Podcast appearances and mentions of Steph Korey

Twitter: @twpwkPatreonIn this episode we say adios to Trade Jose, discuss bitcoin scammers, understand why Away sent their co-CEO packing, rant about t-shirt economics, and follow up on the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E. NewsTwitter and the big bitcoin scamTrader Joe's Working To Remove Product Branding Criticized As RacistAway says co-CEO Steph Korey will step down this year after her attacks on the mediaAway's toxic work environment T-shirt Pricing rant: Parks Project and Roots of FightFord unveils a track-only version of its Mustang Mach-E SUV with SEVEN motors that produce a tyre-killing 1400bhpRecommendationsHBO Series: I'll Be Gone In The DarkBook: The Billionaire's VinegarBook: Why Nation's FailShameless PlugsFor coffee drinkers:Mike's coffee company: Bookcase CoffeeFor investors:Jeff's software: The Bubble BoardFor restaurant managers:Mike's startup: Dashy DashFollow UsTwitter: @twpwkiTunesSpotifyStitcherGoogle PodcastsPocket CastsOvercast

A welcome respite from coronavirus scariness! Today we talk about the recent controversy re: Ty Haney, Steph Korey and Audrey Gelman, and what they have in common with Medusa. Plus, what Versace's logo has to do with Greek mythology.HUGE shout out to "mythlover1984" for leaving an AMAZING review! Thank you so much :) :) :) Links:New York Times coverage of Ty Haney here.Verge coverage of Steph Korey here.New York Times coverage of Audrey Gelman here.Centaur of Attention Social Distancing Reading List:Circe by Madeline MillerThe Song of Achilles by Madeline MillerThe Odyssey by Homer (translated by Emily Wilson)You Were Born For This (Astrology for Radical Self Acceptance) by Chani Nicholas 

Steph Korey's return comes just a month after stepping down as chief executive of the online luggage seller. Hosts: John Suder (@johnsuder) Producer and Director of Marketing at SUMO Heavy https://twitter.com/johnsuder Bart Mroz (@bartmroz) CEO/Co-founder of SUMO Heavy https://twitter.com/bartmroz Brittany Blackman (@BrittanytB) Writer and Junior Marketing Coordinator at SUMO Heavy https://twitter.com/BrittanytB About the eCommerce Minute: The eCommerce Minute is a production of SUMO Heavy, a digital commerce and strategy firm located in Philadelphia and Brooklyn, NY. Learn more about SUMO Heavy: http://www.sumoheavy.com Follow Us: Newsletter: SUMO Heavy Weekly https://www.getrevue.co/profile/sumoheavy Twitter: @sumoheavy --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ecommerceminute/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ecommerceminute/support

In 2015, Jen Rubio was traveling back from a trip to Switzerland when her luggage broke in the middle of a crowded airport, sending her clothes and belongings everywhere. As she looked for a replacement she couldn't find the kind of iconic, high-quality, affordable luggage she was looking for. Jen called up her friend Steph Korey - the two met in 2011 at Warby Parker back when they had only twenty employees - and they got to work. Just a few years later, they launched their direct-to-consumer luggage company, Away, in 2015. It boasts high end features such as two built-in USB ports and a durable, sleek design but is a fraction of the price of competing luggage. The Away team now has more than 100 employees and tens of millions in revenue. They have expanded their product line, which now offers the bag in six sizes and eight colors and have partnered with people like Gray Malin and Karlie Kloss. In their conversation, Jen and Monica talk about how Away launched without a product, the way they handle collaborations, and why the retail and digital arms of the business aren't so different after all. “More than anything we believe in making travel more seamless and more enjoyable.” – Jen Rubio. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.MonicaandAndy.blog/28

The Away Luggage CEO was under a lot of scrutiny for creating a toxic work environment at the $1.4B valuation startup and is now announcing a return to the company as a Co-CEO.  What does this mean for the culture at the company? Will the leader be able to recover from the damage?  Tune in to hear Eric Siu explain why Steph Korey's return to the company after resigning due to the scandal about toxic culture might be bad for the company. Click here to watch the full YouTube video  Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, leave a short review here. Subscribe to Growth Everywhere on iTunes. Get the non-iTunes RSS feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @Ericosiu Instagram @Ericosiu

After the birth of her daughter, the creator of cult brand Frank and Eileen saw the world a little differently. Women are superheroes and Audrey McLoghlin wanted to create a shirt just for them. Grayson is the result of her 5 year consideration on building a new brand from the ground up. In this episode, we talk about how to create a sustainable business with a B2B component in the new DTC era, how to play the long game, and how to join the “hundred club” — owning 100% of the business. Listen now!

