Empower Hour With Elizabeth Cutler

At Generation Love Clothing, our mission is to create clothing that empowers women to feel confident, motivated, and ready to achieve their goals, while cultivating a community where they feel uplifted and supported. As part of this mission, we’re introducing our "Empower Hour" Q&A series. Through these interviews, we’ll be highlighting women who inspire us with their achievements, whether they’re leading companies, excelling in high-level positions, or balancing the responsibilities of managing a household. This series is about celebrating self-confidence, positivity, and the many ways women define success. Welcome to Empower Hour!

In our recent interview, Elizabeth Cutler, co-founder of SoulCycle and Peoplehood, shares the journey behind the launch of the fitness phenomenon in 2006 and its remarkable ascent to success. She delves into the challenges of starting a business, her commitment to fostering a sense of community, and the significance of hospitality in cultivating a loyal following. Elizabeth further explores Peoplehood, a venture focused on enhancing personal relationships through guided group conversations, emphasizing the importance of connection and emotional support. Her dedication to both her colleagues and customers is a true testament to her leadership and vision.

R.H: Hi, everyone. I'm so excited to be sitting down with one of my biggest inspirations, Elizabeth Cutler, who founded SoulCycle in 2006. She’s also going to talk to us about a new project called Peoplehood. I can’t wait to jump right in and discuss all these amazing things that are happening. SoulCycle—it's a huge phenomenon and a phenomenal wellness... What would you call it exactly? It’s almost like a cult, not a cult, but what’s a good word for cult?

E.C: A good cult.

R.H: It's a good cult. It has such a following. I just want to say.

R.H: What was that like? Did you expect that when you first launched SoulCycle? Tell me a little about the process.


E.C: Well, it’s so interesting because I remember once the company really started to gain momentum, everyone was like, "Oh my God, you did this overnight." And we always joke about the 10-year overnight success or the 15-year overnight success—how things that are good take time.We started in 2006 when Julie and I randomly met. We weren’t friends. It was the best blind date ever. We just started—probably similar to what you and Audrey had—finishing each other's sentences and really sharing the same vision for what an experience could be like and what we personally needed in our lives. I was missing the hikes I went on with friends after work, the camaraderie, and the cardio that came with it. In the city, I didn’t know anyone and had this need for community. We wanted to create an experience where people felt held for an hour and could feel like they had some kind of service because, at that time, I mean...

R.H: There was nothing, right?

E.C: There wasn’t anything. I also felt like, every time I went somewhere, the meaner people were, the more they called that service. I was like, "That’s twisted. I don’t understand that."

R.H: Yeah.

E.C: Obviously, that’s changed so much in terms of focusing on hospitality for brands. But we found that if we could create something that met our needs, maybe it would meet other people’s needs too. And it really did catch on quickly, but every day was a slog.

R.H: Yeah.

E.C: People think things are easy, but they’re not.

R.H: Right.

R.H: What was your first studio like, and where was it?

E.C: Our first studio? I found it on Craigslist.

R.H: No! I love that. That’s so New York, actually.

E.C: So New York. The other thing that’s so New York is how many lifetimes these buildings have had. It was a mortuary, turned into a dance studio. Fortunately, we had it as a dance studio and found it on Craigslist. It was a five-year sublet from the American Academy of Dance. We thought, "Why not? Let’s just try it."

R.H: Where was that located? Was it around here?

E.C: It was on 72nd Street, between Columbus and Amsterdam. I thought if we were close to the express trains, maybe some people would come from downtown.

R.H: They'll just come.

E.C: Which they did, ultimately. That location is great—good neighborhood and community. Julie lived up there, right across the street. God bless her, she was putting the garbage out at 5 a.m.

R.H: Oh my God.

R.H: That’s dedication. As a business owner, I completely understand that sentiment. You have to put in the time. You have to give to get. At the end of the day, you get what you give.

E.C: That’s true. Also, if you create an environment where people feel like they’re a part of something and held in it, people want to engage. There’s a big return on investment—emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially—if you do that. We always believed in trying our best, giving our best, and creating the best experience possible for people.

R.H: At that time, SoulCycle was very different from other types of group fitness. You offered a higher level of hospitality. It felt like you were entering a more... I don’t want to say exclusive, but it was almost an elevated space where you felt important as a customer.

E.C: Oh, yeah. That’s so important. These experiences require people to take time out of their day. It’s an investment for them, so it has to be worth it.

R.H: Right.

E.C: We felt if we made it worth it for ourselves, it would be worth it for others. And listen, the first classes weren’t good.

R.H: Who taught them?

E.C: Oh my God. Fortunately, a few people showed up who really resonated with us, and we all got each other. Once you have that shared vision, you can do a lot. But the start is always inelegant because you're figuring out how to put the pieces together to reflect how you want to feel. It took us a minute, but we got there.

R.H: So what do you think was the most rewarding part of SoulCycle?

E.C: Well, I think, you know, Julie and I probably have maybe different answers about this, but also maybe the same. I mean, for me, honestly, I was just so proud of the people. It was the people. The people were so rewarding. I loved the people that we worked with. I loved the people who walked through our doors.

"I felt so grateful to go to work every day. I would just wake up in the morning and be like, I'm going to work!"

R.H: That’s amazing.

E.C: And to be able to have that kind of enthusiasm and desire is so amazing. I mean, it's just such a blessing. And hopefully, some other people felt like that too.

R.H: Well, I think so. You know, I think the success that it became says something about that. I think it comes from the top. Like, it comes from you and the energy you put into it and the positive vibes you put into it.

And that waking up, excited to go to work—not everyone loves what they do.

Watch the full interview with Elizabeth Cutler, where she shares the story behind launching SoulCycle, the importance of building community, and how her new venture, Peoplehood, is shaping the future of connection.