INTERVIEW: Jetblack Founder And CEO Jenny Fleiss On The New Concierge Shopping Experience Service

The Hamptons experience just got a whole lot smoother with Jetblack, a new concierge shopping experience service, which launched on May 31. This new concept is changing the way locals and visitors experience the Hamptons thanks to the leadership of Rent the Runway’s visionary co-founder and Hamptons resident, Jenny Fleiss.

Jetblack, the conversational commerce platform, offers busy consumers the opportunity to text nearly any shopping request to the Jetblack team where experts will find the right products and have them delivered the same or next day for no additional cost. The service is currently available to customers in Manhattan and part of Brooklyn, as well as the Hamptons for the summer season. Shopping deliveries in the Hamptons arrive during the week in sleek, reusable Jetblack bags. Jetblack is also able to special deliver orders and/or gifts anywhere in the US where members need them sent – at no additional cost.

We caught up with Fleiss to learn more about her experience as the Founder and CEO of Jetblack:

Can you speak a bit about the early stages of Jetblack? Where did this idea come from?

JF: Marc Lore hired me initially to lead Jetblack with the intent to redefine the standard ecommerce experience in a way that still fit seamlessly into consumers’ daily lives, which are busier than ever. Conversations with thousands of parents reaffirmed shopping had become a chore and that there was a need for a seamless service to shop for and deliver any product. Knowing all of that, I took this vision, combined with my background as a mom of three kids, to evolve Jetblack into a service for busy, discerning parents. It’s amazing to have the ability to send a text to get curated recommendations; receive answers on critical product questions; and organize mental shopping lists – it keeps my household running felt like a dream!

How do you see your experience with Rent the Runway overlap with your work with Jetblack?

JF: Rent the Runway evolved from my and Jenn’s perspective as women in our twenties; we were able to identify big trends, like how social media influenced women’s fashion. Being the end consumer was critical to disrupting the fashion industry. So too, Jetblack is looking to drive a change in consumer behavior with the emerging prevalence of technology and thus shopping through text and voice. My role in identifying with the end consumer and constantly gut-checking innovation against real customer feedback has always been a critical part of my entrepreneurial process.

Are there any plans to expand Jetblack in the Hamptons?

JF: Jetblack is currently available in the Hamptons for our members this summer! As someone who has been coming here for over 30 years, I can attest to the need for fast delivery of a variety of products. I avoid driving around as much as possible in summer traffic, so it’s such a luxury for Jetblack to bring a courier-style service to my door… especially when it delivers every product I could need!

Do you have any advice for women who are working to start their own businesses?

JF: My first piece of advice is to draw from your own experience and to dream big! Jenn and I started The Rent the Runway Foundation because of this belief; we support female entrepreneurs and encourage them to go after their vision and make it bigger! Often times women are too conservative in tackling big ideas, which is at odds with how venture capitalists invest.

To learn more about Jetblack, visit www.jetblack.com.