Joan Barnes

Joan Barnes is the founder and former CEO of Gymboree, an early childhood brand she started in 1976 with $3,000. What began as a single play center in California expanded into a global empire with 600 franchises. Barnes stepped down to focus on recovery and later co-authored "Play It Forward".

1 Episode

Episodes

EP 801

Gymboree: Joan Barnes. How Building a Beloved Brand Nearly Destroyed Its Founder

Joan Barnes

Gymboree

Gymboree founder Joan Barnes reveals how building a children's retail empire came at a devastating personal cost. She shares the moment she recognized that her success was destroying her marriage and mental health, and the courageous decision to leave the company she built. This episode uncovers entrepreneurship's hidden toll and confronts the question: when does building something become the very thing that breaks you?

Jan 19, 202680 min

Related Companies

Gymboree

Gymboree is a children's clothing retailer selling apparel and accessories for kids up to size 8. Founded in 1976, the brand built its reputation on coordinated, bow-to-toe outfits that celebrate childhood. Its timeless, high-quality clothes are designed to become hand-me-downs.

1 episode