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Jun 20, 2020 · 25m · how-i-built-this

How I Built Resilience: Live with Sadie Lincoln

Sadie Lincoln · 16m spoken Guy Raz · 6m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

In this resilience edition of "How I Built This," host Guy Raz interviews barre3 founder Sadie Lincoln on how her boutique fitness franchise navigated pandemic shutdowns through rapid digital pivots, authentic leadership, and long-term commitments to racial and economic accessibility.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Guy holds 27.5% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Guy as informed peer 3.2 Guest teaching 2.0 Guest disagreement 0.0 Guy pushing back 0.0
05100:0010:0020:001:10–3:52 · Guy as informed peer 4/10 Navigating Studio Closures and Pivoting to Virtual Classes Guy Raz sets the macroeconomic context citing the restaurant industry and 24 Hour Fitness filing for bankruptcy. Sadie Lincoln candidly details the company's swift pivot to raw livestream workouts and current revenue numbers.3:52–7:33 · Guy as informed peer 3/10 Empowered Franchise Leadership and Embracing Imperfect Workouts Guy asks about franchise autonomy and the friction between maintaining a premium brand and broadcasting messy living room workouts. Sadie explains the empowered franchise model and how clients preferred authentic, imperfect connection.7:34–10:13 · Guy as informed peer 3/10 The Hybrid Future of Fitness and At-Home Workouts Guy poses a broader industry question regarding whether fitness is permanently shifting to virtual. Sadie provides a nuanced perspective backed by research on loneliness and human need for physical community.10:14–16:23 · Guy as informed peer 4/10 Teaching from Home and Reopening the First Studio Guy draws a thoughtful parallel to their 2017 interview regarding personal crises sparking creativity. Sadie enthusiastically agrees and connects that dynamic to systemic racism and personal growth within the Black Lives Matter movement.16:23–20:03 · Guy as informed peer 3/10 Practicing Circle Leadership and Centering BIPOC Voices Guy asks how Sadie translates her signature circle leadership method to Zoom calls and racial justice dialogues. Sadie emphasizes holding space, listening without ego, and learning from her franchise owners.20:04–24:53 · Guy as informed peer 2/10 Avoiding Performative Activism and Expanding Studio Access Sadie shares the concept of performative activism and outlines practical changes like lowering studio buildout costs to broaden community access. Guy closes by reflecting on long-term leadership lessons.1:10–3:52 · Guest teaching 2/10 Navigating Studio Closures and Pivoting to Virtual Classes Guy Raz sets the macroeconomic context citing the restaurant industry and 24 Hour Fitness filing for bankruptcy. Sadie Lincoln candidly details the company's swift pivot to raw livestream workouts and current revenue numbers.3:52–7:33 · Guest teaching 2/10 Empowered Franchise Leadership and Embracing Imperfect Workouts Guy asks about franchise autonomy and the friction between maintaining a premium brand and broadcasting messy living room workouts. Sadie explains the empowered franchise model and how clients preferred authentic, imperfect connection.7:34–10:13 · Guest teaching 3/10 The Hybrid Future of Fitness and At-Home Workouts Guy poses a broader industry question regarding whether fitness is permanently shifting to virtual. Sadie provides a nuanced perspective backed by research on loneliness and human need for physical community.10:14–16:23 · Guest teaching 2/10 Teaching from Home and Reopening the First Studio Guy draws a thoughtful parallel to their 2017 interview regarding personal crises sparking creativity. Sadie enthusiastically agrees and connects that dynamic to systemic racism and personal growth within the Black Lives Matter movement.16:23–20:03 · Guest teaching 1/10 Practicing Circle Leadership and Centering BIPOC Voices Guy asks how Sadie translates her signature circle leadership method to Zoom calls and racial justice dialogues. Sadie emphasizes holding space, listening without ego, and learning from her franchise owners.20:04–24:53 · Guest teaching 2/10 Avoiding Performative Activism