Inspired by the shopping experience found on main streets across America, 11 Main was an online destination for specialty shops and boutiques. An invite-only marketplace, 11 Main was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group.

 

I joined 11 Main while the company was still in stealth mode and built the communications program from the ground up. The company was set to launch in the middle of Alibaba's momentous IPO. I was challenged with defining the company launch strategy while balancing our parent company's necessary quite period and ensuring 11 Main's brand was not overshadowed by Alibaba.  From day one, I dealt with the threat of leaks from hungry reporters. I lead all strategic communications efforts from beginning to end, architecting the company launch and year one narrative, while working cohesively with various cross-functional teams as well as Alibaba Group to create a cohesive narrative.

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At launch, coverage was strong and favorable with approximately 96% of the articles having a positive-neutral tone. 11 Main graced the print cover of Women's Wear Daily. Additional outlets covering the launch included, Associated Press, ABC News Online, US News & World Report, NPR Online, CBC Canada, Inc.com, CBS MoneyWatch, Huffington Post, Taipei Times, Seattle Times and Boston Herald, and many more.

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