JEN AKS 0:00
I just had such a heartfelt conversation with Julie Dermer. She is a SoulCycle master and founder of the Reinvention Project. And wow — inspiring, beautiful. What a story! What an inspiration! What an example. I'm so excited for you guys to hear her speak about her life so vulnerably and so grounded. She's really opened the door to take us along on this journey of creating the Reinvention Project. And it was birthed out of all the things that came before it. So this is just an exciting, inspirational story and journey. And I am really, really excited to share it with you now.
Welcome to the Wisdom From Within podcast. My name is Jen Aks, and I am your host. This is where mindset meets bodyset, where we access both so that we can make the most genuine, authentic, empowered impact on those we love and those we serve. Let's get started.
Yes, hello, hello, Julie. I'm really so excited to be here with you today. And I know we're actually meeting for the first time — we were just talking before — and I feel like I already know you.
JULIE DERMER 1:29
Yeah. Like we separated somewhere at birth or somewhere in the universe. Our paths have crossed somewhere. Totally. Yeah.
JEN AKS 1:40
I know. Well, I'm really excited to connect on so many levels with you and have your expertise and your wisdom shared with the listeners. This is going to be a beautiful, full, empowering, exciting conversation. I can just feel it in my bones. And I'll quickly introduce you because you have so much to offer.
Everyone, this is Julie Dermer. Julie is a longtime master instructor at SoulCycle, lifestyle influencer, and leader in the fitness space. Over 14 years on the bike, Julie is thrilled to launch her next adventure: the Reinvention Project. The Reinvention Project — TRP — is a modern lifestyle brand and a daily practice designed for men and women who are stepping into their new chapter, personally, professionally, or both. Rooted in intentional living, TRP offers relatable and authentic guidance for building confidence, cultivating curiosity, and navigating change with clarity and self-trust. I love all of it. Oh my gosh. I'm so excited to hear about you, how you got here, and what this all means for you and for everyone else listening. So I would love to just start with your story and lead up to that exciting moment.
JULIE DERMER 3:21
Yeah, sure. Well, I really didn't come to SoulCycle until my 40th birthday was approaching. That was a really pivotal moment in my life. I had done many other things — I was a mother, but work-wise I had worked in staffing, I was a headhunter, I was an interior designer, I worked in the antiques business. So I had done many different things, and I was raising my children at the time. Now they're 25 and 22. So they were little at the time, and I started riding at SoulCycle. And it was the first time — there was this moment on the bike where I just felt like I've never felt more like myself than I do right here. And this was as a rider, not an instructor. As a rider, I just felt very in touch with a strength that I had forgotten about. I had been somewhat of an athlete as a kid, and I had forgotten about that. And I felt very open emotionally and spiritually to the words the instructors were saying, the music, all of it.
And as this big birthday was approaching, I thought, maybe I could be part of this in another way. Maybe I could teach SoulCycle. At the beginning, I was just thinking, okay, it'll be a little challenge to myself, a side gig. But the more I started preparing and talking to people, I realized how badly I really wanted it. It just felt so right. Like, this is where I'm meant to be.
And I actually auditioned — and I did not get the job. And I was told by a senior instructor: you need to do it again. Come back and do it again. And it was such a great lesson. My kids were like, Mom, you didn't get it. And I just said, well, I'm gonna try again. Of course. I love this. I'm going to rethink it. And I went back, and the rest is kind of history. I got it. I've been doing it almost 15 years. SoulCycle itself is celebrating 20 years next month.
JEN AKS 6:05
And you're like almost one of the founding teachers — you started five years after it opened, right?
JULIE DERMER 6:13
Founding adjacent — that's what they call it. That's right. And then it's been such — it's been a lot of life, you know. 15 years of doing something. I've realized it's been part of my professional life but also deeply part of my personal life. It's affected everything. Friendships I've made. There's a community that builds, coming in and out of different studios. I've met so many people at different stages of their life and we've kind of grown up together. A lot of my friends are through this career, which is incredible. It's taken up a lot of space and it's been incredible.
