Away (company)

This article is about American luggage manufacturer. For other uses, see Away.

JRSK, Inc.

File:Away logo.jpg
Trade name	Away
Company type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	November 9, 2015 (2015-11-09)
Founders	Steph Korey Jen Rubio
Headquarters	New York City, New York , U.S.
Key people	Steph Korey (co-Founder) Stuart Haselden (Board Member) Jen Rubio (co-Founder) Jessica Schinazi (CEO)
Products	Baggage, travel accessories
Revenue	Increase $150+ Million
Number of employees	200
Website	awaytravel.com
Footnotes / references

Away is a U.S.-based travel and luggage brand established in 2015 by entrepreneurs Jen Rubio and Steph Korey, with headquarters located in New York City. Having secured $216 million in investment funds, Away ranks among the most well-funded startups led by women.

While the brand primarily distributes its merchandise via its online platform, it also operates physical retail stores. Operating as a direct-to-consumer business model, Away avoids reliance on third-party wholesalers or distributors. Its product range is accessible in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

History

File:20220305 Away (1121 North State Street - Chicago) - Exterior.jpg

Store location in Chicago at 1121 North State Street within the Gold Coast neighborhood

Steph Korey and Jen Rubio crossed paths in 2011 while serving on the founding executive team at Warby Parker. They launched Away in 2015. Their innovation improved standard luggage by integrating features like built-in batteries to charge electronic devices. By November of that year, the startup secured $2.5 million in seed capital from investors including Accel Partners and Forerunner Ventures. Their initial product, a carry-on suitcase, became available for shipment in February 2016. In September of that year, the company completed a Series A funding round totaling $8.5 million to support growth.

Steph Korey was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in November 2016, a selection Forbes later expressed regret over seven years afterward by including her in its Hall of Shame list, highlighting ten individuals it wished it had never featured.

By the following year, the enterprise had expanded its workforce to 66 employees and forecasted sales exceeding $50 million. In May of that year, it secured $20 million during a Series B round led by Global Founders Capital alongside Forerunner Ventures, Comcast Ventures, and Accel Partners. As of May 2018, the company employed over 150 people and revealed plans for significant hiring across departments along with relocating its headquarters to New York City. In May 2019, it raised $100 million in investment funding that valued the company at $1.4 billion. This round was led by Wellington Management with participation from Baillie Gifford, Lone Pine Capital, and Global Founders Capital. The capital was allocated toward establishing physical retail locations and broadening its travel product range.

Away ventured into content production by launching the Airplane Mode podcast in May 2017 and followed with Here, a travel magazine available both digitally and in print starting July that year. This publication features city guides, travel narratives, and photographic journals.

The brand earned recognition from Adweek as a "Breakthrough Brand with Ingenious Marketing". Additionally, Fast Company included Away among the "Top 10 Most Innovative Companies" of 2018 within the travel sector. The company also received accolades from Surface Travel Awards.

Allegations of a toxic work environment

On December 5, 2019, The Verge journalist Zoë Schiffer published an exposé revealing a toxic workplace atmosphere at Away, characterized by a "culture of intimidation and constant surveillance." The report detailed how employee communication channels were tightly controlled, while company leaders exploited Slack as a platform to publicly reprimand staff members. Employees recounted expectations to work extended hours, including nights, holidays, and late evenings, often without compensation for time off. In response, CEO Korey expressed being "appalled" upon reviewing her own messages and outlined measures implemented over the past year aimed at enhancing the company’s workplace environment. On December 9, Korey initially stepped down as CEO, with the announcement that Stuart Haselden, formerly COO at Lululemon, would succeed her.

However, on January 13, 2020, Korey withdrew her resignation and announced a co-leadership arrangement with Haselden as co-CEOs. In an interview with The New York Times, she contested the accuracy of The Verge’s coverage and stated that stepping down was not justified. The Verge responded by emphasizing that Korey’s acknowledgment of her conduct as “wrong, plain and simple” coupled with her initial resignation spoke volumes. On the same day, Erin Grau, head of human resources at Away, resigned in reaction to Korey’s decision to return.

Later, on July 2, 2020, Jen Rubio and Stuart Haselden announced that Korey would be relinquishing her role as co-CEO "within the year," following controversial remarks she posted on social media targeting digital-only media outlets. This prompted concerns among Away employees that she had not absorbed lessons from the prior December controversy.

Products

File:20180520 Away carryon (3).jpg

Top view of an Carry-On

Away designs and sells travel gear primarily through a direct-to-consumer approach. Their most recognized offerings are their suitcases. The company’s collection also encompasses travel bags, organizers, and various travel-related accessories.

The development of the Carry-On suitcase was heavily influenced by input gathered from focus groups. In November 2015, Vogue introduced the product, describing it as "The Perfect Carry-On." By October 2016, Away expanded its lineup to include three additional sizes: The Bigger Carry-On, The Medium, and The Large. Notably, The Bigger Carry-On received recognition as a finalist in the 2017 Fast Company Innovation By Design Awards.

Thanks to its popularity among celebrities, People referred to the luggage as "the little black dress of luggage" in August 2017.