Julie Wainwright is a trailblazing entrepreneur, e-commerce innovator, and seasoned C-suite executive whose career spans more than two decades building and scaling category-defining consumer and technology companies. Best known as the founder and former CEO of The RealReal, the premier digital marketplace for authenticated luxury goods, Julie has consistently redefined industries with visionary leadership, sharp operational execution, and a commitment to sustainability.
Julie began her career at Clorox, where she developed a strong foundation in brand management before moving into the fast-evolving worlds of technology and e-commerce. Over the next several years, she took the helm of multiple high-profile companies—serving as CEO of Reel.com in 1997, and later CEO of Pets.com in 1999—experiences that shaped her pragmatic, resilient approach to leadership and innovation.
In June 2011, Julie founded The RealReal and modernized luxury consignment by bringing it online at scale through a trusted, digital-first model for authentication and resale. Under her leadership, the company raised sizable venture capital, built a membership of more than 30 million people, sold millions of items, and fundamentally changed the way consumers buy and sell high-end luxury goods while disrupting traditional luxury retail. In 2019, Julie took The RealReal public, becoming one of only 23 women in history to found and lead a company to an IPO and solidifying her legacy as a pioneering business leader.
A recognized sustainability leader in the luxury space, The RealReal advanced circular fashion through major partnerships and industry commitments, including sustainability collaborations with Gucci, Burberry, and Stella McCartney. The company became the first luxury member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s CE100 USA and the first resale member of the UN Climate Change’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.
Julie is also the author of Time to Get Real: How I Built a Billion Dollar Business That Rocked the Fashion Industry (2025), a candid account of the lessons, triumphs, and setbacks behind building one of the most influential companies in modern retail. The book was cited by Amazon editors as one of the best nonfiction books of 2025.
Over her career, Julie has earned numerous accolades recognizing her impact on entrepreneurship, innovation, and business leadership, including Entrepreneur Magazine’s 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs, Fast Company’s Most Creative People, CNBC’s Disruptor 50, Inc. Magazine’s 100 Female Founders, a Retail Innovator of the Year Award, and Business of Fashion’s Top 500 in the fashion industry. She was also honored on Forbes’ inaugural 50 Successful Women Over 50 list and appeared on the cover of Forbes in June 2021. Her alma mater, Purdue University, also recognized her with the Burton D. Morgan Entrepreneurship Award.
A sought-after speaker, Julie has delivered keynotes and featured talks for audiences at ForbesWomen’s Summit, Code Commerce, Osservatorio Altagamma Monitor, Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit, The New York Times’ Luxury Summit, Barron’s, Copenhagen Fashion Summit, and the Financial Times’ Business of Luxury Summit, as well as at leading universities including Stanford and Purdue. Her keynotes inspire audiences with real-world lessons on building disruptive businesses, creating high-performance cultures, navigating setbacks, and leading with authenticity in moments that matter.
Beyond business, Julie is deeply committed to philanthropy and civic leadership. She supports local and national nonprofits focused on entrepreneurship, education, the arts, sustainability, and animal welfare. She currently serves as President of the MOCA Board of Trustees, helping guide one of the world’s most influential institutions for art produced from 1940 to the present. In addition, she has funded scholarships supporting diversity and sustainability, including sustainable fashion at Parsons School of Design.
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Today, Julie is an investor in multiple venture capital funds and serves as a consultant and advisor to entrepreneurs, continuing her mission of helping innovators build what’s next. Her keynotes inspire audiences with lessons from her journey—turning failures into stepping stones, fostering high-performance cultures, and empowering entrepreneurs. Whether addressing corporate teams, aspiring business leaders, or global audiences, Julie delivers actionable strategies infused with authenticity and wisdom.