And then when COVID hit —
JEN AKS 7:14
I'm so sorry — I want to go back just for a second, because I think it's such a beautiful moment. When you got on that bike at 40 — you said your body was happy, you were having all this connection, this feeling of aliveness. How beautiful is that? Just to pause and say: you listened to your body. That's really powerful. Was there any part of your mind that was like, I don't know if I could do this? Any limiting anything? Or were you just all in?
JULIE DERMER 7:55
I was nervous about public speaking — being up in front of people. Because I knew I could ride. I knew I had all these ideas about the music I wanted to play. And I remember thinking, what if I just rode and didn't really talk? Because that was the scariest part to me. How in the world am I gonna speak?
And I remember the first class — we do these community rides where you get watched and critiqued. And it's very intimidating. And I sat down and I chose the playlist that was going to give me the strength to be able to do this. Yeah. So it was the music. I chose Lose Yourself by Eminem. I was like, if I play that, I will be okay. And there was a John Mayer song. I literally set myself up as best I could for success by giving myself the tools that would help me with confidence.
And what happens over time, after I've done it for so long — it's almost like when I'm up there, we say it's almost like you're a vessel. And you probably know this as a dancer — it just kind of comes through you. The connection to the music just opens up something. And then moving to it and the endorphins — it just flows.
JEN AKS 9:41
I literally have chills all over my body. Because you were so connected to your body — you had that pull — and your mind was trying to hijack you out of it. The speaking, that's too much, can I do it? You still kept going. You let your body speak and you followed its guidance. That led you to the audition, which led you to the 15-year career. That's a big deal.
And then the music — for our listeners, I think that's so important because a big part of my practice is music as well. I believe music is a portal to the soul. It is an awakening tool. So I just want to make that really known: when you are in doubt of something you feel so passionate about, and you know you want to do it, but something's getting in the way — intimidation, worry, self-doubt — put some music on that you love. And then lean into seeing yourself do the thing. It is an incredible tool that we overlook. It helps us get into alignment and into our power. Okay, keep going.
JULIE DERMER 11:05
Yeah, music is such a big part. And then when COVID happened and we shut our studios — I taught one of the last classes — and then everything shut down. My riders were reaching out saying, can you go on Instagram tomorrow? Can you go on and do something? We need you. What can you do?
So I said, okay — meet me at 9 a.m. I'm going live on Instagram. Grab whatever you have. Some cans, some wine bottles, a dish towel and a yoga mat. And we're gonna move. I'm going to play the playlist I had planned on playing that day, and we're just going to move. And that turned into what's called Pulse by Julie D, which became an LLC that I had for about three years. I started going on every day during quarantine and teaching this class off the bike.
JEN AKS 12:34
What did that look like?
JULIE DERMER 12:35
It was off the bike, to the music. I combined some Pilates moves I knew — abdominal work, legwork, squats, arm work. So it was like arms, abs, and booty. A mat Pilates vibe but also kind of dancy. And it was during COVID, so my whole family was with me. My husband became part of it, my yellow lab. Hello. And I still have people come up to me now and say, I just want to tell you — you got me through COVID.
That was the first thing I did that was really just mine. And it was so genuine and so organic how it came about. And it was such a scary time, but it was such an incredible moment for me personally to have my own thing.
So fast forward to now — I'm about to celebrate another big birthday. I'm going to be double nickels next week. Fifty-five. Let's go. And I've been thinking a lot about so much of what I do at SoulCycle — challenging the riders not just physically, but putting out questions about strength, vulnerability, routine, and purpose. And I didn't want to only reach people who had the time, the money, and the interest in getting on a bike.
So the idea of the Reinvention Project — starting as a platform — is putting out thought-provoking questions. It's social media, it's out there, it's something that's going to evolve. And honestly, it's reinventing as I go. And part of reinvention — I really feel — is not necessarily seeing the end result, but taking steps that feel right and connect you to your purpose. For you, I feel like this podcast is a big part of that for you. And I think putting stuff out into the world that I'm personally working on has really landed with people. They're like, wow, I'm going through that too.
