# Stitch Fix: Katrina Lake (2018)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-09-16
- Length: 52m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018

## Summary

Katrina Lake, founder of Stitch Fix, explains how she pivoted from consulting and venture capital to building an online personal shopping service that combines human stylists with data science. She details the early validation process involving 20 friends, the struggle to raise seed funding from skeptical Silicon Valley investors who disliked the inventory-heavy model, and the strategic decision to hire Netflix alum Eric Colson to build recommendation algorithms. Lake also discusses the challenges of being a female founder in a male-dominated VC ecosystem, the eventual public offering, and the company's growth to over 3 million customers.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=0) Introduction: Katrina Lake and Stitch Fix
- [4:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=287) Early Career and the Genesis of the Idea
- [16:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=977) Validating the Concept with 20 Friends
- [19:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=1152) Raising Seed Funding and Investor Skepticism
- [25:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=1521) Building the Tech Stack and First Customers
- [33:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=2032) Hiring Eric Colson and the Data Strategy
- [30:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=1850) Gender Dynamics and Venture Capital Challenges
- [39:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=2356) Leadership, Motherhood, and Going Public
- [49:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-16-stitch-fix-katrina-lake-2018#t=2945) Postscript: Justin Li and IcePlate

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Stitch Fix (company)
- Netflix (company)
- Eric Colson (other)
- Steve Anderson (other)
- Nordstrom (company)
- Amazon (company)
- IcePlate (product)
- Core Performance (company)
- Chick-fil-A (company)
- U.S. Army (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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 Feature: Val Emanuel of Rif Care](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-01-03-founder-feature-val-emanuel-of-rif-care) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [007: CNC Knitted Scarves & $100K Kickstarter Success, Fabienne Serrière of Knit Yak](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak) (Product Startup)
- [Founder Feature: Steph Nightingale of Stimmie](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-08-15-founder-feature-steph-nightingale-of-stimmie) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez (2023)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-10-17-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with-san) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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