Jen Rubio

Jen Rubio is best known as the co-founder and CEO of Away, the direct-to-consumer travel brand she launched in 2016 alongside Steph Korey. Away disrupted the luggage industry by leveraging digital marketing, influencer partnerships, and content-driven brand storytelling to build a cult following, growing to a valuation of $1.4 billion and becoming one of the most recognizable DTC brands of the late 2010s. Her approach to brand building through social media, community, and experiential marketing became a widely studied model in the DTC and digital advertising space. Prior to founding Away, Rubio held a pivotal role at Warby Parker, where she served as Head of Social Media and later led international expansion efforts. Her time at Warby Parker gave her a front-row seat to the early DTC playbook — using digital channels, authentic storytelling, and community engagement to challenge incumbent brands. This experience directly informed Away's marketing strategy, which prioritized Instagram aesthetics, user-generated content, and aspirational lifestyle branding over traditional advertising. Rubio's influence extends beyond Away as a case study in modern brand marketing and digital customer acquisition. She has been recognized on numerous business and entrepreneurship lists, and her work is frequently cited in discussions about DTC brand strategy, social commerce, and the evolution of consumer marketing in the digital age. She stepped back from the CEO role briefly amid a workplace culture controversy in 2020 before returning to lead the company.

Last updated Sep 9, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment