S3Ep134: The Woman Who Reinvented How We Shop with Julie Bornstein, Founder & CEO of Daydream

Julie Bornstein was told she didn’t fit the mold of a founder. That the venture world doesn’t fund women at scale. That maybe she’d missed her chance. Instead, she raised $50 million and built Daydream, a company poised to transform the way we shop forever.

Julie’s path proves a truth too often ignored: women with experience are not a liability, they are a force. They know how to lead. They know how to scale. They know how to create the future.

This isn’t just Julie’s story. It’s the story of every woman who has ever been underestimated. Of every woman told she was “too much” or “too late.” Of every woman who knows in her bones that conviction, resilience, and vision matter more than anyone else’s doubt.

Julie is living proof: women founders don’t just belong at the table. They build the table.

Key Takeaways:

• Conviction is the most valuable currency when raising capital.
• Starting from scratch creates the freedom to innovate without old limits.
• The future belongs to the builders, not the bystanders.
• You’re never “too old” or “too late” to build something transformative.
• Resilience and risk-taking are essential muscles every founder must build.
  

Learn More About Julie:

Website: daydream.ing

Instagram: @daydream

LinkedIn: Julie Bornstein

Instagram: @julie.bornstein

About Our Guest:

Julie Bornstein is the Founder and CEO of Daydream, the world’s first AI-powered, chat-based shopping agent built exclusively for fashion that introduces a radically new way to shop through personalized, conversational discovery. Daydream is backed by $50M in seed funding from top-tier investors, including Forerunner Ventures, Index Ventures, Google Ventures, and True Ventures. Previously, Bornstein was the Founder and CEO of THE YES, an AI-powered shopping startup for women’s fashion that was acquired by Pinterest in 2022 for its groundbreaking technology and extensive brand partnerships roster. Prior, Bornstein held leadership roles at startups including Stitch Fix, where she served as the COO and Board Member, helping to scale the company to $1 billion in under six years. She also built and led e-commerce at multi-channel retailers including Sephora as the CMO and Chief Digital Officer, as well as at Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters. Bornstein received a B.A. in Government from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. In addition, Bornstein currently holds board positions at Sweetgreen, WeightWatched and Redfin.

About Our Company, The Justice Dept.

A female-focused advisory, consulting, and law firm advocating for female founders, talent, execs, and brands. We represent bo$$ ladies to make them 💰💰.

Website:  https://www.thejusticedept.com/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@jenniferjustice6653

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This is a Lady Business LLC Production.