As we get ready to welcome Tarot Card Reader Erica McLean (#FITtMomERICA) back to The Clip Out to see what her cards have in store for 2024, we thought we’d take a look back at her predictions for 2023 to see how each one landed. 

Each prediction (while edited for brevity) has been pulled directly from Episode 289, and we think you might be surprised to see how they shook out!

Let’s dig in, shall we? (We shall!)

Prediction #1:  Another Instructor Leaving?

Erica said: “I was shuffling the cards during the introduction and I’m not even joking about this, but the same exact card that I read with Daniel leaving fell out again.  I honestly think that there is going to be somebody else. I don’t see this happening for at least another eight months or maybe sometime in August. Somebody is leaving or thinking about it internally. They’re having issues with mental things or things going on with the studio that they need to take a break. It might be a female. I’m getting female vibes. Once again, it could be either/or. This person is multi-modality, so it could be someone who does strength, bikes, bootcamps, strength or whatever it may be. It might not be a total walk away, but it could be something where this person needs to take significant time off to focus on themselves and think about what they need as a person.”

Outcome: Partially True!  While no Instructor exited PSNY or PSL for good, several Instructors did take leave of absences for injury (Marcel Dinkins and Kirsten Ferguson) or maternity leave (Robin Arzon and Jess King) maternity leave.  And, while she didn’t leave the company in 2023, Irene Kaymer (formerly Scholz) did make a return to the instructor roster after a long absence, having announced her departure from the company on Instagram in May of 2021.  During her absence, she has mentioned that her priority was to spend time focusing on her family.  Connecting the prediction dots even further, Irene was a multi-modality instructor, teaching both on the bike and creating a core-focused program, and all of these Instructors are female.

Prediction #2:  Daniel McKenna’s Post-Peloton Life

Erica’s prediction: “I do see him having a comeback. Maybe sometime this summer or it could even be before. I don’t think he will be coming back to work at Peloton, but it could be a comeback where he wins whatever it is going on with Peloton or maybe a comeback for him in a different area of his life, whether it’s photography, fitness or whatever it is where he makes it big and he’s super happy.

Outcome:  Appears to be mostly true, minus the lawsuit.  Daniel (obviously) has not returned to Peloton and ultimately withdrew his lawsuit at the end of 2022.  But, he does appear to be thriving.  He has a passionate following via the Irish Yank Society, full of fans who have supported him along the way as he built out his personal training business and has offered multiple in-person classes focusing on kettlebell work across the country throughout 2023. 

Prediction #3:  Robin Will Have Another Baby 

Erica’s prediction here was short and sweet, saying, “I do think that there’s another child in the cards for her. I think that’s what she is constantly thinking about. I think she does want another baby. I think that’s going to happen.”

Outcome:  Nailed it.  While we can’t possibly know if it occupied her thoughts as suggested, the Arzon-Butler family did welcome  their adorable new bundle of joy, Atlas Sage, making Athena a big sister (and Robin a mom of two) in July of 2023.  

Prediction #3: Robin Spreading Herself Thin

Erica said, “I do see some troubles. There are two things right now that she wants and that [a baby] is one of them. The other one is all this other extra stuff that’s going on, and it’s going to have to be almost like a decision between the two. Right now, I don’t know how much more recognition all this other outside stuff is going to get her, but something else is going to tap through. I think there’s going to be something else. I don’t think that she’s going to get caught up in the whole Web3 that she’s doing. I think she’s going to have so many other things to concentrate on, is what I’m trying to say.”

Outcome: Unclear.  This one was tricky to parse through.  Obviously, Robin added a new baby to the mix on the personal front, however she also continued to devote her professional energy to the development of the Swagger Society as well as bringing a new book, Welcome Hustler: An Empowerment Journal, to publication.  Just one of those things can spread a person thin, so we can certainly see that all three combined might make her feel like her energy was being pulled in multiple directions.  However, there has been no outward indication that she feels this way at all.  That said, it does appear that the Web3 chatter has become a bit more muted and, perhaps, she has backed off of that.

Prediction #4: New Tread Instructors  

Erica certainly saw the team expanding. “I honestly think that for the Instructors that are there, some will be coming to the Tread [team]. I don’t know why I keep on thinking that Tunde will eventually get there. I already know that there’s going to be London people that are going to the tread. I feel Ben will be on the Tread by May. I see Tunde. There was a whole week [where I was feeling] There’s a new instructor. There might be a new tread instructor. I was like, “I feel like it’s Tunde energy.” I have been totally vibing her and her energy is super contagious. I wouldn’t be surprised if they get her up there too within the next year.”

