We were lucky to catch up with Thomas Tyler recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Thomas, thanks for joining us today. Can you share a story that illustrates an important or relevant lesson you learned in school

Not many people know this, but I dropped out of college after my sophomore year. I was a collegiate athlete and had a series of back to back injuries that ultimately led to me deciding to retire from volleyball. When I think about what I learned from school, I think about more of the life lessons rather than textbook lessons. From the time I started college, I found myself spending more time reading books, listening to podcasts, and Googling “how to drop out of school,” instead of actually attending classes. I never felt that the classroom was the right space for me to learn. The one thing stopping me from dropping out was the fear of disappointing my parents and the fear of failure.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life and really didn’t have a plan. I have always dreamed of owning my own business and pursuing entrepreneurship, but had no idea how I was going to get there. When Covid happened, I moved back to Kansas City and finished my sophomore year virtually. It was during this time that my friend Meghan told me about a book called “The Untethered Soul” by Michael Singer. It’s cheesy, but could not be more true… this book changed my life.

The book talks a lot about mindfulness, mindset, meditation, and the power of our minds. I began to surrender expectation, the fear of disappointment, and decided to start trusting my gut. So, I went for it and my life changed drastically.

I opened my first business (The Energy Projects), moved to Hawaii, and ultimately found myself on a path that was very chaotic, but felt real and authentic to me for the first time in my life.

So, the most important lesson I learned from school is if something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to leave it behind. It is okay to not stay stuck in a situation that is not serving you. It is okay to trust your gut.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a 22 year old entrepreneur and indoor cycling coach in Kansas City! I have been coaching cycling classes for a little over 2 years and just opened a brand new cycling studio called Revive. I first got in the industry all by accident.

When I lived in North Carolina, I randomly found myself trying a cycling class. I vividly remember during the first few minutes of class I got tears in my eyes. I thought it was the coolest thing and immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of that community. So, I got a job working the front desk there and fell in love with the entire experience that a cycling studio provides.

As I said before, I was a collegiate athlete but really had no experience with fitness and never felt comfortable in a gym setting. It wasn’t until I found indoor cycling that I really felt like I belonged in a fitness space.

Fast forward a couple months, I had moved back to Kansas City, dropped out of school, moved to Hawaii and then back to Kansas City again to pursue the dream of becoming an indoor cycling coach. From the moment of my very first class I knew that I had found my passion. By no means did I think group fitness would, once again, change my life.

Fast forward two years, I opened Revive in November of 2022. My mission for Revive is to provide the best indoor cycling experience possible. Revive is a safe space for every body to work out, sweat, feel, grow, and reach for the best. Our classes are driven by music, emotion, and community. The most important driving force (and what I am most proud of) is our community. All who ride are a part of the DREAM TEAM. Yes, you ride your bike alone, but there is a room full of love and support that is rooting for you, challenging you, and accepting you as you are. Riding and working with a team is not only more fun, it also encourages accountability to show up and work to be your best.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Like I said before, I am 22 years old and am the youngest person at Revive. Managing a team of people that are older than me has been something I have had to learn and will continue to have to learn. I have been on all sides of a fitness setting– a client, an employee, and now as an owner. It is with this experience that I adopted my approach to management and leadership which is to treat others the way you want to be treated — clients and employees alike.

My advice to those who manage a team and who want to maintain a high morale, is to really hone in on your emotional intelligence. I try my best, and encourage you, to operate from a place of empathy and make sure you are treating your employees, clients, and those around you the way you would want to be treated.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

This is a tough one because I feel as though I am constantly trying to stay one step ahead even though I feel like I am 20 steps behind. As an entrepreneur, you are a professional “pivoter.” Personally, I feel most comfortable when I know what to expect, however I have had to put this comfort aside and lean into being okay with not knowing what is going to happen. Whether it be technical difficulties, software issues, or shipping delays, there is always something to figure out and there will always be something you don’t know the answer to.

I have had several ideas and plans that did not work out so I have had to pivot and adapt to find a different solution.

One story in particular that comes to mind is navigating the process of finding a commercial space. I toured probably 12 locations and submitted close to 10 different Letters of Intent. Each time I thought I had found the space, but each time I was proven wrong. There was one space that I got very close to signing a lease, so I jumped the gun and moved forward with ordering the equipment needed to open. Unfortunately, that lease fell through so I was back to square one and had to pivot and work to find a new location. Thankfully, three days before the equipment was delivered, I found a space and signed a lease.

Lesson learned: sign a lease before ordering equipment!!

Contact Info:

• Website: reviveindoorcycling.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/thomastylerr