelo 3.0 makes e-commerce less 'primitive' by organizing products around people". Venture Beat. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
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  24. ^ Alexia Tsotsis (May 7, 2013). "Internet Mall Wanelo Gets Personal With Wanelo 3.0". Tech Crunch. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  25. ^ "Deena Varshavskaya talks retail, mobile, and empowerment". Forbes. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  26. ^ Max Chafkin (November 2013). "The Next Establishment". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on October 26, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/11/13/deena-varshavskaya-wanelo/
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  29. ^ "Most Creative People 2014 49: Deena Varshavskaya". Fast Company. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  30. ^ "Digital Mavericks 2014: Meet the tech innovators revolutionizing our cultures—and our lives". Details Magazine. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
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  34. ^ "40 Under 40 Class of 2015: Retail honorees". San Francisco Business Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
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