Think of athleisure, and Lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU) would be top of mind. The Canadian’s company’s rise to prominence started around a simple idea – building communities around yoga. The move proved to be prescient but was marred by controversy along the way. Yet, despite the setbacks, the brand has experienced wild success — in the process, defining a new industry embraced by millions. As a Lululemon shareholder for over a decade, I had a front row seat to the trials and tribulations as the brand rose to become a US$35 billion business. A simple idea born in Canada Lululemon was founded by Chip Wilson in 1998, beginning from a single location in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. By day, the place was a design studio and by night, a yoga studio. The company vision was simple: create a community hub where people can learn and discuss “healthy living, mindfulness and living a life of possibility.”...