The Cheer Biz Podcast
Episodes
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 ...
What I Do With Parent Feedback
02 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes parents will tell you exactly how they feel without asking if you want their feedback. In this episode I will walk you through what I do w...
Why I Started Novice And Prep Teams
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I started as an Elite team only program. In these episode we will dive into why I started our novice and prep program and why I think you absolutely...
How I Build My All-Star Packet
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It is that time of year when we are building our packet for the next season. In this episode, we will dive into how I build my All-Star Packet and w...
My thoughts after competing on the USASF score sheet
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This weekend I attended Jamz Nationals in Vegas. This event ran on the USASF scoring system and we will dive into the things I liked and the things ...
From Athlete to Coach to Owner
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we sit down with Abby Dwiggins the owner of DTA in Utah. Join us as we learn about her unique journey into gym ownership.
Why I Still Coach
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every year I say to myself, "Why do I still do this?" Well in this episode I give you the answer to why I still coach after all these years, and why...
The Metric That Matters The Most
10 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We talk a lot about metrics you need to be tracking in your gym. Arm, ROI, Head, NOB, EHR, LEG. Which one should you focus on? Which is the most...
Why I don't read score sheets to my athletes
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation was recently had on judges comments and reading scoresheet to athletes. I actually do not read any of my scoresheets to my athletes f...
What I wouldn't skimp on for my season cost sheet.
03 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Now is the time of year all our NG Academy members are diving into their season cost sheets. As you look at where you can cut costs, I want to dive ...
"I am taking the year off to work on my tumbling and move to a higher level."
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you have been coaching for any length of time you have heard these words. As a coach you know this is one of the most ineffective ways to level u...
How to keep your stress down on a bid weekend, lessons from my time as a worlds coach.
27 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When I was a young coach I was a massive ball of stress on comp days. When I started coaching worlds teams and added the stress of earning bids I wa...
The Cheer Biz Podcast - Visual branding and your gym with Danny Kahn and Pop Drops
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we interview, cheer gym owner, Next Gen Academy Member, and Owner of Pop Drops. Danny tells us why he started pop drops and dives i...
How cheerleading prepares you to be a better business owner... or worse.
20 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a recent conversation with Sean Guzman, I realized the parallels between being a great cheerleader and being a great business owner. In this epis...
Houston... We have a problem
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We have an issue in our industry. I have been a party to it, but it became so apparent to me after listening to Jeff Benson's keynote address at our...
Increasing your ARM with Devon Bobe
13 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Increasing your average revenue per member per month is one of the biggest steps to increasing your overall profitability as a gym. In this episode...
3 things that will crush your rec program growth!
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Growing the rec program is a lot of gyms goal leading in to 2024. There are some important things to do to grow your recreational program, but there...
Why I Don’t Do Many Discounts
06 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I am somewhat known for being "anti" discounts. This is not entirely true, in this episode we will dive into why I don't do many discounts and when ...
The 10 most important things I learned in 2023
31 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
2023 was an amazing year full of learning and growth. In this episode, as we ring in the new year, I dive into the 10 most important things I learne...
Changing the industry with red card challenges, the open championships and All Star Worlds w/ Heidi Weber and Craig Hallmark
30 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Changing the industry with red card challenges, the open championships and All Star Worlds w/ Heidi Weber and Craig Hallmark Description - I had the p...
Stop ”Building a Budget”
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we will dive into why it drives me nuts when people say build a budget and how they are making major mistakes that hurt their business...
The Only Comparison That Matters
23 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Only Comparison That Matters Description - We spend to much time comparing ourselves to everyone around us. In this episode we will dive into th...
What To Do When You Have A Problem At A Comp
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This was guidance recently requested by an individual reaching out to Next Gen for help on how to proceed with what they were concerned was a judging...
You Are Not Alone
16 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all have periods of time where we feel alone running our business. If you are or have been in a dark place recently this episode is a must listen...
Is Now The Right Time to Make a Big Move
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It is very easy to get paralyzed assessing if you should make a big move with your business, launch a new program or do something else that comes with...
From Becoming A Doctor to A Small Gym Owner W/Samantha Losack
09 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down and interview Samantha Losack one of our long-time Next Gen Clients and one of our Next Gen Coaches.
Some Ugly things in the Cheer World
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last weekend was a comp weekend for me and I saw some behaviors that I think need to be called out. Not throwing stones but the vibe in all-star che...
The ugly things no one talks about as small business owners - My response to the viral post
02 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Trigger warning, you are getting my unedited, VERY direct response to a viral re-post of someones opinion on the ugly things no one talks about as sma...
From USASF Scoring Director to IEP scoring director W/ Les Stella
25 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Les Stella has been one of the most influential people in the All Star Cheerleading world over the last 20 plus years. Join us as we sit down with L...
Grow your business and enjoy the holidays
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you maintain momentum and enjoy your holiday break? In this episode we will dive into my strategies to accomplish this so you can have a wond...
An inside look into Varsity and United Scoring Ft. Justin Carrier
18 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We were fortunate enough to sit down with the Vice President of Varsity and learn how scoring is developed, the future of NCA nationals, and other exc...
Managing a Toxic Parent Atmosphere
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This was inspired by a question asked in our private academy facebook group. I discuss what I would do with a group of toxic parents bringing down t...
How The Military Made Me A Better Business Owner
11 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I spent my younger formative years serving in the Army National Guard, deployed to Iraq in 2009 - 2010 and left the Army at the Rank of Captain. I l...
I just had the WORST sales experience, what you can learn from it.
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I just sat through a LONG sales pitch from a roof salesperson. Although a nice guy, he did a horrendous job selling me on the product. In this epi...
You MUST take care of yourself first!
04 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is designed to be a wakeup call to all owners and coaches. You NEED to be taking care of yourself. If you want to be here for the lon...
You SHOULD Get To Know Your Parents
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are conflicting schools of thought on how involved you should be with the parents of your program. In this episode we dive into why I believe ...
What Should You Do If Your Teams SUCK!
28 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes teams are on the struggle bus. In this episode, we will dive into what you should be doing if your teams are struggling.
Managing a Full Time Job and Being a Gym Owner
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I spent 11 Years as a full-time police officer and being a business owner. In this episode, we will dive into my recommendations for how to thrive i...
YOUR Questions Answered w/Jason Larkins
21 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dan and Jason sit down in this episode to discuss the questions you asked on our facebook group. If you would like to see your questions answered in...
Dealing with Athlete Disrespect and Bad Behavior
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dealing with athletes who are behaving poorly is a challenge. Kids can be tough to deal with and you can often find yourself balancing how to discip...
Defusing TICKED OFF Parents
14 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This was a listener-request episode. We will be diving into how to manage parents, and help calm them down to achieve the best outcomes is stressful...
Should You Have a NON COMPETE With Your Employees w/Matt Becker
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are the things you need to have in your employee contracts? Should you have a non-compete? If you do should you sue your employee who leaves ...
Economic COLLAPSE is COMING! Are you ready?
07 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Be prepared for a recession.
Overcoming Mental Blocks with Jeff Benson
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Benson joins us for his second interview! In this episode, we will dive into Mental Blocks, their most common causes, and what we as coaches an...
The Life of a Cheer Photographer with Jerry Hughes
30 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we speak with Jerry Hughes who breaks down what it is like to be a cheer photographer and how working with Jerry can not only be fun b...
Overcoming Imposter Syndrom
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It is hard in a world where it feels like you are being judged for everything you do to not feel like you are an Imposter. In this episode we will d...
3 Pitfalls of Delegation
23 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Delegation is something we talk about ALL THE TIME. In fact it is something I actively teach my clients to do. However, there are 3 major pitfalls...
When You Should Say NO To A Sale
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Learning when to say no to a sale or an opportunity is an art. However, to be the best owner you can be you need to learn this invaluable skill set ...
The 3 Biggest Seasons Of Growth
16 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As a business owner you will go through different seasons of growth. In this episode we will discuss each one of those seasons and my best recommend...
3 Things the BEST gym owners are doing in their gym
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are the best gym owners doing? How are they accomplishing what they do? In todays episode we will dive into the 3 things that the BEST gym ow...
Building Culture in your gym
09 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Building culture in the gym is one of the most critical things you will do as an owner and staff. In this episode we will dive into how you build cu...
20 Tips For a GREAT Comp Season
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Comp Season is around the corner and you can never be too prepared. These are my 20 tips to have a great comp season
TRUSTING Your Staff to RUN Your Gym
02 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you get to a point where you can trust your staff to run the gym? How do owners get to a point where they do not have to go to the gym every ...
How Much Should The Owner Be Working?
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How much should you as an owner be working on or in the business? Being a business owner is a lot of work. In this episode we will dive into how m...
We May ALL be doing trials WRONG!
27 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you currently offer trials you need to listen to this episode. We will dive into a mistake the majority of us may be making in our approach to tr...
Getting The Most Out of Choreography
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It is that time of year where routines are getting built, Choreographers are coming to the gym and athletes are learning their spots. We will dive i...
