David Gilboa (Co-founder, Warby Parker): How to Visualize Industry Transformation

Mission Critical

If the eyes are the windows to your soul, then what does a pair of eyeglasses say about you? For many, eyewear is an extension of one’s self. Quite literally, when you consider the fact that approximately 68 percent of Canadians wear corrective lenses, and figuratively as a reflection of personal style and expression. For years, however, the $160 billion global eyewear industry was controlled by a handful of companies that kept prices high and quality low. That is, until Warby Parker stepped onto the scene in 2010, shaking an entire industry up by offering high-quality eyewear at an accessible price directly to the consumer. Founded in Philadelphia by Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Gilboa, and Jeffrey Raider out of a Venture Initiation Program of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the company soon learned that there was a community clamouring for elevated design in prescription glasses that wouldn’t cost hundreds of dollars. Within a year of launching, Warby Parker had earned the interest of Vogue with a feature that caught the attention of both customers and investors alike. As of 2021, Warby Parker is valued at USD $6.8 billion and has distributed over 10 million pairs of glasses around the globe. But despite their commercial success, Warby Parker’s founders have set their sights on far more ambitious pursuits. In this episode, co-founder David Gilboa joins Lance to talk about how Warby Parker grew into a multi-billion-dollar company, his biggest lessons learned along the way, and their mission to revolutionize access to vision care around the world.