Outcome: True-ish.  While she hasn’t officially joined the Tread team, Tunde has certainly leaned into running this year, making appearances in both the City2Surf 8.7 mile “fun run” in Sydney Australia and surprising everyone by joining the TCS New York City Marathon in the fall of 2023.  Tunde trained in secret and was ultimately helped across the finish line by a fellow Peloton Member (who will be The Clip Out for an interview in the weeks to come!). Will we ultimately see Tunde join the Tread team?  She has said, via her Instagram account, that she has no plans to.  However, if we know anything about the Peloverse, it’s to never say never.

As for Ben, he has not been added to the Tread team, and there is no indication that he will be.  However there are rumors that he will join the Row instructor team when the Peloton Row becomes available for purchase in the UK. We are certainly watching this news closely.

Prediction #5:  Peloton Business Comings and Goings

Erica’s take: “Barry is very intimidating to me. I feel like a lot of the instructors are getting that vibe too. I feel that he intimidates them too. Whether when he’s at the studio, they might not be themselves or whatever. I feel like there’s somebody new that’s going to come in, whether he’s there or not, that’s going to be the knight in shining armor that’s going to make everybody feel more comfortable and accepted.  I feel like there is going to be somebody else that’s going to come in. I want to say maybe around March 2023.” 

Outcome: In the ballpark-ish.  Although there has been no shortage of comings and goings in the Peloton C-Suite in 2023, there is no outward indication of the Instructors’ feelings toward their CEO one way or the other and we are unable to confirm that portion of the prediction.

As for that C-Suite, though…Leslie Berland joined the company in January of 2023 as Peloton’s new Chief Marketing Officer, and she oversaw a near-total brand overhaul.  Under her direction, the company revamped its color scheme, moving away from the traditional red, black and white and toward bright, vibrant colors.  There was also a notable shift in targeted advertising, leaning into utilizing real Peloton members in ad campaigns and moving away from traditional fitness models and actors.  Berland’s tenure at Peloton was surprisingly brief, with her exiting the company for a CMO role at Verizon in early December.  The CMO position was recently filled by Lauren Weinberg, former Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer for QuickBooks at Intuit.  

Peloton also added a new SVP of Apparel and Accessories, Cedric Fletcher, as well as a new Chief Product Officer. Nick Caldwell replaced Tom Cortese, who had been with the company for 12 years and has now moved into an advisory role. 

Prediction #6: Instructors’ Interpersonal Relationships

Erica’s prediction: “I feel like there are some [Instructors] that feel that they are getting treated unfairly and that other people shine a little bit brighter. There’s a lot of healing that has to happen in 2023. There’s going to be somebody else who’s coming in that’s going to bring everybody together and help everybody’s needs because I feel like people’s needs aren’t being met. That’s the vibe I’m getting. Whether it’s made known to us or whether we are kept in the dark about it, you might see more of an appreciation. You may see more of a positive vibe come March 2023 with them.”

Outcome:  Peloton’s Instructors are nothing if not brand-loyal and tight-lipped, and that includes keeping any (potential) negative feelings about the company out of the gossip circles.  Because of that, we have no outward indication that anyone was feeling any kind of way about where, and on whom, the spotlight fell.  That said, there has certainly been a surge of Instructor presence on TikTok and Instagram this year, with videos and Reels, as well as the introduction/creation of several Instagram Channels from various instructors.  Whether they are looking for more of a share of that spotlight or are just striking while the iron’s hot, so to speak, we can’t possibly say for sure.

As for positive vibes, though?  After years of being separated by lockdowns and the Atlantic Ocean, the Instructors gathered together at Peloton Studios New York for an Instructor Summit in June of this year. We weren’t there, but based on the glimpses we got from various Instagram accounts, it looks like good vibes were flowing freely (we had major FOMO!).  And, although we don’t know if any type of healing was needed, it certainly appeared to help cement the camaraderie between the PSL and PSNY Instructor groups.

Prediction #7: Peloton Homecoming

Erica sensed that changes were brewing for the annual event. “I think that Homecoming is going to be a celebration, whether it’s virtual or in person. However, I do feel like it might be an invite-type thing only.  They are taking certain people and to certain classes. They are inviting certain people like they will send an invite to people who take all of Jenn Sherman’s classes and love Jenn Sherman. Those people might get a certain invite to take her classes during Homecoming. They might separate things so it’s not like it was in the past when there were big crowds and stuff like that.”

Outcome:  Partially true!  Oh, Homecoming.  Who knew that 2022 would be the last time we would see a PSNY-centric version of you? Over the years, Homecoming has undergone several evolutions; from the first official Home Rider Invasion in 2016 to officially becoming Peloton Homecoming in 2018, to a massive fever-dream party in 2019, to a last-minute swap from an in-person celebration to a virtual version of the event necessitated by a world-wide pandemic in 2020, Peloton Homecoming has taken on many forms.  

