罗宾·阿尔松曾经是纽约市一家顶级律所的律师,后来她发现自己更喜欢跑步。问题在于如何把对运动的热情变成一份职业。如今,她在远程健身行业新贵Peloton公司担任健身课程编排副总裁和首席教练。自从客户开始居家隔离以来,该公司的收入大幅增加。
阿尔松擅长激励艺术,又精通健身生理学。在课堂上,她充满激情地为参加其远程健身课程的“精力充沛的”学员们加油鼓劲。上周,她接受了一次简短的采访。她在采访中谈论了在意外情况下Peloton的教学模式改为由健身教练(包括阿尔松在内)在家提供课程的过程;她有条不紊地完成转行的方法;以及社交媒体对于打造企业和个人品牌的重要性。
摄影:Janette Pellegrini —— 盖蒂图片社
《财富》:我最近上过您的课。我感觉我们好像同在一个房间里一样。你对当前这种意料之外的在家办公的经历有什么感受?
阿尔松:我从未想过会在纽约市自己的公寓里有一家视频制作工作室,但现在它变成了现实。跟屏幕前的所有人一样,我需要教课,也要上同事的课。这段时间让我感受到了正能量和使命感。
最大的挑战是什么?
我非常佩服制作团队的同事。我以前并不了解这份工作的强度,从灯光到镜头的角度再到Wi-Fi网络,拍摄视频时必须考虑到方方面面的问题。最开始我说:“我不知道自己能否胜任这份工作。”但最终的效果好的出奇。
尤其是对于《财富》杂志的商务读者来说,您从普衡律师事务所(Paul Hastings)的企业诉讼律师改行到Peloton的过程,让我很感兴趣。您是如何做到的呢?
我已经做了八年企业诉讼律师,而且前途光明,我以为我会成为一名职业律师。但后来我爱上了跑步。我每天都在迫不及待地等着去跑步。我想:“肯定有一种方法能把我对跑步的热爱变现。”于是我开始了为期两年的研究,做了大量咨询和思考。我们总是想象着能像电影《甜心先生》(Jerry Maguire)里一样,在某个时刻你把书扔到地板上,然后一切都发生了改变。但人生不会像电影里一样。阿尔松说道:我以前问过自己一个最关键的问题是:“为什么不是我呢?”现在我依旧会这样问。我开始诚实地评估自己的技能。我说:“我能读会写。我有一个新的社交媒体平台。那么,我该如何利用它呢?”
我只是在努力思考跑步的时候如何支付租金。于是我开始每天拿出10分钟的时间做一些事情,任何能让我有所进展的事情,包括搜索“如何成为体育专栏作家”。我追求跑步事业的过程如同故事一般。最终,我在伦敦奥运会前两周离开了律师事务所。我作为一名观众和博主参加了伦敦奥运会。那段经历为我现在的事业奠定了基础。
离开律师事务所后大约六个月,我在Fast Company网站读到了一篇有关Peloton的文章。我做过一个愿景板,上面有苹果(Apple)等公司。在读到Peloton的时候,我意识到这家公司将运动与现代性完美结合。我给Peloton创始人兼CEO约翰·福利写了一封电子邮件,里面写到:“我想要与你们一起工作。”两天后,我得到了一份工作。
据我了解,虽然您热爱跑步和超级马拉松运动,但事实上,您并不是这项运动中最出色的运动员。
我跑步没有什么出色的成绩。所以我才会写了一本书名叫《闭上嘴,跑起来》(Shut Up and Run)。我想要揭开这项貌似很复杂或者让人感觉遥不可及的运动的神秘面纱,尤其是在Pinterest和Facebook渲染下的世界里,似乎所有人都在跑步,都能五分钟跑一英里。某个人开始跑步或者重新开始跑步的时候,才是真正让他感受最为强烈的时候。
Peloton的运动课程有什么独特之处?
我们没有开发别人已经开发出来的课程。我们没有开发深蹲课程,也没有重新开发动感单车。我们所做的是把娱乐性和科学性相结合。这是我们的重点。我们非常努力。我们自己也要接受训练。我们在与大家一起坚持锻炼。在设计课程方面,我们也遵循了这样的标准。我们结合了马尔科姆·格拉德威尔的“1万小时定律”。我们深知,要让人们愿意回来坚持训练,必须让他们感受到足够的乐趣。
您对Peloton的表演节目有什么评价吗?我在想,尤其是企业观众能从你们的演示和生产价值方面得到什么启发。
公司当然有表演性的内容。但这些内容是真实的。我们在骑动感单车的同时主持电视节目。节目完全是即兴的,没有人会告诉我们要怎么做。当然我们会与制作人合作,但在与大家一起锻炼的时候,我会有一些夸张的表现。这正是我们的成功秘诀:激情加制作。
Peloton在营养教学方面有什么计划?
