The Cheer Biz Podcast

Most cheer gym owners think “branding” means a new logo, better colors, or updated lettering. But in this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotten breaks down the real question: should you rebrand — or should you fix what’s actually hurting enrollment? Dan explains why customers care far less about your logo than you do, why changing your name rarely solves growth problems, and what brand actually means in the cheer gym world. He walks through what matters most—your brand reputation, brand value, brand recognition, brand associations, and brand adoption—and how those factors impact trust, retention, and recruiting new families. If you’ve been tempted to “start over” with a rebrand because your marketing isn’t converting, this episode will help you make the right call—and focus your time and money where it will actually move the needle.

Can being a part-time cheer coach actually make you a millionaire? Dan Cotten says yes — and he lays out the mindset and the math. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan shares practical financial awareness for cheer coaches and cheer gym owners, including how to build valuable career skills inside a cheer gym, why coaches are better at sales than they think, and how communication becomes a long-term advantage in an AI-driven world. Then he gets to the “secret sauce”: boring, consistent investing and the power of compounding interest. Dan breaks down why starting early matters, how small monthly contributions can grow over time, and why index funds and retirement options like a 401(k) or Roth IRA can be game-changers for coaches who want long-term financial freedom — without needing a “perfect” paycheck today.

It’s February — which means All-Star packets are getting built and released. And if yours is still not out (or it’s 25 pages long), you’re probably making this harder than it needs to be. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotten breaks down exactly how he builds his All-Star packet and why your packet should be a sales tool first, an informational tool second, and not a “catch-all” handbook nobody reads. You’ll learn what to include (and what to cut), how to keep it concise and visually appealing, how to communicate important dates and costs without boxing yourself in, and how to use your packet to attract the right families for your culture. Dan also explains how to set up a smarter system: capture emails before you send the packet, automate follow-up for people who don’t register, build registration through your website (not confusing software workflows), and create early registration incentives that help you predict enrollment and cash flow. If you want to grow your All-Star program with fewer headaches — start here.

If you’ve coached long enough, you’ve heard them all. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotten breaks down 10 things athletes say that drive cheer coaches crazy—from “that technique doesn’t work for me,” to “can I skip the drills,” to the ultimate frustration: “I quit.” But here’s the twist: halfway through, Dan flips the script and shows how cheer gym owners and cheer coaches use the same exact excuses in business—around marketing, CRM systems, time management, pricing, and growth. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking “that wouldn’t work in my gym,” this episode will hit in the best way. You’ll walk away with a clearer framework for coaching mindset, athlete accountability, skill progression, and leadership habits that actually create results—on the mat and in the office.

Most cheer gym owners think “safeguarding” only means preventing the worst-case scenarios. But real athlete welfare runs deeper than policies and paperwork. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton interviews Joey (Joanna) Gamper Cuthbert, former cheer athlete, coach, gym owner, and the author of Squad Safe: A Practical Guide to Athlete Welfare and Culture Change in Cheerleading. They unpack why cheer gyms need clearer standards, stronger systems, and a culture that protects athletes and coaches alike. You’ll hear why culture isn’t what your website says—it’s what happens behind the curtain, why “we’re family” messaging can backfire, and how intentional values, boundaries, and expectations help red flags stand out before something becomes a crisis. They also discuss practical realities like coach-athlete communication, consent and spotting, and why cheer needs more evidence-based, sport-science thinking to keep athletes safer and performing at their best.

Judging a cheer competition is harder than most coaches realize, and that matters for your scores. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton shares what he learned after judging at a competition in Fargo, North Dakota, and how cheer gym owners and cheer coaches can design, clean, and train routines to score higher. We break down why “readability” affects execution, how stacking sections too tightly can cost you tenths, and why giving judges a breather can help your team get the credit you actually earned. Dan also explains what judges are really trying to track in real time, plus the execution drivers that get hit the fastest: uniform flexibility, locked legs, base movement, transitions, and synchronization. If your athletes don’t understand the score sheet, they’ll make “safe” choices that can quietly drop you out of range and wreck your score.

