Full Cycle

Evelyn Webster on going from SoulCycle regular to CEO of the company, creating experiences for customers and staff alike

- by KATHERINE FUNG

FOR MORE THAN HALF A DECADE, Evelyn Webster was a dedicated SoulCycle rider, the bike becoming not only a mainstay of her fitness regimen but also a sanctuary where she could leave the chaos of the world behind.

Now, Webster has pedaled out of the saddle and into the seat that matters most: CEO of the indoor cycling company. "It's difficult for SoulCycle to be my escape now because I work there," she chuckled. "It's my everyday."

Webster is still a regular at SoulCycle's spin classes, but decompresses by reading before bed and listening to podcasts while walking around New York City. Her wellness routine also includes strength training, Pilates, eight hours' sleep ("I will prioritize sleep over getting out of bed to workout") and lots of protein. She munched on a ham and brie omelet while detailing her health habits.

The key to it all is balance.

"I can tell when I've not had enough sleep, when I've not been exercising, when I've been eating rubbish," Webster told Newsweek. "I'm not on my game. I'm not as focused. I'm not as driven. I've learned that for me, consistency is really important."

That consistency is also what makes an effective leader, she said. Recently, she came across a metaphor that compared CEOs with the weather. She reflected a lot on the idea, remembering feedback she had received very early on in her career: "If Evelyn is not feeling something, we all know it."

"As leaders, we have to try and modify, harmonize how we are," she said. "Organizations do not fare well under choppy weather conditions. They can't have the sun shining one day, then a dark cloud the next."