Lululemon: Learning thru Downward Dog

I like to use stories that illustrate the techniques I teach at the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center. Fast Company published an article about Lululemon. One particular bit was great for highlighting the importance of getting out from behind your computer when you're doing research for a business start-up:

As much as a year before it opens in a new market, it sends missionaries to attend every yoga and exercise class they can find, sniffing out and befriending the most influential instructors.

That kind of research allows Lululemon to really understand its partners - yoga instructors - who then help them understand what the company's core local customers - yoga students - want in yoga gear.