Why We Fear FAILURE
19 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Failure is one of the biggest fears business owners find themselves compensating for. In this episode we will dive into WHY we fear failure and why ...
What you should do instead of non competes
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Non Compete agreements are something frequently talked about in the cheer industry. In this episode we will dive into what you should do instead of ...
You MUST do what TERRIFIES you PT. 2
12 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A year ago I did an episode on doing what terrifies you. This is my update/follow up to that episode.
What To Do When a Staff Member Quits
05 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of the things an owner hates to hear, the words I quit. In this episode we will dive into what to do when you hear these words from one of your ...
Are You Leveraging Back to School?
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Summer is drawing to a close which marks an opportunity to leverage the back to school sale to grow your gym! In this episode we will dive into some...
A Message to Cheer Service Providers
29 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are numerous companies that offer services to the cheer industry. This message is for you if you are one of these providers or aspire to be on...
You need to invest in yourself!
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The number one investment you can make is in your personal education and growth as a business owner.
Kids Aren’t As Tough These Days!
22 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kids just are not the same as they were when we were growing up. Overly sensitive, filled with anxiety, taking mental health practices. So what is...
Why your classes aren’t FULL
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Classes are a wonderful revenue source. In this episode we will dive into the top three things you should be evaluating if your classes are not full...
How To Respond When an athlete QUITS
15 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Quitting happens. You are going to have athletes that do not complete their commitment in your program. In this episode we will dive into what I t...
The Truth SUCKS to Hear but you NEED to hear it!
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hearing the truth about where we have shortcomings isn't easy. However as a business owner you NEED to hear these things to get better. In this ep...
Is It Time to GRIND or Time To BALANCE
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The dichotomy of grinding and working hard vs balancing your work with your quality of life is a challenging one. In this episode we will discuss a ...
What To Do If You LOVE Your Gym But HATE Owning A Business
01 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What should you do if you are in the position where you like having your own gym but you HATE all the business stuff that comes with it. In this epi...
Your Action Steps Post Conference
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We have completed our conference in Dallas Texas and it was amazing. These are some of my top takeaways and your next action steps as you head home!...
The Impacts Of Short Term Fixes
24 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As a business owner you are going to encounter moments where money is tight. Where you need to replace a staff member quickly, or where any number o...
Are you paid what you are worth?
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gym owners often times undervalue their contributions to the business from an effectively hourly rate perspective. In this episode we will dive into...
Stop Saying ”It Doesn’t Work Here”!
17 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
These words always fire me up because they LIMIT you more than you can imagine. In this episode we will dive into why you should stop saying "it doe...
My boss is a JERK!
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you are a business owner you may have felt this way. You work for the worst boss in the world. Yet you are completely in control of this issue....
You need to have a high priced item
10 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Having a high priced item on your product options will INCREASE revenue and increase your close rate if used correctly. In this episode we dive into...
My response to ”The Tumble Heard Round the World”
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is my response to "The Tumble Heard Round the World" published to ASGA by Matt Faherty Read my chat GPT generated counter arguments here htt...
The power of APOLOGIES
03 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Apologies do not come easy to everyone. In fact if you ask my kids apologizing is one of the worst things someone could make them do. However ther...
STOP canceling due to low registration!
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How many times have we heard the words, if we don't get more attendance we will have to cancel. I am here to tell you to STOP doing that because it ...
Preparing your athletes and parents for team placements!
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Team placements are a stressful time of year. Athletes quit, parents get angry and overall you sometimes end up feeling like the bad guy when all yo...
Maintaining your JOY during this stressful time of year!
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let's face it. Tryouts/team placements are STRESSFUL! You don't know if you will have enough registrations, unhappy people are vocal, the industry...
You’re not losing because other people are cheating
20 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about mindset. Adjusting your mindset to take the power back in your gym and its competitive success.
The Industry HAS to CHANGE
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we are going to be talking about PRICING and how we have to make some serious changes in what we are charging for classes.
Birthday Party Contracts and Legal Considerations with Matthew Becker
13 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Birthday parties are EASY money. However, like with anything in the business there is legal exposure of hosting birthday parties. In this episode ...
My thoughts on the NEW scoresheet!
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The new scoresheet is a major discussion point at the moment. In this episode I will share MY thoughts on the new scoresheet, the decisions made and...
How the end of season can IMPROVE or CRUSH your retention
06 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The end of season is a great opportunity to build your retention for the next season. The right moves can increase the number of athletes who return...
Conscious parenting and how to apply it to coaching with Ashley Kahn
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ashley Kahn is a parent in my gym. Her daughter is on one of my teams and an amazing kiddo. Ashley is a Conscious Parenting coach and in our first...