What does it take to begin again when a professional chapter that helped define you comes to an end?
Long before Ruth Zukerman co-founded SoulCycle and Flywheel, she was a shy girl navigating a challenging upbringing who found confidence, freedom and a sense of identity through dance. Years later, following divorce and a period of profound personal change, that same connection to movement helped her build two of the most influential brands in boutique fitness.
But the public success is only part of the story.
In this deeply honest conversation, Ruth reflects on the journey behind SoulCycle, her decision to leave and help create Flywheel, and the personal impact of navigating major professional transitions. She shares what it felt like when chapters so closely connected to her identity came to an end—and how she found the resilience to keep moving forward and imagine what could come next.
We talk about starting a business later in life, why there is no age at which you have to give up, the power of community, taking care of yourself when you feel at your lowest and discovering that resilience often appears when life asks you to continue without knowing exactly where the path will lead.
This is the personal story behind the public success—and a reminder that the end of one chapter does not take away your ability to create another.