'Everyone had a black luggage': How Away shook up the travel industry

September 10, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

When Jessica Skinazi joined Away as CEO in late 2024, she did not rush to impose a new strategy. Instead, she spent her first year visiting every retail store and every factory the company operated. “Don’t confuse speed and strategy,” she says. “Take a pause.” That year of listening and learning became the foundation for a three-year plan built on meeting customers where they are, expanding distribution intentionally, and strengthening the operational foundations beneath a brand that had already sold millions of suitcases.

What made Away different from the start

Away launched in 2016 with a single perfect carry-on, but the insight that set it apart was not about wheels or zippers. It was about identity. “Everyone had a black luggage and that was it,” Skinazi recalls. The founders understood that luggage could be an expression of how a person travels — a reflection of self, not just a tool to get from one place to another. That idea had never been explored in a commoditized market where buying felt clunky and suitcases got stuffed into closets between trips.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:24) **Opening & Background** - Jessica Skinazi, CEO of Away, introduces herself as an expat and shares her upbringing across Brazil, France, the UK, and the US.
2 (03:19) **Leadership Playbook from Amazon, Dyson, and LVMH** - Jessica describes how she patchworks together cultural lessons from each company into her own leadership style.
3 (06:10) **Why Away Stood Out in a Saturated Market** - The core insight: luggage was commoditized and impersonal; Away made it an expression of identity.
4 (08:49) **Why Jessica Joined Away at This Moment** - She was intentional about timing, seeing Away on the cusp of a new chapter with untapped potential.
5 (11:12) **Stepping Into a Delicate Moment** - Jessica addresses the company's past high-profile challenges (toxic workplace reports, COVID) and how the team's resilience was a key asset.
6 (14:36) **Building a High-Performance Culture** - Jessica explains how she instills a positive, transparent culture through daily practices and shared purpose.
7 (16:19) **Day-One Priorities: Don't Confuse Speed with Strategy** - Jessica's first year was a deliberate listening tour, not a rush to imprint her vision.

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Show Notes

This week, Away CEO Jessica Schinazi takes us behind one of the most recognizable names in travel — and what it takes to keep building when the market moves faster than ever. In this conversation, we dive into:

00:00: Introduction

02:04: From Brazil and France to building a life in New York

02:41: How family dynamics shaped Jessica’s leadership style

03:16: Leadership lessons from Dyson, Amazon and LVMH

06:09: Away’s brand strategy and competitive advantage

08:48: Joining Away at a pivotal moment

11:11: How Away navigated previous leadership challenges and COVID

14:18: Jessica’s approach to fostering a positive company culture

16:17: First priorities as CEO: Why Jessica spent her first year visiting every Away store and factory before putting her strategy in place

19:07 Ad

20:06: Where Away sees opportunity in the market

21:05: Away’s social media and lifestyle marketing strategy

23:32: How brands can navigate copycats and dupes

26:09 Ad

27:31: How Away navigates challenges in a volatile business landscape

29:08: How Away, a poster child of the DTC boom, is expanding into retail and wholesale

32:22: Finding the balance between DTC and wholesale

33:58: Away’s brand partnership strategy

36:48: How Away is rethinking its products around different travelers' pain points — including with a new so-called “closet on wheels”

38:13: Away’s expansion into softside luggage and new categories

41:33: Away’s international growth and localization strategy

45:05: How Away is approaching AI for business and travel

47:28: How Jessica balances daily priorities for sustainable growth

49:30: Jessica's response to potential IPO plans

50:08: Jessica’s 10-year vision for Away

52:17: Audience question

53:46: Rapid-fire round

This episode is brought to you by our show sponsors:

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