Mike: Do you remember that conversation you had where it all of a sudden started to come together with your cofounders at the time or your would-be cofounders in starting SoulCycle? At what point did that start to happen where people would share with you that type of reaction? It wasnt simple to get the best person in the world. And a big reason people come to programs like View from the Top is were about to go in a lot of different ways. And again, there was something about this that allowed me to recognize that this was the way I was going to do it. She asked me, and in two minutes I said yes. Having "co-founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports" on your resume is kind of a big deal. In her View From The Top conversation at Stanford GSB, Zukerman discussed all this and more with Michael Lewis, MBA 20. Ruth Zukerman: Yes, of course. So what a formula for success in our businesses. The discipline it takes to be a dance student and to grow up as a dancer and become a professional dancer, that also transferred to the spin class. Mark Zuckerberg's net worth topped $100 billion for the first time on August 7, 2020. I found that despite what a difficult time that was for me, I would finish class and oddly feel empowered. Ruth Zukerman never imagined starting a company. Ruth Zukerman is co-founder of indoor cycling businesses SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports. The second anecdote was about another trauma, which was the dissolution of my SoulCycle partnership. A certified indoor cycling instructor, Ruth has taught indoor cycling at both full-service fitness centers and dedicated cycling studios. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. . Going into Flywheel, which a lot of people, when they hear your story, they think of SoulCycle or they think of Flywheel. Student Question My names Dan App. And it was one of the hardest decisions I ever made, and I did it for two years. [Laughs] We were very big on empathy. What were the key learnings from that? According to her website, Ruth received her education at Mount Holyoke College and has taken extensive courses in anatomy and exercise physiology. And its interesting; I believe a lot in kind of trickle-down theory and that the aura that you create in your business has a lot to do with whos at the top and the founders. Breaking Big: How Ruth Zukerman Created a Fitness Empire In late 2021 his net worth peaked at $137 billion, which made him the third-richest person . I knew how to move to music. And I found that if I was vulnerable, it made them feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable. Cycling for success: Flywheel Co-Founder on future of boutique studios October 2, 2018, 11:02 AM Ruth Zukerman, co-founder of flywheel and soul cycle, tells us what it took to get to the top of . Is there something wrong with me? She looked at me and said, Why would you ever think there was something wrong with you? I think for everyones sake, in terms of how we interact with others, as well as how we handle our own day-to-day stresses, we cant burn out. And I couldnt do it. MoKi Media - We're flying in to fall with Flywheel Sports. | Facebook Have the courage to say, This isnt working and its time to figure out whats next. Its not easy, but thats where resilience kicks in. Multiple sources apparently have confirmed that the two first hooked up when Elizabeth was in rehab and have continued to see each other after she was released. Ruth Zukerman - EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki I knew it would be a way to change the industry. That was the start of Flywheel which opened in 2010. Lets go to questions. Ruth Zukerman is the Queen of Spinning: she put the Soul in SoulCycle and the Fly in Flywheel. Riding High by Ruth Zukerman OverDrive: ebooks, audiobooks, and more Meet Co-founder and Creative Director at Flywheel Sports, Ruth Zukerman. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Holly Rilinger, Ruth Zukerman attend the Flywheel VIP Ride With Special Guests Laird Hamilton And Gabrielle Reece Led By Ruth Zukerman And Holly Rilinger at Flywheel East Hampton on August 8, 2016 in. And its when two people are vulnerable that they connect. Her stuff works huh! Mike: Its a very simple game. Mike: If its okay, Id love to end with a personal question that I think you touch on a little bit or at least led me to want to ask in your book. Well just leave it at that. There was a reason why I was there. But can you break it down to what that actually meant for going later into business and how you applied some of that personal learning into actually making a business around it? 