CEO For a Day: Soulcycle

After a great experience at one of the most elite and professional fitness corporations in NYC, I have come to understand how difficult it is to run a business that satisfies both employees and clients. Soulcycle has become a phenomenon among men and women of all ages, from NYC to Greenwich to the Hamptons. However, the expansion of the company is happening very fast, causing the community aspect to lose some of it's "charm". If I were CEO I would pay attention to this slight problem, and weigh the options between expanding and making more money with more consumers, or staying in a focused area and maintaining loyal customers who feel like they are a part of something bigger than just a fitness class. I can not say which is more important to a company, as I believe that loyalty and profit are both essential to a successful business, but I do think that with expansion comes more responsibility and the pressure of maintaining this welcoming and community feeling.

With SoulCycle in particular, quality is everything. The bikes are expensive, the rooms are built with intricate stereo systems and lighting so that the environment is maintained and each potential instructor must go through a eight week training program just to be considered a new instructor on the schedule. As the company grows, the quality of the instructor is (I believe) being compromised. Instructors are simply placed into the schedule, regardless of whether they match the music, excitement and SOUL of the master and early training program instructors. And even if they are great and deserve a chance to be revered like Tomas Mikuzis or Ayana Curtis (my two favorite instructors), they are not able to fill up their classes. This is where a marketing program comes into play. It is essential to focus on the clients and what they want, but also push them to try new things and discover new, exciting instructors.

Other than these changes I would make, I think Soulcycle is a corporation focused on community, goals, and improving not just your body, but also your lifestyle. I enjoyed my experience and the people I worked with were informative and very friendly!