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. 175 - Are You Maximizing Your Enrollment? : Ways to Attract New Customers and Re-engage Old Ones

    Episode Links: "We Miss You" Former Customer Email Template "Thank You For Joining Us" New Customer Email Template — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: In today’s episode of Learning to Thrive we walk through how to re-engage old customers with ease: build low-commitment drop-in events, make them genuinely great, and use them as a bridge back to classes. Then we dig into email marketing and social media that actually gets opened and remembered, because it’s built around value. Think helpful newsletters, community highlights, curated child development resources, and consistent touchpoints that keep your gym top of mind when a parent asks a friend, “Where should we go?” On the new customer side, we focus on two questions: how you physically show up in the community and how your brand shows up when you’re not there. Events like school fun nights, 5Ks, parades, park meet ups, simple swag like magnets, shirts, and water bottles, and recognizable visuals all compound into brand recognition. We also talk about turning birthday parties and rentals into lead engines, capturing emails the right way, and why front desk customer service is a make-or-break revenue driver. If you want more enrollments without feeling salesy, press play. Subscribe, share this with another kids business owner, and leave a review so more gyms can build communities that grow. — 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

  2. MAR 30

    Ep. 174 - Q1 Is Done! Three Systems That Will Allow You To Review, Analyze & Plan With Certainty

    Episode Links: Sample Week in Review Sheet Ep. 110 - Time Blocking — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Quarter one flies by, and then suddenly you’re asking the big questions: Are we actually consistent on enrollment? Are we spending wisely? Are we burning out our team and ourselves without noticing? That’s why we’ve implemented repeatable, reliable systems that tell the truth about what’s happening in our business and our life. In this episode, we walk through three tools we use to run a healthier gym and make better decisions with less stress. First is a weekly review that captures what’s getting done week to week: attendance, output, wins, struggles, and priorities for the next week. Then we get into business vitals tracking, focusing on enrollment, payroll, and reading your profit and loss statement through percentages so you can spot patterns, compare seasonality, and lead with strategy instead of intuition. Finally, we share a monthly calendar audit built on time blocking, so you can see where your time went, and use this information to block next month’s time. If you want practical business systems, better operations, and a data-driven way to plan your time, this episode will help you build momentum for the next three quarters.  — 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

    27 min

  3. MAR 23

    Ep. 173 - Hiring Seasonal Staff : 3 Ways to Make Your Summer Successful

    Episode Links: Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Your best camp theme and your cutest craft won’t save a summer that’s staffed wrong. In this episode of Learning to Thrive, we dig into what’s really behind a great summer camp experience: seasonal staff who bring energy, manage emotions, and keep kids safe even when the day gets loud and messy. We walk through our three-part framework for summer camp staffing and staff management. First, we hire personality and teach skill, because a counselor’s attitude shows up in every parent interaction and every kid’s memory of the week. We talk about who to recruit and who to avoid. If someone says they’re not a camp person, we explain why you should take them at their word. Next, we break down seasonal staff onboarding and training that actually sticks: background checks, CPR certification, required documentation, and mandatory pre-camp meetings that cover expectations plus emergency procedures. Finally, we share how we support counselors all summer with daily camp leads, clear standards on the floor, and short pre-camp check-ins that set the tone, especially on Mondays when first impressions decide everything. If you want a safer, smoother, more profitable camp season with better staff retention, press play, subscribe, and share with a fellow camp director! — 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

    27 min

  4. MAR 16

    Ep. 172 - Wow Factor for Camps : Tips and Tricks to Make Your Camp an Experience

    Free Ninja Camp Toolkit  — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: What makes a camp unforgettable isn’t luck—it’s a handful of smart choices repeated every day. We break down our practical, tested framework for building the wow factor families rave about, from the very first minute in the car line to the last smile at pickup. We start with first impressions: enthusiastic greetings, remembering camper names, and why clear signage and upbeat music lower everyone’s stress. Then we move into the engine of a great camp—a written plan. You’ll hear how we map facility flows so any coach can find any group at any time, why we always staff one over for flexibility, and how we bake themes into stations so creativity is consistent across teams, not dependent on one rockstar instructor. Parents want to feel part of the day, so we share the communication system that turned quiet car rides into proud recaps: a Tuesday newsletter with photos from every station and a short Friday video that’s easy to share. We layer in a pickup “quick sheet” so camp leads can deliver specific wins at the curb, building trust and giving families real stories to tell. You’ll also get our approach to weekly celebrations—cheer shows, animal visits, nerf wars, multi-sport rotations—that kids anticipate and parents point to as proof of value. Finally, we focus on the heartbeat of any program: staff. Hire for personality, train the skills, and keep energy high with public praise, surprise treats, and planned breathers. Our mid-summer half-day only week protects stamina and helps coaches feel refreshed. Put it all together and you have a camp that delights kids, impresses parents, and gives your team a summer experience they look forward to also.  — 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

    32 min

  5. MAR 9

    Ep. 171 - Camp Prep : What Do You Need to Be Doing Now to Have a Successful Summer?