This year was no different, and, perhaps it was pent-up wanderlust or just the desire to continue to push Peloton more into focus on the world stage, but Homecoming, as we knew it, was officially put on the shelf and replaced with Peloton On Tour.  Rather than inviting the Peloton faithful to NYC, Peloton took the show on the road, so to speak, visiting locations all across the United States and Europe over the course of the year. 

Prediction #8: New hardware   

Erica: “I do think that we are going to see new equipment. I don’t think it’s going to be anything crazy right now. It might be more things with the whole strength component and stuff like that. I do think that a year from now if we do a 2024 episode, I do think that there is going to be another big component that comes out. Something like the rower. As of right now, it’s going to be little small things and more things happening in the studio or happening with invites or with special guests coming into classes.”

Outcome:  Mostly true.  While a new piece of hardware did not come to market, most of this prediction did come to fruition.  After years of talking about how they planned to lean into the app, Peloton finally went all in, dividing it into a tiered membership, which officially went into effect this December.  That wasn’t the only change the app saw.  Peloton also introduced Peloton Gym, a collection of free-standing weight training classes curated by Instructors and geared toward guiding people who prefer to workout in a traditional gym setting. 

Peloton has also had more in-studio guests this year with various music artists making in-studio appearances and Peloton did start sending out special invitations for first-timers to take an in-person class. 

Prediction #9: Studio Invites/Member Engagement 

Erica’s prediction, “They are going to try to hype everybody up with that and hype everybody up with the whole invite thing. I think that they also are doing that because they are trying to give more people a chance to get to the studio and to take away from all that stress from having to wait online too.”

Outcome: True!  See above!  Members who never had the opportunity to take an in-person class began receiving emails offering them the opportunity to skip the studio booking hunger games that happen every Thursday and, instead, join a special class made up of other first timers.  

Prediction #10: Instructor Engagements and Romances 

Erica also saw love in the cards at Peloton, “I do think that there’s going to be more love interest. I see RK and Andy. I don’t know whether they are going to get engaged soon or whatever, but I feel like they are good. I see them getting more invested in each other, whether they are moving in together.  You might see more people with their significant other and talking more about that stuff because we don’t see that a lot with Denis or Adrian. We don’t see their girlfriends, but I think that as the year progresses, there might be more weddings. Matt Wilpers is going to get married.”

Outcome: True-ish.  While we don’t want to get too deep into the weeds of Instructors’ personal lives, RK and Andy are certainly going strong! And, they’re not just living together, either.  They’re officially engaged!  Andy popped the question in a romantic seaside proposal while the two were on an African safari vacation together this December.  And, Matt Wilpers did tie the knot with long-time girlfriend Jess in an early February ceremony in Nicaragua.  

That said, Adrian and Denis are still relatively private about their relationships, and we don’t see that changing with either of them….but never say never!  We just love love and are so happy to see these Instructors enjoying bliss in their personal lives.

Prediction #11: Expansion Into New Markets 

Erica saw this for Peloton. “If they do add more stuff with countries, they are going to do what they are doing in England right now where they have the German instructors there. I do think they might add some more country-type things. Peloton might go to different countries. I don’t know why I was thinking of Singapore. I don’t know about China. I don’t know if they are going to have Instructors come from other countries around there and teach. I don’t think they would open a studio there. They would use either/or the New York-based studio or London. I keep seeing LA and California. I don’t know if they are going to open a studio there or have some space there for Instructors to instruct there in the future.”

Outcome: Partially true!  This prediction could be interpreted in many different ways.  First and foremost, Peloton has announced plans to leverage its German instructor team and will be expanding into Austria.  Austria and Asia both start with an A so…..

On the Instructor front, Peloton Instructors have made numerous trips to California for meet & greets, Jon Hosking, Tunde and Kirra Michel all three visited Australia and, California classes, in and around LA, were held for Peloton on Tour: Live from Los Angeles.

Prediction #12: Peloton Business on the Financial Front 

Here’s Erica’s take on what the cards revealed: “I do see though that sometime in the spring, there is a little issue with money for Peloton. Whether they are nervous about money. They are raising their prices a little bit more, whether it’s with the app or it was what it is. I do see that subsiding by the fall. I see somebody else is coming in that’s going to have more ideas around finance and around financial stuff, and be able to work with whether it’s the Instructors, people at the studio working there, or production assistants. I feel that around April or May. There might be a little bit of an issue with finances.”

Outcome: A little true, a little not true.  Peloton stock is always a subject of conversation, which probably causes more headaches for Barry & Co., than they would like and there is never (ever) a shortage of people who would like to (and try to ) sue Peloton.  However, for the most part, we didn’t see too much concern for the finances out of the C-Suite.  The quarterly earnings calls rarely revealed new surprises and generally tracked with what the markets expected from the company as a whole.  

