Thrive & Inspire: Creating ’Something Bigger Than Ourselves’ Drives Gooch and Pappas of RYDE

Thrive & Inspire: Creating ’Something Bigger Than Ourselves’ Drives Gooch and Pappas of RYDE

Ashley Gooch and Andrew Pappas, Co-Founders

WHAT INSPIRES YOU as you grow RYDE? The RYDE community and our team inspire us every day. The goal from the start was to create something that is bigger than ourselves — our community is just that. We want to push the limits of what a fitness experience can be. Our new Heights studio is a testament to that commitment, offering a high-energy indoor cycling experience in a stunning space. RYDE Heights opens in April, exactly eight years after our first location opened on West Gray in River Oaks.


What’s special about your team? The RYDE team is the core spirit of who we are and what we do. Our instructors, studio team and management are constantly raising the bar, and are passionate about building authentic relationships with clients inside and outside the studio. We have the best team in the city — and it is a privilege to work with such a talented and hardworking group of people.

RYDE has taught more than 20,000 spin classes since opening in 2015. To what do you attribute the success of your brand? Every aspect of RYDE is crafted with purpose, and our core principles remain steadfast as we grow. First is quality and consistency: Our team strives to earn and retain our clients’ trust and loyalty every day.

Second, we put people first: We invest in our team through comprehensive training programs and dedicated management support to ensure that our most valuable assets are always put first.

Third, we embrace uniqueness: We invest in our product and talent to ensure it is the best in the industry, while constantly innovating. Our athletic edge appeals to men and women equally, and we’ve paid close attention to this balance from the start.

Fourth, we cherish the details: Every physical and digital detail has been carefully considered and refined by our team, and is an integral part of the RYDE identity.

And the final core principle is giving back: The RYDE team and community are deeply committed to making a difference, and are proud to have donated over $160,000 for local and national philanthropic causes.

Leadership in Action: Entrepreneur Saba Syed of Moroccan Bath Determined to Build ‘Lasting Legacy’

Saba Syed, Founder of Oasis Moroccan Bath

How did you get to where you are today? My journey began with a need to be financially independent and an even a deeper drive to create a lasting legacy. The centuries-old Hammam tradition has always fascinated me—not just for its relaxation benefits, but for its holistic approach to cleansing the body, mind, and soul. So, combining my passion with a vision to bring an authentic yet luxurious Hammam spa experience to Houston, I took the leap less than two years ago to open my own spa.

Keep Reading Show less

Christopher Salazar stars as troubled-genius chef in the Alley's 'Seared'.

ONE OF HOUSTON'S favorite theater makers — Alley Associate Artistic Director Brandon Weinbrenner — has gotten some delicious news about his latest show. The run of his Seared, a sometimes-funny and sometimes-intense tale of life in the kitchen at a suddenly hot New York restaurant by playright Theresa Rebeck, has been extended beyond its original schedule and will now be up through March 9.

Keep Reading Show less
Food+Travel

Flora Choy, Vanitha Pothuri and Blanca Beltran-Robinson

IT WAS A memorable evening for art lovers, to be sure. Connie Kwan-Wong and her independently published CKW Luxe magazine hosted an elegant event amid priceless works of art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties