1114: Julie Wainwright - "The Real Real Deal"

Thrive LouD with Lou Diamond

What do luxury fashion, planetary sustainability, and a late-night knock from counterfeiters have in common? They’re all part of Julie Wainwright’s extraordinary story.

In this compelling episode of Thrive LouD, host Lou Diamond sits down with trailblazing entrepreneur Julie Wainwright—the powerhouse behind The RealReal and now founder of Ahara, a precision nutrition venture. Julie pulls back the curtain on how she turned an unconventional idea into a billion-dollar company that rocked the fashion industry, championed sustainability, and faced off against both luxury titans and the dark world of high-stakes counterfeiting.

Julie dives deep into the sparks and pivots that shaped her career, revealing the real-life “aha moment” that launched The RealReal and the tough venture capital battles she endured. She reflects on the personal and environmental impacts of her work, how she defines success beyond the bottom line, and shares some truly wild stories—including one that might just make you rethink what it means to challenge an industry’s status quo.

The episode also touches on Julie’s writing journey with her new book Time to Get Real, her latest health-tech startup, and the leadership secrets she’s learned through decades of scaling and innovating in Silicon Valley and beyond.

Key Highlights:

• How Julie spotted an untapped goldmine in luxury consignment (and outpaced the competition)
• The operational nightmare—and innovation—behind processing millions of unique fashion items a year
• The double-edged sword of disrupting an industry: sustainability wins, investor skepticism, and threats from counterfeiters
• The emotional and surprising process behind writing her no-punches-pulled memoir
• Julie’s latest mission: revolutionizing nutrition and preventative health with Ahara
• Candid advice on leadership, new ventures, and why success is more than just a financial number
• Fun insights into Julie’s personal tastes, from her favorite movies to pickleball matches and coleslaw cravings

Timestamped Overview:

• [00:00:02] – Lou introduces Julie Wainwright and sets the stage for her impressive career
• [00:01:28] – The RealReal: how it rewrote the rules of luxury fashion resale
• [00:03:00] – The surprising shopping trip that sparked the business idea
• [00:05:02] – Moving fast, executing harder, and venture capital realities
• [00:07:17] – Scaling operations, overcoming skepticism, and the AI advantage
• [00:08:43] – Shifting definitions of success—impact, planet, and profit
• [00:10:03] – Julie’s book journey: catharsis, legal battles, and a sign from London
• [00:16:28] – Face-offs with counterfeiters and luxury brands
• [00:17:32] – What’s next: launching Ahara and the future of nutrition tech
• [00:20:16] – Leadership hats, the IPO high, and why collaboration matters
• [00:23:06] – Where to find Julie and her work
• [00:24:28] – Fun Street: movies, food, hiking, and more personal favorites

Don’t miss this energetic, inspiring, and sometimes jaw-dropping conversation with one of Silicon Valley’s true originals!