Welcome back to the podcast 💼🐒, where Harvard Business School cases come alive with sharp storytelling, bold insights, and business drama.
In this episode, we zip into the high-fashion, high-stakes world of Rent the Runway, the company that disrupted closets everywhere by letting customers rent designer clothes instead of buying them.
But in 2015, Rent the Runway faced a choice that startups everywhere eventually do:
Should we raise more money now to chase market share, or wait—and risk falling behind—while we fix our ops?
Join us as we unpack:
The allure (and danger) of scaling before you're ready
What it takes to balance tech, operations, and growth
The cost of saying “yes” to customers before your systems say you're ready
Whether you're team “Grow Now” or “Get Your House in Order,” this case reveals just how tough it is to time growth right.
🎓 Case:
Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Laura Winig. "Rent the Runway." Harvard Business School Case 812-077, November 2011. (Revised December 2012.)
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