The Cheer Biz Podcast

Should You Let Athletes from Other Gyms Train at Your Gym?

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan dives into a hot topic in the All-Star world: should gym owners allow athletes from other gyms to train...

Streamline your tryouts with the Cheersync App!

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Founders of the cheersync app John and Nelson join us to tell us about all the ways that the Cheersync app can improve your program tryouts.  Cheersy...

Protecting Your Assets and Building Wealth with Matt Becker

22 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, host Dan Cotton sits down with Matt Becker of Gym Lawyers PLLC to discuss critical strategies for gym owner...

Huge Opportunity For All Cheer Gyms! A Game-Changing Opportunity with Heidi Weber of the Open Championships.

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this exciting episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, host Dan Cotton sits down with Heidi Weber from the Open Championship to discuss a groundbreaking ...

Hot Takes with Dan: Unfiltered Opinions on Cheer, Coaching, and Business

15 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Buckle up, because this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast is all about hot takes! Host Dan Cotton dives into some controversial opinions on cheerlead...

Lessons from NCA 2025: How the Cheer Industry Can Improve Safety & Preparedness

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, host Dan Cotton shares his insights on the lessons learned from the 2025 NCA Nationals incident and what gy...

Breaking Down the NCA 2025 Incident: What Happened?

08 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, host Dan Cotton provides an in-depth reaction to the incident at NCA Nationals 2025 in Dallas. With a backg...

Navigating Trauma & Moving Forward: Lessons from NCA 2025 with Jeff Benson

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Navigating Trauma & Moving Forward: Lessons from NCA 2025 with Jeff Benson Description - This special impromptu episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast...

Your Math Is Lying to You: How Gym Owners Get Pricing Wrong

01 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you really charging what you need to keep your gym successful? In this fiery episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down why bad ...

When Competitions Get Canceled: Lessons from the COA Weekend

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when a major competition cancels an entire day of performances? In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton reacts to COA’s d...

Rethinking Tryouts: How to Streamline Team Placements for Success

22 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tryout season is one of the most crucial times of the year for a cheer gym, and how you run your evaluations can make or break your season. In this ep...

When Your Cheer Team is Struggling: How to Identify and Fix the Root Issues

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every gym owner and coach will face it at some point—a team that just isn’t performing the way they should. But what do you do when your athletes ...

10 Ways to Stay Broke as a Cheer Gym Owner (And How to Fix Them)

15 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you making these mistakes that are keeping your gym from financial success? In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, host Dan Cotton dives into ...

Maximizing Your All-Star Packet for the 2025-2026 Season

08 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Your All-Star Packet isn't just an informational document—it’s your biggest sales tool! In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton brea...

LEGAL UPDATE W/Matt Becker - Click To Cancel

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Becker joins us to break down the new click to cancel legal rule going into effect in a few months.  This is GREAT information for all cheer gym...

Why I Am Focused on Pricing as I Head Into the 25-26 season

01 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all know I am passionate about pricing.  In this episode I will break down the two reasons EVERY SINGLE all-star program needs to focus on their p...

My thoughts 1 month into 2025

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We are a month into the new year.  These are my thoughts and areas of focus heading into the rest of 2025.  Join me as we discuss competitions, hand...

4 Ways I am Increasing My Recreational Enrolment

25 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Recreational class enrollment is a HUGE focus for my program right now.  In this episode we will dive into the 4 strategies I am using to increase my...

Why I Seek Failure

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Failure sucks... A lot but it has many positive aspects that are often neglected.  In this episode we will dive into my personal approach to failure ...

Why I Spend 10K Plus a Year on Business Coaching

18 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I learned long ago that investing in my skills as a business owner was one of the best investments I could make.  In this episode we dive into why I ...

Another Wild Cheer Weekend

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I am nursing a cheer hangover after another long cheer weekend.  LIsten in to learn why I continue to have teams compete the weekend after returning ...

5 Secrets to Coaching Senior Teams

11 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I have coached Senior Teams for the past decade plus.  In this episode we dive into my top 5 secrets I have learned that you must do to be successful...

Why I Wouldn't Open A Second Location

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever thought about opening a second gym?  Expanding and growing?  In this episode, I dive into why I would not open a second location and the very s...

Why I Don't Care What My Competitors Are Charging

05 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, I dive into why I don’t focus on what other gyms charge and how this mindset can transform your business....

Lessons from 2024: My Biggest Takeaways as a Cheer Gym Owner and Entrepreneur

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, I share the most impactful lessons I’ve learned in 2024 as a gym owner, and entrepreneur. From overcoming...

5 Reasons You’re Struggling in Your Cheer Business (And How to Fix Them)

28 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we dive into a new year, it’s time to address why you might be struggling to reach your goals. In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, I break...

Regular Staff Meetings Reduce Yelling at Your Staff By 50%

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, I dive into why holding regular meetings with your staff is one of the most effective ways to cut down on s...

A Look Inside a Coaches Mind

21 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

n this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, I take you on a deep dive inside a coach's mind—my mind—to share the thoughts, challenges, and decision-...

Hiring a Director Won't Solve Your Problems

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode we dive into the realities of hiring a gym director and why this likely is not the solution you need in your gym.  We will discuss...

My Reaction After My First Comp Weekend

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I just wrapped my first comp weekend of the 24-25 season and these are my honest, unscripted thoughts afterwards. 

Confirmation Bias and How I Overcome It

07 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Confirmation Bias is the process of establishing a belief and ignoring all evidence to the contrary of that belief.  Confirmation bias impacts us as ...

24 Things I am Thankful for in 2024

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We often times focus on our failures, shortcomings and areas to improve.  Here are 24 reasons I am thankful as an entrepreneur in 2024.

The Key Traits of Successful Gym Owners

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I dive into the critical traits that can make or break you as a gym owner or entrepreneur. Drawing from my experience running three c...

6 Reasons Your Staff Might Be Struggling

23 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Employees are a frequent issue for owners to be struggling with.  Feeling like your staff don't care, or are not delivering up to the expected stand...

Why the phrase “That Won’t Work for Me” is Holding You Back

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dan tackles the limiting mindset behind the phrase “that won’t work for me.”  Dan breaks down why many gym owners fall into this trap. He discu...

How I Outwork My Competition - Maximizing Productivity and Efficiency

16 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Dan dives into how he gets more productivity out of his week.  With currently running 3 companies Dan is frequently asked, how do you...

Why Ego is the Enemy of Growth

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Dan dives into how ego can stifle growth for coaches, athletes, and gym owners alike. Inspired by a chapter from "Extreme Ownership" b...

Rethinking Private Lessons

09 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan delves into the heated topic of coaches' pay and private lessons. He challenges the industry standard o...

Should Coaches Fill In When Athletes Are Missing

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Should your coaches step in and stunt with your teams when athletes are gone?  What criteria should you use to evaluate if this does or does not make...

Why I Invest In A Front Desk Employee

02 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, host Dan Cotton dives deep into why a front desk or sales associate is one of the most essential investments...

My Response To the New York Times Article on All Star Cheer

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

October 22nd an article was published with a thorough dive into the history of Varsity All Star, Jeff Webb, USASF, and private equity in cheerleading...

Be Careful Who You Follow!

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This last weekend I went on a group hike with men from across industries in Arizona.  In the process of this hike we ended up taking the wrong path w...

How I Motivate My Athletes In 2024

20 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The topic came up with my staff.  How do we motivate these kids?  It isn't easy, they seem to be different.  It gets harder each year.  Or does it...

3 Things You Need to do if You Haven't Reached Your Goal

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you have not yet reached your goal these 3 things will make all the difference.  Join Dan as he dives into each of them, his own personal experien...

All Inclusive Tuition vs Tuition and Assessment

12 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Should you do all inclusive tuition or should you divide your tuition out from your assessments?  In this episode we will dive into the pro's and con...

5 Things I Am Doing To Grow My Gym

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Growing my gym is always one of my focal points.  In this episode we dive into the 5 things I am actively doing right now to grow my program, and fil...

STOP DOING DROP IN TUMBLING!

05 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I recently chatted with an owner who was doing drop in tumbling for all of her classes.  I was so fired up about it that I decided to record this epi...

Reviews and FTC Compliance

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

October 2024 new FTC rules regarding reviews and how they can be used go into effect.  In this episode we will dive into what the rules are and how t...

Practice Planning, Why, How and Tips and Tricks

28 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Practice planning is one of the single greatest levers coaches can pull on to prepare their teams for success.  It is a lot of extra work but in the ...

