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. While I was in love with this person, I knew he was ambitious, confident, and would have a strong career. Eventually, the partnership didnt work out. Weve all had a lot of challenges growing up and in our adult life. 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. And that really started my ball rolling in terms of not only leaving the marriage, but starting to really learn about who I am and who I was. Im curious about other elements you wanted to bring into both of these brands as you were thinking about the concepts and how you brought them to life in the brands that you did create. We thought youd just be an instructor is what she said to me. Flywheel offers an intense cardio workout with high calorie burn. One of my Flywheel co-founders had been taking my classes at SoulCycle and decided he wanted to get in on this kind of business and came up with this great new innovation and approached me and I had confidence at that point to know, Yes, I can help these people and create this new method.. Ruth Zukerman: Well, my cofounder of Flywheel made it very easy because he came up with this idea of attaching technology to the bike and bringing this little computer screen to the bikes so that we could finally measure exactly what we were doing on the bike, how hard we were working, what our resistance levels were, how fast we were going. 1 Early life; 2 SoulCycle; 3 Flywheel Sports; 4 References; . She was narcissistic. And really, to a certain extent, what I did was I just transferred that experience onto a bike. I love to share that with people and its a big theme in my book because its so easy to want to throw in the towel when we get to these very low moments when things dont pan out. Gabrielle Palay, Ruth Zukerman and Marc Murphy attend FLYWHEEL INAUGURAL RIDE at Sag Harbor on May 29, 2010 in New York City. But, no, theres a lawsuit going on. That was something. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ruth and her allegedly lover, Cohn were spotted during outings. She divorced in 1989 according to an article from the nypost in 2011. When I started SoulCycle, we decided that people should applaud after the class. But it worked. I feel like when you decide to go after something, who you go in with is probably the most critical piece. They approached me and said, How would you like to do this with us? And I said, Done. I loved it. What would be your advice for folks looking to reinvent themselves personally or professionally? Its to be able to grow and scale and not compromise your product. 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. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Now, she's coaching fellow spin enthusiasts and living nearby. I never would have predicted that at the time. Ruth Zukerman net worth Apr, 2022 . And I knew that that would change the experience significantly. Were seeing how it is going into the digital realm. She lives in New York with her two daughters. So I know everyone is trying to think in that direction right now, and I think its so important. Ruth Zukerman and Sadie Kurzban, founders of Soul Cycle, Flywheel, and 305 Fitness, will discuss their origin stories and how women can achieve success and build economic security in any industry. Anthony Pompliano Net Worth Phone Number, House Address, Wiki, Ashley Massengill Net Worth | Bio, Family, Address, Career, Atlas Monroe Net Worth | Age, Height, Weight, Dating And More, Beyonce S Net Worth Phone Number, House Address, Wiki, Blue Ivy Net Worth Phone Number, House Address, Wiki. Pin. Im making very little money teaching these part-time classes and I need to figure it out. This seems, as you described, somewhat happenstance as you were approached by one of the cofounders. At SoulCycle, people had to reach for their wallet and pull out some cash for a bottle of water and shoe rental. So that kind of really spelled out my future. Leibson: You cofounded SoulCycle at age 48 and Flywheel at age 52. Question number one. Cohn has been married to 20/20 anchor Elizabeth Vargas since 2002. I believe a lot of the reasons that went into my decision to get married at age 26 were probably not the right reasons. Ruth Zukerman: Were on good terms. Ruth Zukerman is the cofounder of SoulCycle and Flywheel and the author of Riding High: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, Founded Flywheel, and Built the Life I Always Wanted. 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? Where is there space for innovation if at all? Mike: Can you talk a little bit more about partnership? Mike: So we have one last thing to do, which is somewhat of a tradition here called the Lightning Round. Look, in spinning, were seeing about the success of Peloton. And then Ill share who said it. Yeah. The other very obvious one was have really good legal protection when you go into a partnership and a business, and I didnt. And there were so many positive parts of it. Ruth is a single mother of twins Kate & Rachel, 21. The health, wellness and fitness guru from New York City, has been a leading fitness instructor on the East Coast for the past 30 years. Youre paying up for it, and youre paying for an instructor spending two hours the night before making his or her playlist. Obviously for women there is the biological clock and we need to pay attention to that. Its that resilience that allows us to pursue and persevere. I thought I was talented, but the truth was, I wasnt good enough especially if I wanted to stay in New York. We were about including everyone, every shape, size and color. Can we spend a minute just on those types of setbacks? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I think people will always need this human connection that I just spoke about. Im a first-year MBA student. Flywheel has filed for bankruptcy. Youve got another hour of these. Stanford GSBs View From The Top is the deans premier speaker series. It launched in 1978 and is supported in part by the F. Kirk Brennan Speaker Series Fund. [1] She is currently Flywheel's Creative Director and continues to teach several sold-out classes every week nationwide. Ruth Zukerman: It played a huge role. According to her website, Ruth received her education at Mount Holyoke College and has taken extensive courses in anatomy and exercise physiology. 