• WomELLE
  • Contact Us
  • Writers
  • Write For Us
  • Submit Article
No Result
View All Result

No products in the cart.

  • Login
WomLEAD Magazine
Podcast
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • Business
  • HER Story
  • Founders & CEOs
  • Leadership
  • Mentoring
  • Women
  • Wellness
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • Business
  • HER Story
  • Founders & CEOs
  • Leadership
  • Mentoring
  • Women
  • Wellness
No Result
View All Result
WomLEAD Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home HER Story
Away at Work: How Stephanie Korey Is Changing the Way the World Travels

Away at Work: How Stephanie Korey Is Changing the Way the World Travels

Naghilia Desravines by Naghilia Desravines
March 17, 2020
in HER Story
Reading Time: 4 mins read

“Don’t be afraid to take risks and embrace mistakes. Failure is the best way to ensure you’re always learning and iterating, and it creates great opportunities for personal and professional growth.” – Stephanie Korey, CEO, and Cofounder of Away

What do you do when your suitcase breaks at the airport? Well, you go ahead and begin your million-dollar luggage business! That is precisely what Stephanie (Steph) Korey did with her friend, Jen Rubio. She is the CEO and co-founder of luggage brand ‘Away.’ Steph and Jen are proving to be a killer combination, and their luggage brand has sold over a million suitcases to date, secured revenue gains of over $100 million, is giving tough competition to established brands such as Samsonite and recently raised a whopping $50 million in a Series C fundraise for Away’s continued growth. Incidentally, that $50 million is more eye-popping because several publications declared it as ‘the largest round generated by women entrepreneurs in 2018! In Steph Korey’s words: “It’s really cool to be part of this class of women-founded businesses that are paving the way, and proving that anyone should be able to raise money.”

So how did one broken piece of luggage give birth to one of the most successful and fastest-growing start-ups? It all begins with an idea, and Steph Korey recalls her friend, Jen Rubio’s (co-founder and brand officer at Away) frustration with the lack of trusted luggage brands. The duo decided to establish their luggage brand aptly named ‘Away.’ They began with four employees and $2.5 million raised through seed funding with Accel Partners and Forerunner Ventures. Steph says of her mission for the company: “Our goal for Away is to make the perfect version of everything people need to travel more seamlessly while inspiring people around the world to do it more often.”

Apart from the lack of quality and affordable luggage, Steph noticed that most luggage was designed and advertised for male travelers, overlooking the needs and wants of female ones. Steph Korey mentions in an interview: “All of the suitcases made for work trips looked like they belonged in The Terminator… they were boxy and robotic.” The travel industry is a male-dominated one, and being a woman entrepreneur, Steph envisioned a brand that tipped the scales towards the needs of women travelers.

Steph’s early life experiences were filled with travel, and she recalled Habor Island in the Bahamas as a special travel memory. Steph has a Master’s from Columbia Business School and worked as Head of Supply Chain at a direct-to-consumer eyewear brand, Warby Parker, and mattress company, Casper before launching Away in 2016. Steph used her business knowledge and work experience to focus Away on a direct-to-consumer approach from the start and was able to offer buyers relatively lower-priced luggage with quality at par with top brands.

Steph and her creative team have marketed their travel and lifestyle brand Away by using social media such as Instagram strategically to achieve a vast and loyal fan base. Steph and Jen initially shared their brand story unconventionally through a book, ‘The Places We Return To’ containing interviews of prominent artists who spread the word about Away in the media through their social media networks. “Storytelling is a central part of our marketing. We think about what stories we can feed to the press and social media – things that make people take notice, things people want to share and talk about.” Away puts up engaging Instagram pictures, and user-generated content, and has partnered with celebrities and travel influencers such as Olivia Lopez, Alice Gao, and more recently with the model, Karlie Kloss, and ex-basketball star, Dwyane Wade to gain visibility for their brand. 