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We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. uth Zukerman is the queen of spin. So I had a gym membership at what was the Reebok Club on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at the time. And I feel that the business took on a lot of their personality. Riding High: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, Co-Founded Flywheel, and Ruth M Zuckerman, 71 - Gurley, AL - Reputation & Contact Details - MyLife What I saw very early on was that there was this very strong mental component that kicked in during the 45 minutes in class. My self esteem plummeted. Most people can ride a bike, but can you fly?? Her entrepreneurial efforts have made her the theme of several articles but this time, the celebrated instructor is now making headlines only this time not for her passion but for some rather disgraceful news. It's never too late to change careershere's how | Well+Good And I knew that that would change the experience significantly. Ruth Zukerman used her heartache-at the death of her father, the end of her marriage, and the dissolution of her first business partnership with SoulCycle, as the inspiration to reinvent herself. And so thats why I think this type of business is so important and here to stay. Flywheel Sports files for bankruptcy, plans to shut down Riding High: How I Kissed Soulcycle Goodbye, Co-Founded Flywheel, and They dont think that you were actually behind both. So I was wondering for people who maybe havent tried it yet or even for people who have, how would you describe what therapy or other types of mental fitness helped you change or come to realize? Whats inspiring to me about their business, is despite their tremendous growth, their product is just as good as when they started. That was my second kind of fish-out-of-water moment where I had to reinvent myself because suddenly, I dont have a husband supporting me. Again, just another moment of being able to put things in perspective and have self-empathy, you know? Mike: Plato? Ruth Zukerman: And they still do, yes. Youre paying up for it, and youre paying for an instructor spending two hours the night before making his or her playlist. Zukerman, who first founded SoulCycle in 2006 and Flywheel in 2010, is one of these trailblazers. flywheel ruth zukerman net worth. Ruth Zukerman's path to entrepreneurship was nothing if not unconventional. There are people in all of our lives where they demand something that we feel we have to go uphold. That made my day. And it was the first time in my life that someone said to me, Do you understand that thats actually unacceptable behavior? And I think I just broke down in tears. Mike: If youre not challenged, you wont change., Mike: Correct. I still see lines around the block for their product. It felt like an experience for me. I think people will always need this human connection that I just spoke about. You were against expanding super fast and getting off to the races. And I went out there to see what I was going to do next. And every day I walked in to teach class, I would have to look at both of them. Ruth Zukerman: [Laughs] Thanks for that perspective. Whats going through your mind the night before you start SoulCycle? And then theyre going to Barrys twice a week. SoulCycle And Flywheel Powerhouse Ruth Zukerman On Resilience - Forbes This seems, as you described, somewhat happenstance as you were approached by one of the cofounders. Our separation agreement was signed, and I was packing up my things to leave. The CEO of Bonobos shares stories of the companys creation at the GSB and his journey through a mental health diagnosis. And very quickly I realized everybody has trauma. Mike: I know that seems extreme, but when I read it, I felt that that actually is quite relatable. But again, it eventually became just what you said; people had to know about it to go there. Can we spend a minute just on those types of setbacks? I get frustrated sometimes because women need to support women always. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. It launched in 1978 and is supported in part by the F. Kirk Brennan Speaker Series Fund. Flywheel co-founder Ruth Zuckerman says the answer is absolutely-- and there's a formula to make it worth your while. But another phenomenon thats taken place is a lot of the kind of bigger businesses and corporations are now getting into this sector. Zukerman: For me, theres really no such thing as burnout when it comes to fitness. And we might get to that later. Mike: Going into Flywheel, youre now at a point where youve pioneered spinning and spin classes and that sense of community, and youve built a brand around it once. Mike: Here you are taking people out of their basement stationary bike and bringing them to their neighborhood gym and giving them a sense of real in-person community. So that feels really good. But year was it when you started spinning? But Im very interested in seeing where the fitness industry particularly goes. Kate Zukerman, Blake Boshnack - The New York Times While I was working there, I was set up on a blind date and met my future husband. And you brought up the dance classes before. And so that was one of the motivating