Mike: In your story, theres so much grit and perseverance that I think explains a lot of where you were able to get to. And again, at that moment, I had no idea what a huge part my experience with dance would play in my future career. "Flywheel had a presence at the Sag Harbor Gym for several summers during our early years," says Zukerman. Recounting the pivotal moments that helped launch Zukerman as the breakout star of the boutique fitness world, Riding High is a reminder that the greatest success stories often start in the unlikeliest of places. Here, we speak to Founder Ruth Zukerman, and learn how her wildly-popular concept has found its way into the lives of fitness pros and novices nationwide: 1. But I was intimidated and didnt know if I could really get myself in there by myself and try it, but I did. Going into Flywheel, which a lot of people, when they hear your story, they think of SoulCycle or they think of Flywheel. That was also a set of circumstances. Well just leave it at that. And unfortunately, I paid a big toll for that. I think its really important to know yourself, your strengths, weaknesses, and what kind of person compliments you. Health and wellness I think will always be a huge industry moving forward because of the challenges we all have in life in general, and people are finally starting to recognize that we need to take care of ourselves. I believe [unintelligible] as an instructor for Soul, which must have been weird. Thanks, mom. A lot of times when things dont pan outits when weve least predicted it and were often blindsighted. And I always say, I probably grew gray hair every single day, and it was torturous, and it never got any less torturous for two years. That was my introduction to group fitness which eventually turned into a career. And then they might be boxing or couple days a week on their Peloton at home. That was the start of Flywheel which opened in 2010. With SoulCycle and Flywheel, I was in a classroom last week that had a very interesting discussion around the place in society for brands that make you feel a certain way. He used to be a big Flywheeler and SoulCycle. I got off the bike at the end of the class and felt empowered and felt that I could really conquer my day and the challenges that presented themselves. 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? Mike: Thank you, Ruth. But you also cautioned to use it in moderation. Ruth's net worth is greater than $250,000 - $499,999; and makes between $200 - 249,999 a year. But it worked. 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. Spinning Together Passion, Purpose And Success: How Flywheel Cofounder Ruth Zukerman Found Her Path Rob Dube Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes She compiled the best ideas she had for growing SoulCycle and used them to instead build. And I thought, I dont know. In her View From The Top conversation at Stanford GSB, Zukerman discussed all this and more with Michael Lewis, MBA 20. Because I cant seem to get past this trauma. Mike: Plato. Zukerman become a co-founder of cycling fitness giants SoulCycle and Flywheel. Leibson: How has reinvention played a role in your life? And I thought, well maybe you should only go into business with someone you do know for a long time. Ruth Zukerman's new book is out now. And then theyre going to Barrys twice a week. She divorced in 1989 according to an article from the nypost in 2011. And the truth is, my two cofounders were similar to each other, but very different from me. Lets bring you back into your basement and take you away from the very thing that you describe people seeking, which is community. Is that here to stay? Peloton sued Flywheel alleging the company copied its technology used to create the in-home bikes. Mike: Okay. Ruth Zukerman is the co-founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel, both wildly successful companies that innovated the studio cycling movement. And I connected with the Flywheel clientele pretty much in the same way I did with the SoulCycle clientele. What did you feel like you could do different in a space that you defined and built already in now what would be a competitor? Is there something wrong with me? She looked at me and said, Why would you ever think there was something wrong with you? I geared my whole life toward being a dancer. Again, no different than a dance class. We heard this a lot, but I lived it and its so true that everything we do in our life and everything that creates this path that we take contributes to where we land. The convenience factor will not go away, and people will want to be able to have the option of doing it in their home as well. Ruth Zukerman: Im going to give you two anecdotes on that. But they have built a huge community at Peloton. Mike: An interesting counterbalance to that is you describe that empathy should be in moderation when going forward in business, which also runs counter to a lot of the things we hear about, especially today. They were pre-submitted. flywheel ruth zukerman net worthhorse heaven hills road conditionshorse heaven hills road conditions Mike: Just between us friends here in the room. A source told us the affair came to light when Cohn and Zukerman were spotted dining together at a restaurant just after Vargas left rehab. She is currently Flywheel's Creative Director and continues to teach several sold-out classes every week nationwide. 