In Search Of Excellence — Episode Summary

Podcast: In Search Of Excellence
Host: Randall Kaplan
Episode: Joe Kudla: How Joe Kudla Built Vuori — The Playbook for Category-Defining Athleisure (E173)
Date: September 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Joe Kudla, CEO and founder of Vuori, one of the fastest-growing athleisure brands in the world. Joe shares the story of his unconventional upbringing, personal struggles with learning disabilities, journey through modeling and accounting, multiple entrepreneurial attempts, and ultimately, how he brought Vuori to life. The discussion is a candid playbook for aspiring entrepreneurs, blending inspirational moments, hard-won lessons, and tactical business insight into building a category-defining company.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Family Background & Early Influences

• Nontraditional Parents:
  Joe was raised by adventurous and unconventional parents — a father who left engineering to become a naturopath and acupuncturist, and a mother who traveled the world solo and ultimately became a psychologist.

  • “It was about trying new things, following your heart, being adventurous. That really served me well and gave me permission to follow a path of entrepreneurship which is largely about a relationship with the unknown.” (Joe Kudla, 02:44)

• Lessons on Fear and Growth:
  Joe's mother always encouraged him to use fear as fuel.

  • “Let fear guide you. Let it be a power that propels you forward, not something that holds you back. That was always something ingrained in me.” (Joe Kudla, 03:45)

2. Overcoming Shyness & Learning Disabilities

• Struggles in School:
  Joe was shy and diagnosed with learning disabilities, finding school incredibly challenging and confidence hard to come by.

  • “I always thought I was dumb. My mom would say, ‘You’re not dumb; you’re a late bloomer.’” (Joe Kudla, 08:28)
  • His mother’s support was critical — spending long nights helping with homework after working late as a single parent.

• Sports as an Outlet:
  Sports gave Joe community, confidence, and early leadership experience.

  • “Sports for me was the one thing I was good at. It gave me a sense of belonging and confidence. I learned about working with a team.” (Joe Kudla, 08:56)

• Advice to Others With Learning Struggles:

  • “We all learn and develop and grow at different paces... Sometimes what's perceived as a setback turns out to be your biggest asset later in life.” (Joe Kudla, 12:08)

3. Discovering and Shaping Ambition

• Exposure to Wealth, Finding Motivation:
  Moving to a more affluent area in 8th grade, Joe felt motivated to achieve — initially manifesting in a desire for more but evolving to inspiration to build something meaningful.

  • “It wasn't even about wanting the thing as much as becoming interested in building a business or a company.” (Joe Kudla, 05:43)

• Accounting as a Strategic Career Choice:
  Despite creative leanings, Joe majored in accounting, seeing it as a secure entry to business exposure and upward mobility.

  • “Accounting is great because it provides a structure — my advice to today’s grads: be persistent, show up, and build relationships.” (Joe Kudla, 16:51)

Notable Advice for Interns/Career Starters

• Be the “first in, last out” — attitude and willingness to work matter most, not task prestige.
  • “If you practice that every day, no matter what the day brings, you’re going to have a great career.” (Joe Kudla, 20:57)

4. The Modeling Years

• Accidental Start in Modeling:
  Joe was scouted after surfing (and also attended a casting) — leading to months modeling in Milan.

  • “A woman approached me and said, have you considered modeling? …I'd never been overseas, so this sounded intriguing.” (Joe Kudla, 22:12)

• Reality vs. Perception:
  The modeling industry is characterized by significant rejection and little glamour; it taught Joe resilience and demystified the world of branding and design.

  • “You’re going to fail 90% of the time, but that 10% can create a lot of value. Modeling was the first time it was just constant rejection.” (Joe Kudla, 24:48)

• On Business Lessons from Modeling:

  • “You can be taught about branding in a textbook, but being part of the process — seeing how brands create their image — gave me embodied wisdom.” (Joe Kudla, 29:59)

5. Entrepreneurial Ventures, Setbacks, & Learning

• First Apparel Experience (Sammy Jo):
  Partnered with an ex-girlfriend, creating a women's apparel brand — learning the design-to-production process from scratch.

  • “We would buy fabric remnants, go to local pattern makers, and sell to little boutiques. We didn’t have the investment or structure to really scale.” (Joe Kudla, 35:19)

• Early Vuori (V1):
  Built a T-shirt company platforming humanitarians. Entered cool LA boutiques, but the 2008 crisis and partner departures left the business unsustainable.

