Katrina Lake

Founder & CEO at Stitch Fix

Speaker

Katrina Lake is the Founder and CEO of Stitch Fix and the youngest woman ever to take a company public. In under eight years, Stitch Fix has grown from an idea, to a company that’s worth $3 billion dollars serving over 3 million clients in the US and UK and employing 6000 people. Lake also serves on the board of fellow disruptors, Glossier and Grubhub, and is a mentor to many and a mother to two children. Has it ever been challenging, frustrating and incredibly time consuming to find clothes you love, and that fit you perfectly? In 2011, from her apartment in Cambridge Massachusetts, Katrina Lake had an idea to radically improve the typical shopping experience by making personal styling accessible to everyone — not just the elite. She founded Stitch Fix with a mission to change the way people find the clothes they love, and inspire them to feel like their best selves. Her idea isn’t better stores or better ecommerce, it’s a better way to shop. Today, Katrina’s insight has revolutionized the way more than 3 million women, men and kids get dressed every day using a combination of 1000+ brands people know and love, as well as exciting new products they can try. Stitch Fix is also styling clients internationally with the opening of its London office earlier this year. Using Stitch Fix is effortless and fun. Clients get started by answering a few questions on their style and price preferences, and talented stylists using super smart algorithms take care of the rest. When your Fix arrives, you keep what you love and send back anything that doesn’t fit for free. The Stitch Fix experience is truly personalized to you. It helps you save time, look great and evolve your personal style over time. Katrina Lake Founder & CEO, Stitch Fix With Stitch Fix’s IPO in 2017, Katrina became the youngest female founder to take a company public. In bringing her toddler along to the Nasdaq bell ringing, she redefined not just retail but the idea of what a CEO should look like. Challenging convention is what Stitch Fix is all about. As part of her commitment to building the workplace of the future, Katrina has ensured diversity is in the Stitch Fix DNA from the very beginning. The management team is over 60% female, and in 2018 Stitch Fix was recognized by Boardlist as a public company with the most diverse board. Katrina holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Stanford University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University. Stitch Fix was named as the Fifth Most Innovative Company in the World by Fast Companyin 2019, and Katrina has been named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40 List in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Vanity Fair’s New Establishment List in 2017, and Marie Claire’s New Guard List in 2017 & 2018. She was recognized by Parsons New School as one of the most innovative forces in Fashion, Technology, Sustainability and the Arts in 2019, and by BUILD for her entrepreneurial achievements and her personal involvement as a former BUILD Mentor.