From Finance to Fitness: Hilary Hoffman on the SotoMethod
The financier-turned-fitness fitness figure has created an efficient and effective workout for everyone from the stagnant investment banker to professional football players
After years of working at Goldman Sachs and Oaktree Capital Management, Hilary Hoffman found that spending 80% of her day behind a desk was impacting her health. It was then that she noticed a gap in the fitness market.
“I realized there was an opportunity for a workout method rooted in efficiency, predictability and purpose,” Hoffman told Athletech News. She then developed the SotoMethod in 2021, a fitness model designed around maximizing one’s time and delivering tangible physical and mental strength. “I desperately required a fitness routine that could take my reality into consideration while still delivering real results.”
The SOTO Method believes in making every second count.
“By using seconds as the baseline of measurement for Soto’s programming, I created a method that emphasizes accountability to show up every day, regardless if you have 5 minutes or 45 minutes to move,” Hoffman explained. Drawing inspiration from her high school running coach, Hoffman leaned into isometrics to build Soto. The workout begins with a 60-second isometric hold to fire up each muscle group, followed by 10 dynamic movements designed to push the body to muscle failure. Soto stands for sixty on, ten on.
‘A Predictable Roadmap’
The SotoMethod combines cardio and sculpting into one package.
“Building on the assumption that a client’s time in class may be their only movement of the day, Soto combines cardio with sculpting to deliver a full-body workout that improves strength, endurance, and overall well-being,” Hoffman said.
One of the company’s biggest milestones came with the opening of its first permanent studio space in New York City this fall, following a successful pop-up location in TriBeCa.
“It’s important to note that this achievement was also the biggest risk we’ve taken to date as a company,” Hoffman said. “Our first pop-up location in TriBeCa was a true testament to luck, preparation, and the opportunity to reach new clients and engage with our deep-rooted community in person. Did we feel 100% ready to open the pop-up with no experience operating a studio? No. However, growth depends on artfully mitigating and taking risk, and we felt equipped to make this choice after evaluating our upside potential and making good financial decisions that offered downside protection.”
Predictable classes are also a key pillar in the Soto Method’s success.
“Soto’s predictable roadmap manages clients’ expectations from the second of their first plank when class begins,” Hoffman noted. “Knowing the flow of the entire class from the start, as well as the precise way we will cue and fatigue every muscle in the body allows for every single person to maximize their performance. The class structure is designed with the intention that instead of worrying about what comes next, clients can focus on unlocking strength in the present second.”
Focusing on Priorities
Hoffman approaches fitness with the perspective that a healthy lifestyle should not consume one’s life.
“My priorities have always been family and friends first, my professional goals second, and then being disciplined in recovering when my battery runs low,” she noted. “I prioritize sleep, hydration and eating – for both fuel and fun. Some of my must-have products to sustain my wellness priorities include earplugs from CVS, a Slip eye mask for sleep, LMNT for electrolytes, Weleda Skin Food for my body’s hydration, and NYC’s unbelievable take-out scene for my meals (both healthy and indulgent).”
Hoffman’s experience in finance has greatly impacted her approach to the fitness space.
“There are few hacks that I learned in finance that help me maximize my performance on a daily basis, and I’ve translated those lessons into Soto’s workout philosophy,” Hoffman said, adding that she learned to front-load her day with all the tasks she wanted to do the least.
“Willpower is a muscle and like any muscle, it fatigues with every decision. Capitalize on using your willpower when the tank is full to accomplish the tasks that require the most effort.”
She takes this same philosophy to her workout classes. “I front load each class with the hardest block: Cardio. Get it over early and when your discipline is fresh, and the rest will follow.” Schedule transparency also mitigates risks of frustration over surprises and allows for more mental strength.
“As we continues to scale, we will always ensure we are not losing sight of the core pillars the brand was founded on – performance, predictability and purpose,” Hoffman concluded. “Knowing every individual has a unique definition of ‘results,’ Soto will always be a method where effort and outcome are directly correlated. At the end of the day, we hope to help clients unlock their maximum strength potential through our intentional full-body workout roadmap that improves muscular strength, endurance, and overall heart health.”