The Away travel brand went from a fast-growing popular brand to the epitome of the new toxic work environment leading to one of the CEO’s & co-founder stepping down. A workplace can become toxic by inches, like a lobster boiling in a pot of water, before you know it the environment has taken it’s toll mentally & physically. In this episode, we take a look at the toxicity that Away’s CEO Steph Korey’s micro-managing created, and the way the companies ‘values’ were used to manipulate its employees into working underpaid hours in difficult conditions.  This is the first case study where we break down the toxic work environment, how it happened, and what could have been done differently. What you’ll hear in this podcast: The Away company was a toxic workplace How the employees were manipulated How Micro-managing impacted the environment How a companies Mission Vision & Values was used against staff The use of SLACK as the only means of communication and how that impacted communication Bullying with a smile How public shaming was used to keep employees in line. What was done right What went wrong How fear isolated individuals How loyalty was used to manipulate Work with Lara   Apply for an On-air Coaching Call! Free Breakthrough Assessment Got a Question? Comment? Email Support@laracurrie.com Corporate Training Difficult Happens by Lara Currie Difficulthappens.com/workwithme/    Sources: Here’s the leaked memo in which Away tells employees not to fave The Verge’s investigation   Former Away employees describe a toxic work environment at the luggage company   Away Warns Employees Not to 'Like' or 'Fave' Article Detailing Execs' Psycho Behavior   Away's CEO Resigned Over a Toxic Workplace Due in Part to the Company's Use of Slack   New Away leaks reveal employees worked without heat, struggled with headaches and nausea   Resources: The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human  Motivation  The Secret Gift in Every Emotion Your Conflict Personality Type Assessments in all their glory How to Combat Manipulative Behavior Show Intro music is Whispering Through by Asura

