Equinox And SoulCycle To Launch Full-Service Talent Management Agency; WME To Serve In Advisory Role
Posted: July 19, 2018 in Chains
Equinox
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Equinox, the high-performance lifestyle leader, along with SoulCycle, the leading lifestyle boutique studio, announced the development of a talent management agency exclusively representing their leading, market-defining fitness talent. The management agency will launch with a network of employees from across the brands’ global portfolio of Fitness Clubs and Studios.
From social media development and follower growth to unlocking large-scale lifestyle sponsorship deals, the agency –supported with advisory from WME– will exclusively empower Equinox and SoulCycle talent with multi-channel resources to maximize the full scope of their professional and personal potential.
“If we’ve learned one thing in our 27 years of innovation and leadership, it’s that our people define our experience—and our excellence. While we have always been recognized for the impact that our talent has on our community, our fitness experts will become exponentially more influential with the creation of our talent agency,” said Equinox Group Executive Chairman and Managing Partner, Harvey Spevak. “We are now poised to offer our star employees an exclusive, monumental opportunity. With our support, guidance and representation, our top talent can meaningfully grow their personal brands, develop key partnerships and ultimately generate additional income.”
“SoulCycle was founded on human connection, and community spirit is at the core of our experience and our brand,” said SoulCycle CEO Melanie Whelan. “Our instructors are the heartbeat of our tribe. They act as motivational coaches, and the strong bonds they develop with our riders create transformational energy inside our studios. We look forward to supporting our world class talent both personally and professionally with this new initiative.”
Slated to roll out in phases with a pilot currently underway, the new management agency will transcend the Equinox and SoulCycle portfolios to provide group fitness, personal training, instructors and other talent with tools, skills and training to cultivate their brands, accelerate digital exposure and secure meaningful partnership and sponsorship opportunities. WME will advise the agency on overall talent management and representation.
This latest initiative builds on Equinox’s and SoulCycle’s long-standing commitment to talent career-growth opportunities, inclusive of professional development and educational programs. Most recently, Equinox launched its globally recognized talent incubator, PROJECT by Equinox, inviting existing and newly identified fitness stars to launch their own concepts and build their own brands with the support of the Equinox ecosystem. SoulCycle further engaged its top talent in late 2017 with the launch of SoulAnnex, which empowers current instructors to develop formats off the bike. The concept was conceived in part as a response to feedback that riders wanted to spend even more time with SoulCycle’s star talent.
