Working at Wayfair: 3 insights from Brandeis alumni

Wayfair is such an innovative company. Whether you’re interested in supply chain management, data analytics, marketing, machine learning or business operations, there’s so much to learn from the e-commerce leader.

That’s why I jumped at the chance to visit Wayfair’s corporate headquarters in Boston during a recent Industry Trek. It was a valuable opportunity to hear directly from employees who know the company best — including five Brandeis graduates participating in an inspiring and insightful alumni panel.

Organized by the International Business School’s Career Strategies and Engagement Center, Industry Treks allow students to visit top U.S. companies and learn more about the specific knowledge, skills and tactics their employees utilize every day. Treks are also phenomenal networking opportunities!

We first heard from the Wayfair recruitment team, who provided an insightful overview of the company, its business model and various career opportunities — including the Early Career Bootcamp. This bootcamp is designed to introduce new hires to Wayfair’s systems while encouraging group collaboration.

We then met Brandeis alumni panel, who shared their experiences, career paths and advice for succeeding at Wayfair. The culture at Wayfair clearly emphasizes creative learning, internal mobility and the value of cross-team collaboration. Here are three insights from the Brandeis alumni I met during the trek.

Insight 1: Importance of data in decision-making

Eric D’Aguanno ’20, MBA’22 is a senior associate at Wayfair specializing in merchandising operations, curated brands and store enablement.

Data is central to Wayfair’s merchandising operations. During the trek, D’Aguanno emphasized how being proficient in tools like SQL, Google BigQuery (GBQ) and Excel is key for drawing insights and making informed decisions that directly impact sales and store enablement strategies. For students, it’s clear that developing these technical skills can give you a strong foundation in e-commerce and retail industries.

Insight 2: Combining creative and analytical approaches

George Velonias ’17 is head of growth marketing for Wayfair Canada, focusing on customer acquisition and engagement.

He offered valuable insights about how best to combine data and creativity in marketing, especially when localizing international advertising campaigns. Although technical abilities like Excel and SQL are required, Velonias offered several examples of successful campaigns that blended unique content with insightful data analysis — illustrating how creativity can set a great marketing campaign apart.

Insight 3: Adaptability and ownership in operations

Young Wang ’24 is a business operations analyst at Wayfair working on optimizing processes and improving business efficiency.

Wang highlighted the importance of adaptability and ownership in his role, sharing how the day-to-day work involves analyzing processes, identifying inefficiencies and making recommendations that drive business efficiency. He said the ability to quickly learn tools like Salesforce and improve processes is crucial and emphasized how Wayfair encourages employees to take ownership of their projects. His message was clear: adapting quickly in your role and taking initiative are very important traits.

Student Insights features blog posts produced by current students and recent graduates of Brandeis International Business School. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author.