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. Mike: I bet you Plato would have liked that though if that counts for something. Obviously, that was a huge learning lesson for me, a huge light bulb moment for me. Little did I know that I was kind of earning my degree in this field. Ruth Zukerman: So, its a good question because its thinking about the future of all of this. While I was working there, I was set up on a blind date and met my future husband. Ruth is a single mother of twins Kate & Rachel, 21. And the truth is I used a lot of qualities that are typically attached to women, and empathy is certainly one of them. At 51, she co-founded a new business, the highly successful Flywheel, and built the life she'd always dreamed of. And we want to live long lives, and kind of this is how to do it. Ruth Zukerman: 26:29 Her experience was in selling real estate, so she had-Julie Roehm: 26:32 A little bit. Mike: To zoom out a little bit, you look at the brands that you successfully built and live. We really are. And as a result, the partnership fell apart. What were the key learnings from that? Was there a moment where you did look back and you think, Im now caring for a family solely on my shoulders. Vargas went to rehab for . I discovered ballet classes when I was 8 years old. Having "co-founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports" on your resume is kind of a big deal. Ruth Zukerman: No, because that question brought this to mind. Ruth Zukerman: It really helped me realize how much strength I needed to build. You can find that, and thats amazing, or you can find the opposite. People are not coming to spin class six days a week. Again, just another moment of being able to put things in perspective and have self-empathy, you know? So in a spin class, if you point out someone in the class, if you make that personal connection, theyre coming back the next day. On this podcast episode, Diane Von Furstenberg, founder of the DVF clothing line, discusses the importance of character in bouncing back from setbacks. Mike: Can you walk us through that transition of leaving Soul? I was never exposed to business. Her wisdom has been featured on several articles on the huffpost, she has written more than a dozen blog entries dating from 2011, titles include Kids and Exercise, Love Thy Self, Inside and Out,, Stressed Out? I actually just heard a story of two friends who started a business and knew each other for 25 years, and sure enough, they started the business, money gets involved, the relationship fell apart, and the business partnership dissolved. There was something about dancing that just made me feel great. Ruth Zukerman: 26:33 . As far as products go, someone recently gifted me with a Theragun. I became addicted to it. What did you learn from that bootstrapping experience? She started a bakery business with her partner called Levain Bakery. Ruth Zukerman is co-founder of indoor cycling businesses SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports . Ruth Zukerman: Yes, of course. Theres no reason to continue down a career path that isnt making us happy. At 51, she co-founded a new business, the highly successful Flywheel, and built the life she'd always dreamed of. Zukerman: So I got married, and started working in a small aerobics exercise studio on the Upper West Side. And I wanted everyone else to have the same chance to empower themselves. And the applause is also for each other and for encouraging the community. And Im a huge proponent of therapy. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Your email address will not be published. You were against expanding super fast and getting off to the races. It wasnt simple to get the best person in the world. I thought I was talented, but the truth was, I wasnt good enough especially if I wanted to stay in New York. Student Question: Hi, Im Jen. var _Hasync=_Hasync||[];_Hasync.push(['Histats.start','1,4553220,4,511,95,18,00000000']);_Hasync.push(['Histats.fasi','1']);_Hasync.push(['Histats.track_hits','']);(function(){var hs=document.createElement('script');hs.type='text/javascript';hs.async=true;hs.src=('//s10.histats.com/js15_as.js');(document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(hs);})(); Ruth Zukerman is one of the most popular faces on the globe. At what point did that start to happen where people would share with you that type of reaction? Mike: So you start SoulCycle and, plot twist, it works. And if I could do that, and if I could go back, the message would be to relax, that we just are not going to have the answers when were 16. Ruth is the author of Riding High: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, Founded Flywheel, and Built the Life I