Neither Sourdough starter nor TikTok can compete with Peloton. This fitness brand with a rabid fan base raked in $1.8 billion last year, increased paid digital subscriptions by 472% since 2020, and owns an isolated market. Dara Treseder, a former Apple and GE executive, was named SVP, head of global marketing and communications, in the midst of the August 2020 pandemic. She oversees Peloton's marketing efforts, consumer strategy, insights, communications, and creative, driving the company's growth and international expansion. (For her, much of the value she finds in her career is in making an impact, and she has already done that: since joining the team, Peloton has announced a partnership with longtime member Beyoncé (opens in new tab) and has launched a member story launched the #MyPelotonReason campaign (opens in new tab) to honor them, and continues to grow its ultra-loyal community of riders who are really, really excited to jump on their spin bikes every day.

So why does Peloton feel like everything they do is a brand? Treseder's answer is one that upsets many of his fellow marketers: "It's because we're not trying. It's because we're not trying. She rolled her big eyes. She was like, "I don't care about her." But that's exactly what it is." For Treseder, one of the main ingredients of the peloton's success is "authenticity." 'If it's not authentic, we won't do it. That's a key differentiator for us."

Peloton's marketing may not be "trying," but Treseder has been climbing the corporate ladder for years. This article will discuss how she achieved the top spot in the company and how she is leading the peloton into the post-pandemic future.

Marie Claire: What made you want to become an executive?

Dara Treseder: I was born and raised in Nigeria. Like many young women around the world, my mother was an inspiration to me. I was always a very driven child and my mother nurtured that. One day, I will never forget, I was talking to my mother about something and she said to me, "You know what? You just have to figure out how to make the world the way it should be. That really stuck with me. I am a little black girl from West Africa, but I can have an impact on the world. In Yoruba, it means "Character is beauty." My mother always talked about the importance of one's character, who one is and how one presents oneself. That has guided my life; the second is "ambition with satisfaction." I am not an ambitious person (for ambition's sake). My ambition is rooted in making a positive impact on others.MC: What lessons learned early in your career have shaped your progress?

DT: A certain segment of the population would look at these people and say, "Oh, they're young geniuses. They're brilliant. These people are going to change the world." But for others, it's like, "We need to wait our turn." And unfortunately, it's black women like me who are told, "You need to wait your turn."

When I started at the company, it was clear that I was undervalued. Once, during a personnel review, the leader of the organization said. But you get zero bonus. You are an immigrant. Be thankful you are here." It was a moment that reminded me that there are two Americas: one for the privileged, where you deserve everything, and the other, where you will always be doubted and questioned. I have to create my own opportunities while others are given opportunities. I am not just doing this for myself, but because it is important for young black women to see me and think that I can do it too. MC: What has been your biggest lesson so far?

DT: To bet on myself, I'll never forget the time I thought I was ready to be a C-level executive. But I felt I still had a lot to learn. I sat down with my husband and I said, 'You know what? 'I know I have things I need. I want you to pay for it. I want you to invest for it. [I had a plan. I bet on myself. Nobody made it for me.'

MC: Why did you decide to join the peloton?

DT: I wanted to be in a company that cared about what was important to me. What I like about Peloton is that it was one of the first brands committed to being an anti-racist organization. Especially as a black woman, I can smell performative allyship from a mile away. Our pledge is to invest $100 million over four years to fight racial injustice and inequality. I am proud that what we are doing as marketers is simply amplifying the great work that is being done, as opposed to being a mark of performative virtue. That's what I'm proud of.

I am not painting a picture here. I am merely reflecting a small part of the great work that is actually happening. We support nonprofits that fight racial injustice. We are increasing accessibility to our products and content in underserved communities. That is very powerful.

MC: What is the biggest challenge you've had to overcome as a leader and what has been your greatest success?

DT: Being a black woman in America is an unfortunate reality. Everyone else is punished when they are questioned, yet we must be condemned and reprimanded even though we have proven ourselves. What I have had to overcome is to be more bold and courageous in asserting myself. In her book Becoming, Michelle Obama writes about "Angry Black Women. As a black woman in a senior position, it's almost like, "Oh my God. How can I say this? Most of the time people may intend to take things that way, but there is an unconscious bias. What I say may be viewed very differently than what my wonderful husband, William, says as a blond, white man. We may say the same thing, but people receive it differently.

This is something I've been working on since I first became a C-level executive as CMO of GE's Center for Business Innovation. [The challenge is] the boldness and courage to insist on what needs to happen and not worry about negative stereotypes. It's about showing up as the best leader I can be. It's a constant journey. It's a constant challenge.

What gives me joy is when a team comes together to make an impact. It's waking up every day and working with great people.

MC: As a marketer, how do you find the line between building an authentic community and ultimately pushing a product?

DT: I think one of the key things a marketer has to do is one of the reasons I have been successful in my career. It is not enough to just run your own campaigns. It has to be integrated with how the business is run. As marketers, we are first and foremost business people. And we need to think about how we can work with the infrastructure and the business (team) to achieve this larger brand goal. Communities have always been at the heart of what we do. And we recognize the importance of empowering those communities. We also listen to our members. This is not a one-way relationship, right? It's not just about asking for things, it's about building mutually beneficial relationships.

MC: Peloton marketing is evolving; in 2019, a controversial commercial in which a husband gives his wife a bicycle was called sexist.

DT: I can't speak to what happened before I joined Peloton. What I can tell you is that we continue to evolve as a brand. Our marketing is really deeply shaped by how we create and reflect our culture, not just reactively.

MC: Peloton was recently forced to recall more than 125,000 of its Tread+ treadmills in connection with child deaths and other injuries. How will Peloton regain consumer confidence?

DT: Everything we do at Peloton is focused on improving the lives of our members. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn, grow, and discover ways to better serve our members. We continue to follow the North Star of putting our members first. This fundamental approach has served us well and will continue to be a resource as we move forward as a brand and as a business.

MC: What are your plans for the reopening of the gym?

DT: Being a member of the peloton adds value to your life. During the pandemic, the peloton helped me stay connected with others and helped my physical and mental health. Even after a pandemic, peloton can help you.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity. A version of this article appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of Marie Claire.