Frank Gruber and co-host John Guidos talk about whether they could live without email and how society is changing with the elimination of the landline and a “home phone.” The discussion was loosely based on the latest newsletter which is shared below. I saw a story recently about Away Luggage and how they recently ousted their co-founder and CEO Steph Korey over her use of the communication tool Slack to intimidate employees. Away Luggage employees don’t use email, limiting communications to Slack’s public channels. While Slack does offer direct message functionality, the company, like others, utilizes mostly public channels to offer a more transparent work environment – which unfortunately made public intimidation possible (or… fortunately exposed bad behavior that might otherwise have been hidden?). This is not the first company to eliminate email. For example, Automattic, the company behind web blogging platform WordPress, was one of the earliest to embrace Slack as a primary communication tool. Could you run a business, or your life, without email?  This question made me think about how communication has evolved over the years. The day of the central “home phone” is something of the past. But the home landline taught me how to answer a phone (not knowing who was on the other end), speak to people of all ages, and communicate on others’ behalf. So, I’m curious if those skills are no longer being acquired by younger people. This brings a whole new reason for having a landline to light. The Atlantic recently dug a little deeper into this topic of the home landline which also forms a spontaneous connection to a household.  Celebrating People in My Network —Laurie Segall on the launch of Dot Dot Dot Media. —Lo Toney raised $42M fund to invest in startups at Plexo Capital.  —Michael Chasen, the CEO of PrecisionHawk, a Raleigh, N.C.-based provider of drone technology for the enterprise, on raising $32M in funding. —Jason Fudin, co-founder and CEO of WhyHotel, which operates 100 to 250 room pop-up hotels with 24/7 on-site staff in newly built, luxury apartment buildings, on raising a $20M Series B of funding.  —Justyn Howard and the team of Chicago-based SproutSocial on their recent IPO.  —Cody Bardo and the rest of the Trust & Will team for raising a $6M Series A round of funding with the goal of bringing estate planning To every family in America. —Mike Levins on jumping off the entrepreneurial diving board after a few decades in the corporate insurance world. I’m excited about his startup journey! Upcoming Events I am going to CES 2020 in early January so let me know if you’ll be in Las Vegas and would like to connect. Additionally, we’re in the process of planning our annual SXSW 2020 events taking place in early March in Austin, Texas. If you’re looking to do something at SXSW and need assistance, or if you’d like to get involved in supporting our efforts let me know.  Reading The eight-hour workday was set over 100 years ago, does it still stand up? —The Eight-Hour Workday Is a Counterproductive Lie The force? —A ‘no-brainer Nobel Prize’: Hungarian scientists may have found a fifth force of nature Could physics change forever? —Researchers at CERN break “The Speed of Light” This could have saved Steve Jobs. —Israeli scientists find a way to treat pancreatic cancer in 14 days Largest IPO ever for the company that supplies 10% of the world’s oil —Saudi Aramco prices shares at top of the range in the world’s biggest IPO Not good. —Oceans are running out of Oxygen If plants could talk… well it appears they can and we just don’t understand their language. —Recordings reveal that plants make ultrasonic squeals when stressed Blue Bottle going a bold green! —Bring your mug: Some Blue Bottles will no longer use plastic or paper cups This is extremely disturbing. —I’m a 37-Year-Old Mom & I Spent Seven Days Online as an 11-Year-Old Girl. Here’s What I Learned. What do you think? It seems to be missing a company or two, especially one that rhymes with Gruber. —The 12 Most Influential Startups of the Decade For increasing use as a singular pronoun for those who identify outside the gender binary… —‘They’ is the 2019 Word of the Year Listening Aside from getting into the holiday spirit with my favorite holiday playlist, I had a chance to listen to Elnaz Sarraf talk about her startup ROYBI which was just named one of TIME Magazine’s best inventions of 2019. Watching Last week, I got a chance to watch the annual lighting of the Christmas Prelude tree in Kennebunkport, Maine. It was snowing and chilly but nothing a little hot cocoa couldn’t help. If you’re stuck inside and looking for a new holiday movie to watch that fun for the whole family, you might want to give the new Disney+ original Noelle a try.  Gifting ‘Tis the season for holiday gifts – here are a handful of gift ideas for all ages this holiday season. I hope it helps you finish out your holiday shopping if you need ideas. If you’re looking for more holiday gift ideas, you might find our 2019 holiday gift guide interesting.  1.) Star Wars Instant Pot – It’s the classic instant pot pressure cooker, now dressed up like a Star Wars character. 2.) Baby Yoda – If you’ve been watching The Mandalorian on DisneyPlus then you know what I’m talking about. 3.) Baby Shark – Have a little one in your life? This might be a fun gift — if it doesn’t drive you bonkers from that catchy song. 4.) Weighted Blanket – They are all the rage this year. Sleep better with a weighted blanket. 5.) Roku Streaming Stick – Turn your TV into a smart TV even while traveling.  6.) KeySmart Pro – Organize those keys, add Tile so you don’t lose them and more. 7.) Kindle Whitepaper – Everyone reads, and this makes it easy even while in the pool as it’s waterproof. 8.) Travel Packing Cubes – Stay organized while traveling. 9.) Smartwool Socks – Who doesn’t like warm and dry feet? 10.) Yeti gear – Mugs, tumblers, or ramblers could be great gifts – since just about everyone drinks liquids. I hope you have a happy holiday season! Get updates like this right in your inbox before they hit the web by subscribing to the newsletter here.  

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks Verge news reporter Zoe Schiffer about the concerning work conditions at luggage startup Away and the details from the Verge investigation. Further reading: Former Away employees describe a toxic work environment Away replaces CEO Steph Korey after Verge investigation The Away scandal is a moment of reckoning for Slack Here’s the leaked memo in which Away tells employees not to fave The Verge’s investigation Away’s new CEO was going to be second in command — until a toxic workplace story blew up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jaclyn Johnson is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Create & Cultivate, an online community and conference for women looking to create and cultivate the career of their dreams. She’s also the host of the WorkParty podcast and the author of a book with the same name.Throughout her career, she’s worked with massive brands such as Microsoft, Urban Decay, L’Oréal Paris, Estée Lauder, and Uber for their social media and events.In this episode, Pat and Posh sit down with Jaclyn to hear about her upbringing, starting and selling her first business No Subject, how Create & Cultivate went from a side project to a massively successful venture, and the tough challenges she’s faced along the way.Jaclyn also sheds light on how she’s been able to navigate uncertainty as an entrepreneur, her advice for picking co-founders, female founders and women in business, and much more!SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletterFOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhourFOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhourINTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com