Part of it is now — I'm somewhat good at public speaking, I'm comfortable putting myself and my ideas out there — to maybe give someone else that aha moment. Empower them to take a step in a different direction, rethink their path. And not that it's aimed at women in their 50s, because I think this applies to anyone, but I think particularly women who have spent a lot of time focusing on everyone else. Rather than the constant bombardment of menopause this, wrinkles that —
JEN AKS 17:06
Yeah.
JULIE DERMER 17:07
I'd rather focus on all these really exciting, positive opportunities that could come up now that we have a little more wisdom within and a little more freedom of time. And yeah, that's the Reinvention Project.
JEN AKS 17:25
Oh my gosh, it's so absolutely beautiful and so necessary. I have two questions. One is around the reinvention and what that looks like in more detail — and I know you're building it as you go, which I love. But prior to that: your ability to be vulnerable and to share so honestly. I think that's part of the pull for people, because you're taking them along the journey with you. It's an open invitation. So how did you get the strength — the courage — to be vulnerable and put yourself out there?
JULIE DERMER 18:19
I still struggle with that.
JEN AKS 18:22
What inspires you to do it, let's say?
JULIE DERMER 18:28
I think it's — when I was listening to your story, about how you had gone through all those years not really thinking you were intelligent in the classic sense —
JEN AKS 18:43
Yeah.
JULIE DERMER 18:44
You can say it exactly.
JEN AKS 18:47
Yeah, I didn't think I was smart. Yeah.
JULIE DERMER 18:49
We tell ourselves these stories and we pigeonhole ourselves. And I think once you hear a story — I guess it comes from my own struggles. I want to be able to make life a little better, a little easier. Not that I've had a hard life at all — I've had an unbelievable life — but if I see someone who's not in a good place, I kind of want to figure out how to help them.
And so — relating to your story — it's not the opposite, but it's so similar. The schools back in the 70s and 80s definitely didn't have it right. I was actually asked to be in a gifted and talented program. And my parents — both teachers in the education field — had me pick up the phone. The principal from another school called: we'd like to invite you to our gifted and talented program. Only a certain number of kids are picked. We'd love to have you. And I was like, uh, so what does this mean? Oh, you're switching schools. This is like going from third to fourth grade.
And my parents were like, this is amazing, of course you're going. And I'm like, wait — what about my friends? I walk to school now. Like what about all this stuff? And growing up in the 70s, you really didn't have a choice. This is what you're doing.
And it did wind up being a good experience and it made me who I am, but it was kind of traumatic. It set me apart. Those kids were never looked at as the cool kids, per se. And it put this pressure on my shoulders to perform in a way that I didn't even think I was. I memorized my multiplication tables and got in. I had no idea how or why I was chosen. And over time there's been a little struggle because of that — that feeling of wanting to fit in with everyone and not be in a different place, good or bad. In fact, at that time, I would have rather been bad. It was actually cooler to be a bad kid than to be a smart kid.
JEN AKS 22:00
Yeah.
JULIE DERMER 22:00
So I've kind of struggled with that — not so much with my intelligence, but with putting out my own creativity, my own messaging. And it's taken me a really long time to do that without feeling there's going to be judgment. And so going out there and sharing ideas — talking about stuff like this — I'm hoping I can also model vulnerability. You brought that up in me. I hadn't really thought about that. It's just how it shapes us, you know. And then: what do we do with it?
JEN AKS 22:55
That's exactly right. And I really appreciate the story around being pulled into gifted and talented, because there's this perception that oh, the gifted and talented — their life is going to be so much better. But we all have a story. And there's no place, in my opinion, for judgment. I find it very hard to form an opinion because there's so much of the world and so much of people that we know nothing about.
Hearing that story is really beautiful, because there is this perception that the gifted follow this track and become da-da-da. But you had a struggle as a result of that. And it was a gift that taught you so many things.
And the second piece that I find so interesting: part of your story was that you were trying to fit back in because you had been pulled outside the group. But now at this stage in your life, you're taking chances to separate yourself, to be your own voice, to stand in your vulnerability. You're not trying to fit in at all — you're paving your own path. And I find that really beautiful and very interesting.
