# Rent The Runway: Jenn Hyman (2018)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-10-15
- Length: 54m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018

## Summary

Jenn Hyman, co-founder of Rent the Runway, explains how she and Jennifer Fleiss built a $100 million revenue company by renting designer dresses, starting with a pop-up at Harvard Business School and securing a pivotal meeting with Diane von Furstenberg. Hyman details the early operational challenges, including the lack of product photography and the need to raise venture capital despite facing condescending investors and sexual harassment. She also discusses the company's evolution from a fashion rental service into a technology and logistics powerhouse, managing 1,200 employees while navigating gender bias in the VC world and personal struggles with work-life balance.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018#t=0) Introduction: Jenn Hyman and Rent the Runway
- [3:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018#t=217) Early Career and Harvard Business School
- [10:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018#t=658) The Idea and Diane von Furstenberg Meeting
- [23:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018#t=1390) Validation and First Pop-Up
- [25:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018#t=1530) Fundraising and Early Hustle
- [31:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018#t=1873) Sexual Harassment and Gender Bias in VC
- [42:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018#t=2531) Leadership Challenges and Personal Life
- [51:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-10-15-rent-the-runway-jenn-hyman-2018#t=3102) Postscript: Monica Mizrachi and EzPacking

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Rent the Runway (company)
- Diane von Furstenberg (other)
- Starwood (company)
- Harvard Business School (other)
- Jennifer Fleiss (other)
- Nieman Marcus (company)
- Bloomingdale's (company)
- New York Times (company)
- EzPacking (company)
- Monica Mizrachi (other)
- Solomon Mizrachi (other)

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## Citing this page

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