ABOUT YOURSELF:
I am reimagining the wedding registry experience, from being an outdated and often overwhelming process, to being a curated, customized and exciting experience.
ELEVATOR PITCH:
Collecto is a curated luxury wedding registry providing couples with access to the world’s finest homeware designers. We bring together a selection of items from emerging and established brands, where each piece embraces the value of craftsmanship, heritage and design.
THE BIG IDEA:
The idea behind Collecto was born when I was putting together my own wedding registry a few months after getting engaged. I was looking for beautiful, distinctive pieces for my new home; discovery objects that no one else had. As I thought more about the registry process, I started to understand that there was a disconnect between what couples were “supposed” to include in their registries based on tradition, and what the modern couple desired and needed.
I also realized that putting together the registry was perceived as one more ‘to do’ in the infinite wedding checklist. Instead, I wanted it to be a special and exciting experience. Something couples would look forward to. And for that, you need a platform that creates that unparalleled experience. I couldn’t find that anywhere… and that was when Collecto was born.
Collecto is transforming the wedding registry experience through a curation of distinctive brands, innovative content and a bespoke concierge service. It is our mission to help couples create their Ultimate Wedding Registry.
ON GROWING UP/LIVING IN MIAMI:
I moved to Miami in the summer of 2018, after finishing my MBA at The Wharton School in Philadelphia. It’s a very interesting time to start a company in Miami – the startup ecosystem is ready for growth, and investors are looking at local opportunities. On the downside, that ecosystem is very dispersed and it has been difficult to find that sense of community among other startup founders.
On a personal level, Miami is a dream of a city. The weather, the people, the space, the culture… In the last few months, I have realized the importance of having this comfort as a startup founder. The ease of navigating the city has empowered me to dedicate all my energy to Collecto.
ON GENDER DISPARITY:
Luckily I have always felt confident and proud of being a woman. My mother is a strong woman that taught me to always speak up, and instilled in me that sense of confidence since I was very young. Before Collecto, I worked for a luxury fashion retailer in NYC called Moda Operandi that was led by two female co-founders. The company’s culture definitely empowered women, and I hope to see more companies out there doing the same!
Unfortunately there is unfairness and injustice for women all around us, and we should continue fighting to eliminate those biases and stereotypes. We should start by eliminating these biases from children’s minds, and treating young boys and girls as equal from a young age.
ON BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR:
As a founder, you are your biggest cheerleader. Without your energy, focus and wellbeing (both mental and physical), the company doesn’t move forward. Maintaining that balance is extremely important for the company’s success. Throughout my journey I have learned to cope with the ups and downs of the startup world, and keep a positive attitude even when things don’t go as planned.
I think focus and determination are some of the most important attributes of successful entrepreneurs. Anything that keeps you motivated to keep going!
As for advice, don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams! Women are very resilient, and there is no reason to believe we cannot be successful in whatever we set our minds to do.
ON WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT:
We empower women by giving them a voice, and I think it is something that is happening more and more. Yet, there is definitely a lot of work to do. For example, in the startup world, the stigma of female founders that want to eventually become mothers, and the thought that they cannot succeed at doing both.
WHAT’S NEXT?
We launched our site in 2019 and are focusing on building the platform and our partnerships with brands. If you have any engaged friends, send them our way! We would love to help them out with their registry.