目前我不能对外披露任何内容。我们知道人们对此很感兴趣。教练会在社交媒体上分享他们自己的观点,但具体计划还无法公布。
说到社交媒体,它对于Peloton以及你个人的成功有什么重要意义?
我们的业务需要持续的对话,有时候这种对话会从社交媒体上开始。我们可能在评论和帖子或者品牌频道中展开对话。我们的工作不止局限于动感单车。我们是世界公民。我们不可能在与世隔绝的环境里工作。
我看到了会员们在社交媒体上发表的意见。在品牌频道中,我看到会员们相互祝贺,这让我感到很欣慰,比如#PelotonDads[真实存在的]或者#BrooklynDogOwners[并不存在]等话题中。如果你喜欢解谜,我保证你会在Peloton的会员里找到志同道合的人。
Peloton参与到了有关社会正义的全国运动当中,并且支持“珍视黑人生命”运动。您对其他公司有什么建议?
Peloton致力于成为一家反种族主义的组织,这让我倍感骄傲。我在本周发文表达了我对这场持久战的观点。我对这件事的态度与我对待健身的态度一样。我不会建议初学者就去跑50英里。对于我而言,在社交媒体或者有时候在课堂上进行这方面的对话,就是一个积少成多的过程。我不是社会正义方面的专家。但在共同挥洒汗水的过程中,我们必须相互扶持,使“携手致远”(最受欢迎的Peloton教练口号)的口号变得更有意义。(财富中文网)
译者:Biz
罗宾·阿尔松曾经是纽约市一家顶级律所的律师,后来她发现自己更喜欢跑步。问题在于如何把对运动的热情变成一份职业。如今,她在远程健身行业新贵Peloton公司担任健身课程编排副总裁和首席教练。自从客户开始居家隔离以来,该公司的收入大幅增加。
阿尔松擅长激励艺术,又精通健身生理学。在课堂上,她充满激情地为参加其远程健身课程的“精力充沛的”学员们加油鼓劲。上周,她接受了一次简短的采访。她在采访中谈论了在意外情况下Peloton的教学模式改为由健身教练(包括阿尔松在内)在家提供课程的过程;她有条不紊地完成转行的方法;以及社交媒体对于打造企业和个人品牌的重要性。
《财富》:我最近上过您的课。我感觉我们好像同在一个房间里一样。你对当前这种意料之外的在家办公的经历有什么感受?
阿尔松:我从未想过会在纽约市自己的公寓里有一家视频制作工作室,但现在它变成了现实。跟屏幕前的所有人一样,我需要教课,也要上同事的课。这段时间让我感受到了正能量和使命感。
最大的挑战是什么?
我非常佩服制作团队的同事。我以前并不了解这份工作的强度,从灯光到镜头的角度再到Wi-Fi网络,拍摄视频时必须考虑到方方面面的问题。最开始我说:“我不知道自己能否胜任这份工作。”但最终的效果好的出奇。
尤其是对于《财富》杂志的商务读者来说,您从普衡律师事务所(Paul Hastings)的企业诉讼律师改行到Peloton的过程,让我很感兴趣。您是如何做到的呢?
我已经做了八年企业诉讼律师,而且前途光明,我以为我会成为一名职业律师。但后来我爱上了跑步。我每天都在迫不及待地等着去跑步。我想:“肯定有一种方法能把我对跑步的热爱变现。”于是我开始了为期两年的研究,做了大量咨询和思考。我们总是想象着能像电影《甜心先生》(Jerry Maguire)里一样,在某个时刻你把书扔到地板上,然后一切都发生了改变。但人生不会像电影里一样。阿尔松说道:我以前问过自己一个最关键的问题是:“为什么不是我呢?”现在我依旧会这样问。我开始诚实地评估自己的技能。我说:“我能读会写。我有一个新的社交媒体平台。那么,我该如何利用它呢?”
