HER Style Podcast Summary: Episode 245 | The RealReal Founder, Julie Wainwright
Introduction
In episode 245 of the HER Style Podcast, host Heather Riggs engages in an inspiring conversation with Julie Wainwright, the founder of The RealReal—a billion-dollar luxury resale company. Released on June 9, 2025, this episode delves into Julie's journey of launching and scaling The RealReal, her insights on the fashion industry, and her perspectives on overcoming age-related challenges in entrepreneurship. Whether you're passionate about fashion, business, or personal growth, this episode offers valuable lessons and motivation.
Guest Introduction: Julie Wainwright
Heather begins by highlighting Julie's remarkable achievements, emphasizing her role in transforming the luxury resale market. Julie's venture into The RealReal at the age of 52, following a significant professional setback, serves as a testament to resilience and innovative thinking.
Founding The RealReal
Origin Story Julie shares the pivotal moment that led to the creation of The RealReal. After being labeled "unemployable" following a failure with Pets.com, Julie faced a crossroads: start her own business or change her lifestyle. Reflecting on a personal shopping experience with a friend, Julie recognized a gap in the luxury resale market.
"I realized that if I was going to feel confident and excited to get dressed again, I needed to buy less and shop smarter." [02:21]
Identifying the Need Julie observed that while platforms like eBay offered consignment options, concerns about authenticity and the lack of a curated experience deterred potential buyers. This insight, combined with her expertise in technology and entrepreneurship, inspired her to create a trustworthy and efficient luxury resale platform.
"I knew I had to authenticate things to give trust to the consumer. I knew I had to focus only on luxury and make sure it's these curated goods." [06:45]
Launching The RealReal With a clear vision, Julie mapped out the business structure akin to her successful styling clients. She focused on authentication, curation, and customer service—elements that set The RealReal apart from traditional consignment stores.
"I knew we had to revolutionize the way people were viewing previously owned goods. We had to change perceptions and make sure that we show these amazing brands in their space where they're honored." [07:25]
Strategies for Problem Solving and Action
Julie offers pragmatic advice for entrepreneurs and listeners striving to overcome challenges and take decisive action:
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Identify Crucial Problems: Focus on the most critical issues that can change the trajectory of your business or personal goals.
"Reverse engineer, what's the most important problem you have to solve? Put a plan in place for that." [08:10]
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Set Incremental Goals: Break down long-term objectives into smaller, manageable quarterly goals to maintain momentum and assess progress effectively.
"Set your goal, break it into small steps. The quarter seems to be a really good thing because 90 days, you can get a lot of good information in 90 days. It is a game changer." [13:03]
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Embrace Being "More Right Than Wrong": Accept that initial efforts may not be perfect, but ensuring that more decisions are correct than incorrect is key to success.
"You have to be more right than wrong. If you're 51% right, everything will start working and then you fine-tune it to raise your odds up." [11:00]
Spotting Trends and Smart Shopping
Julie provides her expertise on identifying fashion trends and making informed purchasing decisions:
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Data-Driven Trends: The RealReal's extensive data across various brands serves as a reliable indicator of genuine trends, eliminating gimmicks often propagated by other companies.
"The RealReal is the best indicator of trends because they have so much data across every single brand. So when you see things that say it's trending, it really is trending." [15:32]
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Personalized Shopping Experience: Julie envisions a future where technology personalizes the shopping experience, using machine learning and AI to offer tailored recommendations based on individual styles and preferences.
"They could have a virtual room built for you, a dressing room that would map to your past preferences. It would change the shopping experience." [21:30]
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Resale Value Consideration: Emphasizing the importance of resale value, Julie encourages consumers to make purchases that retain their worth over time, promoting sustainability and financial savvy.
"Always consider the resale because you work too hard for your money to throw it away." [27:44]
Overcoming Age-Related Challenges
A significant portion of the discussion focuses on combating ageism and self-limiting beliefs, especially relevant to women entrepreneurs:
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Dismiss Age Stereotypes: Julie asserts that age should not define one's capabilities or limit ambitions. She challenges the notion that certain achievements are exclusive to specific age groups.
"Age is silly. Don't. Your life isn't over till it's over. We know a lot more about taking better care of yourself, constant learning." [28:26]
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Self-Worth Over External Criticism: She emphasizes valuing oneself above the negative opinions of others, advocating for self-love and resilience.
"It took me being around people that love me. It took me valuing myself more than what other people say about me." [32:22]
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Encouraging Continuous Growth: Julie highlights the success of younger employees at The RealReal, demonstrating that with the right support and mindset, individuals of any age can excel.
"Everything she [Rachi Levesque] was running, she never put limits on herself. Life is short." [31:51]
Personal Growth and Mindset
Julie shares her personal journey of overcoming setbacks and building a success-driven mindset:
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Healing from Failure: Acknowledging her past failures, Julie discusses the importance of not letting them define her future endeavors.
"I wore it. And at some point I had to stop it because I was bringing the past into the future." [32:22]
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Surrounding Yourself with Support: She credits her recovery and success to being surrounded by supportive people and engaging in activities that foster creativity and well-being.
"Being around creative people and being out in nature, exercising." [33:00]
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Self-Reflection: Julie advises listeners to critically evaluate negative feedback and determine its validity before allowing it to impact self-esteem.
"Is this me? Is this from someone I trust? And chances are it's not." [33:45]
Sneak Peek into Julie's Book: "Time to Get Real"
In the concluding segments, Julie introduces her upcoming book, "Time to Get Real: How I Built a Billion Dollar Business that Rocked the Fashion Industry," releasing on June 10th. She describes the book as a blend of humor, raw honesty, and practical advice, encapsulating her entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned along the way.
"It's the book I wish I would have read before I started the company. It's fun, fast-paced, and has a lot of key learnings." [35:00]
What's Next for Julie Wainwright
Julie announces her current focus on promoting her new book and embarking on a speaking tour aimed at inspiring entrepreneurs and women in business.
"I'm focused on getting this book out and doing a speaking tour, which is really fun." [37:07]
Closing Thoughts
Heather and Julie wrap up the episode by reinforcing the themes of personalization and intentionality in both fashion and business. Julie's insights resonate deeply with Heather's mission to empower women to build their dream wardrobes and professional lives with confidence.
"The themes of personalization and intentionality are what I am all about for my business and on this podcast." [25:04]
Connect with Julie Wainwright
For those eager to learn more about Julie's journey and gain further insights from her book, "Time to Get Real," you can find it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble starting June 10th. Additionally, follow Julie's speaking engagements and connect with her through The RealReal's platforms.
Next Steps for Listeners
Heather encourages listeners to engage with their own style journeys by taking the free 5-minute personal style quiz, submitting questions for future Q&A sessions, and joining the HER Style Collective for ongoing support and inspiration.
"Stop copying everyone else's style and start dialing in your own swoon-worthy signature look." [38:00]
Conclusion
Episode 245 of the HER Style Podcast offers a rich and engaging exploration of entrepreneurship, fashion, and personal growth through Julie Wainwright's extraordinary journey. Her practical advice, coupled with her resilient mindset, provides listeners with the tools and inspiration needed to pursue their dreams confidently, regardless of age or past setbacks.