We had the good fortune of connecting with Brogan Burrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brogan, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I moved to San Diego from Arkansas about 5 years ago and started going to yoga (I had never done yoga my 23 years of living in Arkansas)! Once I found myself consistently going, I began to look around the room and notice that all of the yoga mats around me were one color (basic but totally okay if that’s your vibe, lol) or just not my style. On the other hand, I noticed there were also people using hot yoga towels but they were slipping and sliding under other student’s feet. I thought there had to be a way to make really cool yoga mats and accessories that were super unique, had personality, but remained functional. Once I had the idea, I was already getting certified in Yoga Sculpt and soon after ordered 300 mats to be sent to my tiny house! I was (am still) fully self-funded, so I started small by ordering minimums of 3 designs ideas I had. I had already built somewhat of an audience by being connected within the community I wanted to share my products with.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always known I was meant to do something creative. Growing up, I was drawn to fashion, art, and design – anything that allowed me to turn ideas into something visual. I went to school for fashion design and started my career designing mens apparel and sunglasses, eventually working professionally in the eyewear industry. That experience taught me how to balance creativity with functionality, branding, and understanding what emotionally connects with people.

What sets my work apart is that I approach design through both a fashion and lifestyle lens. I want products to feel personal, expressive, and emotionally connected to the person using them. A lot of my inspiration comes from personality, color, movement, and creating things that make people feel confident and excited.

What I’m most proud of is building my own brand, Brogi Yoga. I always knew I wanted to start a business someday, but it didn’t truly click for me until I was 27 years old. It came from realizing there was a gap in the yoga space for products that felt more fashion forward and expressive. Most yoga mats felt very neutral or performance focused, and I wanted to create something that brought personality.

The journey has definitely not been easy – there have been inventory issues, production delays, financial stress, and moments where I questioned whether I could keep up with the growth. As a small business owner, there’s no giant team behind the scenes.. a lot of the time it’s just me figuring things out in real time.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that growth rarely happens in a straight line. You have to be willing to adapt, learn quickly, and keep going even when things feel uncertain. I’ve also learned the importance of authenticity and transparency. People connect far more deeply to honesty and your story rather than perfection.

What I want the world to know about me and my brand is that everything I create comes from a genuine place. I care deeply about designing products and experiences that help people express themselves and feel confident. Brogi Yoga is about more than yoga mats, it’s about individuality, confidence, and bringing personality into your wellness routine.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh man, my husband and I LOVE OB Noodle House 1502. That’s one of the staple restaurants we always take visitors too! Other restaurants we love are Cody’s in La Jolla, Kairoa Brewing, 619 Spirits, Duke’s, The Henry, and so many more. We also love going to get a drink and hangout at the Lafayette Hotel. And you have to hit a padres game and get a drink downtown!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Of course!! I have quite a few and won’t be able to list all 🙂 I would be nowhere with Brogi Yoga (or in life) if it wasn’t for my parents, husband, family, and best friends. I seriously have the most supportive group behind me which has helped to keep me going in tough days and good days. My dad helps with finances and overall business management (he just flew across the world with me to visit my supplier for the first time), my mom helps with all things design/creative as well as general business (best parents ever), and my husband helps with marketing and other little parts of the business that no one sees – he is the most positive partner and has helped nurture Brogi Yoga’s journey. I also have amazing friends who help support and shoutout to Mimi who has been using her valuable time to help with Brogi Yoga operations and development! I know these are a lot of shoutouts but I think that goes to show how many amazing people I have in my corner!

Website: https://www.brogiyoga.com

Instagram: @brogi.yoga

Image Credits
@saucegirlmedia (Sydney Troxell)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.