Julie Wainwright - The RealReal Founder | From Pets.com Failure to a Billion-Dollar Empire

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Julie Wainwright is the visionary entrepreneur who transformed one of Silicon Valley’s most public failures into a billion-dollar empire. After leading Pets.com through the dot-com crash, she came back stronger, founding The RealReal in 2011 and scaling it into the world’s largest online luxury consignment marketplace with over $1 billion in annual revenue, 33 million members, and a successful IPO on Nasdaq. Under her leadership, the company processed millions of authenticated luxury items, disrupted a $200+ billion resale market, and redefined sustainable fashion. Her story is proof that with resilience, bold vision, and relentless execution, even the biggest setbacks can become the launchpad for extraordinary success.

➡️ Show Links

https://www.instagram.com/realrealjulie/

➡️ Books

https://www.amazon.com/Time-Get-Real-Billion-Dollar-Business/dp/1637746865

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➡️ Talking Points

00:00 – Intro
01:31 – Julie’s Career in Her Own Words
02:40 – Why Training Shapes Entrepreneurs
08:32 – The Risk of Letting AI Think for You
11:49 – When Julie Was Called “Unemployable”
16:02 – Bouncing Back from a Major Failure
21:43 – Sponsor Break
23:40 – Building Something Completely New
30:29 – Winning in a Crowded Market
43:12 – Sponsor Break
45:07 – Success vs. Billion-Dollar Success
51:27 – Why Every Founder Needs an Exit Plan
1:06:49 – Julie’s Biggest Life Lesson

➡️ Success Story Podcast - Stories Worth Telling

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Welcome to the Success Story Podcast, hosted by entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator & speaker, Scott Clary.

On this podcast, Scott has candid interviews with entrepreneurs, celebrities, notable figures, and politicians. All who have achieved success through both wins and losses, to learn more about their life, their ideas, and insights.

He sits down with leaders and mentors and unpacks their stories to help pass those lessons on to others through both experiences and tactical strategies for business professionals, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between.

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