Tryouts might be in May, but if you wait until April to plan… you’re already behind. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton walks cheer gym owners through the 8 things you MUST do now to set up your best tryout season for the 2026–2027 year. We cover how to evaluate what worked (and what didn’t) this season, how to build a tryout packet that sells your program without overwhelming parents, and how to plan your budget, tuition, and assessments so your cheer program is actually profitable. Dan also breaks down what to market internally vs externally, how to use organic posts as “market research” before you spend on ads, why your website needs a high-converting tryout page with an opt-in (stop giving your packet away for free), and how email + SMS automation can turn leads into registrations without you living on your phone. If you want more athletes at tryouts, smoother registration, and a repeatable system that fills teams year after year, this episode is your playbook.

Cheer gym owners are some of the hardest-working business owners out there, yet many are running packed practices, full seasons, and nonstop schedules while still feeling broke at the end of the month. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down why so many cheer gyms look successful on the outside but struggle financially behind the scenes. We talk about the financial mistakes that quietly drain profit, including incorrect pricing, not paying yourself as the owner, messy books, relying on the wrong CPA, and allowing past-due accounts to pile up. Dan also explains why being “busy” is not the same as being profitable, how cheer gym owners accidentally turn themselves into the most underpaid employee in the business, and why hoping to “sell the gym someday” isn’t a real exit strategy if the gym still depends on you for everything. If you want a cheer gym that’s profitable, sustainable, and capable of growth without burnout, this episode will help you see exactly what needs to change.

Every cheer gym owner gets hit with opinions. The problem is, most of those opinions come from people who don’t understand your business—and taking their advice can cost you money, create chaos, and slow your growth. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down exactly who you should be careful listening to when making decisions about your cheer gym, pricing, marketing, culture, and leadership. Dan explains why well-meaning biological parents tend to push safe, conservative choices, why staff input can accidentally create slow decision-making and entitlement, and why one loud unhappy customer can pull you into knee-jerk decisions that upset your happy majority. He also calls out the internet at large, ChatGPT as a “business coach,” and business gurus who aren’t actively running cheer gyms—plus the real-world consequences of taking generic advice that doesn’t fit the cheer industry. If you’re a cheer gym owner, director, or coach, this episode will help you build a smarter “advice filter,” choose the right mentors, and make confident decisions based on proven experience—not noise.

If you want to be a stronger leader in your cheer gym in 2026, you need better questions—not more hustle. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton shares seven questions every leader should ask themselves to level up leadership, strengthen staff performance, and build a team that can operate without constant supervision. Dan breaks down how to evaluate whether you’re actually growing as a leader, whether your team is rising with you or falling behind, and whether you’ve provided the tools, systems, and clarity your staff needs to succeed. He also explains the difference between developing leaders versus managing doers, how to delegate at the level your business requires, and how to identify whether your team is getting better because of your leadership—or in spite of it. This episode is a must-listen for cheer gym owners, program directors, head coaches, and managers who want better staff accountability, smoother operations, and a culture where people take ownership. You’ll walk away with a simple leadership framework you can revisit annually to improve your communication, delegation, systems, and team development.

