Founder & CEO
Vuori
Joe Kudla is the founder and CEO of Vuori, a performance apparel brand inspired by the active California lifestyle. A yogi, surfer, outdoorsman and former college athlete, he drew upon his experiences to disrupt the market with A New Perspective on Performance Apparel. Functional, high-quality clothing that does not sacrifice style—Built to move in. Styled for life.
Founded in 2015, Vuori received a $400 million investment and $4B valuation from SoftBank Vision Fund 2 in 2021, marking one of the largest investments in a private apparel company. Ernst & Young LLP honored Joe with the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 Pacific Southwest Award, as well as being named an Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 National Award Winner. He was also named Glossy’s Founder of the Year in 2022.
With a background in accounting, Joe founded the IT consulting firm Vaco San Diego prior to launching Vuori. Today, he lives in Encinitas, CA with his wife and two children. True to the brand ethos, he still makes time every day to get outside and stay active.
Sunday Jan 10
11:30am - 12:00pm
Logicbroker Stage, Javits North, Rm 404
A 75-minute session that will bring together influential retail DTC founders for an honest, three-part exploration of what it takes to build a company from idea to impact. The series follows the founder's journey through the initial bet, the inevitable pressure tests, and the long view required to create an enduring business. Through candid conversations, panelists will share pivotal decisions, hard lessons, and outlooks on the future of retail and consumer brands. Moderated by veteran retail executive, investor and advisor, Ken Pilot, this first of its kind Big Show session is not to be missed.
