Is the once fiercely fashionable SoulCycle spiraling out of control?
The cult fitness brand, which has made a name for itself by turning instructors into superstars and counting celebrities like Beyoncé, David Beckham, and Madonna as fans, is putting the brakes on some high-income earners.
In August, the company, which has struggled during the pandemic, announced it would close 20 of its 82 studios nationwide and lay off 75 employees.
We’re hearing now that some beloved instructors are taking pay cuts and slashing classes.
“People making $300 per class are now on a $100 base. And they get paid an extra few bucks for each rider who shows up,” the source said. some have reduced it to [per week]”
According to a 2020 article by Vox, star instructor Stacey Griffiths was able to make $800 per class at one point and had 15 classes a week. Instructors were also given bonuses for selling out classes, and received tips and expensive gifts from riders.
Janet Fitzgerald, a popular master instructor who has taught aspiring instructors the ropes, posted on Instagram earlier this month that her training director position had been sacked. To the dismay of her followers, she has only three classes left in her schedule.
“Complete shock. What a ridiculous story this is,” said one. “This is absolute madness,” said another.
Super Instructor appeal was the driving force behind the brand in its early days. Billionaires, fashionistas, and the most powerful types of people in town were on the waiting list to get into their favorite classes.
A 2013 New York Magazine article said, “The strength of a brand lies in the personality and charisma of its podium figure, and its careful connection with its audience.”
As one Soul devotee puts it, “Teachers feel very disconnected from the company because of how Soul and the business model were built. It’s really the teachers who create the atmosphere for the students.” explains.
Another source said, “These instructors were supposed to be like the next reality star.” [class] or whatever.
A Soul spokesperson said: We are moving towards a fairer and more sustainable wage model that continues to offer a premium for competitive sets while protecting the long-term health of our business. ”
In a longer interview with Yahoo, CEO Evelyn Webster explained: Reset instructor compensation… There was some imbalance across the salary range. ”
“We have some of the best rockstar instructors in the world, and we continue to pay a premium to the market. Reduce the premium in between and bring up other instructors.”
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