For CEOs navigating today’s attention economy, the challenge isn’t product — it’s visibility. In a marketplace increasingly dominated by those with the largest marketing budgets, emerging and midsized brands often struggle to compete for exposure. That imbalance is what led Misti Blasko, CEO of ABLE and Women in Retail Leadership Circle advisory board member, to work with RAVE, a newly debuted, curated e-commerce marketplace designed to help brands grow without relying solely on paid reach. “Smaller brands get lost,” Blasko says. “The brands with the most money are the ones getting the most exposure. RAVE was built to change that.”

A Founder-Led Platform Built on Curation, Not Scale

RAVE was founded and is led by Lara Schmoisman, a visionary marketing strategist, entrepreneur, founder and CEO of The Darl, a full-service agency specializing in brand strategy for beauty, lifestyle and consumer brands. Lara is also a member of Women in Retail Leadership Circle.

At its core, RAVE is an intentionally high-touch and curated platform, offering brands direct, one-to-one access to technical and social expertise. The platform is selective by design — brands must apply and be accepted, ensuring quality, credibility, and a true white-glove experience.

While RAVE is designed to support smaller and growing brands, the founders are equally intentional about onboarding recognized names early. Established brands help anchor the platform, building trust and momentum for newer entrants. ABLE is among the first brands to go live on RAVE.

Built With Both the Consumer and the CEO in Mind

RAVE is designed for women ages 35 to 45 seeking beauty, fashion and accessories from brands they feel confident supporting. From a CEO perspective, the platform addresses a deeper operational need: reducing friction in growth.

To that end, RAVE is offering a risk-free trial through March, giving brands the opportunity to test the platform before committing. Initial participation will remain limited as the founders refine the model and ensure the experience scales thoughtfully.

A Leadership Signal for the Next Era of Commerce

With promotional support from PR firm Intersection and early momentum through industry partnerships, including exposure within the Women in Retail Leadership Circle community, RAVE is just getting started.

However, the strategy behind it is already clear. RAVE reflects a broader CEO mindset shift away from scale-at-all-costs and toward intentional growth, trusted curation, and founder-led leadership.

“RAVE is early,” Blasko says. “But the intention is clear — to build something that truly serves brands, not just the biggest budgets.”