CEOInterviews.AI
Start App
Try: AI strategy tariffs earnings guidance layoffs interest rates growth

Barbara Baekgaard

Co-Founder & Director, Vera Bradley

Search every verified Barbara Baekgaard interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, co-founder of Vera Bradley, appeared on the podcast Over 50 & Flourishing in August 2026 to discuss the origins of the company and her approach to entrepreneurship. She recounted that in 1982, while at an airport, she and her business partner Patricia Miller observed that all luggage looked alike—black and uninspiring—which led them to start the brand with $500 and a ping-pong table in a basement. Baekgaard described the company's early decision-making as instinct-driven, citing a last-minute change from a pink-and-brown fabric to turquoise and brown, which she said became a major success. She also noted that she could not make such spontaneous decisions today, describing the early period as "like the Wild West." Baekgaard reflected on her motivations, stating that she never expected the company to become a half-billion-dollar enterprise and that her focus was on enjoying the work. She also recalled a quote she made that went nationwide, referring to a group as "the chicks and the dicks." The podcast host highlighted that Baekgaard started the business in her 40s, framing her story as an example of reinvention later in life.

Recent appearances

The summary and quote tags on this profile are produced with AI assistance from verified, first-person interview transcripts, then checked by our team to confirm the speaker's identity and the accuracy of every quote. See how we verify →