Always Wanted. The truth is, when I made the agreement to go into business with these two cofounders, I didnt know myself. She asked me, and in two minutes I said yes. Eventually they did, obviously. It was literally a hole in the wall on 72nd Street. And I stayed in it for a long time, way longer than I should have, but I cant really think of it that way because its who I was at that time. But theres also a business nugget where they felt that you could actually grow the business by attracting folks who otherwise wouldnt be cyclers or spin-goers. [1] She lives in New York with her two daughters. My question was around the therapy topic you mentioned. Back to my mother, she was a difficult woman. And I feel that the business took on a lot of their personality. Mike: Right after this, meet in the quad. At the end of the day, it sounds very simplistic but when were unhappy, feeling unfulfilled, frustrated, we dont like what were doing, were not enjoying our jobthose are the moments where we really have to do some introspection. And it was just about making it personal and making people feel noticed. After her 1996 divorce, the former dancer and aerobics instructor felt lost and took to the Spin bike. She was narcissistic. But what I was going to say is I was going to give him a compliment. And the reality was it was still very early in the industry, and there were no other boutique businesses at that point. I was actually really impressed and surprised by it. a spin, an iced coffee, and a stroll on . Ruth Zukerman: I have been going out to the Hamptons for 22 years. It just showed me the importance of confidence and believing in myself and believing in my ideas, that my mother really didnt know everything. So she depended on me to be the face of the business and to provide the method. If youre always deferring to someone and that person is always telling you that they know more than you, it would make sense. And we learn an enormous amount with every decision we make along the way. Ruth Zukerman: I mean, it was part generational I would say for my mother. All right. It was an escape. So that was really what I drew upon the most in terms of my leadership style. That way, I didnt even have to push myself and could take the easy way out. The other very obvious one was have really good legal protection when you go into a partnership and a business, and I didnt. I mean, that was a life-changing moment for me. [Laughs] At Peloton, they actually did a really good job, I think, of bringing the community aspect into this at-home experience. Inhale intention, exhale expectation.. Zukerman become a co-founder of cycling fitness giants SoulCycle and Flywheel. But another phenomenon thats taken place is a lot of the kind of bigger businesses and corporations are now getting into this sector. You obviously have a product and a service that made people feel a certain way. So when I look back and look back at my leadership style, I think, Well, what was my leadership style, and where did it come from? The truth is my biggest experience was being a mom. And there really is no wrong decision. And they didnt know what happened, and that helped a little bit. the national park service is quizlet . And it was one of the hardest decisions I ever made, and I did it for two years. Sometimes I think about the fact that my two cofounders of SoulCycle are two women who I didnt know for a long time. There are Flywheel folks in the audience. And the other really key ingredient to success of boutique fitness is the personal connection that we would make with our riders. There werent the SoulCycles and other brands out there. on 25 August 2022, trading 915,000 units of FXLV stock currently worth $2,406,450. Pin. It's a balance. The second anecdote was about another trauma, which was the dissolution of my SoulCycle partnership. Ruth Zukerman: Sometimes it can get you into trouble. Flywheel offers an intense cardio workout with high calorie burn. 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. I would also not have predicted starting Flywheel at age 52. What was it like struggling through that version of success that wasnt your own? Mike: If youre not challenged, you wont change., Mike: Correct. Her father was a physician and her mother a psychotherapist. Cynt Marshall: Workplace Culture as a Measure of Success, Andy Dunn on Entrepreneurship, Bipolar Disorder, and Cofounder Divorce, Eric Yuan on Keeping Customers and Employees Happy, Diane Von Furstenberg: The Most Important Relationship Youll Have Is the One With Yourself, Big-Data Initiative in Intl. It was a horrible, horrible thing. That was incredibly helpful to me. The Levain founders are prime examples of that. What would be your advice for folks looking to reinvent themselves personally or professionally? Ruth Zukerman: I grew up on Long Island in a family of doctors. So I had a gym membership at what was the Reebok Club on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at the time. Now, she's coaching fellow spin enthusiasts and living nearby. Mike: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. She pioneered the boutique fitness industry by creating a pay-per-class structure and offering a more dedicated genre of group fitness, emphasizing customer service and quality experiences. The bride's father is a founder and senior partner of the Manhattan law firm Zukerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman. I was now a single mother, didnt have much on the financial front and had to figure out my life, again, having no idea how to even start. Im sure youve all read about it, and its part of the reason for their success. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. I had a very difficult marriage. If I was in a dance class, and my dance teacher said, Beautiful job, Ruth, that took me through my day. That has to do with not only making people feel good, but making everything easy for them. Would you believe she is in her 50s but looks 30-ish! It was literally my dream to do this. After studying dance in college and teaching fitness classes in New York City, she ended up co-founding two indoor cycling studios, SoulCycle and Flywheel.Now, as Creative Director at Flywheel, she teaches sold out weekly cycling classes. You described some of them. Its religion. 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. Tap it back.. What was the landscape like, because I imagine it was very different than today? I think people will always need this human connection that I just spoke about. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. We want to share them with everybody else. Would you believe she is in her 50's but looks 30-ish! And its this beautiful full-service gym that offered every kind of group fitness you can imagine swimming pool, basketball court, really incredible place. It was almost like a mini reinvention every time I took a class. 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? 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. So that was a big scratch-my-head moment. And Ive heard a lot of complaints about that from riders at both SoulCycle and Flywheel that the miss the way it used to be, and they miss the community and the attention that was given to the individual because its been lost. And so that was one of the motivating forces in my getting to where I got to with this concept of spinning. Its a human need that will never go away. I actually was just going to talk about the lawsuit, but I better not. Mike: Can you talk a little bit more about partnership? You talked about in terms of personality. Marc Cohn has denied having 'a so-called "affair"' with Flywheel Sports co-founder Ruth Zuckerman. That idea fell through. And I think that, again, as simplistic as it sounds, we do the best we can and thats it. All of my parents' friends were physicians in the medical community. Ruth Zukerman is the co-founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel, both wildly successful companies that innovated the studio cycling movement. flywheel ruth zukerman net worth. You know, that question is often verbalized by saying, What would you tell your 16-year-old self? And thats how Im looking at it. "Riders loved making a morning of it. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 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. Our separation agreement was signed, and I was packing up my things to leave. And every winter was it, your mother would write a card saying, Heres to a better year next year?. The major reason that people started to feel comfortable connecting with me, because I can only speak for myself, was because of my willingness to be vulnerable in front of people. Co-founder Ruth Zukerman was on Fox 5 DC's Good Day D.C. morning show with Holly Morris FOX 5 DC to dish the best tips to get fit -- check it out! Ruth Zukerman, co-founder of Soulcycle and Flywheel, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the rise of virtual workouts and how the pandemic could solidify the approach long term. References . It was an idea I had dreamed about, but never had the capital, and she did. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Mike: Right before meeting the would be founder of Flywheel, was there a moment? I doubted it in the beginning because SoulCycle for me was so much about the mindful component of the ride. Ruth Zukerman's path to entrepreneurship was nothing if not unconventional. But that was a moment where I really thought, I just hope one day I can say that about myself. And I already feel like I can. I found that despite what a difficult time that was for me, I would finish class and oddly feel empowered. Presenter: Please join me in welcoming Ruth Zukerman to the GSB. Zukerman: I believe resilience and reinvention go hand-in-hand. Zukerman: What I discovered through my own path is how important resilience is. I have to take a deep breath before this answer. Student Question My names Dan App. Ruth Zukerman is co-founder of indoor cycling businesses SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports. Student Question: My name is Laura, also an MBA-1. So you made