Should You Add A Business Partner

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This question was asked in one of our facebook groups and was amazing inspiration for a podcast!  In this episode we dive into if you should add a bu...

4 Things You Need to Change to Start Crushing it in Your Business

21 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I apologize up front I am fired up today!  We are going to be diving into 4 things you should be changing right now to start crushing it in your busi...

5 Brutally Honest Truths About Owning a Cheer Gym

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Owning a cheer gym is hard.  These are 5 Brutally honest truths from my last 15 years working in and owning a gym. Stay tuned for the end for my moti...

Cease and Desist and Demand Letters w/Matt Becker

15 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The first step in most legal proceedings in business is often a cease and desist, sometimes followed by a demand letter.  Matt Becker of Gymlawyers.c...

Defining Your Client Avatar

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Defining your client avatar was something I heard all about as a new business owner but I thought it was kinda silly.  Today, it is one of my top 5 l...

Active Shooters, is Your Gym Prepared?

07 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After the tragedy of violence in Georgia I felt compelled to dive into my thoughts on preparation for active violence.  I spent 15 years as a full ti...

Team Goal Setting Using Inverse Thinking

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I just got back from my staff training and retreat and this was an exercise we did with my staff to set goals for our teams this coming season.  We w...

Non Profit, For Profit and how to leverage both with Gymlawyers.com

01 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What you can and can't do with non profits is a frequent question.  If you are a non profit but curious about switching to a for profit episode then...

What is on my mind right now?

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this unscripted episode we will dive into what is on my mind right now.  I walk you through my thoughts on all my companies, tease some exciting ...

Charge Backs, What They Are, How to Avoid Them and How to Succeed in Challenging Them with Mat Becker of Gymlawyers.com

24 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Charge backs are the worst.  The bank simply takes back money from your account because a client disputes it.  In this episode Mat will break down ...

Scoring and Athlete development with Taylor Shapiro

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join me as we sit down with Dream Camps staffer and coach from Top Gun Miami Taylor Shapiro.  We will discuss everything in the cheer industry to in...

What I Cut When My Financial Budget Is Strained

18 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When things are tight financially, we can often look for what we can cut to make ends meet.  In this episode, I will dive into my decision-making pro...

You Have Options

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I hear all the time that people feel locked into various providers for gym services.  I am here to break down that you do have options and how I asse...

The Journey from level 2 to never losing worlds w/ Ty Gordon

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ty Gordon aka Reke, is an athlete and coach from Top Gun Miami.  Ty has competed with TGLC and OO and has never lost at the world championships.  Jo...

Sitting down with Luis Murcia of LMX

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

LMX is one of our preferred NG partners.  Luis shares with us his journey as a business owner and how he helps gyms leverage video and photos to enga...

Sit down with 2 time world Champion Sammie Martin of Double O

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join me as we sit down with one of my summer camp staff Sammie Martin.  Sammie is a 2 time world Champion with Double O, has competed on worlds teams...

When is it Time to Pivot?

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When is it time to change course in your business.  In this episode we will dive into when and how to pivot to set your company up for success.  

How I Became Better At Confrontation

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Confrontation never came easy to me.  But as a business owner, I had to force myself to get better at it and be more comfortable.  In this episode, ...

There Is Change Coming To The Industry

06 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There is a change coming to the industry and we can all feel it. These are my biggest 3 pieces of advice to be prepared for what is coming.

How I Convert More Leads Than My Competitors

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On average a lead takes 8 contacts to engage. But most owners give up after a couple attempts. Be tenacious Decrease the opt in to reach out time Have...

Increasing Staff Loyalty

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you want a staff that is loyal, believes in your company, and is willing to do whatever it takes to finish the job then you need to do 3 things. 1...

My Lack of Delegation Was Killing Me

22 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I have been running 100 miles an hour on a million different things since February.  My lack of delegation was starting to take a toll.  In this epi...

Reducing Drama Post Team Placements

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

My day after team placements used to be full of angry emails, long phone calls and quitters. Now I rarely experience anything like that. Using 3 princ...

You Might Not Be Good Enough

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Beware this episode is direct and too the point.  I have made no shortage of bad moves, decisions and errors in running my companies.  In this episo...

5 Hard Truths I Have Learned as a Business Owner

08 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the last year I have had some hard truths shown to me.  Most of these mistakes or challenges were things that I could have avoided or prepared bet...

Sales Is Not The Same As Closing

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Selling and Closing sales are two linked, but different things.  In this episode we will dive into important sales and closing tips to become an abso...

Finding Managers And Directors

01 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Finding great managers and directors is HARD.  Sometimes people might say nearly impossible.  In this episode we will dive into why, and how you can...

Adam and Jess Forte with Forte Spirit Solutions

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Adam and Jess Forte discuss with us how they have found you can develop and grow great staff even if you are in a small area on a limited budget.  Ad...

What I Focus On During Tryout Season

25 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tryout season is stressful!  You can feel pulled in a 100 directions and on top of that you can get sidetracked by the people who have quit who now ...

Why I Focus On Execution

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Execution is the foundation of a winning team. It is simply how great teams can set themselves apart. Concurrently, execution is the most important as...

How Jackrabbit Class Can Save Owners Time

18 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jackrabbit Class is a class management software that is designed to automate and systemize all your class management needs.  In this episode Amber,...

How Systems Pose RISK!

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Systems are wonderful, and we teach all about them in the academy.  However a System can be the single greatest value add to your company but also t...

How I Avoid Being Emotionally Hurt While Still Investing In My Athletes

11 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A friend recently asked on facebook how to avoid being emotionally hurt when you personally invest so much in your athletes.  In this episode I will ...

3 Kinds of Owners

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are three kinds of owners I tend to see.  In this episode we will look at what they are and determine where you might fit.   1. Someone who g...

How I Grow By Focusing On Retention

04 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Growth in your gym is less about finding new clients and more about retaining the ones you currently have.  We will dive into the 6 methods you shou...

My Thoughts After the USASF World Championships

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I attended the USASF World Championships this weekend.  These are my thoughts on everything from how my team did, to if worlds is still prestigious. ...

What I Focus On With End of Season Events

27 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

End of season events are in full swing.  In today's episode we will be diving into what I focus on when attending these events.

How I Would Get A Quick 5K Infusion

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It is that time of year where money gets tight.  Although I am not there now there were years where I was desperate to make an extra 5K in a quick pe...

Cheer Sync, A New Solution To Streamline Your Tryouts with John Neville

20 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

John Neville and his team from OC All Stars have developed a new application to streamline and simplify the tryout process.  Join me as learn about C...

Why I Mark Up Fees and Why You MUST As Well.

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doing things "At Cost" is a dangerous approach in a cheer gym.  IN this episode we will dive into why I mark up everything we provide and why you mus...

I Have an Athlete Leaving My Gym

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I have been in business long enough to see athletes leave my gym over the years. This happens for a variety of reasons and I want to talk you through ...

What Standards I Set at the Start of a Season

06 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Although we are currently ending the season we also have eyes on next year.  We will dive into the most important standards to set in your gym with e...

When To Invest In Your Staff Vs Hire Someone New

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A question was recently asked in one of our groups about when to look to hire a new experienced coach or invest in training your current staff.  

The 24-25 United Scoresheet, My Thoughts

30 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 2024-2025 United scoresheet was released this last week.  In this episode I will share my thoughts on the "new" scoresheet.

How to Handle Kids Not Registering For Next Season

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It is the time of year where we are running registration for the next.  This can be a stressful time when kids are not registered.  In this episode ...

How I Compensate Coaches Who Have Kids Who Cheer

23 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Coaches who also have athletes who cheer can be amazing!  The question becomes what is the right way to compensate them.  In this episode we will di...

ADA Compliance with Matt Becker of Gymlawyers.com

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Becker joins us again with some critical lessons on ADA Compliance. This is a dense and important topic for every business owner to pay atte...

Part Two of a Discussion With Jason Larkins, and Kristen Wheeler

16 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a collaborative episode between Dan, Jason Larkins of the lets talk cheer podcast, and Kristen Wheeler of the cheer mom podcast.  The...

Part One of a Discussion with Jason Larkins, and Kristen Wheeler

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a collaborative episode between Dan, Jason Larkins of the lets talk cheer podcast, and Kristen Wheeler of the cheer mom podcast.  The...

What I Do When A Flyer Is No Longer Going To Be A Flyer

09 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we break down how I approach the dreaded conversation with an athlete telling them their flying days are over.  

My Competitor Is Opening a Gym Near Me!

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I just found out last week that one of my on the mat competitors is now going to be a business competitor as they are opening as second location near ...