  • “We put all my savings into the business… it was the second ‘failure’ in clothing, and that one really left me heartbroken.” (Joe Kudla, 46:24)

• Staffing Firm Success & the "Golden Handcuffs":
  Co-founded Vaco’s San Diego office; had material financial success but felt unfulfilled despite earning up to $500,000/year in his 20s.

  • “I realized as soon as I didn’t have to think about money anymore, I was like, oh, this actually isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” (Joe Kudla, 42:57)

6. Personal Crisis, Mindset Shift, and Clarity

• The “Wake-Up Call” Party:
  In his early thirties, Joe met Lynette, an intuitive, at a party. She urged him to reconnect with his core values to realize Vuori’s potential.

  • “She said, ‘You were raised by a very special mother...but you’ve gotten away from your values... there’s a side project, something you’re working on, that will be huge if you get clear and realign.’” (Joe Kudla, 50:50)

  • Joe credits this encounter as life-changing — he quit partying, broke off a toxic relationship, began yoga and meditation, and focused on clarity.

• Emphasis on Clarity and Self-Discovery:

  • “Clarity being the ultimate currency…It was that period of my life that everything started to fall into picture.” (Joe Kudla, 53:51)

7. The Genesis of Vuori (Current Version)

• Meeting Chris Miller:
  Through yoga, Joe met Chris Miller (legendary skateboarder and entrepreneur). They were inspired by Encinitas culture and saw a gap for an authentic, men’s forward athleisure brand.

  • “There wasn’t a brand authentically speaking to men as fitness and wellness became a lifestyle.” (Joe Kudla, 54:37)

• Market Research & Positioning:
  Noticed that yoga had 30 million practitioners (30% men, fastest-growing segment), but no brand addressed men or broader wellness culture.

  • “There were 4 million surfers and all these iconic brands. But 30 million yoga participants and no men’s-focused brand. The opportunity was huge.” (Joe Kudla, 57:33)

• Culture and Product Philosophy:
  Vuori was shaped by the idea of devotion to excellence, craftsman’s mentality, and community — not just product.

  • “It’s not about what you do, it’s about how you do it…bringing dedication and a positive attitude to your work.” (Joe Kudla, 33:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Early Support:

  • “My mom would be down there with me every night doing homework…God bless her for that because it was true, things started to click for me.” (Joe Kudla, 10:17)

• On Rejection and Resilience:

  • “You’re going to fail 90% of the time, but that 10% can create a lot of value.” (Joe Kudla, 24:48)

• On Entrepreneurial Mindset:

  • “Sometimes what's perceived...as a challenge, turns out to be your biggest asset a little bit later in life.” (Joe Kudla, 12:08)

• On Clarity:

  • “Clarity being the ultimate currency. At that point in my life I just wanted to get clear.” (Joe Kudla, 53:51)

• On Persistence:

  • “Be the first one in, be the last one out. That stuff still goes a long way with people.” (Joe Kudla, 20:12)

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• Letting Fear Guide You: [00:00]
• Influence of Parents, Unconventional Upbringing: [01:25–03:29]
• Dealing with Shyness & Learning Disabilities: [03:37–10:54]
• Advice for Kids with Learning Struggles: [11:50–13:27]
• Motivation from Wealth Exposure: [05:43]
• Importance of Sports & Confidence: [07:22–10:06]
• Internship and Early Career Lessons: [15:09–21:35]
• Modeling Journey & Business Lessons: [22:12–32:00]
• Passion at Work and Early Entrepreneurship: [32:19–36:38]
• Staffing Firm Success, “Golden Handcuffs”: [39:55–44:53]
• Personal Crisis, Clarity, and Turning Point: [48:38–54:10]
• Meeting Chris Miller & Vuori’s Founding: [54:18–58:58]

Episode Tone

The conversation is authentic, reflective, and encouraging, blending humor, vulnerability, and actionable inspiration. Joe and Randall keep the discussion approachable, with relatable storytelling and supportive takes on setbacks and resilience.

Summary Takeaway

Joe Kudla’s journey to founding Vuori is a testament to the power of resilience, self-awareness, and unwavering work ethic. His story shows that setbacks can become strengths, hard work outshines instant success, and clarity of values is foundational for building something truly great. Aspiring entrepreneurs, creatives, and anyone facing “golden handcuffs” or self-doubt will find this episode a candid blueprint for excellence.