58 and Stepping Into Something New: Laurilyn Forsyth Warren’s First Business

For more than 25 years, Laurilyn Forsyth Warren watched it happen over and over again: students struggling on the floors of yoga studios with aching wrists pressed into thin mats, knees absorbing more impact than they should, and bodies feeling discomfort that had been normalized in the practice. She decided something needed to be done to provide longevity for all types of bodies. 

“My clients and participants became my role models,” Warren said. “Watching some face self-doubt, some with physical limitations, others simply committed to becoming healthier versions of themselves, their commitment and the way they pushed themselves … deepened my belief in the power of support. When people feel truly supported, they rise.” 

For as long as she could remember, Warren had a lifelong dedication to movement, stemming from her aspirations of becoming an Olympian in competitive gymnastics. Through rigorous training at a young age, she learned the importance of consistency and developed an unwavering work ethic, training through injuries and pushing past pain. While most of her discipline came from her athletic journey, she attributes her success to the endless support of her family, most importantly her mother and her entrepreneurial grandmother. 

“They were strong, capable women who carried a great deal, often quietly, and never waited for recognition,” Warren said. “They showed me what perseverance looks like in real life: responsibility, grace under pressure, and the ability to keep moving forward no matter what was happening around them.” Their influence paved the way for her to have the courage to make a change in the world she had been a part of for so long.

It wasn’t until Warren had her own hand injury, however, that she realized she would need to be the catalyst for change in the industry. 

“For me the turning point came when I fractured my finger,” said Forsyth Warren. “Feeling that pain firsthand made me realize how much even a small injury could affect movement, presence, as well as progress. That experience brought everything into focus: we were asking bodies to adapt to tools that weren’t designed with the human body in mind.” 

The realization sparked an idea. Rather than accepting discomfort as a normal part of exercise, Warren decided to take a leap of faith and began to develop the concept that would eventually become MOREMAT.

The idea itself was simple: create a yoga mat to support the body where it needs it most. The product would help clients in large yoga or exercise classes get through with minimal pain and discomfort in major weight-bearing parts of the body, and hopefully spark some confidence along the way. 

“The true ‘ah-ha’ moment came when I stopped accepting discomfort as normal,” said Forsyth Warren. “It all came together after putting on a pair of ON running shoes and noticing how supported and comfortable my feet felt, and questioning why the same level of thought and innovation didn't exist under our hands and knees on a yoga mat.” 

What followed was anything but simple. With limited funds, no tech or engineering background, and working full-time in fitness, Warren began sketching ideas for her invention. Her earliest prototypes were built through trial and error, often hot-gluing a bunch of old yoga mats together, trying to recreate the vision she had in mind. 

The challenge wasn’t the concept; it was the engineering and finding someone to help bring it to life. “Most of the manufacturers I reached out to told me it had never been done before,” Warren said. “I heard it so often it could have stopped me, but instead, it strengthened my resolve.” For decades, yoga mats were made on assembly lines designed for mass production, and she quickly realized that a mat built to support such individualized needs called for a completely different approach. She had to think outside the box and work twice as hard to get her product out there. Developing MOREMAT meant designing new tools, creating new processes, and solving engineering challenges that hadn't been addressed in the yoga mat and fitness industry. 

Between manufacturing setbacks, early intellectual property infringement issues, and losing her mom during the development process, Warren never gave up. Instead, she used those moments to see it through. 

“Some days, the only way forward is to allow myself to feel everything and then keep going... That’s exactly what (my mom) would have been expected of me.”

That's exactly what Warren did. 

In 2023, at the age of 58, Laurilyn became a first-time female founder with the launch of MOREMAT.  The now-trademarked product’s anti-fatigue padding is something the yoga mat market has never seen before. Rethinking how the body meets the ground underneath, it’s designed to ensure all bodies can move with ease and are supported at the points where it matters most.  The type of support Laurilyn could’ve benefited from years before in her own practice is now out in the world to provide the support needed for others to move better, too.

“What stands out to me is that I had the courage to build something that didn't previously exist … it's a first-of-its-kind product that genuinely improves how people move and feel --- and doing it only on my own terms. Moremat isn’t just a yoga mat; it's a new category,” Warren said. 

Despite her newfound success, Warren says the journey is far from over. 

“I’m currently in early conversations with larger distributors and fitness companies and exploring additional manufacturing opportunities,” said Warren. “I’m excited to continue growing MOREMAT’s reach, with the goal of getting it into the hands of everyone who will benefit.”

With plans to expand the product's reach and potentially bring MOREMAT to a global audience, Warren says never giving up and leaning on her community is what led her to be the founder of her company. 

Every “no” simply reinforced her clarity and commitment to what she knew was possible.

“Life moves quickly and it is often unpredictable, and waiting for the ‘right’ moment may mean missing it altogether.”

Ready to experience it for yourself? Discover the comfort of MOREMAT at moremat.com