it a cool, have-to-know-someone thing to walk through a gym and get to the back near the exit to find the SoulCycle gym. Eventually, the partnership didnt work out. And what I ended up doing is I ended up with two partners who were very much like my mother. Very often, reinvention follows the resilience-building phase that we go through. Despite my career and successes, and how incredibly fulfilling they were, as far as Im concerned, theres nothing more fulfilling than raising children and bringing incredible people into this world. And very quickly I realized everybody has trauma. The company has expanded across the country into South Florida, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, Los Angeles and more. But Im also hearing a lot in terms of people missing the group experience, the live experience, and wanting it back. It wasnt a light bulb moment necessarily to, Oh, I need to go create a brand. What did you find out when you did some of the soul searching that seemed to come from getting into the bike? 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. What role did dance play in your childhood? I'm among the legions of Flywheel fans who make Ruth's class part of our regular . I believe a lot of the reasons that went into my decision to get married at age 26 were probably not the right reasons. I think I would answer that by, again, going back to the empathy piece. And I dont have the answers actually. Leibson: Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or blogs you would recommend? They can either affirm or deny if that might be the right answer. She didnt know anything about teaching spin or what went into it. At 48 years old, Zukerman followed her entrepreneurial spirit and co-founded spin studio chain SoulCycle. From the co-founder of Flywheel and SoulCycle comes a story of perseverance and success. You can find her LinkedIn profile here, twitter here. Gabrielle Palay, Ruth Zukerman and Marc Murphy attend FLYWHEEL INAUGURAL RIDE at Sag Harbor on May 29, 2010 in New York City. Ruth Zukerman Net Worth What's Ruth Zukerman's mailing address? Ruth Zukerman: Yes. I got a full-time job at a catering company and I hated it. Obviously for women there is the biological clock and we need to pay attention to that. Whats going through your mind the night before you start SoulCycle? Flywheel has filed for bankruptcy. Required fields are marked *. I think the comforting piece of it is that every decision we make as we evolve and grow up actually does play a part in where we ultimately land. It sounds like you learned a lot about yourself first. Your email address will not be published. Ruth Zukerman's path to entrepreneurship was nothing if not unconventional. Ruth Zukerman: Well, truthfully, that was completely luck. uth Zukerman is the queen of spin. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Thanks so much for being here. So I really didnt have a clue. Meet Co-founder and Creative Director at Flywheel Sports, Ruth Zukerman. It worked. And so she clearly was a fan of mine, a big rider in my class and clearly recognized my passion for it. At the end of the day, thats what we all want. . Were seeing whats happening with the industry. A direct effect of this accomplishment is the fact that he has now become one of the richest persons on the entire planet. Ruth Zukerman: Yeah. So thanks for bringing all of us that experience. You touched on it a little bit, but maybe if you could talk more in-depth about what are some tangible things to help people understand what mental fitness could look like? When I graduated, I moved to New York City. Flywheel was acquired. 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 I went out there to see what I was going to do next. Mark Zuckerberg's net worth topped $100 billion for the first time on August 7, 2020. I needed a salary. Mike: Yeah. And its when two people are vulnerable that they connect. My mother decided it would be a good idea. Question number one. I love to reinforce for people that those are the moments where we get stronger, because failing is part of life. Because Ill top that offer, and we really want you to be here as just an instructor. And I dont even think I turned around, and I left. Mike: But a little bit of disagreement there. And there were so many positive parts of it. What are we going to do? Because we were in the back of a building. This is a BETA experience. Ruth Zukerman: This is definitely going to bite me in the ass some way. Im leaving. What do you mean youre leaving? And let us thank you, Ruth, for joining us today. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. When I was going through the divorce and the trauma that goes along with that, I started taking spin classes. 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. Ruth Zukerman: Honestly, Im looking forward to the rest of my life and everything thats happened thus far, everything that that will afford me in terms of my experiences. Ruth Zukerman: Really important question, and I get this all the time about choosing partners in business.