Early Life
Marco DeGeorge, along with his childhood friend Danny Harris, grew up in Los Gatos, a suburb of San Francisco. DeGeorge had back surgery at age 11. Later, he began practicing yoga. The two began their entrepreneurial journey in high school, making T-shirts for a local business. After graduating, they started a screen printing company, laying the foundation for their future ventures.
Rise to Success
In 1992, DeGeorge and Harris launched Color Image Apparel, Inc., which found success screen printing apparel for wholesale. Their shared passion for yoga, combined with their business acumen, led them to create Alo Yoga in 2007. The brand quickly gained traction, particularly among celebrities and influencers. This strategy helped Alo Yoga establish itself as a premium lifestyle brand, ultimately influencing their higher price points.
Key Business Strategies
The founders of Alo Yoga maintain complete ownership, without selling equity to outside investors. This approach has allowed them to retain control while growing their company into a $10 billion valuation. Alo Yoga has expanded rapidly, increasing sales from $200 million in 2020 to over $1 billion in 2022. The company's revenue is estimated to be nearly $2 billion in 2024. Their success is also attributed to their digital marketing strategies, including influencer partnerships.
Philanthropy
Alo Yoga has started a non-profit foundation called Alo Gives that tries to influence children to try the practice of yoga. Its website features free, 5-minute videos to show kids the benefits of yoga and meditation.
