10/01/2026
Solid infrastructure and tight operating processes are critical to maintaining a standard of excellence at any company. And after opening two studios in six months, credit is due to the people who make that standard possible…and allow our superstar trainers to do what they do best: guide and inspire.
When thinking about team chemistry, Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss offered one of my favorite analogies during a conversation with Phil Jackson and Kobe:
“If I had a diamond of great value, say four carats, would I give it up for four diamonds of one carat each? No, there is no equal value we can get from a trade that would match what you bring to the team.”
People do not slot neatly into equivalent units of value. One person may bring judgment, range, or expertise that four others cannot replicate. But the inverse is equally true: no singular talent can produce what a brilliantly constructed team can.
To the teammates highlighted here: you are each a diamond on your own. Together, you are Buss’s idea brought to life…a team whose collective value becomes almost impossible to calculate because of the breadth of what each person contributes.
We are wildly proud of your leadership and excellence you bring to Soto every single day.
Now, there are ten people to thank. And because I will seize absolutely any opportunity to use my announcer voice, there is really only one appropriate way to do this….
“Coming to the court, standing at 5 foot 5, our Head of Professional Development, Courtneyyyyy Chuuuungggg.”
xx, Hilary
You are the coach to all 21 of our coaches, myself included. Ensuring we all share the Method while amplifying our individuality is no easy feat. There is both a science and an art to protecting the technical integrity of Soto without stripping away the spirit that makes each trainer their own.
Whether pushing us to more fully embody the lessons we share mid-class or challenging us to get even more precise with our cueing, you somehow make 21 distinct coaches better without asking any of us to become more alike. Thank you, Coach.
There is a reason we write COO as C♾️ when typing out your title. Yes, you make the impossible possible. But more than
