Learning to Thrive

Courtney Parfitt & Michaela Vernon
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Management
  • Updated Biweekly

On the Learning to Thrive podcast, we share stories, lessons learned, and practical tools to help your business go from surviving to thriving.Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com

  1. 1d ago

    Ep. 184 - Standards That Stick : What Happens When You Hold the Line

    Episode Links: FREE Competitive Programming Profit & Loss Template — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re being “too strict” by holding athletes to a standard, we’re here to tell you that unclear expectations create more stress than firm ones. We talk about how to set standards in a competitive program without losing the human side, and why enforcing expectations is one of the most important life lessons sports can teach. When coaches dodge hard calls to protect feelings, kids still learn a lesson, just not the one we want. We unpack two sides of the same coin: performance standards and behavior standards. From skill requirements and level of play to work ethic, respect, and team culture, we share practical ways to define what “ready” looks like. This means getting expectations out of your head and onto paper, then communicating them early and often. We explain how progress check-ins throughout the season, plus optional parent meetings, can reduce confusion around readiness, roles, and move-ups. Finally, we cover why a united coaching front matters for athlete development and program culture, and how to get buy-in by giving your staff a real voice in the standards. If you coach youth sports or lead any competitive program, this framework keeps expectations consistent and growth-focused. Subscribe and share this with a coach who needs it. — Show Links: Send us Fan Mail Be sure to include your phone number or email so we can respond to your message! Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com Find more Learning to Thrive: thrivegym.mykajabi.com Find Us on Instagram Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Tik Tok

    10 min

  2. Jun 22

    Ep. 183 - Coaching Beyond The Scoreboard : How to Make Sure Your Athletes Take Lasting Lessons With Them

    Episode Links: FREE Competitive Programming Profit & Loss Template — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: What do your athletes walk out with when the sport ends: a medal story, or a stronger identity? In this episode of Learning to Thrive, we’re digging into what it really means to coach the whole person so kids don’t confuse performance with worth. We break down how to turn everyday training into real life skills like goal setting, time management, confidence, and resilience. We talk about why sports are a “training ground for disappointment” and how coaches can connect the dots so athletes see the crossover into school, public speaking, friendships, and hard days at home. We also share a simple but powerful habit: call it as you see it. When a kid falls, gets scared, and tries again, naming that courage in the moment helps build an inner voice they can use for the rest of their lives. Then we get practical about one of our favorite topics: teaching athletes to advocate for themselves. We explain how to coach kids through speaking up about fear, stress, pain, and mental blocks, and why the adult’s emotional regulation sets the tone for a safe, growth focused sports program. Finally, we zoom out to the parent-coach-athlete relationship and how getting aligned around “best for the child as a person” creates better outcomes and long term impact for everyone. If you care about positive coaching, youth athlete development, and building life lessons through sport, press play. — Show Links: Send us Fan Mail Be sure to include your phone number or email so we can respond to your message! Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com Find more Learning to Thrive: thrivegym.mykajabi.com Find Us on Instagram Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Tik Tok

    21 min

  3. Jun 15

    Ep. 182 - Sports Parents : How to Set a Culture that Prevents Problems

    Episode Links: FREE Competitive Programming Profit & Loss Template — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: In this episode of Learning to Thrive we’re sharing what’s actually worked for us in building a supportive parent culture in a high-emotion, high-investment environment like competitive sports. The goal isn’t to control families or hand out a list of “don’ts”, it's to create clarity so you and parents can show up as allies. We break down four practical moves that reduce misunderstandings and protect kids: put your culture on paper, communicate early and clearly, listen for the missing piece when conflict shows up, and hold the line when behavior violates your values.  We also get honest about the hardest part for leaders: making decisions that are best for the program even when someone is upset. When you protect the culture consistently, you create less burnout for coaches, less confusion for families, and a more joyful season for athletes. If you’re running a youth sports program, this is a blueprint you can start using today.  — Show Links: Send us Fan Mail Be sure to include your phone number or email so we can respond to your message! Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com Find more Learning to Thrive: thrivegym.mykajabi.com Find Us on Instagram Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Tik Tok

    22 min

  4. Jun 8

    Ep. 181 - Is Your Competitive Team Breaking the Bank? 3 Ways to Make Your Competitive Team Program an Asset and Not a Liability

    Episode Links: FREE Competitive Programming Profit & Loss Template — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Your competitive team can be your proudest brand builder and your biggest silent drain at the same time. This episode we’re opening a month-long focus on competitive programs with one core question: how do you run a competitive team that strengthens your business instead of quietly bleeding money, space, and leadership energy? We dig into three practical elements gym owners and sports facility leaders can actually control. First, we talk pricing per hour and enrollment strategy, including the reality that competitive programs often earn less per hour than recreational classes. We unpack the “pyramid” of team levels, why bigger lower levels matter, and how upper levels can still deliver real value through credibility, visibility, and long-term member trust even when margins are thin. Next, we get honest about knowing your numbers. We walk through what to include in your competitive team cost accounting beyond tuition: coaching pay structures, director time, meet-related expenses, travel, and even end-of-year banquets. Then we shift to space utilization and scheduling, including adding rotations like mental training, dance, and strength in auxiliary areas so equipment is never sitting idle and fundamentals actually get better. We close with a reminder that “liability” can also mean burnout. Audit your calendar, set clear standards before the season, and protect the parts of coaching you love most. If this helps, subscribe, share with a fellow program director, and leave a review so more facility owners can build competitive programs that truly thrive. — Show Links: Send us Fan Mail Be sure to include your phone number or email so we can respond to your message! Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com Find more Learning to Thrive: thrivegym.mykajabi.com Find Us on Instagram Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Tik Tok

    22 min

  5. May 18

    Ep. 180 - Giving Back to the Community : How Investing Time, Energy and Finance Elevates Your Business and Enriches Your Customer Experience

    Episode Links: Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Customer experience isn’t just what happens at your front desk, it’s how people feel when they’re connected to your business and to each other. In today’s episode of Learning to Thrive we share how giving back to the community can be the thing that turns a basic fan into a raving fan, and why the intention behind it matters more than the optics. If you’ve ever wondered whether community outreach can be both genuine and good for business, we draw a clear line: the goal is gratitude and service, and the ripple effects come second. We break down practical ways to invest time, energy, and finances inside your own four walls, and how consistent community events can create friendships that last for years. We also share how celebrations like a summer showcase and simple value-add newsletters can enrich the customer experience without turning everything into a sales pitch. Then we zoom out to the wider community: supporting local schools, sponsoring events, showing up at festivals and parades, and building year-round philanthropy partnerships. We also discuss giving back beyond writing checks by donating space, hosting collections, and creating access for families who can’t afford activities without support. If you want a customer experience strategy that actually feels human, press play, then subscribe and share this with a fellow business owner. What’s one way you could show up for your community this month? — Show Links: Send us Fan Mail Be sure to include your phone number or email so we can respond to your message! Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com Find more Learning to Thrive: thrivegym.mykajabi.com Find Us on Instagram Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Tik Tok

    25 min

  6. May 11

    Ep. 179 - Evaluating Your Customer Experience : 3 Systems to Keep Customer Feedback Flowing & Create Real Change