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 every day I walked in to teach class, I would have to look at both of them. And I remember probably a year ago the dissolution happened in 2007. You got into the health and wellness space when it was really nascent. As a former dancer with a background in anatomy and physiology, Zukerman has long been. This is important. 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. Mike: Yeah, exactly. 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. Here are some highlights from our conversation: Hayley Leibson: For Forbes readers that haven't yet read your book, can you please give an overview of your background? Weve all been through traumas, you know? You couldnt see us from the street. And so she put me in dance class. the national park service is quizlet . I think it was a combination of my own evolution and the right circumstances at the right time. You described overcoming challenges like the relationship with your mother that often get overlooked when we talk about the typical type of challenges here in Silicon Valley or in leadership or entrepreneurship. As far of the whole notion of doing it all and how do you find that balance? 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. The Levain founders are prime examples of that. 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? They didnt have to wait in line to get shoes. Open yourself up to the possibility that the best part of your life hasnt happened yet. Plato or SoulCycle? I think thats always an ongoing challenge. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. SoulCycle was acquired. Ruth Zukerman is the co-founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel, both wildly successful companies that innovated the studio cycling movement. Ruth Zukerman: I have been going out to the Hamptons for 22 years. Its like my church. You can find that, and thats amazing, or you can find the opposite. And I thought, I dont know. Ruth Zukerman: You know, it was about making people feel comfortable in every way. That was also a set of circumstances. Our separation agreement was signed, and I was packing up my things to leave. Check Background Get Contact Info . Mike: Just staying on that point for a minute, you describe in your memoir that years later after launching very successful brands and being a very successful entrepreneur in almost any dimension that you look at entrepreneurship from, you were divorced and not yet remarried. And every winter was it, your mother would write a card saying, Heres to a better year next year?. I thought I was good. But thats not the case either. But another phenomenon thats taken place is a lot of the kind of bigger businesses and corporations are now getting into this sector. Flywheel co-founder Ruth Zuckerman says the answer is absolutely-- and there's a formula to make it worth your while. A few years later, she left that partnership and co-founded spin studio chain Flywheel. As important as it is for our physical health to keep working out, whether its cardiovascular health or physical strength, we cant ignore the incredible importance of our mental health. I actually was just going to talk about the lawsuit, but I better not. They were pre-submitted. Mike: Just between us friends here in the room. Mike: Would you prefer if this was an interview on bikes right now? In addition to making more money each day, Ruth Zukerman is becoming more and more well-known by the day. They so tied in to the spin class that I eventually helped to create. For the entire time I was at SoulCycle and Flywheel, we never advertised once. Ruth Zukerman: Well, it had major repercussions for me because growing up with a mother like that, your self-esteem is not going to be very high. Ruth Zukerman's path to entrepreneurship was nothing if not unconventional. But there was like a prestige about going to SoulCycle. Employees at Flywheel Sports rate Ruth Zukerman higher than employees at Orangetheory Fitness rate Dave Long So what a formula for success in our businesses. And then theyre going to Barrys twice a week. Being a dancer, I choreograph to music. 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. This venture didnt work out, and its a painful next two years. Did you ever think about what life could have been had you not taken that risk? You want everyone to be as motivated as you are as a founder. Mike: When I wrote these down, I actually couldnt remember who said what, so I had to go back. So you get into spinning. She didnt know anything about teaching spin or what went into it. But again, it eventually became just what you said; people had to know about it to go there. And the industry is definitely changing. It's easy to look at successful entrepreneurs like Ruth Zukerman, cofounder of immensely popular spin studios SoulCycle and Flywheel, and assume their paths unfolded effortlessly before them.. Ruth Zukerman: Well, I really focused a lot on my experience and how it helped me. Ruth Zukerman: Sometimes it can get you into trouble. What was the landscape like, because I imagine it was very different than today? Flywheel is unlike any other indoor . Its in our culture of society. Ruth Zukerman: Clearly Im not giving them any credit. Mike: Thank you, Ruth. Zukerman become a co-founder of cycling fitness giants SoulCycle and Flywheel. Would you believe she is in her 50's but looks 30-ish! As far as products go, someone recently gifted me with a Theragun. Ruth Zukerman: [Laughs] Thanks for that perspective. 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. What does the audience think? Last one. Nice. Simultaneous to that I had twin girls, and my marriage from very early on wasnt working. So at SoulCycle, literally everyone walked in, waited online and signed up on a list, a paper, a list. [Laughs] We were very big on empathy. His success has come from the rising of hard work. 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. I still get really upset and angry when I think about it. And it helped us in terms of the culture we built with our employees and with our customer base. It was an idea I had dreamed about, but never had the capital, and she did. I made this difficult decision to leave the marriage, 6-year-old twin girls in tow. At 51, she co-founded a new business, the highly successful Flywheel, and built the life she'd always dreamed of. Mike: Yeah. 