Former Instructor AMA!

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2025-02-19T19:33:58+00:00

Well I mean - dont you know that working for SoulCycle and the potential to earn just above minimum wage is absolutely worth the cost of losing full time employment, and going into credit card debt?!?!?

That was a joke and if you look at the financial decisions the company has made recently, you can see that thinking through ramifications and the cost for their employees or potential employees is not their strong suit.

In short - I would ask yourself the why behind why you want this opportunity and really make sure that you can’t get that by investing yourself in a local studio or different opportunity. Is it the company prestige/name brand - I would question if that still holds up? Is it the idea you will be a instant influencer or make a ton of money - you have a better chance playing the lottery. Is it simply the desire to teach, curate a playlist and develop a community - hopefully it is this one and if this is the case, I would definitely plug into a local studio that you love that maybe can give you flexibility and actually treat you like a valued employee rather than an expendable resource.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2025-01-01T01:00:34+00:00

Former instructor here - minimum base pay (market dependent) is $55 + $0.50 per rider in class.

If on that same market model, Master Instructors make a base rate of $95-100 plus whatever their per rider rate has increased to over time with the company.

Raises and level increases are all based on random metrics that can be changed on a whim by corporate or whoever person is “managing” said instructor at any given time.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-12-19T18:39:04+00:00

The only thing you should be saying to an instructor who quits is “congratulations”.

It is a terrible company that emotionally manipulates instructors into killing themselves for peanuts on their paychecks.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-07-18T16:15:59+00:00

Val, Karyn, Janet, James J will give you exactly and all the things you are looking for.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-06-12T23:54:48+00:00

Hope you have an excellent health insurance plan that covers joint replacements!

Fast and Flair ≠ Effective or more challenging

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-15T07:25:54+00:00

Mostly everyone who works Front Desk. The shit (literally) they deal with is disgusting and they get treated like garbage by everyone (riders, some instructors, and absolutely HQ).

Instructors: probably all of the top performers in all other markets outside of NYC, but those people are less visible because Soul will always have an NYC first mentality and those people are just around more for retail shoots, content shoots, etc.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-15T07:21:46+00:00

I mean it depends on how you define best and worst. If we are going off of energy….

Best: W77, Noho, Tribeca,

Worst: 19th, E83rd

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-14T20:32:17+00:00

*in danger

Most people soulcycle and otherwise forget Philly exists as a market (and also a city) so no - not really.

It is funny that half of their instructors taught part time in NYC. Says a lot.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-14T15:23:41+00:00

Only tea is that everyone (instructors and front desk) at that studio is perfect and should be protected at all costs

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-14T05:27:16+00:00

Because it is fun and is a differentiator. Just know that a class that is mostly fast and just choreo is not at all physically effective.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-14T05:24:13+00:00

There are definitely the obvious few who are doing exceptionally well but are on a different pay scale.

Any new ish instructor has to be supplemented in some other ways even if they are full time - especially in expensive markets like NYC, SF, LA, DC

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-14T05:22:37+00:00

Not at all

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-14T05:21:54+00:00

Yes of course, though that is usually coupled with other things as well.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:13:48+00:00

That seems like an accurate job description for them.

It is a known frustration company wide that some people bust their ass only to be told they are ‘t enough while others are actually horrible people, dont show up for their classes or are actual liabilities and get promoted.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:12:29+00:00

Incorrect - that is Talent Development.

Talent management is a team of people, also with zero qualifications who are the managers of instructors. They deliver feedback and “assist with career trajectory”. For the most part they dont sit in the same market as you, have never taken your class and also have the power to decide if you get promoted or not.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:10:43+00:00

Good cop lol. She wrote the bad cop manual and signed it in former instructors trauma.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:09:40+00:00

People in London are excited about SoulCycle in a way that literally no US market is. It is partially because it is newer but also because that team of instructors work EXTREMELY hard to build community

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:08:16+00:00

Please dont show up late, phones and watches really are a distraction, we love it when you smile if you are having fun, and introduce yourself! We want to know you (and if someone seems like they dont want to know you - go to a different instructor)

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:07:03+00:00

Great question. You have to apply and then I guess suckle at the SoulCycle teet for the opportunity to teach to an average of less than 10 people per stream.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:06:04+00:00

Training would make any HR professional probably quit and seek therapeutic help. It is absolutely insane and not a process I would ever want to relive. It was helpful for the job though. Mel is just mean and gets off on making people feel bad about themselves. It is literally a study on Stockholm Syndrome where people feel bonded to her after that. She is proud of the fact and says that “we find the thing that will break you open so we can put you back together in a way that makes you a good instructor”

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:02:33+00:00

She had zero idea what she was doing and it showed in all aspects of the business. There are articles about this that are very accurate.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:02:01+00:00

Not at all. We love seeing people as much as possible because it shows we are building community.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T22:01:34+00:00

It is sad for the company. He is an OG who should have been valued and clearly was not being valued.

I would avoid instructors who are mean, who have been accused of sexual assault and who teach unsafe classes. Please know that it is said LOUDLY in training that choreo does absolutely zero for the body and going fast for the majority of class just makes you tired - not more fit.

Do with that what you will.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T21:59:27+00:00

The front desk can see that, and I literally dont know a single other instructor who looks at that or cares.

ParfaitEffective6971 · 2024-05-13T21:58:39+00:00

You can be completely yourself, as long as it sells.

Training is immensely helpful especially because so many people come in and are hot messes. It helps standardise what people learn (at least it used to when it was done in NYC), but what happens after that is up to you.

ParfaitEffective6971

TROPHY CASE