ADVERTISEMENT
Away Travel

The ‘Carry-On’ was the single luggage piece that Away began with that was priced at $225 and came in four colors. They have now expanded to luggage, bags, and an elite ‘Aluminium Edition’ and even have a media division that airs a travel podcast called ‘Airplane mode’ and publishes a magazine called ‘Here.’ From a significant online presence Away has moved onto marketing their products in stores at seven prime locations including New York, Los Angeles, and London. One of the reasons for the phenomenal success of Away is that Steph Korey understands her consumer base and conceives the brand luggage accordingly. The unique Away suitcases come with an Airline-compliant battery, a laundry bag, and four sizes, and they come with a lifetime warranty.

The distinctive customization features include the ability to get your suitcase painted, initialed, engraved, or stickers added to it and more. Luggage is only the beginning as Steph Korey envisions much more for her company in the future: “There are so many parts of the travel experience that can be improved, whether it’s what you travel with, how you get there, or what you do once you’ve landed. Our goal is for Away to be a leader in creating those solutions.” The far-reaching goals are probably the reason why the owners picture Away as a travel and lifestyle brand, and not as a mere luggage company.

Steph values company growth and success, but for her, a parallel goal is to create and sustain a work culture that employees find enriching. “You don’t have a great product unless you have an amazing place to work …We don’t start with the product. All of it comes from people,” emphasizes Steph in an interview. Steph believes in hiring employees who are innovative and passionate about the business, and not necessarily someone with the best credentials or experience. Steph’s company Away is also doing its bit to make the world a more peaceful place by donating a percentage of its proceeds to charity. Away is in collaboration with Peace Direct, an international nonprofit organization that advocates for peace in conflict-ridden zones globally.

Stephanie Korey at Away is essentially selling a dream through her company’s luggage – the idea of hassle-free and stylish travel. Away lives up to what its brand promises and is on the cusp of changing the travel game forever.

 

Tags: businesswomenherstoryleadershipwomenfounderswork
Share36Tweet23Share6
Naghilia Desravines

Naghilia Desravines

Naghilia is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of WomLEAD. WomLEAD is a print and digital leadership Magazine that made its debut in 2017. We are the first magazine to celebrate women who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their professional endeavors and have been recognized as “Women Leaders ”. So, with women in mind, Naghilia brings you the best of education trends.

Related Posts

Smashing the Stereotype with the Real Trailblazers
HER Story

Smashing the Stereotype with the Real Trailblazers

June 21, 2022
Sharon McKinney, Frances Pitt, Jackie Patterson Giving Back to Society Through Service
HER Story

The Story of Sharon McKinney, Frances Pitt, Jackie Patterson

June 14, 2022
Rosalind Brewer: Leading Businesses and Building Empires
HER Story

Rosalind Brewer: Leading Businesses and Building Empires

May 13, 2022
Next Post
Boosting Your Business as a Woman Entrepreneur

Boosting Your Business as a Woman Entrepreneur

What happens when women come together

What Happens When Women Come Together

Leadership Skills Shared By All Successful Women

Leadership Skills Shared By All Successful Women

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

WomLEAD Magazine

A print and digital magazine for businesswomen focusing on leadership, business, and entrepreneurship that made its debut in 2017 has WomELLE Magazine.

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • How Does Lack of Recognition in the Workplace Affect Employees?
  • 10 Best Foods that Increase Metabolism
  • Dr. Emily Reilly and Dr. Devon Turnbull: Helping Seniors Grow Older at Home 

Category

  • Business
  • Female Founders
  • Founders & CEOs
  • HER Story
  • Leadership
  • Mentoring For Women
  • Wellness
  • Women Today

Recent News

How Does Lack of Recognition in the Workplace Affect Employees

How Does Lack of Recognition in the Workplace Affect Employees?

January 30, 2023
10 Best Foods that Increase Metabolism

10 Best Foods that Increase Metabolism

January 30, 2023
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2023 WomLEAD Magazine from WomELLE, Corp.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • Podcast
  • Business
  • Founders & CEOs
  • HER Story
  • Leadership
  • Mentoring
  • Wellness
  • Women Today

© 2023 WomLEAD Magazine from WomELLE, Corp.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?