This week Ashley and Claire add some brand new segments to their usual beefs. After a fight with the war on Christmas and insurance, it's time for brand new segments on treating bitches well and how to rebrand.  Claire defends the indefensible with details on Steph Korey from Away and Ashley encourages Katy Perry to rebrand.  Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @wereinafightpod Art by @adriannemanpearl and theme song by @astrocule  

In dieser Folge geht es um den aktuellen Skandal bei Away Travel. Anlass dafür sind die schlechte Arbeitskultur sowie das toxische Verhalten von CEO Steph Korey gegenüber ihren Mitarbeitern. Viele Kunden, die davon mitbekommen, sind nun verärgert und wollen die Marke boykottieren, da diese sich nicht damit identifizieren können. Welche weiteren Auswirkungen hat dieses Verhalten auf das Branding und den Werten der Firma? Und Ist nun das gute Image von Away Travel in Gefahr?Abonniert meinen Newsletter auf www.teo.news für wöchentliche Nachrichten und Analysen zu den wichtigsten Themen im Bereich Tech und Medien.Weitere Infos findet ihr unter www.delta.pm.Habt ihr Fragen, Wünsche oder Ideen für die nächsten Folgen? Meldet euch hier: podcast@teo.plusJetzt den Podcast abonnieren:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsFolgt mir:LinkedInNewsletterWebseiteInstagramYouTubeTikTokTwitter

In dieser Folge geht es um den aktuellen Skandal bei Away Travel. Anlass dafür sind die schlechte Arbeitskultur und das toxische Verhalten von CEO Steph Korey gegenüber ihren Mitarbeitern. Viele Kunden, die davon mitbekommen, sind nun verärgert und wollen die Marke boykottieren, da diese sich nicht damit identifizieren können. Welche weiteren Auswirkungen hat dieses Verhalten auf das Branding und den Werten der Firma? Und Ist nun das gute Image von Away Travel in Gefahr?SO KÖNNT IHR DEN PODCAST ABONNIEREN- einfach bei Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify etc. nach "Digital IQ" suchenOder einen der folgenden Links anklickenApple: https://itunes.apple.com/de/podcast/digital-iq-podcast/id1258254665?l=en&mt=2Spotify: http://tinyurl.com/digitaliqpodcastFOLGT MIRAlle Links zu mir findet ihr unter www.tulam.me

An interview with Steph Korey about how traveling in her childhood impacted her life, her biggest business challenge, the person that’s helped her the most, her guiding leadership principles and her best career advice. Welcome to the 55th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from […]

If you’ve been to an airport in the past few years, chances are, you’ve seen Away suitcases in abundance. But just four years ago, Jen Rubio found herself stranded in an airport with a broken bag and not a single go-to brand to solve her problem. So in 2015, she and her co-founder Steph Korey decided to found Away, a luggage company that would change the way people travel today. The result was a collection of sleek luggage at an affordable price, complete with a portable charger and more travel essentials that emulate the modern traveler today. Away has sold over 1 million suitcases and counting worldwide and created a cult following of jet-setting customers who have made their product their most trusted travel companion. The company has raised over $156 million in support and recently announced its $1.4 billion valuation.   In this episode, Jen and I talk about what it's really like to work in tech as a woman, how a coffee table book saved their business, and how she’s determined to have it all at no expense.   For more, follow Jen on Instagram at @Jennifer.  

