Aleksandra Efimova

Aleksandra Efimova is a Russian-American entrepreneur and leader in the arts, business, and Russian-American communities in Chicago. As president of Aleksandra Enterprises, Ms. Efimova is dedicated to spreading access to and enjoyment of the arts, and to forging cross-cultural bridges, particularly in the education, arts, and business sectors.

Early life and education

Ms. Efimova’s path, in life and in her career, is completely unique among executives. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, she attended the renowned Art School at the Hermitage State Art Museum. In addition, she was trained in classical dance, art, and academics and, after moving to the United States in 1993, became a competitive ballroom dancer. Shortly after arriving in the US, she founded the brand Russian Pointe Inc. while pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Eastern Michigan University in international business and marketing. As her company continued to expand in the US, Ms. Efimova sought to build a strong foundation in business and international relations to complement her intrinsic fine arts savvy. It was toward that end that in 2009, she began to pursue a business degree in Harvard Business School’s elite Executive Owner/Management Program, graduating in 2010.

Entrepreneurship

Ms. Efimova, president of Aleksandra Enterprises and pioneer of the Aleksandra brand, is best-known in the business community as founder and president of Aleksandra Russian Pointe, a purveyor of luxury pointe shoes. Russian Pointe® shoes are the finest on the market today, hand-crafted in Moscow in the grand tradition of Russian pointe shoe-making. Since Russian Pointe® was founded in 1998, what began as a college project has developed into an internationally recognized brand of dance apparel, shoes, and educational materials. She is in constant contact with dancers, instructors, and pointe shoe retailers so that her designs remain ever current and in tune with dancers’ needs, whether by creating a new collection or steadilyimproving upon previous designs.

In 2006, she opened the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique, the company’s exquisite flagship store located on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.

In 2010, Aleksandra Enterprises embarked on a new line, Aleksandra Creative Learning. Ms. Efimova had become intrigued by the impact of the fine arts on childhood development. Aleksandra Creative Learning aims to engender artistic education and exploration in children utilizing books, toys, and games.

Today, Aleksandra Enterprises operates Aleksandra Russian Pointe®, Russian Pointe Dance Boutique, and Aleksandra Creative Learning®.  

Vision

Ms. Efimova offers a unique blend of executive acumen, global team-building skills, and community leadership. Also a high energy, creative thinker and driven entrepreneur, she approaches every new business challenge with an inherent flair for innovation, creative problem-solving, and measured risk-taking. These aspects have shaped her vision for long-term, sustainable growth of her company, a vision that has ultimately propelled Aleksandra Enterprises into the international spotlight for successfully transcending linguistic and cultural boundaries.

Philanthropy

In addition to its business pursuits, Aleksandra Enterprises is extremely active in the arts and Russian-American communities in Chicago. Ms. Efimova serves on the Lyric Opera Guild Board, the Joffrey Ballet’s Auxiliary Board, and the Auditorium Theatre of Chicago Junior Board. In addition, she is a member of the Harvard Alumni Club, the Economic Club of Chicago, the US-Russia Business Council, and the Chicago Loop Alliance.

Ms. Efimova has also hosted and organized numerous events to promote and enrich Chicago residents with Russian cultural experiences. To do so, she has teamed up with the Russian embassy in Washington DC, the Russian federal agency Rossotrudnichestvo, the Auditorium Theatre, the Adler planetarium, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Goodman Theatre, and the Joffrey Ballet, among others.

Public service

Ms. Efimova is on track to becoming one of Russia’s most promising young ambassadors in Chicago. Her reputation as a budding business owner dedicated to Russian-American relations inspired former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley, in 2010, to appoint her chair of the Moscow Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International.

Illinois Senator Mark Kirk recognized her role in international relations in 2011 by appointing her chair of the Eastern European Advisory Board, which was formed to address the concerns of Eastern European constituents, small business owners, and community leaders from Russia, Armenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.