If you own a cheer gym in a rural area or you’re the first program in your community, your biggest challenge is simple: education. Parents can’t buy what they don’t understand. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton shares how to educate a small-town market about all star cheerleading, build awareness fast, and position your gym as the go-to destination for youth sports training. Dan breaks down three practical strategies that work especially well in rural communities: show up at every public performance opportunity (and capture leads while you’re there), use social media to show what you do beyond flyers, and host community events at your facility that double as lead-generation machines. He also explains why your follow-up system matters more than your ad budget—and why paid ads are wasted if you don’t have automation, waivers, and email/SMS follow-up in place. If you’re building a cheer gym in a small town, trying to grow enrollment, or launching a program where cheer isn’t mainstream yet, this episode gives you a clear plan to create demand, capture leads, and corner your market.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down one of the most common frustrations in all star cheer: how to get more commitment, dedication, and buy-in from your athletes. After 22 years of coaching, Dan shares what actually works to build teams that show up, work hard, and care about standards—without pretending you can magically guarantee perfect attendance or perfect attitudes. You’ll learn how to build identity first so performance follows, create team values and shared language, and use rituals that make athletes feel like they belong. Dan also explains how to focus on growth over outcomes, praise effort and progress, normalize mistakes in practice, and create structured autonomy so athletes feel ownership without coaches losing control. This episode also covers the leadership side: building strong coach-athlete relationships, checking in emotionally, correcting wisely, and creating a practice environment athletes don’t want to miss. If you’re a cheer gym owner, coach, or program director who wants better effort, stronger culture, and more consistent attendance, this is your blueprint to build dedicated teams the right way.

If you want your cheer gym to be unrecognizable in 2026 (in the best way), this episode is your wake-up call. In this high-energy episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton lays out the real steps it takes to transform a cheer gym business—no fluff, no motivation without execution. He talks about why most owners “nod their head” and never follow through, and what it actually looks like to commit to growth when it gets uncomfortable. Dan breaks down the core drivers of real change for cheer gym owners: Set measurable 2026 goals and track them consistently Systemize everything so you stop being the bottleneck Level up your staff so your capabilities multiply Learn to use AI as a tool that saves time and increases output Master your calendar with time blocking and batching Replace bad habits with better ones so your energy and focus match your goals If you run a cheer gym, tumbling program, or youth sports facility and you want more enrollment, better systems, stronger staff, and a calmer business in 2026, start here.

Tryouts are closer than you think—and if parents don’t trust your team placements, the day after tryouts can turn into emails, angry calls, and families threatening to quit. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down how to build trust in your placement decisions before tryouts even happen by tightening your systems and educating parents early. Dan shares how his gym went from dreading team announcement day to having only a handful of post-placement conversations—by clarifying expectations, creating a skills rubric (low/medium/high range), and changing the tryout process so coaches evaluate athletes over time instead of a quick snapshot. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Create a clear tumbling + execution rubric so parents understand what “level-ready” really means Use level evaluations + 2–3 weeks of level practices to place teams with more confidence and accuracy Educate families on stunting roles, team needs, and why placements aren’t only about tumbling Reduce entitlement and confusion by explaining your methodology upfront Protect your time by preventing placement blowups before they start If you’re a cheer gym owner, director, or coach, this episode gives you a practical placement system that builds parent buy-in, improves team quality, and makes tryout season calmer for everyone.

Want more male athletes in your cheer gym? In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down what actually works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to building a strong coed cheer program. Dan shares lessons learned over eight years of running coed teams—from the early “all-girl gym” days to growing a true boys pipeline—and explains why most gyms struggle to recruit male cheerleaders in the first place. You’ll learn how to: Make it obvious online that your gym is open to boys through branding, content, and messaging Use stunting as the gateway to get boys hooked quickly Run open stunt sessions and create low-pressure entry points for new male athletes Fully integrate boys into the sport instead of letting them “stunt only” Motivate boys through competition, strength, community, and responsibility Avoid the common mistakes that backfire, including “boys cheer for free” and out-of-town recruiting If you’re a cheer gym owner, director, or coach who wants more coed opportunities, stronger stunting groups, and a healthier pipeline of male athletes, this episode gives you the real strategy to make it happen.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton sits down with Chris Rack, owner of Cheer Athletics Chicago, a former corporate executive who left a high-level leadership career to build a cheer gym—and challenge the status quo. Chris shares what happens when you bring sales and marketing systems, speed-to-lead, and world-class customer service into an industry that often struggles with communication. You’ll hear how Chris built processes to respond to leads quickly, why “trust the process” frustrates parents when the process isn’t explained, and how his gym earned a wave of five-star Google reviews in its first months by obsessing over the customer experience. He also breaks down how to create buy-in with athletes and staff, why fear-based coaching is fading, and what modern athletes need from gym owners now. If you’re a cheer gym owner, director, or coach looking to improve communication, retention, culture, and growth, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can implement immediately.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down a tough question every cheer gym owner eventually faces: when should you fire a customer and end the relationship? Dan shares why he’s not a fan of the “Bye Felicia” mentality, but also explains the two situations where letting someone go is not only justified—it’s necessary to protect your business, staff, and gym culture. You’ll learn how to handle: Nonpayment and why allowing multiple missed months creates a hole most families can’t climb out of Culture and values misalignment, including gossip, public negativity, and rumor-spreading that poisons trust When to have a sit-down conversation vs. when it’s time to part ways How to set clear expectations so you don’t enable entitlement or inconsistency Why educating new families (and re-educating long-time ones) prevents problems before they escalate If you’re a cheer gym owner, director, or program manager, this episode gives you a clear framework to protect your culture, enforce standards with professionalism, and make the hard decision the right way.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton shares the exact strategies cheer gym owners need to excel at social media in 2026—without obsessing over vanity metrics like likes and followers. If you’re a local, service-based business, the goal isn’t going viral nationwide. The goal is building trust, staying visible in your community, and turning attention into leads, registrations, and revenue. Dan breaks down how to use AI the right way (and what to avoid), why you need a presence across multiple platforms, and how to post more content than feels comfortable so your ideal families actually see you. He also explains how to leverage your best content creators—your athletes and staff—and why consistent engagement on other people’s posts builds goodwill, reach, and algorithm momentum. If you want your gym to grow faster in 2026, this episode gives you a clear plan to build a stronger online presence, create better content, and show up confidently without worrying about what other gym owners think.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, host Dan Cotton pulls back the curtain on the real-life behaviors that drive gym owners and managers absolutely crazy—and what great employees do instead. As the owner of three companies with over 75 employees and a consultant to more than 150 gyms, Dan has seen the same patterns over and over again. He breaks down the most common staff habits that quietly erode trust and culture: showing up late or unprepared, calling out right before a shift, leaving mats and equipment out, walking past overflowing trash, gossiping on the floor, starting and ending classes off-schedule, ignoring curriculum, and asking for more hours only to turn them down when offered. You’ll learn: How late arrivals and last-minute call-outs wreck operations and trust Why “that’s not my job” thinking hurts the entire gym How gossip and venting in the gym poison your culture Why time, cleanliness, and curriculum matter more than you think How to become the coach owners want to promote and pour into If you’re a cheer gym owner, director, or coach, this episode is part vent session, part leadership training—and a must-listen before your next staff meeting or hiring push.

AI is powerful—but it can also make you look unprofessional, confuse your customers, and cost you real money if you use it wrong. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, host Dan Cotton breaks down the five biggest AI blunders he sees cheer gym owners making right now—and how to avoid them. Dan shares real examples from his own businesses and from gym owners who have relied on bad automations, untrained chatbots, and generic AI business advice. From cringe-worthy auto-responders and risky AI chat on your website to using tools like ChatGPT for pricing, finances, and copy-paste emails you never even proofread, Dan shows you where AI goes wrong and how to use it safely and strategically instead. You’ll learn: Why lazy auto-responders are quietly turning off leads The danger of plugging in untrained AI chatbots for parents and prospects Why generic AI advice on pricing, profit, and opening a gym can lead you into bad debt How copy-paste AI content makes you sound fake—and how to fix it What “AI hallucinations” are and why you must verify anything it tells you If you’re a cheer gym owner, director, or coach who wants to use AI to save time and grow smarter—without embarrassing mistakes—this episode is your practical guide to using AI as a tool, not a trap.