Joan Barnes

Cofounder of Gymboree and Yoga Studio

Joan Barnes have built two consumer companies from the ground up. Joan founded and served as CEO of Gymboree, an international network of franchised play programs of nearly 500 franchised play programs and now 600 company-owned retail stores. The Company had one of the most successful IPO’s of its kind in 1993 and one of the first consumer companies to receive venture capital funding.

Joan continues to involve herself in the area of creative recreation for all age groups. Most recently, she was the founder and principal owner of YOGASTUDIO Mill Valley, Larkspur Landing, and San Francisco, one of oldest studios in the country to showcase different styles of yoga, and one of the first to feature eco-conscious yoga vacations.
She sought a partner and was acquired in late 2008 by Yoga Works, a venture backed chain of over 25 Yoga Studios operating in Los Angeles, New York, and now San Francisco