who is derek maxfield

Derek Maxfield is a U.S. entrepreneur and historian , best known as the co‑founder and former CEO of Younique , a direct‑sales beauty company that heavily uses social‑media‑driven “virtual parties.” He is also a former associate professor of history , specializing in 19th‑century U.S. history and “Victorian deathways,” and has published and lectured widely on Civil War‑era topics.

Who is Derek Maxfield? (Quick Scoop)

• Entrepreneur & tech‑savvy founder
  • Co‑founded Younique Products in 2012 with his sister Melanie Huscroft, building it as one of the first direct‑sales brands to run almost entirely through social selling and virtual parties.

* Background in **software development and web applications** (.NET, C#, JavaScript), which he used to design Younique’s digital platform for presenters.

* Stepped down as Younique CEO in late 2024 and now serves as **CEO of Komigo** , another venture in the tech or digital‑experience space.

• Academic & historian
  • Former associate professor of history at Genesee Community College in Batavia, New York, where he taught U.S. history and related topics.

* Research interests include **Victorian‑era mourning customs (“Victorian deathways”) and 19th‑century politics** , especially the Civil War period.

* Authored and spoken on figures such as **William Tecumseh Sherman** , presenting at venues like the **Holland Land Office Museum** and the **Emerging Civil War Symposium**.

Notable achievements and roles

Role / achievement| Context
---|---
Co‑founder & former CEO, Younique| Built a social‑media‑first direct‑sales beauty brand focused on empowering independent presenters via mobile tech. 57
CEO, Komigo (from 2024)| Leads a newer company, continuing his focus on digital‑first business models. 7
Associate professor of history (retired)| Taught at a small Western New York college; recognized with SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for both teaching and scholarship. 49
Civil War / Victorian‑era author & speaker| Writes for outlets such as Emerging Civil War and gives public talks on Sherman and Victorian mourning customs. 26910

Why people are talking about him

• In business circles , he is cited as an example of a software‑developer‑turned‑entrepreneur who re‑imagined direct sales for the social‑media age.

• In history and museum forums , he appears as a popular guest speaker and contributor on Civil War and Victorian‑era topics, especially around local New York institutions.

• Online people‑search sites also list multiple individuals named “Derek Maxfield,” so discussions sometimes conflate the entrepreneur‑historian with others sharing the same name.

Bottom line:
Derek Maxfield is best understood as a dual‑track figure —a tech‑minded entrepreneur behind Younique and Komigo, and a retired history professor with a niche in 19th‑century U.S. culture and the Civil War.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.