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. Peloton riders having conventions basically and getting together all over the world. This new venture, however, didnt come without its own uncertainties and challenges, which Zukerman overcame through persistence and a newfound sense of confidence. It sounds like you learned a lot about yourself first. Inhale intention, exhale expectation.. When I was going through the divorce and the trauma that goes along with that, I started taking spin classes. Zukerman: What I discovered through my own path is how important resilience is. There are Flywheel folks in the audience. I really need to figure out myself first before that falls into place. bag9 ! And I do feel that there will always be room for the group fitness part of the fitness industry. All right. You were against expanding super fast and getting off to the races. My question was around the therapy topic you mentioned. Again, no different than a dance class. And so I looked at how I raised my children and what my style was in raising my children. And we might get to that later. Besides that, I love Splits59 and Lululemons Align Leggings. Wealth Milestones. I got a full-time job at a catering company and I hated it. Ruth Zukerman: I grew up on Long Island in a family of doctors. You obviously have a product and a service that made people feel a certain way. I knew it would be a way to change the industry. Mike: Can you walk us through that transition of leaving Soul? According to Page Six's secret sources, Marc was spotted with Ruth Zuckerman, co-founder of Flywheel in NYC. And I dont have the answers actually. She recently authored Riding High: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, Co-Founded Flywheel, and Built the Life I Always Wanteda refreshingly authentic and spectacular memoir about realizing your own potential and building a fulfilling life. You describe a moment where in your first center, I believe, they wouldnt allow you to put signage on the outside of the street entrance. But I was intimidated and didnt know if I could really get myself in there by myself and try it, but I did. So I had a gym membership at what was the Reebok Club on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at the time. The bride's father is a founder and senior partner of the Manhattan law firm Zukerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman. Her father was a physician and her mother a psychotherapist. Student Question My names Dan App. And I was clueless as to what I was going to next. The CEO of Bonobos shares stories of the companys creation at the GSB and his journey through a mental health diagnosis. According to Page Six, the TV anchor and her husband who are parents of two children were friends with Zukerman before becoming regulars at her Flywheel spin classes. I find winter in the Hamptons just as beautiful as the summer. Its religion. At the end of the day, thats what we all want. And I found it very intriguing. And Elizabeth, one of my cofounders, came up with the idea of just putting this rickshaw outside, painting it yellow and putting the name of our business on it to attract attention. Other names that Ruth uses includes Ruth M Zuckererman, Ruth M Nm-zuckerman, Ruth I Zuckerman and Ruth M Zuckerman. Ruth Zukerman: A lot of pride and appreciation really for everything that led up to it. After attempting to make it as a . And I couldnt do it. 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. Zukerman: I love hearing stories about female co-founders finding each other and starting businesses together. 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! I think theres something to be said for putting off having a family to a certain degree, because its so important to go through your own evolution, building self confidence, and achieving some degree of success before you start a family. [Laughs] At Peloton, they actually did a really good job, I think, of bringing the community aspect into this at-home experience. . Its an amazing story about beating the odds and persevering. 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. It was literally a hole in the wall on 72nd Street. My mother decided it would be a good idea. There wasnt much room for me, wasnt much room for my voice. I believe [unintelligible] as an instructor for Soul, which must have been weird. You described some of them. Duh. And I used to see these spin classes going on. Ruth Zukerman: 26:20 It had already been my dream, but I never had the capital to do it. So immediately at Flywheel we thought, were adding technology to the bike, so lets be consistent, and lets have small portable laptops set up in our lobby area so people dont have to wait in line and people can sign up by themselves. And it was one of the hardest decisions I ever made, and I did it for two years. Ruth Zukerman: You like to do this in person? I'm among the legions of Flywheel fans who make Ruth's class part of our regular . We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. And we learn an enormous amount with every decision we make along the way. . Mike: So I want to take us back, all the way back. Okay, thank you. Leibson: How did you get into group exercise and spinning classes? Back to my mother, she was a difficult woman. So my ex-husband had anger management issues. I get frustrated sometimes because women need to support women always. And at the moment it fell through, I felt like nothing but a failure. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Meet Co-founder and Creative Director at Flywheel Sports, Ruth Zukerman. And so I went back to her, and I said, Okay, well I got this offer, and then sure enough, she topped the offer very generously, and I decided to do it. Ruth Zukerman: So, its a good question because its thinking about the future of all of this. 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. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Miller, Gerri (July 11, 2018). Leibson: Do you have any tips on navigating cofounder relationships? 