The Ali Forney Center’s Post

Get a fresh start with a Peloton

Upon stepping into the CEO role at Peloton, Barry McCarthy sent a memorable email to the whole team. These 10 guiding principles he envisions for the company resonated with me quite a bit: 1. Be stubborn on vision, flexible on details 2. Fast is as slow as we go 3. Intuition drives testing. Data drives decision making 4. Your comfort zone is your worst enemy 5. Talent density is foundational 6. Stress context, not control, freedom, and responsibility 7. Understand in order to be understood 8. Get real 9. Think from first principles 10. Put first things first Which one is your favorite?

Gaining a client’s trust isn’t an easy feat. Zach Trinca & Benjamin Gabe Nazario discuss how they gained the trust of the Peloton for Business team and what that meant for them during their most recent project with the Peloton. Shoutout to: Lauren Kaplan, Elgan Wade Lance & A.J. Levine for trusting us through this process! #WeAreBGFilms #VideoInnovatorDebrief #OnePeloton #ContentTips #VideoTips #ProductionTips #Peloton

What’s possible with persistence? It took 6 weeks of persistance and patience. Six weeks ago I was on my computer, at 7am trying to register for a Peloton Interactive live class in NYC. It filled up before I could finish my credit card details. I signed up for every class waitlist I could. I left my one day I could take Peloton class in NYC open, figuring I’d line up for hours to try and get in. The second my plane landed, I got the notification to register. I’ve got quite a few Peloton fanatics on this feed, honestly, a totally worth it surreal experience. Getting into this 45-minute Peloton class with Selena Samuela was a lot like what I experience being a founder…you just have to keep pushing. Sometimes it’s not something tangible you need to push, but a mindset change. In the earlier days before achieving a consistent online business, decisions were about survival, not growth. It was all about not out of running out of money. Now with a proven concept, it’s about investing in decisions and partners that pay off in the long-term decision. But I do find I have to push my mindset to adapt. What was then, is not now. Just putting this out there for those that need to hear: keep pushing. #mindset #founderlife

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 Three years ago, in January 2020, I made a whimsical decision that would redefine my personal journey - I got a Peloton bike. Admittedly, after investing nearly $2000 on a whim, my heart raced with doubt. "What if I hate it?" But a more invigorating thought persisted: "What if I 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 it?" That very question catapulted me into a nearly four-year transformative journey with Peloton. This platform has become more than just a stationary bike in my living room. It's been my solace, my cheering squad, and a mirror reflecting my potential back at me. I've laughed with it, shed tears, and more often than not, found myself awestruck by what I could achieve. The Peloton community has been a beacon of support, especially during my life's darkest phases. Their unwavering camaraderie and inspiration have reiterated the age-old saying, "It takes a village." This village of fellow riders has become my tribe, my outlet, my community. Sharing this today on LinkedIn, I hope to inspire someone out there to leap into the unknown, find their community, and discover outlets they never knew they needed. Because sometimes, the best decisions start with a simple question: "What if I love it?" 🚴♂️💙 #Community #PelotonJourney #FindingYourTribe

THIS is the reason that Peloton hasn't ~completely~ failed... We all know Peloton has had some serious brand struggles. The company shares are dirt cheap. I haven't seen a positive headline about them in ages. And please let's not forget the unfortunate SATC cameo ft. Mr. Big. Tough. But they're still kicking. And here's why: Personal. Branding. As a Peloton user, the instructors are the only reason I keep coming back. Instructors have created their own communities and personal hashtags. Their personal brands create and grow the 'Peloton Community'. THEY are what makes the brand special. Now, who's to say how long the company can survive... But I fully believe that Peloton is still here because they allow employees to: ✨ Thrive and engage with the community in their own unique ways ✨ At the end of the day, people buy from people. Not brands. Am I crazy? Or is there something else keeping them afloat?

For the past couple of days, I have consoled and supported my previous colleagues as they have “unclipped” for their last ride with Peloton. I feel a responsibility to advocate for some of the feelings that can’t be expressed due to the social customs and expectations of the saturated job market they face as they pursue their next opportunities. During the pandemic, Peloton exploded, and for anyone who was there, you remember how amazing the experience was. We grew so fast! I remember an all-hands meeting a team member described us as a “6-foot 5th grader trying to learn.” The pandemic tapered off, and manufacturing, logistics, and financial challenges soon arose. During this existential crisis, upper management became more concerned with self-preservation rather than navigating obstacles and making decisions that could mitigate loss. Barry Mcarthy once said, “Fast is as slow as we go.” I guess we weren’t fast enough. To all hiring managers: Understand that the individuals parting ways with Peloton who are applying to your posted position, they have endured change and stress to the degree that few others will experience in their entire careers. They have most likely been working a combination of 2 or more roles that went beyond the scope of their original job description. These are badass people that you should at least consider for an interview.

Recently, Peloton Interactive, Tesla and Tasmania Parks proactively refunded a portion of my purchase price, because they had lowered their market pricing after I had bought the product. These unrequested refunds break the fundamental laws of revenue management. I was happy to pay the purchase price at the time. And I wasn't even aware the prices had changed. Whilst all three of them turned me into a delighted and devoted brand advocate, I'm wondering if it was worth the lost revenue? Do you think the brand advocacy and brand trust that is generated by these 'altruistic acts' is worth the sacrificed revenue? #revenuemanagement #brandadvocacy #brandtrust #customerexperience #customerexperiencemanagement

I see Peloton as a low risk/high upside play so I’ve opened a considerable position in them. It’s a well known lifestyle brand with a cult following but has cash problems. Historically, companies like these become acquisition targets and I believe that there will be a suitable buyer (rhymes with Mapple)before bankruptcy is considered. *not financial advice! Feel free to reach out to me to discuss this in further detail 🙂↔️

We all know getting to the gym can be a hassle, especially when you're trying to sneak in that lunch time workout. I think it's safe to say I can't be the only one excited about this new partnership. Check out what's happening here at Justworks! #smallbusinesses #peo #justworks