Selling Luggage and a Lifestyle How Steph Korey and Jen Rubio co-founded a luggage company for the modern adventurer that is taking the world by storm. Jen Rubio called her friend Steph Korey to vent about an irritating, expensive problem that just about any frequent flyer has endured at some point. She had a busted carry-on. Rubio was suffering from suitcase-demolition blues, and Korey wasn’t sure what brands to recommend. So Rubio texted a dozen of their trendiest, travel-savvy friends—the kind of people who would know all the best hotels in Bangkok—but they had no clue where to direct her to buy the perfect suitcase. They were quick to tell her which brands to avoid—sharing similarly frustrating stories of failure—but no one had the answer she was searching for. The search seemed hopeless. A single, action-packed year later, Korey and Rubio shipped the very first piece of Away carry-on luggage. Today, the luggage company that is so much more than a luggage company has sold over a million bags to customers across the world and captured the imagination of a generation known for its desire to chase down experiences instead of possessions. “This business isn’t really about luggage or suitcases at all,” Korey says. “What we’re really creating is a travel brand, and travel has the ability to really impact someone’s life.” With an eye on revolutionizing the luggage industry while leaving the world better than they’d found it, Korey and Rubio designed a bag that is durable, practical, and looks dang good in an Instagram photo. And that was only the beginning. Charting the Course In the beginning, Korey wasn’t sure she even wanted to start a business. She just wanted to learn more about the way other people traveled. She and Rubio had become friends while working together at Warby Parker, the online store that home delivers hip eyeglasses at affordable prices, so they knew firsthand the challenges that come with life at a startup. Rather than cannonballing into the deep end, the pair chose to start small and simply follow their curiosity. They decided to create a survey and send it to 50 people in a vast array of demographics, including male and female students, young professionals, established professionals, and retirees, who lived both in the US and abroad. After sharing information about how they traveled, how they packed, and what travel products they used, each person taking the survey was asked to forward it to five of their friends who also came from varied backgrounds. When the survey finished making its rounds, Korey and Rubio had over 800 responses to sift through. The pair was quickly able to start noticing themes, particularly when it came to how the existing luggage industry wasn’t meeting travelers’ needs. The survey results showed that travelers wanted a light piece of carry-on luggage that maximized packing space and still fit in the overhead compartments of airplanes. They also dreamed of a bag that could take a baggage handler’s beating if they decided to check it, including wheels and zippers that wouldn’t fail. Respondents also expressed the need for a place to put dirty, sweaty laundry after trips to the gym, summer walking tours through cities, or perilous mountain climbs. Oh, and they hated traveling with dead cell phones. With these results in mind, Korey and Rubio moved into the next stage of development. Korey says they were still unsure whether they wanted to start a business when they sat down with a group of designers from the fashion, luggage, and industrial design industries. They weren’t even sure when they decided to partner with two industrial designers to transform their findings into a product design. The team had plans for their new carry-on bag in one hand, and plane tickets to Asia—where they planned to meet with dozens of luggage manufacturers—in the other, but were still unsure where this journey would land them. It was only when a family in the manufacturing business told them their radical design could be actualized that it all clicked together. And just like that, the family agreed to manufacture the first 3,000 Away carry-on bags. Well, not quite. “I’m glamorizing this story a little bit,” Korey says. “It’s, in reality, probably a little more along the lines of we begged them to work with us.” Korey and Rubio spent days with the family, attempting to convince them to manufacture the bags. With every new pitch she used to convince the family—that they were about to revolutionize the luggage industry, and their business model was totally unique, and this was a chance to get in on day one with a company that was going to be huge one day—she felt herself becoming more convinced that this was it. It was finally time to start this business. Their manufacturers came around, too. “I’m entirely certain that they didn’t believe any of that,” she says. “Actually, they’ve told us that they didn’t believe any of that, but that we were so sincere and passionate about what we were doing that they just couldn’t turn us down.” Now that the ball was officially rolling, and Away was on the verge of becoming a reality, they had to jump a final, daunting hurdle. They had to find the money. Gathering Supplies “Raising any kind of capital is difficult, but raising seed capital is particularly difficult, because you can’t really tell the story of your business metrics at all, because they don’t exist,” Korey says. “You just have to tell the story of your vision and what you’re trying to create, and it really takes a leap of faith from investors.” But she adds that the knowledge she had gathered from her time leading the supply chain at Warby Parker, and Rubio’s experience in the marketing team there, gave them a definite advantage. “That is for sure the only reason that we were able to convince investors to take that leap of faith,” she says. “We knew what we were doing, and we would create something that resonated and that was successful.” In fact, she recommends that all aspiring entrepreneurs invest some time working at a startup. “I think it’s essential that you spend at least a couple years working at a startup first, for two reasons,” she says. “One, find out if you like it! Some people don’t like that chaos. … And then the second reason is it really gives you a sense of context of all the different pieces that go into creating something from nothing.” In the summer of 2015, Korey and Rubio were ready to create something, so they met with more than 20 different investors across the United States over the course of a week. After many failed pitches, and several uncomfortable red-eye flights, the pair met with Forerunner Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm that invests primarily in early-stage ecommerce brands. While most of the firms they met with simply didn’t understand what they were trying to do with Away, Korey says that Forerunner was captivated by their vision. “We’re really creating a broader brand and business around inspiring people to live a life of new experiences, and equipping them with all the products they need to make those travel experiences more seamless,” she recalls saying in her pitch. Within the first meeting, Forerunner was on board as a partner. With over $2.5 million raised, it was finally time to make some suitcases. Excited by the prospect of holiday sales, Korey says they set their launch date for November 2015. But as the date drew closer and the production of the first 3,000 suitcases was delayed until February of the following year, they had to get creative. Instead of selling the suitcases during the holiday season, they published a coffee table book called, The Places We Return To and paired it with a gift card for the February release of the first round of suitcases. “It was really one of the first moves we did as a brand really establishing ourselves as first and foremost about travel and not about travel products,” Korey says. In the book, they featured stories and photos of successful chefs, writers, photographers, and other talented professionals. Each person was asked about their favorite place in the entire world, why they loved it, and what they did during their visits. “We ended up with this collection of short stories that were very intimate because it was about people who were so knowledgeable about their favorite place in the world,” Korey says. Those featured in the book helped spread the word about the exciting new travel company, its mission, and the revolutionary new suitcase that was on the way. And the word traveled like a millennial with a break between jobs. Korey says they prepared 2,000 books and gift cards. By Christmas, every one had sold. Embarking on the Journey In February 2016, the first ever Away customer (his name is Adam) received his carry-on bag. Three years later, over a million bags in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes have made it across the world in shipping boxes, overhead bins, and car trunks. The ribbed, hard-shelled luggage is becoming more recognizable by the day. By offering their luggage at direct-to-consumer prices, what was once reserved for only the chicest of travelers could now make it to the general public. They take their social impact seriously, as well. Away works with manufacturing companies that have, as they say on their website, “exemplary and thoughtful work environments we would want for our own employees.” The company has also partnered with several charitable organizations, including Peace Direct, Charity: Water, and Kode with Klossy. So what’s next for Away? Korey says the company is currently working to expand across Europe, Asia, Australia and other parts of North America. Taking a page from Warby Parker and other disruptive ecommerce startups, they’ve also launched a brick-and-mortar component to their business with six American storefronts and one in London. And as Away continues to expand, they’ll continue to release new products that support the modern traveler. Korey is excited to see where the company goes next, not merely because she wants the business to flourish, but because she genuinely cares about the needs of Away customers. From the moment Korey and Rubio sent their first survey, they knew that the “why” behind their brand lay directly at the feet of their customers. “You should never start a business because you want to start a business. It’s a terrible reason to do it. It’s going to be a long slog if you’re not really focused on a particular insight or a problem that you’re trying to solve,” she says. “Whether you’re just getting started and you don’t know where to start, or you’ve already gotten started, and you’re trying to figure out the next step, it really starts with deeply understanding the customer.” It starts the way Away did: with a need, an idea, and a customer survey. Interview by Nathan Chan, feature article reprinted from Foundr Magazine, by Erica Comitalo Key Takeaways How one phone conversation between Korey and Rubio inspired the idea for Away The role data played in cementing the need for better luggage How the data insights were transformed into a product design Why one investor and one manufacturer decided to take a chance on Away How Korey and Rubio made the best of a worst-case scenario during their launch The journey from producing an initial batch of 3,000 units to selling millions Why Korey believes every entrepreneur should work for a startup first What the future expansion of Away looks like Korey’s words of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs

While we are on our winter break, enjoy this rerun of one of our favorite episodes! In 2015, Jen Rubio was traveling back from a trip to Switzerland when her luggage broke in the middle of a crowded airport, sending her clothes and belongings everywhere. As she looked for a replacement she couldn't find the kind of iconic, high-quality, affordable luggage she was looking for. Jen called up her friend Steph Korey - the two met in 2011 at Warby Parker back when they had only twenty employees - and they got to work. Just a few years later, they launched their direct-to-consumer luggage company, Away, in 2015. It boasts high end features such as two built-in USB ports and a durable, sleek design but is a fraction of the price of competing luggage. The Away team now has more than 100 employees and tens of millions in revenue. They have expanded their product line, which now offers the bag in six sizes and eight colors and have partnered with people like Gray Malin and Karlie Kloss. In their conversation, Jen and Monica talk about how Away launched without a product, the way they handle collaborations, and why the retail and digital arms of the business aren't so different after all. “More than anything we believe in making travel more seamless and more enjoyable.” – Jen Rubio. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.MonicaandAndy.blog/28

In early 2015, Jen Rubio was racing through an airport to catch a flight when her suitcase broke, leaving a trail of clothing behind her. She tried to replace it with a stylish, durable, affordable suitcase — but she couldn't find one. So she decided to create her own. In less than a year, Jen and her co-founder Steph Korey raised $2.5 million to build their dream travel brand: a line of sleek, direct-to-consumer suitcases simply called Away. Jen's hunch that the brand would emotionally resonate with young, jet-setting customers paid off. Today, Away has become a cult luggage brand that has sold more than one million suitcases. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," how Jon Maroney made sledding easier for adults and more dynamic for kids with a pair of sleds that strap to your legs.

We sat down with Jen Rubio—who co-founded Away luggage in 2015 with friend Steph Korey—to hear all about how they got their start, what it's like to see your luggage in every airport, and how the brand continues to rule at high-profile collabs, from Dwyane Wade to the Despicable Me minions. Check out the full show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While we are on our winter break, enjoy this rerun of one of our favorite episodes! In 2015, Jen Rubio was traveling back from a trip to Switzerland when her luggage broke in the middle of a crowded airport, sending her clothes and belongings everywhere. As she looked for a replacement she couldn't find the kind of iconic, high-quality, affordable luggage she was looking for. Jen called up her friend Steph Korey - the two met in 2011 at Warby Parker back when they had only twenty employees - and they got to work. Just a few years later, they launched their direct-to-consumer luggage company, Away, in 2015. It boasts high end features such as two built-in USB ports and a durable, sleek design but is a fraction of the price of competing luggage. The Away team now has more than 100 employees and tens of millions in revenue. They have expanded their product line, which now offers the bag in six sizes and eight colors and have partnered with people like Gray Malin and Karlie Kloss. In their conversation, Jen and Monica talk about how Away launched without a product, the way they handle collaborations, and why the retail and digital arms of the business aren't so different after all. “More than anything we believe in making travel more seamless and more enjoyable.” – Jen Rubio. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.MonicaandAndy.blog/28

Jen Rubio is the co-founder of Away Luggage. Before starting Away, Jen built her career by creating compelling brand narratives for some of the world’s most innovative companies. She started at Johnson and Johnson. After working there for a couple years, she quickly moved onto work for herself as a social media manager, before that was even a real job title. In 2011, Jen joined the early executive team for Warby Parker as Head of Social Media. It was at Warby Parker, that she met her Away co-founder, Steph Korey. In 2015, Jen was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Marketing and Advertising. Jen eventually left Warby Parker and moved to London to join AllSaints, as Head of Innovation. However, her entrepreneurial spirit took over, and she quickly left that job to launch Away.  Away is a modern travel brand that creates thoughtful luggage and travel accessories, designed to make travel more seamless. Away has rapid growth: starting with less than ten employees and now boasting almost 200 employees. The company has pulled in more than $125 million dollars in revenue since its launch in 2016. Today Jen is here to talk about how to find the perfect co-founder, how to fundraise, and shares her expert insight on how to effectively brand a business.

Jen Rubio is the co-founder of Away Luggage. Before starting Away, Jen built her career by creating compelling brand narratives for some of the world's most innovative companies. She started at Johnson and Johnson. After working there for a couple years, she quickly moved onto work for herself as a social media manager, before that was even a real job title. In 2011, Jen joined the early executive team for Warby Parker as Head of Social Media. It was at Warby Parker, that she met her Away co-founder, Steph Korey. In 2015, Jen was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Marketing and Advertising. Jen eventually left Warby Parker and moved to London to join AllSaints, as Head of Innovation. However, her entrepreneurial spirit took over, and she quickly left that job to launch Away.  Away is a modern travel brand that creates thoughtful luggage and travel accessories, designed to make travel more seamless. Away has rapid growth: starting with less than ten employees and now boasting almost 200 employees. The company has pulled in more than $125 million dollars in revenue since its launch in 2016. Today Jen is here to talk about how to find the perfect co-founder, how to fundraise, and shares her expert insight on how to effectively brand a business.