and Expanding Studio Access Sadie shares the concept of performative activism and outlines practical changes like lowering studio buildout costs to broaden community access. Guy closes by reflecting on long-term leadership lessons.1:10–3:52 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Navigating Studio Closures and Pivoting to Virtual Classes Guy Raz sets the macroeconomic context citing the restaurant industry and 24 Hour Fitness filing for bankruptcy. Sadie Lincoln candidly details the company's swift pivot to raw livestream workouts and current revenue numbers.3:52–7:33 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Empowered Franchise Leadership and Embracing Imperfect Workouts Guy asks about franchise autonomy and the friction between maintaining a premium brand and broadcasting messy living room workouts. Sadie explains the empowered franchise model and how clients preferred authentic, imperfect connection.7:34–10:13 · Guest disagreement 0/10 The Hybrid Future of Fitness and At-Home Workouts Guy poses a broader industry question regarding whether fitness is permanently shifting to virtual. Sadie provides a nuanced perspective backed by research on loneliness and human need for physical community.10:14–16:23 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Teaching from Home and Reopening the First Studio Guy draws a thoughtful parallel to their 2017 interview regarding personal crises sparking creativity. Sadie enthusiastically agrees and connects that dynamic to systemic racism and personal growth within the Black Lives Matter movement.16:23–20:03 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Practicing Circle Leadership and Centering BIPOC Voices Guy asks how Sadie translates her signature circle leadership method to Zoom calls and racial justice dialogues. Sadie emphasizes holding space, listening without ego, and learning from her franchise owners.20:04–24:53 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Avoiding Performative Activism and Expanding Studio Access Sadie shares the concept of performative activism and outlines practical changes like lowering studio buildout costs to broaden community access. Guy closes by reflecting on long-term leadership lessons.1:10–3:52 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Navigating Studio Closures and Pivoting to Virtual Classes Guy Raz sets the macroeconomic context citing the restaurant industry and 24 Hour Fitness filing for bankruptcy. Sadie Lincoln candidly details the company's swift pivot to raw livestream workouts and current revenue numbers.3:52–7:33 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Empowered Franchise Leadership and Embracing Imperfect Workouts Guy asks about franchise autonomy and the friction between maintaining a premium brand and broadcasting messy living room workouts. Sadie explains the empowered franchise model and how clients preferred authentic, imperfect connection.7:34–10:13 · Guy pushing back 0/10 The Hybrid Future of Fitness and At-Home Workouts Guy poses a broader industry question regarding whether fitness is permanently shifting to virtual. Sadie provides a nuanced perspective backed by research on loneliness and human need for physical community.10:14–16:23 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Teaching from Home and Reopening the First Studio Guy draws a thoughtful parallel to their 2017 interview regarding personal crises sparking creativity. Sadie enthusiastically agrees and connects that dynamic to systemic racism and personal growth within the Black Lives Matter movement.16:23–20:03 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Practicing Circle Leadership and Centering BIPOC Voices Guy asks how Sadie translates her signature circle leadership method to Zoom calls and racial justice dialogues. Sadie emphasizes holding space, listening without ego, and learning from her franchise owners.20:04–24:53 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Avoiding Performative Activism and Expanding Studio Access Sadie shares the concept of performative activism and outlines practical changes like lowering studio buildout costs to broaden community access. Guy closes by reflecting on long-term leadership lessons.