As for the app, that prediction absolutely came true.  New app tiers were announced earlier this year, and began rolling out in December.

Prediction #13: Instructors’ Emotional Status 

Erica felt the cards indicated a little bit of behind the scenes discord with the Instructors. “I do think there are Instructors that are unhappy right now and that there are things going on behind the scene, and that corporate is trying to work with them and give them a little bit of a pull of what they want. I think that there are other opportunities for them.”

Outcome: We have no outward indication of this, but if there is one prediction we hope isn’t true, it’s this one.  Mostly because we just don’t want to see any of our favorite Instructors feeling unhappy.  

Peloton has always appeared to be very supportive of the Instructors pursuing opportunities outside the company, whether it be via brand partnerships or chasing their performing arts dreams like Cody competing on Dancing with the Stars, or Sam touring with The King and I.  We would like to think that this type of support is something they can always count on, because there certainly are loads of opportunities to be had.

Prediction #14: Cody 

Speaking of Cody, Erica had this to say, “I don’t think he’s happy. I think there are other things that he has at his fingertips. I think that where he is right now is his place or home where he feels safe, where his friends are, and what he loves. I think he’s going through a little bit of like, “What am I like? Where do I belong,” type of deal.”

Outcome: Is Cody having somewhat of an existential crisis?  We couldn’t possibly say.  He has had a rather big year though!  Between bringing his New York Times bestseller to publication, a whirlwind book tour, rekindling his relationship with longtime boyfriend Andrés and the revelation that he was considered for the part of Ken (or one of the Kens) in this summer’s blockbuster Barbie movie, it certainly seems like he does have the world at his fingertips.  Cody is one of Peloton’s most enigmatic instructors, so it would be no surprise if doors everywhere were opening for him, but we really don’t have any indication that that would translate to any type of unhappiness with being an instructor.

Prediction #15: An Instructor Retirement (?!?)

Erica’s prediction: “I think within the next two and half years. Christine maybe. I think there are other things for them that are more important right now. They have things going on in their personal life. Things that they want to do. It’s like it might be that time to move on to the next adventure in their life. “

She continues, “I think that there are going to be opportunities for more money. Once again, right now, behind the scenes, they are working on all that stuff. They are planting that seed to be like, “What is the next step for me?” “

Outcome: This is a long-term prediction, but, for 2023, we have no indication that any Instructor is considering retirement.  However, even the fittest people eventually retire and, if that were to be the case, we would all wish them well and hope that the second chapter of their lives is as happy as the first. 

But, speaking of aging, our Instructors are doing it strongly and wonderfully! They are setting a terrific example for what it means to stay active in all stages and phases of life. Christine is starting to speak out more and more about perimenopause and menopause in her Instagram posts and stories, and recently recording a guest appearance on the Hit Play, Not Pause podcast, which is dedicated to giving women the information they need to age healthfully.

Prediction #16: The Clip Out 

Here’s what Erica saw in the cards for The Clip Out in 2023: “All good things. Don’t be scared. I think that The Clip Out is going to do great. It’s at the point now where it’s on fire. Every person that hasn’t listened to you guys is all of a sudden listening and they’re like, “Oh my gosh.” I had a dream about you being in New York in cahoots with the company working with them.” 

She continued, “I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if you guys do more things where you are at the studio. I think that people want to see you more at the studio. I do think that there might be a time when you go in and you are doing work with Peloton and helping them. Maybe this spring, you might get good news about that like, “We want you guys to come in. We want you to ride.” Maybe even do an episode at the studio or something.

Outcome:  True!!!!  This has been a big year at The Clip Out and it’s busier than ever behind the scenes!  With the addition of both a writing and a tipster staff, we have expanded the number of articles we are able to write and topics we are able to cover and our reach has also expanded!  You, our listeners and readers, are sharing our articles more and more and that growth is noticeable.  Additionally, 2023 saw the podcast formally split into two weekly episodes: The flagship version that everyone is able to access via any streaming platform and our bonus episode, The Clipped Out, where Patreon members get even more in depth insight from Crystal and Tom, along with the witty, off-the-cuff banter that they know and love for $5.00/month.  

On the Peloton collaboration front, that is also true.  While an episode wasn’t recorded from the studio, one was recorded from London, where Crystal and Tom were guests at the final stop of Peloton on Tour and we think that counts!  Our relationship with Peloton continues to grow and evolve in extremely positive ways, and we are incredibly grateful for that.  

Join us this Friday when we welcome Erica back to the show to see what the cards have to say about the upcoming year!  And, whether you have access to your own personal Tarot Cards or not, we all have hopes and dreams for Peloton’s future.  What would YOU like to see happen for Peloton (or The Clip Out)  in 2024?

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