Changing Perspectives: SoulCycle

As I approach my final weeks at SoulCycle I am learning more  about the company and the interactions and responsibilities of a corporate employee. I have been a rider for almost three years and been on the front end of the community . However, having the experience to see the company I have become somewhat "obsessed" with, changed my perspective of SoulCycle and it's various communities.

Being apart of the corporate community is extremely different than walking into a studio, riding in a class and then leaving after the 45 minute workout. I never thought about what happened in between; how hard it was to accommodate all the riders on the wait lists, move lists and those who were unhappy with a class or were late and had to be set up by an employee. This is just what happens on a class to class basis in the studios. Apart from this, there is the whole corporate office: the marketing, finance, instructor training, retail, management, HR, website design and coding, programming, etc. There are so many different departments and various things that have to be done on a daily basis, it is surprising that SoulCycle has the control and the employees to keep up with it all. The back end is a whole different place with a whole new community.

#StarStripesSOUL Instagram (July 4th)

I have been pleasantly surprised by the people and the connectivity between various employees in the office. SoulCycle promotes the idea of riding together and being one pack, one tribe, but it is hard to imagine that they could parallel these mantras in a work environment. However, somehow the company with two amazing owners, and hundreds of dedicated and passionate employees has successfully established a community basis within the office; one that reflects all the values they highlight in class.

Other than the company, I have come to realize various things about my interests and what I plan to do for the next three years as an intern. Although I am passionate about social media and editorial work and find it fascinating that social media outlets can have such an impact on consumers and branding, I am unsure whether or not this is the field I want to pursue. Marketing is still enticing to me, but I hope to try a more broad version of advertising, one possibly in a fashion or television company. I have learned a lot in the past few weeks and will definitely use the experiences and challenges I have faced to impact future internships.

Stacey Griffith (Master Instructor) leads a ride for victims of Harlem explosion