JULIE DERMER 24:30
Yes, thank you. It's taken a long time. But yeah, a lot of us hold back because of certain people or experiences, and we don't see past them. There's so much more we could be bringing to so many others if we just got past our own little walls.
JEN AKS 24:59
I know. And they're not so little — they feel big and they feel heavy. The work you're doing is so beautiful. And the work I'm doing really mirrors that around awakening that for people and restoring that intelligence, that confidence within them, because it's so accessible.
Something I'll mention about the work that I do — and I actually mentioned this when we were talking before we got on — I talk about the three specific forms of intelligence that we all innately have: somatic, kinesthetic, and emotional. And when we restore that, we can really lean into confidence. I want to drop that in here because we're about to talk about your process of restoring confidence and what that looks like for you — because it sounds like that's what you're guiding people toward. So I'd love for you to talk about that while the listeners are thinking: oh, I do have these innate wisdoms. Maybe what Julie is proposing is possible if I reconnect with all of this.
JULIE DERMER 26:13
Yeah. Part of it is I've actually been highlighting a lot of other people's stories about their own reinvention. What does reinvention mean to them? Because I really think of it as a daily practice — and reinvention doesn't mean starting over. It's really building on things. This evolution where you're never done. So a lot of it is hearing other people's stories about how they take a passion and turn it into a business, or learn something new.
And the tools of reinvention are interesting. The Reinvention Project got me learning how to use a bunch of different apps — Canva and different things like that.
But what's the question? Oh yeah — how am I helping people restore that confidence?
JEN AKS 27:18
Yeah — you were talking about finding the confidence within you to create that reinvention. So how are you helping people restore or lean into or expand on it? How are we strengthening that through the work you're doing?
JULIE DERMER 27:40
Yeah. Well, I've gotten a lot of really nice feedback from just posting questions on my Instagram every week. Things like: what's your superpower? What could you let go? What's your best friend's superpower — and have you told them? They're basic questions, right? But just taking a moment to think about them and see if anything stirs inside of you.
And I kind of miss — and I think a lot of people feel this way — being in a learning environment. My husband recently audited a class at my daughter's college and came home raving about the professor. Like, how amazing to just be in a room and be thrown information and questions and provocative things — and without even realizing it, the wheels start turning. And I think we stop doing that. We stop being provoked in an exciting, curious way.
So part of the Reinvention Project is exercise for your brain. In the future, I envision maybe a daily journaling practice with a question. I am starting with an event in the Hamptons this summer — putting together a type of experience where there'll be a thought-provoking question, a fishbowl where you throw your answers in. The type of experience where you leave with a different perspective, or something stirs inside of you, or you learn something, or you meet someone. And I'll have some speakers. Just ways to awaken parts of ourselves — which I am so used to doing in the SoulCycle classroom.
I've done it for 15 years. It's cumulative. And the riders will tell me it's life-changing — and it's not just physical. A lot of that has to do with what's being put out there. And you keep hearing it over time, and it makes you stronger, it changes your direction, it gives you ideas. The idea of the Reinvention Project is to bring that part to people without them being on a bike. I'm still at SoulCycle — so if people want to clip in with me, great. But a lot of people don't live here, or have moved. And a lot of my Pulse by Julie D people are coming back into my life again with the Reinvention Project.
JEN AKS 31:08
I love that so much. When you said clip in — that's the same invitation with the Reinvention Project. You're asking people to clip in with you, just in a different way. So beautiful.
Last question before we close. How has your journey — your leadership — impacted your children? Because you have really led your life from the inside out. And this podcast is all about helping people lead from within. We start by listening. And you did, on that bike at 40. You listened and you were pulled, regardless of what your mind was telling you. And now you're here serving on such a high level. How has that impacted your children?
JULIE DERMER 32:07
I think they'd say they're proud of me. Honestly, they are much more inspiring to me than I think I could ever be to them. At the beginning, particularly for my daughter, it was a little hard — me working in this neighborhood where she was growing up and having a little bit of a public platform. So it was a little like, oh yeah, that's my mom. But now she's 22 and she takes my class. Amazing.
