From Shanghai to Madrid to CARAA: Aaron Luo’s Life-Changing Journey into Handbags

episode

Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designers, Brands, and Industry Icons not yet transcribed

▲ 0

Transcript

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet Upvotes decide what gets transcribed next — 0 so far. Sign in to upvote

More from Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designers, Brands, and Industry Icons

The Luxury Handbag Patience Game on Building Siena Wolf | Emily Blumenthal & Lori Tyberg 24 min · 11 Aug 2026

Is the Handbag Dead? Jay Choyce Tibbitts on What’s Next for Luxury | Emily Blumenthal & Jay Choyce Tibbitts 33 min · 04 Aug 2026

Trade Shows, Future of Wholesale & How Handbags Changed Retail | Emily Blumenthal & Dorothy Belshaw 39 min · 28 Jul 2026

The Business of Wearable Handbag Art | Emily Blumenthal & Elif Akaydin 28 min · 21 Jul 2026

Made in China vs. Made in Italy: What Luxury Brands Don’t Tell You | Emily Blumenthal & Karrica 59 min · 14 Jul 2026

From Recycled Plastic to a Global Bag Brand: How Got Bag Found Product-Market Fit | Emily Blumenthal & Kathrin Melchior 30 min · 07 Jul 2026

All episodes from Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designers, Brands, and Industry Icons →

Report any issue

Source

Recorded21 Nov 2023

Publisherfeeds.buzzsprout.com

Handlerec:10307755

Show notes

Have you ever wondered how someone transitions from a corporate role in General Electric to creating a successful handbag brand? We've had the pleasure of welcoming Aaron Luo, the co-founder and CEO of CARAA, to share his fascinating journey. In our candid talk, Aaron dives into his life as a first-generation immigrant, traveling from Shanghai, China to Madrid, Spain, and eventually, the US. He speaks openly about the culture shocks, his academic path, and childhood in Spain.Aaron's journey unravels further as he talks about his surprising shift from an early-stage college student to becoming a CFO at GE. The allure of GE's conglomerate fascinated him, and a fortunate turn of events led him to acquire a role there early in his college life. He discusses the wealth of knowledge he gained, from finance to merchant acquisitions. But the most intriguing part is his transition to the handbag industry, his family's support, and his partnership with co-founder Carmen Chen Wu in navigating a foreign industry. We also dig into the details behind the CARAA brand, its transition from Carmen Chen Wu, and the vision that drives it. Aaron bravely shares the early challenges he faced in the industry, his approach to venture funding, and the lessons he learned from other DTC brands. The discussion progresses into the unique ways Aaron and Carmen have scaled CARAA for growth, their unique approach in the handbag industry, and the importance of data and their ambassador program in constantly evolving their brand. This inspiring conversation with Aaron Luo is one you certainly don't want to miss.Connect with Aaron:https://www.instagram.com/caraasport/ Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner TikTok: / Handbagdesigner | Twitter: / Handbagdesigner

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.