S6E2: Julie Bornstein of Nordstrom, Sephora, and Stitch Fix Revolutionzlied Personalized Online Shopping with Her Own Startup, THE YES

Season 6 of The Room returns with Julie Bornstein, Founder and CEO of THE YES, a personalized web-based fashion retailer that works with hundreds of brands, large and small. Julie describes what she learned from her time at Nordstrom, Sephora, and Stitch Fix and how she was able to use those experiences to create THE YES.

Julie gives advice to new founders and the best first steps to take to raise capital from investors. Julie also walks us through THE YES’s algorithm and how they continue to provide an accurate and personalized selection for each user, as well as future goals for the company. Plus, she shares her insight on the future of online retail and Web3/ e-commerce 3 in general.

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3:58 - What was investment banking like when Julie was in college?
6:31 - What were some of the innovations that Julie brought to Sephora to make them the cutting edge brand they are today?
13:10 - How did Julie end up working with Stitch Fix?
16:35 - What was it like taking a company public after building it for over five years?
18:29 - What led to Julie founding THE YES?
22:30 - What does THE YES do?
24:00 - Who were the early partners that said yes to working with THE YES?
29:52 - What advice does Julie have for new founders?
29:47 - What goals did Julie set for THE YES early on, and how did she carry out her vision?
32:21 - How far are consumers from a fully personalized shopping experience?
26:48 - How does THE YES’s algorithm learn from picky users and continue to provide an accurate personalized selection?
36:25 - Who was the first brand to say yes to joining THE YES’s collection?
38:18 - What was a time when things didn’t go to plan while starting THE YES?
41:59 - What does Julie believe is the future of e-commerce?
43:44 - What’s next for Julie?
44:47 - Who is a woman in Julie’s life that had a profound impact on her and her career?

The Room Podcast is sponsored by our friends at Silicon Valley Bank and Cooley.

WX Productions