forces in my getting to where I got to with this concept of spinning. If I was in a dance class, and my dance teacher said, Beautiful job, Ruth, that took me through my day. When I left, I met my future partners that came up with this idea of adding metrics to the whole experience to make the experience that much more effectual and allow the rider to be more accountable. Okay. Mike: What was going through your mind as the next step personally and then professionally it seems like would follow later? Mike: Have you ever done a class for 600 people? According to NY Post-Page Six, ABC anchor Elizabeth Vargas husband, Marc Cohn, had an affair with Zukerman while Vargas was in rehab for alcohol abuse. And when youre going through a trauma, one thing I learned thats really important is to take care of yourself and stay healthy and strong. In terms of entrepreneurship, I think it's something in our blood because we get passionate about ideas and we want to see them through. Right now, he is the most trending person in social media. Zukerman: I had my family by the point I started businesses. Cohn has been married to 20/20 anchor Elizabeth Vargas since 2002. I think it was a combination of my own evolution and the right circumstances at the right time. Elizabeth Vargas' husband Marc Cohn 'denies affair with spin studio So that was really what I drew upon the most in terms of my leadership style. Nothing beautiful without struggle. Plato or SoulCycle? Mike: To bring the conversation back full circle, one of the things we spoke right before coming on stage about was what lessons you would give yourself as a teenager thinking about the course of your life as an entrepreneur, the business takeaways. Riding High on Apple Books We cant give up, and we have to move forward and go on. Back to my mother, she was a difficult woman. If I looked at myself at 42, I never in a million years thought I would start my own business. Courage is knowing what not to fear. Plato or SoulCycle? Ruth Zukerman - Co-owner/Creative Director - Flywheel Sports | LinkedIn But what I was going to say is I was going to give him a compliment. Ruth Zukerman Net Worth (2023) | wallmine GB I actually was just going to talk about the lawsuit, but I better not. It was a horrible, horrible thing. That was incredibly helpful to me. How SoulCycle and Flywheel started - Yahoo! Cycling for success: Flywheel Co-Founder on future of boutique - Yahoo! That was my introduction to group fitness which eventually turned into a career. Just kidding. Ruth Zukerman used her heartache-at the death of her father, the end of her marriage, and the dissolution of her first business partnership with SoulCycle, as the inspiration to reinvent herself. [Laughs] At Peloton, they actually did a really good job, I think, of bringing the community aspect into this at-home experience. Tue, Aug. . This is how I gear my mind. I learned a lot about what people did and didnt like and I honed my own method within this genre of exercise. Ruth pioneered the boutique fitness industry by creating the "studio" with a pay per class structure, modeling them after the dance studios she would frequent when she was pursuing her dance career. Its a human need that will never go away. And I was able to keep my gym membership with the divorce, and so I went there every day. "We decided to take a look at our national footprint and close studios that were under-performing," a Flywheel spokesperson previously told Bloomberg of its 2019 studio closures. And unfortunately, I paid a big toll for that. Zukerman become a co-founder of cycling fitness giants SoulCycle and Flywheel. She started a bakery business with her partner called Levain Bakery. He used to be a big Flywheeler and SoulCycle. I always advise people, you can go into business with someone you just met or you can go into business with someone youve known for 25 years, but they are both risks because when money gets involved, sometimes people take on behaviors that you never could have predicted. Her mother is a co-founder of Flywheel Sports, an indoor cycling business; she is . And the truth is, my two cofounders were similar to each other, but very different from me. ruth zukerman net worth I got out there, and here I was now a single mom of two girls in high school, not in a very strong position financially. But also, we have a lot of business school students in the audience now. SoulCycle took on a certain kind of Im blanking on the word. The fitness company was in business for 10 years and once had 40 studios across the United States. Why wouldnt you feel that anger today? Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. Plato or SoulCycle? Ruth Zuckerman is 71 years old and was born on 05/12/1951. I remember that story I heard in Ruths narrative. Is there anything youd want to make sure you get out if theres one thing folks can take home? But now, there are so many choices; I call it exercise snacking.