From suitcase mishap to unicorn empire: Jen Rubio’s journey with Away
When Jen Rubio’s suitcase cracked open on an airport floor, scattering her belongings across the terminal, she did not just see a travel nightmare. She saw an opportunity. That moment of frustration in 2015 led the Filipina-born entrepreneur to co-found Away, a travel brand that became one of the most recognizable luggage companies in the world and, by 2019, reached unicorn status with a valuation of $1.4 billion.
In business, a unicorn refers to a privately held startup valued at more than $1 billion, a milestone rarely achieved and even less common for companies co-founded by women.
Early roots: From Manila to New Jersey
Shaping a digital-first marketer
The spark that carried Away
The airport mishap was the catalyst, but execution turned the idea into reality. Teaming up with former Warby Parker colleague Steph Korey, Rubio co-founded Away in 2015. Their idea was simple yet disruptive: design high-quality, stylish luggage at accessible price points and sell directly to consumers online.
The strategy resonated. With Instagram-ready design and a strong brand identity that positioned travel as a lifestyle, Away quickly captured the loyalty of millennials and frequent flyers. By 2017, the company had raised $31 million in funding, one of the largest early-stage rounds for a female-led startup at the time.
Scaling to unicorn status
Under Rubio’s leadership in branding and marketing, Away grew at extraordinary speed. By 2019, the company had sold more than a million suitcases, opened physical retail stores, and achieved a valuation of $1.4 billion, officially making it a unicorn. Publications called it the “Warby Parker of luggage.”
Rubio took over as CEO in 2021 and guided Away through the pandemic’s disruption of global travel and a period of restructuring. In 2025, she transitioned to the role of Executive Chair, with Jessica Schinazi becoming CEO. Rubio remains a central figure in shaping the company’s long-term vision.
Lessons from turbulence
Away’s rise was not without challenges. In 2019, the company came under scrutiny after media reports described an unhealthy workplace culture, leading to leadership changes at the time. The disruption was compounded by the pandemic, when Away’s sales reportedly dropped by about 90 percent, forcing widespread furloughs and layoffs.
Jen Rubio stepped in as CEO in 2021 and worked on stabilizing and reshaping the company. Her leadership reflects a broader shift among direct-to-consumer brands, moving away from growth at all costs and toward building sustainable and resilient business models.
Life and leadership beyond Away
Jen Rubio now divides her time between New York City, Aspen, and New Mexico, where she and her husband, Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield, are raising their two children. As Executive Chair of Away, she continues to guide the brand she helped build while expanding her role as an investor in new consumer and lifestyle ventures. She also serves as a trustee of the Whitney Museum of American Art and has become a patron of contemporary culture, co-chairing events such as Aspen ArtCrush.
Her life today reflects a broader vision: not only creating companies but also shaping culture, mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs, and balancing these pursuits with motherhood. In many ways, her journey illustrates how the story of a unicorn founder can evolve into something even larger, a sustained influence that reaches beyond business into community, creativity, and family.
