There is perhaps no brand quite as beloved and parodied for its cult-like following as the stationary bike club SoulCycle. Now WeWork wants a bit of that mojo. The office-leasing company has coaxed SoulCycle cofounder Julie Rice, who was been enjoying a momentary pause since leaving the spin-class giant last year, to join on as chief brand officer.
The hire comes at a crucial time for WeWork, which is exploring myriad ways to expand beyond coworking spaces. The company has launched Powered by We, which offers businesses a chance to have WeWork remodel their offices and set them up with both software and a WeWork employee who will maintain the cultural vibe of the office. It has non-work offerings like WeLive “flexible” apartments catering to short-term lessees. There’s also WeWork-branded fitness facilities (Rise by We) and WeGrow, a unconventional elementary school