Executive Briefing
Warby Parker proves that the Warby Parker model works — for Warby Parker
Warby’s pitch to investors today, ahead of its direct listing, is remarkably similar to its pitch from more than a decade ago.
By Dan Frommer on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 8:00 am
Before there were masses of “Warby Parker for x“ e-commerce startups, there was Warby Parker, the direct-to-consumer eyewear brand that launched in 2010, promising a better deal on glasses, a better customer experience, and a better company behind the brand.
And while many quickly tried to turn this into a blueprint — to varying degrees of success — Warby Parker is still here and still growing. The company plans to offer its shares to the public for the first time later this month, and published its investor prospectus a few weeks ago.
Reading through, it strikes me as remarkable how much of the company’s current state rings true to the original vision, laid out more than a decade ago by co-founders (and, still, co-CEOs) Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa.
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