Amanda Knauer ‘11 starts trends in Buenos Aires
After years in Buenos Aires, Amanda Knauer ‘11 still hadn’t found an online resource to inform her of the happenings in the city. So she jumped at the chance to invest in such a website and helped found YoQueVos (an Argentine expression meaning “If I were you”). YoQueVos, a beauty, fashion, and events email newsletter sent biweekly to women in Buenos Aires, launched in October of 2008 to 800 women. A year and a half later, the company now has nearly 20,000 subscribers. Being featured in a YoQueVos email is a boon to companies, delivering thousands of websites hits and driving sales unparalleled by other news media sources in Argentina. In December, YoQueVos hosted its first event featuring new and upcoming designers, which was co-sponsored by the City of Buenos Aires and Pepsi and attended by a crowd of 3,000.
Operating within a developing economy presents unique challenges to YoQueVos: inflation within Argentina hovers at around 30% a year, strict labor laws increase the risk of hiring employees, and internet development generally lags years behind that of the US. YoQueVos is now strategizing to explore opportunities to tap into its strong subscriber base within the e-commerce realm, still relatively new to Argentina. The Buenos Aires-based managing partner is looking for members of the Wharton Community interested in sharing their time and expertise with the growing venture. Please email contactos@yoquevos.com for more information.