I think I've taught them to follow their passion, follow their heart. I think they've watched how music and movement have been a huge part of our lives. My son went to LaGuardia, so he's always been around theater and things like that.
I remember the night before my daughter found out about college — I was like, let's just turn on the music and dance while we're waiting. And that came very purely from what I do. Thank God she got in.
And I think the way I teach is the way I live.
JEN AKS 34:06
The way I teach is the way I live. I love that. Go ahead.
JULIE DERMER 34:11
Yeah, so it's very much the way I mother too. And my riders — I have a group of riders who all have mommy issues. And they've flocked to me. They all joke about it: that's why they like Julie D's class. And I've always felt like a mother in a lot of ways — I'm the oldest of three girls. Maybe this Reinvention Project is part of me being a little mommy-ish, like, come on, kids. I love this.
And I'm grateful — my children give me a lot of good advice. My son, who's somewhat in the AI world, gives me tons of stuff. One thing he said: Mom, you just gotta be a little scrappy. He's 25. And I keep going back to that. Even after years of doing something, I still want to have that scrappy, raw edge where it's not all perfectly laid out. I think people appreciate authenticity. And I've always been that way in the Soul Cycle classroom — what you see is what you get.
JEN AKS 35:55
I love it. Oh my gosh, how inspiring and how beautiful. You know, I like to look at leadership as anyone influencing another human. So in my view, almost everybody is a leader. Every coach, every teacher, every business owner, every parent is a leader. And when I say that to women, they're like, oh, I don't know that I could be on your podcast, I don't know that I'm your avatar. And I'm like, you absolutely are. You have children. You are the greatest leader of all time. Are you kidding me? This is the most important type of leadership we can curate and nourish and bring to them. And so that's a beautiful journey that you just laid out. Your children are so lucky to have you as an example. I appreciate that part of your story. Thank you.
JULIE DERMER 36:53
And I think the way you interview is real. I mean, you're a great listener and a thought-provoking interviewer. You're giving Howard Stern. Really? Yeah, Howard Stern. He's the best. Like you're giving — yeah. I got Howard Stern pipes.
JEN AKS 37:16
That's really, really good. Yes, I love that. You know, the whole interview piece — people say, like, the interview is next week, and I'm like — and I actually have been trying to think about how I'm going to interview someone. But I have to follow my own advice. I'm following my body, which is like: Jen, just do what you do, show up and have a conversation and see where it goes. That is how it feels. I know what the premise is: to awaken people to their power and their confidence. And we do that through stories. I can't listen to anybody's story if I have a bunch of pre-planned questions. So anyway — I appreciate you so much for saying that. Tell everyone how they can get in touch with you and experience all the beautiful things.
JULIE DERMER 38:12
Okay! On Instagram, it's @thereinventionproject and also @juliedsoul. I am also on TikTok — @juliedermer — which I'm very new to. And I would say TikTok is where I'm extremely uninhibited, so that might be the most fun place to find me. I'm just like, let's go.
And of course, I teach SoulCycle almost six days a week. I'm in New York City and the Hamptons, and I'm heading to Palm Beach to teach this week. And on June 23rd, we'll be doing an event at Wolffer — at the wine stand in the Hamptons — to launch the Reinvention Project. The first TRP session. I hope if you're available, I'd love to have you. Stay tuned because it is reinventing as we speak and evolving. And I'm just excited to see where it takes us. A lot of it, I think, is going to involve this mind-body connection that you're so amazing at.
JEN AKS 39:32
Well, thank you. Gosh, thank you so much for sharing on so many levels. It's very exciting. I knew it would be. I'm so glad to meet you. And for the listeners — thank you for being here on the Wisdom From Within podcast, where human stories awaken leadership from within. I'll see you next week.
If something in this conversation spoke to you, don't keep it to yourself. Send it to someone who might need that message too. You can also send me a comment because I would love to know what it is that landed for you. But most importantly, take a moment to pause and listen to what it is that resonated — because that's where your real guidance system lives. The one you can trust. The one you can rely on. See you next week.