Starting a business with friends or family is often advised against, but Wolo Yoga proves that it can work when passion and shared vision come together.
Founded by childhood friends Jenn Ku, Brandom Han, and Jenn’s husband Dean Yeong, Wolo Yoga is a Malaysian startup that began in 2020 and has since grown into a thriving business. Jenn, an accountant turned yoga teacher, saw a gap in the market for reliable yoga mats after years of practicing yoga. Despite growing interest in yoga, especially during the pandemic when more people practiced at home, Jenn struggled to find quality mats in Malaysia.
Starting with an experiment, Jenn teamed up with Dean, a former writer and head of content at a US tech company, to launch an e-commerce store. Initially, Dean helped with website setup and digital marketing but later joined as a full partner. Brandom, an accountant and avid yoga practitioner with part-time experience at Lululemon, joined soon after to help manage finances.
Although the trio was excited about the project, they approached it cautiously. “We didn’t quit our jobs when we started Wolo Yoga,” Dean explained. They used a pre-order model, gathering customers before committing to inventory, and began testing various materials for their mats. They rejected common options like PVC and TPE for environmental and health reasons, instead considering rubber, cork, and fabric. After collaborating with more than 10 manufacturers from China, India, and Vietnam, they launched their first product—the Mastery Mat—after securing 70 pre-orders.
In the first year, business grew organically, but it wasn’t until 2023 that the team fully committed to scaling Wolo Yoga. “The biggest change was that we started running Meta ads,” Dean shared. The team began with a modest budget of RM20 per day, later increasing their spending to over RM15,000 per month. They also focused on building a community by offering an instructor program and collaborating with yoga teachers to promote their mats. Feedback from customers helped them develop their second product, the Away Travel Mat, which is lightweight and foldable.
What sets Wolo Yoga apart from other brands is its commitment to quality and sustainability. The mats are made from vegan leather on the top layer for enhanced grip, and the bottom is crafted from 100% natural rubber, SGS-certified to be non-toxic. Priced at RM390, the Mastery Mat costs more than many global brands like Lululemon’s The Mat, but Dean believes that the quality justifies the price.
Wolo Yoga is not only focused on financial sustainability but also environmental impact. The company has been planting a tree for every mat sold and investing in carbon offset projects to neutralize the emissions from customer deliveries. The goal is to become a certified B-Corp business, which adheres to strict sustainability standards.
Despite the challenges of starting a business, Wolo Yoga has grown steadily, reaching RM450,000 in revenue to date, with RM230,000 generated in the last year alone. The trio continues to operate the business carefully, with Jenn being the only full-time employee at this stage. Going forward, they plan to expand their product line, hold more offline events, and further scale the operation.
Wolo Yoga’s journey demonstrates the power of experimenting, staying adaptable, and being mindful of both business growth and environmental impact. With the right mix of passion, commitment, and sustainability, this startup is a model of success.
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