“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. ”
Our Team
PARTNER
Ruth Sommers
Ruth Sommers is an accomplished executive with deep expertise in retail, luxury, and jewelry, known for her ability to amplify the vision of CEOs and unlock operational excellence. Since 2021, she has served as President and CEO of FoundRae, where she has guided the brand’s strategic growth and expansion in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas. She also founded NEXTConsulting, a firm dedicated to ensuring CEOs and their teams drive profitability and sustainable growth through tailored solutions.
Previously, Ruth was COO of Blue Nile, where she overhauled sourcing and customer care operations, and COO of David Yurman, where she led an overhaul of customer care, sourcing strategy, systems and internal process. At the same time greatly improving profitability. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at American Eagle Outfitters, Ann Taylor, and Victoria’s Secret, and founded NOI Solutions LLC to address gaps in sourcing for specialty retailers. Ruth holds an MBA from MIT and a BA in Business Administration from Lake Forest College.
PARTNER
Billy Paretti
Billy Paretti is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience leading global brands across luxury, spirits, and consumer goods. As CEO of CleanCo Ventures, he transformed the company into the #1 independent non-alcoholic spirits brand worldwide, driving nearly 50% YOY growth, securing Series B funding, and expanding distribution to 6,000+ locations. His leadership has delivered operational excellence, brand reinvention, and a clear path to profitability by 2025.
Previously, Billy was Global CMO of Belvedere Vodka at LVMH, where he led a major repositioning, built a sustainability program that cut emissions by 80%, and delivered $220M in global sales. He also served as Global CMO of David Yurman, and held senior roles at Moët Hennessy, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Celine, Givenchy, Tag Heuer, and Sephora. Across these brands, he has driven growth, efficiency, and award-winning campaigns, blending creativity with commercial discipline and inspiring high-performing teams.