#56 Beni went to Harvard. What? Like it's hard?
Key takeaways from HBS's Retail & Luxury Goods Conference—and how Beni is leading the way in resale.
Last week, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel at Harvard Business School’s Retail & Luxury Goods Club Conference, where I joined Samantha Porter McCandless from The RealReal, Alex Kremer from Archive, Peter Curran from StockX, and Julia O'Mara from Pickle.
I loved our energizing conversation and left even more convinced that Beni is positioned to help lead the resale movement.
Here are a few of my biggest takeaways—and how Beni is turning these ideas into action:
Resale Should Be Effortless
All of us on the panel agreed: while resale has really taken off, it can still feel like a bit of a hunt to find the right piece. That’s where Beni comes in. By connecting 300 million resale listings to current retail listings and new search queries, we’re working to make the experience as smooth and easy as shopping new.
Circular Fashion Should Be Accessible to Everyone
We discussed how resale opens up access to quality, sustainable fashion for more people. But accessibility is about meeting people where they are, and that’s where Beni comes in. Our browser extension, iOS app, and new checkbeni.com site bring resale into the mix no matter where you start your shopping journey, making it simple to shift to secondhand.
Resale is the Key to Sustainable Shopping Habits
Our panelists highlighted that resale can open the door to more sustainable habits. But it’s hard to break old shopping patterns when buying new is so easy. That’s why Beni is focused on making resale just as seamless, giving shoppers secondhand options right when they’re ready to buy.
The Resale Revolution is Just Beginning
The resale market is booming, and more people are trying secondhand for the first time every day. With real-time listings and easy-to-use tools, Beni makes choosing resale feel like a no-brainer, whether you’re a seasoned thrifter or just starting out.
A huge thanks to the HBS community for bringing us together for this conversation! It’s inspiring to see how far resale has come—and even more exciting to think about where it’s headed next.
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Beni’s Thrift Tips & Tricks
The holidays are coming up, and you’ve probably already seen some ads from big brands encouraging you to buy buy buy! Fortunately, we’re working on something that’s going to make it easier than ever for you to give and gift what you actually want, secondhand.
Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter to learn more 🎁👀.
Community Spotlight: Pickle
Who they are: An on-demand, peer-to-peer fashion rental platform.
What they do: The app lets you borrow from the hottest closets in your community by facilitating clothing rentals among friends — no subscription required. They make the trendiest wardrobes accessible to all and even offer same-day delivery which is kinda a game changer (you can think of it like the Uber Eats for clothing!).
Why we're talking about them: Pickle has always been an inspiring platform, but meeting co-founder and COO Julia O’Mara at the recent HBS conference highlighted just how much their mission aligns with Beni’s. They’re building a unique solution for sustainable style that perfectly complements what we do. With the holiday season coming up, we know standout, one-time-wear outfits are on everyone’s radar. Pickle offers an easy, eco-friendly way to find the perfect pieces without the commitment or waste, making holiday dressing a breeze!
Why we do what we do (Reason #149)
Vivian Tu (aka @your.richbff) made our entire weekend after posting this unsponsored, viral reel about Beni!! As a growing startup, mentions like this play a huge role in our growth, and we truly appreciate every single one!
Coming up with Beni
Nov. 16 - Join Kate and Catherine along other sustainable fashion lovers on a crawl through some of the best thrift and vintage shops in Chicago's Wicker Park! Learn more & RSVP here!