我只是在努力思考跑步的时候如何支付租金。于是我开始每天拿出10分钟的时间做一些事情,任何能让我有所进展的事情,包括搜索“如何成为体育专栏作家”。我追求跑步事业的过程如同故事一般。最终,我在伦敦奥运会前两周离开了律师事务所。我作为一名观众和博主参加了伦敦奥运会。那段经历为我现在的事业奠定了基础。
离开律师事务所后大约六个月,我在Fast Company网站读到了一篇有关Peloton的文章。我做过一个愿景板,上面有苹果(Apple)等公司。在读到Peloton的时候,我意识到这家公司将运动与现代性完美结合。我给Peloton创始人兼CEO约翰·福利写了一封电子邮件,里面写到:“我想要与你们一起工作。”两天后,我得到了一份工作。
据我了解,虽然您热爱跑步和超级马拉松运动,但事实上,您并不是这项运动中最出色的运动员。
我跑步没有什么出色的成绩。所以我才会写了一本书名叫《闭上嘴,跑起来》(Shut Up and Run)。我想要揭开这项貌似很复杂或者让人感觉遥不可及的运动的神秘面纱,尤其是在Pinterest和Facebook渲染下的世界里,似乎所有人都在跑步,都能五分钟跑一英里。某个人开始跑步或者重新开始跑步的时候,才是真正让他感受最为强烈的时候。
Peloton的运动课程有什么独特之处?
我们没有开发别人已经开发出来的课程。我们没有开发深蹲课程,也没有重新开发动感单车。我们所做的是把娱乐性和科学性相结合。这是我们的重点。我们非常努力。我们自己也要接受训练。我们在与大家一起坚持锻炼。在设计课程方面,我们也遵循了这样的标准。我们结合了马尔科姆·格拉德威尔的“1万小时定律”。我们深知,要让人们愿意回来坚持训练,必须让他们感受到足够的乐趣。
您对Peloton的表演节目有什么评价吗?我在想,尤其是企业观众能从你们的演示和生产价值方面得到什么启发。
公司当然有表演性的内容。但这些内容是真实的。我们在骑动感单车的同时主持电视节目。节目完全是即兴的,没有人会告诉我们要怎么做。当然我们会与制作人合作,但在与大家一起锻炼的时候,我会有一些夸张的表现。这正是我们的成功秘诀:激情加制作。
Peloton在营养教学方面有什么计划?
目前我不能对外披露任何内容。我们知道人们对此很感兴趣。教练会在社交媒体上分享他们自己的观点,但具体计划还无法公布。
说到社交媒体,它对于Peloton以及你个人的成功有什么重要意义?
我们的业务需要持续的对话,有时候这种对话会从社交媒体上开始。我们可能在评论和帖子或者品牌频道中展开对话。我们的工作不止局限于动感单车。我们是世界公民。我们不可能在与世隔绝的环境里工作。
我看到了会员们在社交媒体上发表的意见。在品牌频道中,我看到会员们相互祝贺,这让我感到很欣慰,比如#PelotonDads[真实存在的]或者#BrooklynDogOwners[并不存在]等话题中。如果你喜欢解谜,我保证你会在Peloton的会员里找到志同道合的人。
Peloton参与到了有关社会正义的全国运动当中,并且支持“珍视黑人生命”运动。您对其他公司有什么建议?
Peloton致力于成为一家反种族主义的组织,这让我倍感骄傲。我在本周发文表达了我对这场持久战的观点。我对这件事的态度与我对待健身的态度一样。我不会建议初学者就去跑50英里。对于我而言,在社交媒体或者有时候在课堂上进行这方面的对话,就是一个积少成多的过程。我不是社会正义方面的专家。但在共同挥洒汗水的过程中,我们必须相互扶持,使“携手致远”(最受欢迎的Peloton教练口号)的口号变得更有意义。(财富中文网)
译者:Biz
Robin Arzón was a lawyer with a top-notch New York City law firm when she realized she’d rather be running. The challenge was turning her passion for fitness into a career. Today, she is the vice president of fitness programming and head instructor for Peloton, the remote-training upstart whose fortunes have surged while its customers shelter in place.
Equally committed to the motivational art as the physiological science of fitness, Arzón affectionately cheers on the “hustlers” in her classes who make up her remotely sweating “family.” In a sprint of an interview last week, she talks about Peloton’s unplanned pivot to leading classes from the homes of its instructors, including Arzón; her methodical approach to transitioning her career; and importance of social media in building a corporate and personal brand.
Fortune: I’ve taken your classes recently, and I feel like you’ve been in my home, and I’ve also been in yours. What has this unexpected working-from-home experience been like for you?