speaking balance: gold is Guy, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Guy 54.3% · guest 45.7%0:00 · Guy 54.3% · guest 45.7%3:00 · Guy 34.4% · guest 65.6%3:00 · Guy 34.4% · guest 65.6%6:00 · Guy 15.3% · guest 84.7%6:00 · Guy 15.3% · guest 84.7%9:00 · Guy 16.3% · guest 83.7%9:00 · Guy 16.3% · guest 83.7%12:00 · Guy 36.6% · guest 63.4%12:00 · Guy 36.6% · guest 63.4%15:00 · Guy 23.6% · guest 76.4%15:00 · Guy 23.6% · guest 76.4%18:00 · Guy 24.6% · guest 75.4%18:00 · Guy 24.6% · guest 75.4%21:00 · Guy 6.3% · guest 93.7%21:00 · Guy 6.3% · guest 93.7%24:00 · Guy 44.6% · guest 55.4%24:00 · Guy 44.6% · guest 55.4%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 6:35 Firm rejection of polished branding demands

Sadie passionately dismisses the traditional expectation of flawless production, asserting that clients actively prefer raw and unpolished authenticity.

 Hardest push from Guy ▶ 4:54 Probing brand compromise in virtual transition

Guy presses on whether switching to low-fidelity home streaming risked compromising the premium brand identity Bar3 spent years cultivating.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 8:47 Educating on loneliness data in fitness

Sadie reframes Guy's question about virtual convenience by quoting data on loneliness as a mortality risk factor comparable to smoking.

 Guy holds their own ▶ 12:00 Host connects historical crisis to present innovation

Guy displays deep familiarity with Sadie's background, citing specific quotes from their 2017 interview to frame her current strategic resilience.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicGuy as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementGuy pushing backWhy
Navigating Studio Closures and Pivoting to Virtual Classes 4200 Guy Raz sets the macroeconomic context citing the restaurant industry and 24 Hour Fitness filing for bankruptcy. Sadie Lincoln candidly details the company's swift pivot to raw livestream workouts and current revenue numbers.
Empowered Franchise Leadership and Embracing Imperfect Workouts 3200 Guy asks about franchise autonomy and the friction between maintaining a premium brand and broadcasting messy living room workouts. Sadie explains the empowered franchise model and how clients preferred authentic, imperfect connection.
The Hybrid Future of Fitness and At-Home Workouts 3300 Guy poses a broader industry question regarding whether fitness is permanently shifting to virtual. Sadie provides a nuanced perspective backed by research on loneliness and human need for physical community.
Teaching from Home and Reopening the First Studio 4200 Guy draws a thoughtful parallel to their 2017 interview regarding personal crises sparking creativity. Sadie enthusiastically agrees and connects that dynamic to systemic racism and personal growth within the Black Lives Matter movement.
Practicing Circle Leadership and Centering BIPOC Voices 3100 Guy asks how Sadie translates her signature circle leadership method to Zoom calls and racial justice dialogues. Sadie emphasizes holding space, listening without ego, and learning from her franchise owners.
Avoiding Performative Activism and Expanding Studio Access 2200 Sadie shares the concept of performative activism and outlines practical changes like lowering studio buildout costs to broaden community access. Guy closes by reflecting on long-term leadership lessons.

Statements from this episode (10)

Assertion Supported
Guy Raz: Barre3 has around 160 studios across the US
“The company has around 160 studios across the United States, most of which are still closed.”
Guy Raz Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 0:27
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Lincoln: About 30% of barre3 studios are starting to reopen
“Almost every single studio was closed for a long time. We have about 30 percent-ish starting to slowly open.”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 0:59
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Lincoln: Some Barre3 studios retained 90% of pre-COVID revenue during lockdowns
“Some of our studios have remained amazingly, 90% pre-COVID revenue because of the loyalty of their community, really having an emotional connection with them and knowing the owner personally on a personal basis.”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 3:11
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Lincoln: Barre3's overall studio revenue is around 55% of pre-COVID levels
“Overall, just to be clear, we're at, our studio business is probably around 55% pre-COVID.”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 3:46
Assertion Partly supported
Lincoln: barre3 is 100% female-led
“We have, we're a hundred percent female led right now.”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 4:16
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Lincoln: Barre3 has online streaming subscribers in 98 countries
“We have subscribers in 98 countries.”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 6:54
Insight
Lincoln: Virtual fitness clients prefer local instructor intimacy over high production value
“What we learned is that our studio clients don't care. Like, they don't really want that. They want their instructor that they know. They want their owner that they have an emotional connection with, and they don't care if she's in her house with dog hair on h…”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 7:04
Disclosure
Lincoln: Unconscious bias led to building a Barre3 leadership team resembling herself
“Confronting my own white bias around that, that has led to me unconsciously building a company of leaders who look a lot like me, and realizing that systemic racism is real, and just even understanding that, and that we have been conditioned for hundreds of ye…”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 14:44
Insight
Lincoln: Performative activism is about image protection rather than thoughtful action
“Performative activism is rooted in a motivation to show up, like on Instagram, let's say, to preserve or protect your image. Versus doing something that's super thoughtful and based on truth.”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 21:13
Disclosure
Lincoln: Barre3 is lowering studio buildout costs to increase class accessibility
“We just had our studio design team meeting and we came in with greater urgency around lowering our costs so that with the lens of let's open our doors wider and do they need to be so precious? Do we need to have it be that expensive to build out or could we fi…”
Sadie Lincoln Jun 20, 2020 ▶ 24:06
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