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Melissa Grillo Aruz

Ecommerce I Marketing I Brand Strategy Executive

Melissa Grillo Aruz is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in e-commerce, marketing, and business development. She currently serves as an advisor at The NORTH by Female Founder Collective, where she contributes her expertise in growth marketing and scaling to support emerging female entrepreneurs.5

Career Highlights

  • Founder of Aruz Ventures: Melissa provides marketing, team building, and business strategy support to various brands including Ritual, Pattern Brands, J.Crew, Warby Parker, and others.6

  • Former Head of Business Development/Marketing at Forerunner Ventures: She worked closely with portfolio companies such as Glossier, The Farmer's Dog, Prose, and Hims/Hers.3

  • Director of Growth & Marketing at Gilt Groupe: Melissa held this position during the company's significant growth period.12

  • Senior Advisor, Consumer at BDA Partners: She focuses on the Consumer industry, leveraging her experience with agencies, brands, and venture capital firms.36

Achievements and Recognition

  • Featured on Marie Claire's New Guard List and the Create & Cultivate 100.13
  • Board Member at Triskelion Arts and Inness.1
  • Founding member of The Board and advisor for Rebecca Minkoff's The North.

Education and Background

Melissa holds a BA from Trinity College-Hartford.13 Her career began in advertising agencies like Ogilvy and Razorfish, where she worked on marketing campaigns for retail and healthcare clients.

Throughout her career, Melissa has demonstrated a commitment to supporting underrepresented communities and creating opportunities for diverse talent in the business world.4

Highlights

Feb 2 · findyournorth.co
Advisors | THE NORTH
Advisors | THE NORTH
3 Founders on How Moving From N.Y.C. to Upstate New York ...
May 17 · aruzventures.net
Aruz Ventures: about
Aruz Ventures: about
STEM: Melissa Grillo Aruz, Forerunner Ventures - Create & Cultivate

Related Questions

What inspired Melissa Grillo Aruz to transition from marketing to venture capital?
How has Melissa's experience at Gilt Groupe influenced her approach to advising startups?
What are some of the most successful brands Melissa has worked with at Forerunner Ventures?
How does Melissa's role at The NORTH differ from her work at Aruz Ventures?
What are some key takeaways from Melissa's one-on-one mentorship sessions?
Melissa Grillo Aruz
Melissa Grillo Aruz, photo 1
Melissa Grillo Aruz, photo 2
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Location

New York, New York, United States