Arzón: I never imagined I would have a production studio in my New York City apartment, but here we are. I have needed to teach the classes and take the classes with my teammates just as much as everyone on the other side of the screen. It has been a source of positivity and purpose for me.
What has been the biggest challenge?
I have so much admiration for the folks on our production team. I never understood how much work it was, from the lighting to the camera angles to the Wi-Fi. At first I said: “I’m not sure I was cut out for this.” But they have been amazing.
Especially for Fortune’s business audience, I’m intrigued by your transition from corporate litigator at Paul Hastings to your position at Peloton. How did you pull that off?
I was a rising eighth-year litigator, and I thought I was going to be a career attorney. But then I fell in love with running. I was counting down the hours in my day until I could go for my run. I thought, “There has to be a way to monetize this passion.” So I began a two-year process of figuring it out, doing informational interviews and thinking about it. We tend to think of the Jerry Maguire moment where you throw the books on the floor and everything changes. But our journeys don’t work like that. The most pivotal question I asked myself, and still ask myself, was, “Why not me?” I started to do an honest assessment of my skill set. I said: “I know how to read, I know how to write. I have a nascent social media platform. Okay, what do I do with this?”
I was just trying to figure out how to pay my rent while running. I set a recurring calendar appointment for 10 minutes a day where I did something, anything, to move the needle, including just googling “how to be a sportswriter.” I was really living the story in my runs. Eventually, I ended up leaving my law firm two weeks before the London Olympic Games. I went to the London Games as a spectator and blogger. That’s how I started laying the foundation for what I’m doing now.
About six months after I left my firm, I read an article in Fast Company about Peloton. I had done a vision board that included companies like Apple. When I read about Peloton, I realized this was the marriage of movement and modernity. I wrote an email to John Foley, the founder and CEO of Peloton, and said, “I need to be working with you.” I had a job two days later.
I understand that while you’re an avid runner and an ultramarathoner, in fact, you weren’t among the best in the sport.
There was nothing remarkable about my running. That’s why I wrote my book Shut Up and Run. I wanted to demystify what seems complicated or unattainable, especially in a world with Pinterest and Facebook, where it seems like everybody has it together and is running a five-minute mile. What can feel really overwhelming is when someone is starting a journey or restarting a journey.
What makes a Peloton workout unique?
We’re not re-creating the wheel. We didn’t invent the squat. We didn’t invent the bicycle. What we have done is married something that’s entertaining with something that is scientifically sound. That’s not lost on us. We work our asses off. We do the training ourselves. We’re there working right alongside you. In terms of designing the classes, we’ve also done the work. We’ve put in Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours. We also know it’s so important that people have enough fun that they come back and do it again.
Would you comment on the performance aspect of Peloton? I’m thinking in particular about what a corporate audience can learn from you about presentations and production value.
There absolutely is a performative aspect. But it’s real. We host television shows while sprinting. It’s unscripted and without anyone in our ears. We collaborate with producers, of course, but I’m emoting while sweating with people. That’s why we are the best at what we do, and that’s the secret sauce: passion plus production.
What are Peloton’s plans regarding nutrition instruction?
There’s nothing I can announce right now. We’re aware of the interest. The instructors share their own anecdotal viewpoint on social media, but there’s nothing to announce.
Speaking of social media, how important is it to Peloton’s success and to yours?
What we’re doing requires the conversation to continue, and sometimes start, on social media. The conversations we’re having bubble over into comments and posts and in our brand channel. It’s always been more than a bike. We’re being citizens of the world. We can’t do that in a vacuum.
I see what members are gravitating toward on social media. On our brand channel, I love seeing members celebrate each other, whether it’s #PelotonDads [which really exists] or #BrooklynDogOwners [which doesn’t]. If you like puzzles, I guarantee you’ll find people on Peloton who like puzzles.
Peloton has jumped into the national conversation on social justice and in support of Black Lives Matter. What’s your advice for other companies?
I am incredibly proud that Peloton is committed to becoming an anti-racist organization. I posted this week about the long game. I look at this like I look at training. I wouldn’t recommend that a first-time runner go out and run 50 miles. For me, having this conversation on social media and, at times, in my classes will be a matter of little by little amounting to a lot. I’m not a social justice expert. But in the ways we’re lifting each other up by sweat, we need to lift each other to the point where “together we go far” [a favorite Peloton instructor exhortation] has a lot of meaning now.