Julie Rice

Julie Rice
Name	Julie Rice
Occupation	Entrepreneur; investor; executive
Known for	Co-founder of SoulCycle; co-founder of The Riveter

Julie Rice is an American entrepreneur and investor best known for co-founding the indoor cycling company SoulCycle and serving as an executive in lifestyle and fitness ventures. She has been active in building brands in the boutique fitness, hospitality, and women-focused workspace sectors, and has partnered with investors and media executives to expand consumer-facing concepts. Rice's career spans startups, venture-backed companies, and nonprofit involvement, intersecting with notable figures in the fitness, technology, and entertainment industries.

Early life and education

Rice was raised in the United States and attended schools that influenced her interest in business and consumer brands. She pursued higher education at institutions that prepared her for careers in retail and hospitality, where she developed skills relevant to startup operations and marketing. During her formative years she cultivated relationships with classmates and mentors who later became part of networks in New York City and Los Angeles.

Career

Rice began her career in the lifestyle sector, working in roles connected to boutique retail and hospitality. Early positions placed her within organizations that emphasized customer experience and brand storytelling, linking her to executives in the retail and hospitality communities. She transitioned into entrepreneurship, leveraging operational experience to co-found companies and collaborate with venture investors and corporate partners. Rice's professional network includes founders, private equity firms, media executives, and venture capitalists active in consumer brands, health, and technology.

SoulCycle and Equinox Ventures

Rice co-founded the indoor cycling company that became synonymous with boutique fitness alongside partners who shared backgrounds in studio operations and brand development. The company rapidly expanded through a model integrating classes, community-building, and lifestyle merchandising, bringing Rice into contact with operators and investors from the fitness and entertainment spheres. In a major transaction, the company sold a majority stake to a global fitness operator, creating ties with corporate entities and private equity groups. Rice later joined an investment vehicle associated with a luxury fitness chain, where she worked with senior executives and portfolio managers on strategic initiatives, acquisitions, and brand integrations across studios and gym networks.

Other business ventures and investments

Following the sale and corporate transition of the cycling company, Rice partnered with entrepreneurs and media professionals to create new ventures targeting professional women and urban professionals. She co-founded a coworking and community platform aimed at providing workspace, programming, and services designed for women entrepreneurs and leaders, collaborating with partners who had backgrounds in venture capital, media startups, and nonprofit leadership. Rice has invested in early-stage companies across wellness, food and beverage, hospitality, and consumer technology, aligning with angel investors, accelerators, and venture funds known in the Silicon Valley and New York City ecosystems. Her portfolio includes stakes in brands and startups that intersect with lifestyle retail, digital media, and experiential hospitality.

Philanthropy and advocacy

Rice has been involved with charitable organizations and advocacy groups focused on women's economic empowerment, workforce development, and community health. She has supported initiatives and foundations that partner with academic institutions, urban development agencies, and philanthropic networks to advance entrepreneurship and mentorship for women and underrepresented founders. Rice has participated in programming with incubators, nonprofit mentorship programs, and advisory boards that include leaders from philanthropy, higher education, and corporate social responsibility sectors. Her philanthropic activities have connected her with donors, trustees, and civic leaders in metropolitan regions where her ventures operate.

Personal life

Rice resides and works in major U.S. metropolitan markets known for startup activity, such as New York City and Los Angeles. Her personal network encompasses entrepreneurs, investors, creative professionals, and media executives from organizations across the entertainment and lifestyle industries. She maintains involvement with cultural institutions, wellness communities, and business associations that convene leaders from technology, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors. Rice balances professional commitments with private family life and community engagement.

Category:American businesspeople Category:Women founders Category:Entrepreneurs in fitness