SoulCycle is possibly one of the most successful and valuable fitness businesses of all time. Founded in 2006 as a single studio on New York City’s Upper West Side, the company operated 99 studios before the pandemic sent ripple effects across many industries.
The luxury Equinox gym brand — owned by American real estate giant Related Group — acquired the majority shares in SoulCycle in 2006 from the two female founders for $90 million dollars respectively. Today, the company is valued at around $900 million.
The brand’s power goes far beyond the studios and around the world. SoulCycle is known for its cult-like following, with classes that induce obsession, all-encompassing passion and a hypnotic state. This is a result of the heady combination of a candlelit room and synchronized, rhythmic riding with theatrical-instructors-cum-inspirational-coaches who make you feel anything is possible.
In business terms, it’s a curated, unique experience that keeps consumers wanting more and willing to spend more for — creating a loyal customer base that no competitor can take.
Being a successful real estate agent is about having a strong brand-building game and an entrepreneurial swagger. Ultimately, your success lies in the power of the personal brand that you’ve build and a daily demand for the same kind of drive, dedication and resilience as an athlete’s — that’s the secret sauce.
So, I called on Edward Pagac and David Zint, SoulCycle master instructors who’ve been filling up Los Angeles studios with their notoriously addictive and inspirational rides for the past decade. Here are their top tips for using the SoulCycle athlete mindset to achieve success in business and life.
1. Start the day right
Consistent morning rituals are an essential part of having a successful day, but what works is very subjective. Prayer, gratitude exercises, working out and meditation are just some methods to put you in the right mindset from the get-go.
2. Fail forward
Progress can’t happen without failure. When we are ready to fail, we are ready to succeed. When we are willing to fall down, we are willing and ready to rise and soar.
3. Success is tied to authenticity
The world is made up of companies and individuals who have been told “no” but kept going because they believed in the authenticity they were bringing to the table and their markets.
4. Change your thoughts to change your life
The only limitations we have are the ones we believe. Sometimes, you have to close your eyes and really visualize what you wish to achieve and what you want your life to look like. Thinking about success and really seeing what that looks like is a powerful way to bring it into existence.
5. What we water is what will grow — good or bad
It’s important to allow negative thoughts to happen without cementing our lives in them and watering them. Being mindful about where our attention goes is the difference between peace and joy, and fear and despair. We will always have doubt, but doubt is really just success testing our spirit.
6. The win lies in the journey
The climb to the top of the mountain is far more important than actually getting to the top of that mountain — because it’s along the way that we discover who we really are. The work it takes to get to the peak is the work that will serve us on our next climb. The journey really is the destination.
7. Work hard to be lucky
Regardless of the state you’re in, showing up daily — when you’re tired, demotivated and finding it hard — eventually pays off. Consistency and hard work make you lucky.
8. Nothing worth having comes easily
It never looks the way you think it will. It’s always so much more complicated and more difficult than we can ever imagine. That said, those are the things that are usually worth it in the end.
9. Set goals, make a plan and keep going
Write down tangible goals you want to achieve, and create a plan that’ll help you get there. Along the way, celebrate the wins and mourn the losses — and most importantly, keep going.
10. Listen to your gut and intuition
Give weight to your intuition — it usually works to serve you well in life and business. When you trust your gut and do the work, you’ll never go wrong.
Tamara Bakir is a global real estate advisor with Vista Sotheby’s International Realty in Los Angeles, Dubai and Miami. Connect with her on Instagram or Facebook.
