EP5: Jen Rubio, Co-founder of Away, on Defying Expectations, Creating Her Own Path, and Building a $1.4 Billion Dollar Company that Forever Changes the Way We Travel
What does it mean to be fearless?
For many, it’s walking into a situation, knowing that you’re supposed to be afraid of what’s to come, but pushing through anyway. For others, like Jen Rubio, being fearless is just always making the most of every decision, and not allowing the idea of "fear" stop you from following your intuition.
On today’s episode, Jen and I discuss the success of her luggage brand Away, what it means for her, and how she got to where she is today. Specifically, I ask Jen about her personal background that created the foundation for the future that she cultivated for herself. She shares her experience of immigrating to the US at age 7, understanding what it means to be different, and how going with the flow in life can be incredibly beneficial.
Some Questions I Ask:
What was your life like in the Philippines? (8:23)
What was it like when you first moved to New Jersey? (11:15)
What did you study in college? (25:44)
What is the origin of your company Away? (39:24)
What is a unicorn company? (52:32)
What’s coming next for Away? (58:50)
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Who Jen is as a person, beyond her company. (5:49)
About Jen’s experience feeling like an outsider at school. (12:17)
What being “fearless” means to Jen. (20:19)
How Jen’s career path progressed. (29:58)
What makes Jen and Steph a successful team. (43:05)
How culture at Away was developed over time. (48:41)
Connect with Jen:
Resources: