Learning to Thrive

Courtney Parfitt & Michaela Vernon
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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. há 6 dias

    Ep.193 - Hiring & Managing Great Staff : With Special Guests!

    Episode Links: Developing Leaders Invite Template & Sample Curriculum — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Your staffing problems rarely start on the schedule. They start the moment you decide what you’ll tolerate. We’re joined by Sarah, our HR director, and Chéree, our facility manager, to get practical about how we build a reliable team in a youth sports and gymnastics business where parents expect safety, consistency, and connection every single day. We walk through our hiring process, from personality-forward applications to interviews, shadow shifts on the floor, and getting multiple leaders to weigh in before we make an offer. We also unpack what we look for in great coaches beyond technical skill: flexibility, calm problem solving, and the ability to adjust their teaching for different ages and behaviors. If you’ve ever hired someone who sounded perfect but struggled with real kids in a real class, this conversation is for you. Then we zoom out to operations: onboarding that covers safety and systems, a structured training ramp, and how we pair new staff with strong mentors so they build confidence fast. We talk about managing a teen-heavy team with clear expectations and communication, plus a scheduling approach that starts with non-negotiables. We close with a leadership principle that can save your culture: better short staffed than poorly staffed, because one bad hire can push out your best people. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with another youth sports leader, and leave a review so more gym owners and program directors can find these staffing and retention strategies. — 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

  2. 17 de ago.

    Ep. 192 - Developing Leaders : How to Enhance the Leadership Skills of Staff Members At All Levels

    Episode Links: Developing Leaders Invite Template & Sample Curriculum ***Includes Thriving Pyramid Lesson*** — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: In this episode of Learning to Thrive, we’re breaking down the mechanics behind Thrive’s Developing Leaders program, built to enhance leadership skills across every level of staff. You’ll hear how we choose participants, why we cap cohorts, and how our program calendar creates the ideal momentum. We talk about setting clear container rules so the room stays high-trust and high-respect, plus why a curriculum needs both structure and flexibility to handle real issues happening on the floor. If you’re building a leadership pipeline, running a gym, or leading any small business team, you’ll take away from this episode concrete ideas you can start with today. Subscribe, share this with a fellow leader, and leave a review with the leadership skill you want to build 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

  3. 10 de ago.

    Ep. 191 - 10X Your Time Invested : How To Run Staff Meetings Your People Actually Want To Attend

    Episode Links: Developing Leaders Invite Template & Sample Curriculum — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: In this episode of Learning to Thrive, we’re walking you through the exact staff meeting structure we use to keep coaches engaged, build real team culture, and deliver training that shows up immediately on the floor, whether you run a large program with directors or a small team where you’re wearing every hat. We start with what happens before anyone arrives: over-communicating the schedule, setting clear expectations, and choosing language that avoids the “mandatory” power struggle while still protecting standards. Then we get tactical about the environment. Yes, we’re talking about food, but not as a gimmick. Shared meals create connection and an opportunity for staff who rarely overlap to actually build relationships.  From there, we lay out a simple staff meeting agenda: keep announcements to a tight 15 minutes of true need-to-knows, then shift into small-group rotations that turn a team meeting into hands-on staff training. Think class management, spotting and safety, seasonal priorities like summer camps, and parent communication practice with role-play.  If you want a more engaging staff meeting, better employee engagement, and a stronger coaching culture, hit play, try one idea at your next meeting, and tell us what changed. Subscribe, share this with a fellow leader, and leave a quick review so more teams can learn to 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

  4. 3 de ago.

    Ep. 190 - Why Would I Want To Work Here? : Setting Up Systems That Increase Retention, Communication and Clarity With Your Staff

    Episode Links: Developing Leaders Invite Template & Sample Curriculum — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Turnover doesn’t just happen to you. In youth sports, it’s usually the result of missing systems and unclear leadership, even when you truly care about your people. In this episode of Learning to Thrive, we’ll walk you through three strategies to improve staff retention and employee engagement without turning your week into nonstop meetings.  Training that builds real confidence, from ongoing clinics to layered skill progressions and clear career paths so coaches can grow from entry-level roles into leadership. Communication that is consistent and kind, including our “10/10” check-ins: ten minutes every other week so every coach has an anchor, a relationship, and a place to bring problems before they snowball. Then we talk about the piece leaders often dismiss as optional, even though it changes everything: fun. From staff open gyms and tiny treats to shout-outs tied to core values and simple peer recognition, we share ways to make work feel energizing again, especially in kid-focused programs where culture shows up on the floor every day. If you’re hiring for the upcoming season, rebuilding a coaching team, or trying to reduce staff turnover, this is your playbook. Subscribe, share this with a fellow owner or director, and leave a review if it helps, then tell us what’s the one staffing system you’re starting 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

  5. 27 de jul.

    Ep. 189 - S.H.A.R.E. So They Know You C.A.R.E . : A Simple System to Help Your Staff Uplevel Their Customer Communication

    Episode Links: S.H.A.R.E. & C.A.R.E. Download — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Most coaches care deeply, but the lobby moment after class can still feel awkward. You want to connect with parents, you want to share progress, and then your mind goes blank. This bonus solo episode gives you a simple, repeatable way to talk with families in about 60 seconds, without forcing small talk or sounding scripted. We walk through a tool we built for our team: “SHARE so they know you CARE.” SHARE gives coaches five clear lanes to choose from when they step into parent communication. If you run a gymnastics program, youth sports facility, or any kids’ classes, this framework doubles as customer service training and a practical retention strategy. Then we dig into the deeper reason it works: CARE. Consistent communication helps families feel Connected, Appreciated, Remembered, and confident that our coaches are Engaged. That trust pays off later, especially when you have to navigate harder conversations like behavior issues or injuries, because you’ve already built a positive relationship and a strong emotional bank account. You can download the template from the show notes, share it with your staff, and try the “one parent a day” habit to build momentum. If it helps, subscribe, share this with a fellow coach or gym owner, and leave a review so more programs can build stronger communities. — 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

  6. 20 de jul.

    Ep. 188 - Grade School Age Sports : 3 Ways to Keep Kids Engaged & Learning During Formative Years

    Episode Links: Attend our Elevate Conference — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: In this episode of Learning to Thrive, we’re talking through what actually keeps grade school age kids engaged in youth sports: easy entry points, clear progressions, and training that still feels like play. Drop-in events, open gyms, and short clinics help families try a sport without pressure, and flexible options like month-to-month tuition or session-based seasons keep schedules from becoming a dealbreaker. We also explain why you need multiple commitment levels, so beginners can explore now and choose a bigger commitment later when they’re ready. Then we get into what most programs miss: a visible path of improvement. We discuss skill progressions, simple evaluation tools, and how communicating expectations reduces parent complaints while helping coaches teach with purpose. When you connect the why to a goal the child cares about, effort rises and confidence follows. Finally, we make the case that fun is not fluff. Fun is a performance tool. We share practical ways to make hard work engaging with timers, friendly competition, buddies, coach participation, and small rewards, plus why this matters for retention all the way through middle school and beyond.  — 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

  7. 13 de jul.

    Ep. 187 - Don't Let a Three-Year-Old Take You Down : Build A Preschool Program That Runs Makes Teaching a Breeze

    Episode Links: Attend our Elevate Conference — Pre-K Lesson Plan Library : 30 Trial — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: Preschoolers can be sweet, hilarious, and completely determined to do the opposite of what you planned. When that independence meets a loose system, the class runs you. When it meets a strong system, kids feel safe, parents feel confident, and your coaches can actually teach. In this installment of our Fall Prep Series, we’re sharing the building blocks of a preschool program that makes class management easier without losing the fun. We start with the stuff that quietly decides whether a class succeeds: age groups and student-teacher ratios. A three-to-four class often needs more support than a four-to-five class, and parent-child programming can handle bigger numbers because caregivers share supervision. From there, we get into preschool lesson plans that keep kids engaged. Think monthly themes, repeatable station setups, and progressions that scale from toddler basics to early cartwheel patterns, plus one “pure fun” element that adds engagement without adding chaos. Then we talk about the biggest factor in any under-fives program: your teachers. Pre-K coaching isn’t for everyone, so we make the case for hiring personality first, then teaching the gymnastics or sports instruction skills second. We wrap with our two essential preschool class management strategies: engagement through play and consistency you actually follow through on, including both positive promises and clear consequences. — 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

  8. 6 de jul.

    Ep. 186 - School Year Prep That Actually Works : Plan for a Record Breaking Year

    Episode Links: Ep. 68 - Business Vitals : Creating a Habit of Tracking Metrics That Matter — Attend our Elevate Conference — Pre-K Lesson Plan Library : 30 Trial — Subscribe to our newsletter — Check out our blog — Show Notes: September chaos is optional, but only if you start in July - which is why we’re kicking off our school year prep series in this week’s Learning to Thrive episode. Listen to learn what we use to build a strong fall for our youth sports business, even in a time when families may be cautious with spending. We start where most people skip: last fall’s business vitals. Enrollment trends, revenue, overhead, staffing capacity, and which classes were waitlisted give you a real baseline, so you’re not pulling goals out of thin air. We also talk through practical ways to grab data fast using tools like JackrabbitClass or iClass Pro, plus what to do if you haven’t been tracking consistently. From there, we connect the dots between growth and quality. If you’re adding classes, you need staffing lead time, training time, and the confidence to say no to “maybe” candidates. Then we zoom out to operations: schedules, rotations, equipment use, traffic flow, and the ultimate constraint almost nobody plans for, the parking lot. Finally, we dig into fall enrollment marketing and communication: enrollment dates, priority windows for current families, promotions, and messaging that makes your value feel non-negotiable. If you want a calmer fall and a cleaner launch, hit play, take notes, and build your plan on paper. Subscribe for the rest of our school year prep series! — 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

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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

Informações

  • Criado por
    Courtney Parfitt & Michaela Vernon
  • Anos de atividade
    2024 - 2026
  • Episódios
    194
  • Classificação
    Livre
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Learning to Thrive
  • Site do podcast
    Learning to Thrive