Joan Barnes

Joan Barnes is an entrepreneur and businesswoman who built one of the most recognizable early childhood play and retail brands in the United States. In 1976, she founded Gymboree in San Francisco as a small play center designed to help parents and toddlers connect and learn through play. Barnes grew the concept into a global brand with hundreds of play centers and retail stores, ultimately leading to one of the most successful consumer IPOs of its era and establishing Gymboree as a billion-dollar company.

Barnes’ entrepreneurial success was driven by her creativity and commitment to community, but it also came with personal challenges. After more than a decade of rapid growth, she stepped away from the company to focus on her health and well-being, undertaking a long personal journey that included overcoming a serious eating disorder. Her frank and inspirational story of success, struggle, and resilience is explored in her memoir "Play It Forward."

Following her time with Gymboree, Barnes embraced a new chapter in the wellness space by becoming principal owner of YogaStudio, a San Francisco-based chain of yoga studios where she helped pioneer mainstream interest in yoga as a lifestyle. Under her leadership, the business expanded before she sold it to national yoga brand YogaWorks in 2008.

Beyond her business ventures, Barnes has been active in community and advocacy work, including programs dedicated to body image, food issues, and supporting women entrepreneurs. She has lived for decades in Marin County, California, mentoring emerging business leaders and remaining engaged in efforts that merge personal wellness with social impact.