Peloton’s Robin Arzón on Personal Brand and Hispanic Culture

Before she was a New York Times bestselling author, a top-ranked Peloton instructor, and one of Time magazine’s 2023 Latino Leaders, Robin Arzón was very much in a different part of the job market, specifically in the world of law.

The successful multi-hyphenate left her role as a corporate litigator at a New York City law firm in the midst of the subprime mortgage crisis and right into another fast-paced environment: running marathons. Her passion for running became more than a hobby—it became a career. After publishing her first book, Shut Up and Run, which landed on the New York Times Best Seller list, Arzón took another bet on herself and cold-pitched Peloton.

The rest is herstory.

These days, the founder of the community-focused Swagger Society can be found making an impact everywhere, from Capitol Hill to Athlos to guiding her kids toward become fluent Spanish speakers. Arzón sat down with ADWEEK to discuss her journey and the lessons she’s learned along the way to build her resilient personal brand.

Her words have been edited for length and clarity.

Respect for la historia

I’m first gen, born in the States. My dad is from Puerto Rico and grew up in the Bronx with really nothing. And my mom is a Cuban refugee. They’ve got lots of stories of serious struggle and triumph, but a lot of struggle. And I carry their stories with me. They did such a great job instilling in myself, my sister, my primas and primos that they climb mountains and we’re starting at their mountaintop.

I want to pass on the values that I grew up with. I want [my kids] to be super proud of their heritage and understand the stories. I was just recently in at a meeting on Capitol Hill advocating for the National Museum of the American Latino, which they are hoping to build in D.C. in the National Mall, pending site approval from Congress. Those stories are important, and I want them to understand the resiliency, the grit, the triumph. But I also want to them to know where they came from.