04

Alexander Gilkes

Givers Are Getters



Where do art and commerce collide, if not at auction? 

Episode four of At Large brings us Alexander Gilkes, a serial entrepreneur and former chief auctioneer for Philips. At the world’s third largest auction house and as founder of Paddle 8, he hammered in over $1B of art, and adapted what he learned there to the craft of marketing. We’ll hear how his Etonian upbringing and passion for contemporary art led him to a career selling such rarities as a one of a kind album by Wu Tang Clan, and founding Squared Circles, an incubator hatching businesses at the intersection of science and culture. We speak with Alex in his now home city of Los Angeles, on the heels of a $40M fundraise led by L Catterton, the world’s largest consumer-focused private equity firm. 

Beyond what you’ll learn about the art market, hip hop, algae oil, and English boarding schools, perhaps the most important lesson of this episode is about developing the instinct of generosity.

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Show Index

02:16 An Etonian Upbringing
10:15 Cultural Differences: UK vs. US
13:34 Discovering a Passion for Art
17:40 The Auction House Experience
21:40 Founding Paddle 8: Revolutionizing Art Auctions
26:38 The Wu-Tang Clan's Unique Album Sale
32:37 The Aftermath of the Sale
34:45 Introducing Squared Circles
42:20 The Future of Consumer Trends
49:38 Hot Takes


Show Notes






Ep. 23 — Sophia Amoruso

Sauce Boss Meets Girlboss


Ep. 22 — Daniel Goldhaber

Movies by Any Means Necessary


Ep. 21 — Dinara Kasko

Have Your Cake and Tweet It Too


Ep. 20 — Nicolas Jammet

Greens to Greatness


Ep. 19 — Thomas Kemeny

Writing Your Way Ahead


Ep. 18 — Clare Vivier

Liberté, Intégrité, Simplicité


Ep. 17 — Alex Bogusky

Peace, Love, and Advertising


Ep. 16 — Alexis Gay

The Unprofessional Professional


Ep. 15 — Seth Godin

Idea Virus Patient Zero


Ep. 14 — Nicholas Coleman

Chasing Liquid Gold


Ep. 13 — Gabe Whaley

Making MSCHF


Ep. 12 — Kareem Rahma

Internet Funnyman


Ep. 11 — Amanda Hesser

Building a Digital Hearth


Ep. 10 — Shane Heath

No Mud, No Lotus


Ep. 9 — Michael Dubin

You Can’t Just Switch It Off


Ep. 8 — Scott Norton

Purpose & Play


Ep. 7 — Chris Nee

Creative Courage and Talking Stuffed Animals


Ep. 6 — Fabien Riggall

Silencing the Discursive Mind


Ep. 5 — Danielle Baskin

Striking Internet Gold


Ep. 4 — Alexander Gilkes

Givers Are Getters


Ep. 3 — Susan MacTavish Best

Hosting a Rave for the Intellect


Ep. 2 — John Fiorentino

The Hunt for Big Ideas


Ep. 1 — Eric Ryan

Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal



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