Beyond Yoga: Michelle Wahler

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Guy Raz | Wondery

Business

4.8 • 31.1K Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When Michelle Wahler and Jodi Guber Brufsky set out to launch a yoga wear brand in 2005, they had no idea that it would eventually be acquired—for hundreds of millions of dollars—by one of the most iconic apparel brands in the world.

But it took years for Beyond Yoga to get to that point. It grew slowly by partnering with yoga studios and mom-and-pop boutiques, and apart from some initial seed money, it never took on any outside investment. With an obsessive focus on soft fabrics, inclusive sizing and U.S.-based manufacturing, Beyond Yoga eventually began competing with more established brands like Lululemon and Athleta. And in 2021, the brand was acquired by Levi’s for $400 million.

This episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music by Ramtin Arablouei. Edited by Neva Grant, with research from Kathryn Sypher. Our engineers were James Willetts, Patrick Murray and Robert Rodriguez.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wonderie Plus subscribers can listen to how I built this early and ad-free right now.
0:05.7	Join Wonderie Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
0:10.6	I feel like I'm missing out because everyone is either starting a side hustle or becoming their own boss.
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	...

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