Rachelle Hruska

Rachelle J. Hruska MacPherson (born March 7, 1983) is an American new media entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and CEO of GuestofaGuest.com and Lingua Franca.[1] In 2011, Fast Company named Hruska the one of the Most Influential Women in Technology.[2] In January 2013, the New York Post included Hruska as one of their 13 Under 30 Women to Watch.[3]

Rachelle Hruska
Hruska at Big Omaha 2010
Born (1983-03-07) March 7, 1983
Omaha, Nebraska
OccupationCEO, Guest of a Guest, Lingua Franca
Known forGuest of a Guest, Lingua Franca
Websiterachellehruska.com

Early life and education

Hruska was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, by her parents, Ron and Robin Hruska. Hruska attended Pius X High School.[4][5] She graduated from Creighton University in 2005 where she majored in psychology.[6][7]

Career

In 2005, Hruska moved to New York City where she worked as a nanny for a Manhattan family. The following January she started an entry-level research position at Baron Capital Management and later became assistant to the chief executive, Ron Baron.[7][6]

In May 2007, she founded the media website Guest of a Guest with Cameron Winklevoss.[4] Hruska became CEO of the company.[1] Hruska noticed party-goers in New York City would stay at other people's homes in the Hamptons and were all "a guest of a guest."[8] Guest of a Guest was established to cover and photograph events and people in New York City and around the world. The company has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and the Hamptons.[9][8] By 2009, the site received approximately 2 million page views monthly.[10] In May 2009, the New York Post named Hruska "The Queen Bee" of the new wave of web scribes.[10] Hruska purchased Winklevoss' stake in the company, becoming the sole owner of the website in 2012.[9] That same year, Hruska continued to build out the site to cover global cultural events such as Cannes, Art Basel, Paris Fashion Week, and the Oscars.[11] In November 2012, Hruska was featured on the cover of Scene Magazine.[12][13][14]

In 2016, Hruska launched Lingua Franca, a New-York based fashion label that produces items with hand embroidered words after a therapist suggested she do something with her hands to ease her anxiety.[1][15] Her first sweater said "Booyah" and gained attention when Hruska posted it on Instagram.[16][17] Linga Franca means "the common language" because the company's original products were sweaters with hip-hop lyrics. Hruska later expanded her line to include resistance sweaters including one worn by Connie Britton at the 75th Golden Globe Awards.[15]

In 2018, Hruska collaborated with bag brand, MZ Wallace, to create limited edition Metro Tote. The tote, which is embroidered with text, "Give a Damn," was made to draw awareness to the need for more women in roles of political leadership. All of the proceeds from the collaboration support She Should Run, a non-partisan organization that supports women running for office.[18]

Personal life

Hruska married hotelier Sean MacPherson in summer 2011.[16] They have two sons, Maxwell and Dashiell,[1] and spend summers at their home in Montauk.[19]

References
  1. Rachel Syme (January 14, 2018). "A Cashmere Sweater Joins The Hollywood Resistance". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  2. "2011 Most Influential Women in Technology".
  3. "13 under 30". New York Post. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  4. Hoffman, Jan (June 19, 2009). "Working The Room For GuestofaGuest.com". New York Times. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  5. Nathan Ancheta (September 9, 2009). "Nebraska girl turned NYC blogger". The Creightonian. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  6. "Rachelle Hruska, Guest of A Guest, Woman Entrepreneur". Gotham Gal. July 16, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  7. Jan Hoffman (June 19, 2009). "On the Party Circuit, With Clicks as Currency". New York Times. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  8. Kathryn Worsham (June 28, 2013). "Beyond the Pencil (Skirt): Meet Rachelle, Guest of a Guest". Levo. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  9. Heyman, Marshall (July 11, 2012). "Party Site Founder Goes Solo". Wall Street Journal.
  10. Meltzer, Marisa (May 24, 2009). "Blue Blogs: Meet The New Wave Of Great-Gatsbys--Web Scribes Who Chronicle The Rich And Almost Famous". New York Post.
  11. Freeman, Nate (August 8, 2011). "Rachelle Hruska Plus One! Yes, the Guest of a Guest Founder Is With Child". Observer.
  12. "Justin Bieber has second thoughts on breakup and looks determined to win back Selena Gomez". NY Daily News.
  13. "The Social Networker: how a wholesome Catholic schoolgirl made her mark NYC's social circuit". Scene Magazine.
  14. Out of site: Surf’s up at party blogger’s downtown digs http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/jobs/out_of_site_3uRvS6kAR3m8VKdbz9UHNJ#.UE3jGszvI0I.facebook
  15. Kathryn Romeyn (January 7, 2018). "Meet the designer behind Connie Britton's 'Poverty Is Sexist' sweater". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  16. Ally Betker (June 14, 2016). "Cashmere Sweaters Fit for Leonardo DiCaprio and Christy Turlington". W Magazine. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  17. Laura Jackson (November 13, 2016). "Rachelle Hruska MacPherson of Lingua Franca Talks Net-a-porter Launch and Finding Her Voice". WWD. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  18. "Lingua Franca | MZ Wallace". www.mzwallace.com. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
  19. Sean MacPherson and Rachelle Hruska: Montauk's Power Couple http://hamptons-magazine.com/home-page/articles/sean-macpherson-rachelle-hruska-montauk#bkWuWEghIK8qvEsM.99
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