# Warby Parker: Dave Gilboa & Neil Blumenthal

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2016-12-26
- Length: 30m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal

## Summary

Warby Parker co-founders Dave Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal explain how they disrupted the eyewear industry by selling $95 glasses online, bypassing the monopoly held by Luxottica. They detail their bootstrapped launch, the creation of the home try-on program to overcome customer skepticism, and the operational chaos of selling out inventory on day one with no tracking system. The founders also discuss their early financing struggles, including securing an SBA loan and creative PR consulting deals, before eventually raising significant venture capital.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal#t=0) Introduction: Warby Parker Founders and the Eyewear Monopoly
- [2:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal#t=122) Identifying the Market Gap and Luxottica's Dominance
- [5:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal#t=348) Developing the Business Plan and Home Try-On Model
- [9:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal#t=558) Pricing Strategy and Brand Naming
- [13:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal#t=805) Bootstrapping, Manufacturing, and PR Launch
- [17:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal#t=1042) The Launch: Selling Out and Operational Chaos
- [22:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal#t=1320) Customer Service, Scaling, and Early Financing
- [26:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal#t=1562) Growth, Valuation, and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Warby Parker (company)
- Luxottica (company)
- Ray-Ban (product)
- Oakley (product)
- LensCrafters (company)
- GQ (company)
- Vogue (company)
- Vision Spring (company)
- Wharton School (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [134: Kevin Kelly Remains Undefeated](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2026-06-24-134-kevin-kelly-remains-undefeated) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [Oddball's Path From Idea to Funding a Nationwide Target Launch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-07-11-oddballs-path-from-idea-to-funding-a-nationwide-target-launch) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Fundraising Journey: Craig Dubitsky, Happy Products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-18-founder-fundraising-journey-craig-dubitsky-happy-products) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature - Fane He and Kyle Nguyen of  The Lucky Ox](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-06-20-founder-feature-fane-he-and-kyle-nguyen-of-the-lucky-ox) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founders Feature: Lucy Dana of One Trick Pony](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-21-founders-feature-lucy-dana-of-one-trick-pony) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2016-12-26-warby-parker-dave-gilboa-neil-blumenthal. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.