    Episode Links: Free Customer Survey Template Free Staff Checklists — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: In today’s Learning to Thrive episode we’re sharing the practical, repeatable ways we evaluate customer experience inside a busy youth program so feedback turns into action instead of anxiety. If the phrase “What if they don’t like us?” has ever stopped you from asking for input, we unpack how to reframe feedback as a tool that makes your business and your community easier to run. We walk through three systems that keep a steady pulse on what customers are actually feeling: customer surveys, a front desk daily review, and written drop forms. We explain how to run gym-wide and program-specific surveys, what questions surface the most useful insights, and how responses can shape everything from newsletters to onboarding emails. Then we share why a simple daily front-of-house report captures real-time issues before they get forgotten, and how a checklist can prevent avoidable complaints like missed voicemails. Finally, we get candid about drop forms and why putting cancellations in writing protects both sides, prevents long-term billing confusion, and creates a low-pressure space for honest feedback that families might never say at the desk. If you want stronger retention, better reviews, clearer communication, and fewer surprise problems, listen through and steal these systems. Subscribe, share with a fellow owner, and leave a review, then tell us what you use to measure customer experience. — Show Links: Send us Fan Mail Be sure to include your phone number or email so we can respond to your message! Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com Find more Learning to Thrive: thrivegym.mykajabi.com Find Us on Instagram Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Tik Tok

    21 min

  7. Apr 27

    Ep. 178 - Thrive's Leadership Values (Replay)

    Episode Links: Subscribe to our newsletter — Show Notes: We are not trying to manage people. We are trying to lead humans. In this episode of Learning to Thrive, we share the leadership values we use at Thrive to keep our culture steady, personal, and strong even when things get busy. These are not slogans for a handbook. They are standards we try to live in real relationships with staff, coaches, and the teams we serve. We unpack four leadership values that shape how we make decisions and how we show up day to day: humility, accountability, engagement, and investment. You will hear what humble leadership looks like in practice, why accountability has to go both ways, and how leaders can invite honest feedback without getting defensive. We also talk about the danger of blind spots when people do not feel safe telling you the truth, and why owning mistakes quickly builds more trust than pretending you are perfect. We get practical about engagement through consistent one-on-one check-ins, including our flexible “10-10” meeting style that creates space for real conversation about work and life. Finally, we dig into investing in people with time, education, opportunity, and support so they leave better than they came. If you lead a team, coach athletes, run a small business, or parent kids who watch everything you do, these leadership values can become your foundation. — Show Links: Send us Fan Mail Be sure to include your phone number or email so we can respond to your message! Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com Find more Learning to Thrive: thrivegym.mykajabi.com Find Us on Instagram Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Tik Tok

    21 min

  8. Apr 20

    Ep. 177 - Sharing the Wealth : 3 Investments You Must Make to Keep Your Business Growing

    Episode Links: Free Staff Checklists — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: In this episode, we sit down and challenge a common small business finance trap: labeling everything as an expense instead of asking what return it should create. When we change the language, we change the decisions, and we change the energy customers and staff feel the moment they walk in the door. We walk through three investments we believe a growing youth sports facility must keep making. First, continued education for coaches, not only the high level competitive staff but the recreational coaches who shape the daily experience and drive retention. We talk conferences, in house training, lesson plan meetings, shadowing, and simple ways to build leadership by letting your best coaches teach the rest of the team. Second, we dig into the front desk as your first impression and your most consistent parent touchpoint. We share practical systems that create consistency, including a quick reference cheat sheet and a daily checklist plus log for positives, staffing issues, customer complaints, and injuries. Finally, we get specific about facility upgrades and equipment refreshes, why first impressions matter in a competitive market, and how to set an annual reinvestment budget. If you’ve been wondering where to reinvest for real ROI, this will help you pick a clear next step and build a plan. What’s the one area you know you’ve been skimping on? — Show Links: Send us Fan Mail Be sure to include your phone number or email so we can respond to your message! Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com Find more Learning to Thrive: thrivegym.mykajabi.com Find Us on Instagram Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Tik Tok

    28 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

On the Learning to Thrive podcast, we share stories, lessons learned, and practical tools to help your business go from surviving to thriving.Reach us at: contactlearningtothrive@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Courtney Parfitt & Michaela Vernon
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    185
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Learning to Thrive
  • Show Website
    Learning to Thrive