How do you turn your mission into a multimillion-dollar business without losing your values? Michelle Wahler-Adams, co-founder and former CEO of Beyond Yoga, shares her journey, detailing how she built an athleisure brand that revolutionized the fashion industry with its commitment to inclusivity and body positivity. Drawing inspiration from her father’s business acumen and her mother’s struggles with self-image, Michelle created a company that embraced diversity and set new standards for quality and authenticity in fashion.

This episode highlights key strategies behind Beyond Yoga’s success, including unexpected celebrity endorsements from stars like Reese Witherspoon and effective team dynamics, particularly the crucial role of Michelle’s husband, Jesse Adams, as CFO/COO. Michelle discusses how the brand’s values aligned with its acquisition, ensuring Beyond Yoga’s ethos remained intact under new ownership. Her efforts to expand the brand post-acquisition—before stepping back to prioritize her well-being—offer valuable insights into maintaining integrity while navigating business growth.

For listeners seeking inspiration on scaling a business while staying true to core values, Michelle’s journey with Beyond Yoga is a masterclass in entrepreneurial spirit, strategic growth, and the power of a mission-driven brand.

Quotes

• “I knew that if we sold to Levi’s, we were going to make sure that Beyond Yoga was going to be a brand that lived on forever… This was our legacy… I joined the leadership team so I can say that, in truth, they really live their principles. It’s all about principles over profits…” (41:24 | Michelle Wahler) 
• “You will learn, and you are smarter and more capable than you realize. You have to turn off that voice in the back of your head that thinks everybody else knows things that you don’t. Just trust yourself. You’re gonna do great.” (50:23 | Michelle Wahler)

Connect with Michelle Wahler:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-wahler-4b43315/

Grab Lindsay’s JumpStart Your Business Blueprint from last week's episode:

https://lindsaypinchuk.myflodesk.com/11stepsforbusiness

Grab Lindsay’s Reels Cheat Sheet + Social Media Challenge. CLICK HERE

Join us LIVE at our networking events, Dear FoundHer... LIVE: https://www.dearfoundher.com/events

If you like what you're hearing, please leave a rating or review at: https://ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

If you know a FoundHer... we should meet, please tell her to share her story with us here.

Don't forget to follow along @dearfoundher and @lindsaypinchuk.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.