EFR 885: How The RealReal Founder Turned Failure Into a $1 BILLION Luxury Brand with Julie Wainwright

This episode is brought to you by Timeline Nutrition and Pique Teas. Julie Wainwright is the powerhouse founder behind The RealReal, the luxury resale juggernaut she launched at 53 after being publicly shamed for the failure of Pets.com. In this episode, Julie tells the full story—how she bounced back, took on Amazon by doing what they wouldn't, and faced off against Chanel in a high-stakes industry lawsuit. She opens up about navigating sexism in boardrooms, creating value from secondhand fashion, and why the future belongs to bold founders, not safe CEOs. Follow Julie @realrealjulie Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- In this episode we discuss... 00:00 - Julie Wainwright Introduces The RealReal 00:35 - The Founder vs. CEO Mentality 03:00 - Raising $700M: A Story of Persistence 06:08 - Turning Around Berkeley Systems & Pets.com 09:03 - Why Founders Must Embrace Possibility, Not Logic 10:14 - PE vs. VC: Who Should You Trust With Your Startup 13:25 - Starting The RealReal at 53 After Total Rejection 16:04 - "Plan B Was Hell": Yoga, Snakes & Arizona 18:42 - Why Amazon Would Never Compete in Luxury Resale 20:04 - The Boutique Experience That Sparked The RealReal 21:35 - Launching in 4 Months: Julie's Execution Playbook 23:32 - Making Resale Cool: Hiring a Fashion Insider 25:43 - Keeping the Romance of Luxury Alive 27:21 - Luxury as Art: Why the RealReal Appeals Emotionally 29:01 - Monetizing Secondhand Luxury 30:54 - How Resale Changes Consumer Behavior 33:29 - Girl Math, Cartier Watches & Smart Shopping 35:15 - Why Resale Was So Hard Before The RealReal 37:01 - Chanel's Vendetta Against The RealReal 38:28 - Neiman Marcus Deal Sabotaged by Chanel 40:26 - Chanel Lawsuit: Accusations & Counterclaims 41:36 - WWD Awards Night & Chanel's Petty Tactics 45:20 - Thugs at Her Door: When Things Got Physical 47:53 - Where She Stands with Chanel Today 48:22 - Why Julie Got Fired from The Company She Built 51:42 - The Boardroom Coup: What Really Happened 54:01 - Her Theory: Money, Power & Politics 56:10 - Business Advice for Small Business Owners 58:09 - How Julie Sets Quarterly Goals & Metrics 60:13 - Don't Believe Your Own Press 63:39 - Ever Forward" ----- Episode resources: FREE sample pack of MitoPure gummies at https://www.Timeline.com/everforwardsample 20% off for life of gut-friendly teas and healthy drink mixes at https://www.PiqueLife.com/everforward Watch and subscribe on YouTube Get her book here on Amazon