Direct-to-consumer brands don't often live up to the hype placed on them by endless amounts of VC funding and Silicon Valley fandom, says Jen Rubio, co-founder of travel brand Away, on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. Speaking to Liz Bacelar, founder of TheCurrent, at the British Fashion Council's annual Fashion Forum in London, Rubio explains that from its inception in 2016, she and her co-founder Steph Korey (who she met while both working at Warby Parker), were careful not to run their business like a lot of other brands in the space. "If you go back in time a little bit, a lot of new brands and e-commerce companies were positioning themselves as tech companies and raising a lot of VC money at tech valuations that would never live up to the public market at how retail companies are valued, and then run into the trouble of needing these stores and claiming they are a retail company and not a tech one," she explains. "We saw a lot of this happening in the industry and from the beginning Steph and I said, this is not how we are going to run our business. "If you go back in time a little bit, a lot of new brands and e-commerce companies were positioning themselves as tech companies and raising a ton of VC money at tech valuations that would never live up to the public market at how retail companies are valued. And then run into the trouble of 'oh we actually need these stores so now we're a retail company and not a tech company'. They've raised too much cash, they've burned too much cash," she explains. "We saw a lot of this stuff happening in the industry and from the beginning Steph and I were like, this is not how we are going to run this business." After pitching Away as a brand aiming to make travel more seamless, as opposed to simply making luggage, the business famously received a first round of investment before even having a physical product, for instance. From the lightbulb moment for the brand's concept through to its launch, Away spoke to over 800 people about what elements would make the perfect suitcase. It is that open approach to constant feedback that it continues to focus on to this day – helping to inform its product collaborations, new features and color palettes, and even locations for pop-ups and permanent retail spaces. In this conversation, Rubio also tells Liz how its first major hurdle – airline regulation that meant their smart suitcase was no longer allowed onboard – was an important opportunity to strengthen the relationship with Away customers; how retail landlords are finally giving non-legacy brands a chance; and why understanding your consumer is key to constant innovation.

In 2015, Jen Rubio was traveling back from a trip to Switzerland when her luggage broke in the middle of a crowded airport, sending her clothes and belongings everywhere. As she looked for a replacement she couldn't find the kind of iconic, high-quality, affordable luggage she was looking for. Jen called up her friend Steph Korey - the two met in 2011 at Warby Parker back when they had only twenty employees - and they got to work. Just a few years later, they launched their direct-to-consumer luggage company, Away, in 2015. It boasts high end features such as two built-in USB ports and a durable, sleek design but is a fraction of the price of competing luggage. The Away team now has more than 100 employees and tens of millions in revenue. They have expanded their product line, which now offers the bag in six sizes and eight colors and have partnered with people like Gray Malin and Karlie Kloss. In their conversation, Jen and Monica talk about how Away launched without a product, the way they handle collaborations, and why the retail and digital arms of the business aren't so different after all.

Jen Rubio is the co-founder and CEO of Away, a New York-based luggage company for modern travelers. Jen and her co-founder Steph Korey launched Away in 2015, inspired by a broken suitcase and a travel epiphany. Their goal was to create a brand that people could get excited about—luggage that’s both iconic and accessible. Jen joins Girlboss and Sephora Collection today to share her #LIPSTORIES with Girlboss editor in chief Neha Gandhi. She gets honest about what travel means to her, how to survive a nightmare travel day, and how you build a brand that people can't stop talking about.

When I was returning home from a trip abroad, my suitcase was over the weight limit by about 10 pounds. I was a penny-pinching college student at the time, so, naturally, I took about 10 pounds of clothing out, put it all on right there at the airline service desk and saved the extra cost. Granted, wearing rain boots, three sweaters and a coat didn’t make for a very relaxing travel experience, but it was a quick fix to my dilemma. Everyone has some kind of wild travel story, from terribly delayed flights to celebrity sightings and even appalling behavior from fellow passengers. What’s your story? Share it with us @OnTheDotWoman on Twitter. The post Jen Rubio and Steph Korey: She’s Traveling Smart appeared first on On The Dot Woman.