Hardware Podcasts

Away: Jen Rubio

How I Built This · 18 Mar 2019 · 1h 07m

What this episode covers

Jen Rubio, co-founder of Away, explains how a broken suitcase in a Zurich airport inspired her to launch a direct-to-consumer luggage brand with co-founder Steph Korey. After raising $2.5 million from Forerunner Ventures, they faced a critical manufacturing delay that forced them to pivot their Christmas 2015 launch to a coffee table book containing gift cards for the suitcases. The strategy succeeded, selling out the initial inventory and establishing Away as a cult travel brand that has since sold over one million units.

Most relevant to

founders before launch and early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Warby Parker, Forerunner Ventures, Excel, Vogue
Products
Away, Sled Legs

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