Backcountry CEO Appointed to Women’s eCommerce Network Council

Liberty Interactive Corp. selected Jill Layfield, CEO of its Backcountry.com unit, as one of 11 women to serve on the 2015 Women’s eCommerce Network Council that will mentor a new class of up-and-coming female e-commerce entrepreneurs.

Backcountry.com parent company Liberty Interactive Corp. established W^eCN  to pair established women business leaders and executives with five early stage  e-commerce companies for a six month mentorship period.

The 2015 program commences with an Opening Summit in San Francisco, where each Class member is paired with two Council members who will counsel her through a targeted, business-enhancing project. The six month mentorship period then culminates in April with a Closing Summit hosted by Liberty Interactive.

The WeCN provides exposure to best practices and emerging trends, as well as networking opportunities with the broader Council through the Summits and an established Alumni network. The objective of the WeCN is to establish business relationships that will enhance the opportunities for long-term business success and create a foundation for support that ensures the next generation of women business leaders and executives.

“We are pleased with how the W^eCN program has grown since we began supporting it in 2011,” said Greg Maffei, Liberty Interactive President and CEO. “Now in its fourth year, I am impressed by the continued involvement of everyone in this strong network of female e-commerce executives. Conversation and mentorship has continued well beyond the six-month duration of the program and has broadened to include women who have not participated as formal Council or Class members.”

The W^eCN 2015 Council is comprised of distinguished business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors from leading brands and companies. Many served as mentors in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and are returning again for the fourth year. In addition to Layfield, this year’s  Council members are:

•     Nanon de Gaspé Beaubien-Mattrick, President & Founder, Beehive Holdings
•     Susan Feldman, Co-Founder & Chief Merchandising Officer, One Kings Lane (KINGS)
•     Dayna Grayson, Partner, NEA
•     Divya Gugnani, Co-Founder, Wander Beauty; Founding Partner, Concept to Co.
•     Eurie Kim, Principal, Forerunner Ventures
•      Dawn Lepore, Former CEO, Drugstore.com (DSCM)
•     Sharon Meers, Head of Strategic Partnerships, eBay Enterprise
•     Barbara Messing, Chief Marketing Officer, TripAdvisor
•     Jana Rich, Founder, Rich Talent Group
•     Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor, Gilt; Co-Founder & CEO, GLAMSQUAD

Joining the W^eCN 2015 Class are entrepreneurs of early-stage  e-commerce companies. Class members include:

• Lindsey Andrews and Lara Crystal, Co-Founders, Minibar
• Eloise Bune, Founder & CEO, Gracious Eloise
• Aslaug Magnusdottir, Co-Founder and CEO, Tinker Tailor
• Lee Mayer and Emily Motayed, Co-Founders, Havenly
• Heidi Zak, Co-Founder, ThirdLove

Also participating in year-four of the program are executives from Liberty Interactive, including Andrea Wong, Liberty Board Member and President of International Production for Sony Pictures Entertainment; Robin Pringle, VP, Liberty Interactive and Courtnee Ulrich, VP, Liberty Interactive.

Andrea Wong commented, The WeCN mentorship program is a structured way for established female leaders in  e-commerce to help up-and-coming women entrepreneurs develop their early-stage businesses. W^eCN is about women mentoring women with the goal of achieving long term success.

The fourth W^eCN Opening Summit will take place on September 17, 2014 in San Francisco. The days agenda includes discussions on building up the team, including management around the CEO, board, advisors, and the structure of the organization and scaling the business, and is designed around an intimate format that encourages direct conversations and relationship building.