    Episode Links: Free Ninja Camp Toolkit  — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Snow on the ground, but summer on the brain. We’re pulling back the curtain on how we sellout camps without burning out our team, and it all starts months before the summer season. Parents plan early, so we do too with dates posted by December, a clear January launch, and fun, action-packed themes accompanied by thoughtful lesson plans. These shifts took us from “hope it fills” to full-day weeks selling out in under 24 hours. We map the entire summer with intention: full-day and half-day weeks, plus planned half-day-only weeks to reset energy. That runway keeps week ten as sharp as week one. We also talk why narrowing to four repeatable themes outperforms a dozen scattered ideas. Depth wins: detailed lesson plans, age-appropriate games, crafts that fit the theme, and a Friday celebration families can’t stop talking about. Marketing is simple, steady, and local. After the launch push, we stay visible in moms’ groups, school wellness events, 5Ks, and camp fairs. The real secret weapon is operational excellence in plain sight: when morning class families watch camp groups move through stations with structure and joy, they picture their child in that flow next summer. On staffing, we start with a survey of our team, rehire great alumni home from college, then recruit seasonal hires early. One extra instructor beyond the minimum is insurance that pays for itself on day one. We finish with the heart of it all: build an experience, not just coverage. Signature moments—animal visits, cheer showcases, timed ninja courses—give kids stories to tell and parents proud highlights to share. That’s how you create raving fans who will set their alarms to enroll during your midnight release. Want a head start? Grab our free Ninja Camp lesson plan from the link a, and tell us: what theme should we share next? — 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

    30 min

  6. FEB 23

    Ep. 170 - Fueling Team Energy In The Messy Middle

    This time of year brings a special kind of swirl: long weekends for coaches in competition season, tired and sick staff, and students pushing through winter fatigue while school pressure mounts. We’ve been there, and we’re sharing the exact playbook we use to keep morale high without burning people out. We start with fast ways to raise energy: frequent, specific shout-outs that name the behavior and tie it to core values like flexibility and initiative. Then we add small but mighty boosts - gift cards for last‑minute saves, a surprise group coffee order, or a quick thank-you that lands when it counts. These gestures are easy to execute and powerful because they tell your team they’re seen. Next, we get practical about time. A 30-minute calendar audit can prevent the seven-day grind that leads to illness and mistakes. We look one to two months ahead for meets, travel, and school events, shift meetings to realistic windows, and pre-schedule true rest days. Our weekly review maps priorities and clarifies what only we can do, so when the week gets busy, we follow the plan our calmer selves made. Finally, we reconnect to the why. Whether you’re teaching toddlers or coaching skill upgrades, the impact is real: safer kids, proud parents, and a happy staff. Progress is often invisible day to day but undeniable across months, so we make it visible and celebrate often. Here's our blog you can share with your member families about the The Messy Middle. 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

  7. FEB 12

    Ep. 169 - Learning to Thrive's 2026 Revamp

    Learning to Thrive is back with new episodes! After a very cold Northeast winter, we’re here to reset, share a big life update, and map a 2026 plan that centers values-driven leadership and real community.  It’s undeniable that AI and tutorials are helpful tools right at our fingertips, but they can’t replace shared values, peer accountability, or the energy that comes from solving hard problems together.  We’re outlining a refreshed format - deeper episodes, practical frameworks, and guest voices with real expertise - plus new ways to gather through Learning to Thrive’s Thrive University. Whether you run a gym, coach a team, or lead a small business, you’ll find tools to handle tough parent conversations, avoid complacency in your team and organization, and align your culture around service and excellence. Get on our email list through our landing page linked here. Tell us what you want to hear about - culture, time blocking, running a meet - so we can get it on the calendar and deliver the most value for you possible.  We can’t wait to keep Thriving together! 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

  8. FEB 5

    Ep. 168 - Authentic Leadership : How to Lead Without Being the Loudest Voice In the Room (Replay)

    Quality leadership isn't always about being the loudest person in the room, but rather how you make an impact through consistently showing up, listening deeply, and inspiring confidence by way of preparation and demeanor. In today’s episode, we discuss how good leaders guide their people with their energy, organization, and problem solving abilities.  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
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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
    176
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Learning to Thrive
  • Show Website
    Learning to Thrive