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. Was there a moment where you did look back and you think, Im now caring for a family solely on my shoulders. Her mother is a co-founder of Flywheel Sports, an indoor cycling business; she is . Mike: If youre not challenged, you wont change., Mike: Correct. 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. I think we have a few from the audience. 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. On this podcast episode, Diane Von Furstenberg, founder of the DVF clothing line, discusses the importance of character in bouncing back from setbacks. So, if I hadnt been there, I guess that never would have happened. Im a first-year MBA. What was it like struggling through that version of success that wasnt your own? Ruth Zukerman: This is definitely going to bite me in the ass some way. The fitness company was in business for 10 years and once had 40 studios across the United States. Its called, Who Said it Best - Play-Doh or SoulCycle?. 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 . Unlike SoulCycle, Flywheel makes it possible for members to track their performance by displaying their score on a. Ruth Zukerman: The night before we opened? Because I cant seem to get past this trauma. A Long-Island native, Ruth had no exposure to business growing up. She somehow had a keen sense that indoor cycling was going to be a huge trend and she wasted no time turning it into a lucrative business. Whats inspiring to me about their business, is despite their tremendous growth, their product is just as good as when they started. Leibson: What led to you start SoulCycle and Flywheel? That has to do with not only making people feel good, but making everything easy for them. Mike: Anytime. That was the start of Flywheel which opened in 2010. I drive inclusion in technology and product to improve the world. Thats only when the reinvention can happen. And again, at that moment, I had no idea what a huge part my experience with dance would play in my future career. 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. Ruth Zukerman never imagined starting a company. Okay. At what point did that start to happen where people would share with you that type of reaction? Ruth Zukerman attends FLYWHEEL INAUGURAL RIDE at Sag Harbor on May 29, 2010 in New York City. What I learned in retrospect was that showing up for these spin classes was at the time my way of taking care of myself physically and mentally. Mike: Its a very simple game. It was literally my dream to do this. Ruth Zukerman Net Worth What's Ruth Zukerman's mailing address? I would also not have predicted starting Flywheel at age 52. Ruth Zukerman's love for Sag Harbor runs deep, and so do her roots in the community. That was what she was bringing to the game. Nothing beautiful without struggle. Plato or SoulCycle? I will say a quote, and you will have the option of saying, Is it a quote said in a SoulCycle class or by Plato? And then if you want, we can then ask the audience, kind of like an ask-the-audience question. Ruth is the author of Riding High: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, Founded Flywheel, and Built the Life I Always Wanted. And Im a huge proponent of therapy. Ruth Zukerman discovered spinning at a difficult crossroads in her life, and she was thrilled when it turned into her next entrepreneurial endeavor: opening her own spin studio. Were seeing whats happening with the industry. And so that was one of the motivating forces in my getting to where I got to with this concept of spinning. So I think there will be both. What I saw very early on was that there was this very strong mental component that kicked in during the 45 minutes in class. We might not have the answers when were 37. When I graduated, I moved to New York City. And one of my SoulCycle cofounders looked at me and said, Where are you going? And I looked at her like she has three heads. There was a reason why I was there. Ruth Zukerman - a co-founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel, Ruth Zukerman's rise to entrepreneurial stardom, began with the acceptance that her career as a dancer would never take off. Thanks so much for your time. Ruth Zukerman is the Co-Founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel. So, again, customer service is huge. They can either affirm or deny if that might be the right answer. 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. Mike: Going right there to that moment in life where you describe being divorced with two young daughters; I think they were 6 years old; is that right? Ive accomplished everything that I ever set out to do and have enjoyed my life fully. And then you respond by saying that, In that moment, as much as I couldnt help feeling my own sorrow, I was also inspired by his courage and his resolve.. So that kind of speaks to wanting to bring it back full circle to a certain degree. 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. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Presenter: Please join me in welcoming Ruth Zukerman to the GSB. Ruth Zukerman is co-founder of indoor cycling businesses SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports . In late 2021 his net worth peaked at $137 billion, which made him the third-richest person . Flywheel was acquired. And the businesses have changed a lot because theyve gotten more corporate, and theyve gotten less personal. While I was working there, I was set up on a blind date and met my future husband. r**** Having "co-founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports" on your resume is kind of a big deal. And you brought up the dance classes before. A question I have is around something you mentioned earlier. Its a human need that will never go away. Ruth Zukerman is the co-founder of SoulCycle and Flywheel, both wildly successful companies that innovated the studio cycling movement. Meet Co-founder and Creative Director at Flywheel Sports, Ruth Zukerman. In this View From The Top episode, the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks shares why it takes a diverse and inclusive workplace culture to get things done. And it wasnt until therapy in fact, my first therapy session ever where I sat down and my motivation was my father was dying, and I had no idea how I was going to go on with that.