The Rise and Fall of Away Luggage

Away wasn’t just luggage—it was millennial wanderlust personified.
Backed by $150 million in funding and powered by influencer buzz,
Away rocketed to unicorn status in four years. But behind the
minimalist branding and Instagrammable carry-ons was a workplace
culture scandal, a global travel shutdown, and the hard truth that
they were never a tech company… they were just selling suitcases.
Today, Sammi unpacks the stunning rise and near-collapse of Away:
the Slack surveillance, the CEO whiplash, the overfunding problem,
and the brutal reality check of pandemic-era travel. Plus, what
happens when your brand is built on vibes… and the vibes shift?
Follow Sammi on Instagram here Subscribe to the Social Currency
newsletter here Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 Away: A
Millennial Success Story 01:04 The Broken Luggage Origin Story to
Unicorn Status 03:33 The Marketing Magic of Creating a Must-Have
Brand 04:56 Rocket Ship Growth and Market Competition 06:08 Toxic
Culture and the Beginning of the End 07:54 … and Then There’s COVID
09:06 Post-Pandemic Strategies 12:43 Lessons From The Rise and Fall
of Away 13:50 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more
about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices