The MotUS Edge

What does it really take to grow a successful cheer gym business? Sometimes the best ideas, partnerships, and breakthroughs happen outside the classroom—and in the conversations between cheer industry leaders.   In this special live episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe, Casey Jones, and Sean Timmons come together in Nashville at the MotUS Business Expo to talk about cheer gym growth, lead...

Why can an All Star cheer team score a 98 one weekend and a 96 the next—even with a stronger routine?   In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe, Casey Jones, and Sean Timmons sit down with Tannaz Kirichkow, owner of the California All-Stars, for a candid conversation about one of the most debated topics in competitive cheerleading: scoring and judging consistency.   The group discuss...

What makes a successful cheer gym last for decades while others struggle to survive? Stacy Rowe, Casey Jones, and Sean Timmons tackle one of the biggest challenges facing All Star cheer leaders: balancing elite team success with long-term program growth. They discuss athlete progression, youth development, level placement, parent expectations, Worlds teams, competition structure, and how gym owner...

Can your mindset truly transform your health, business, and life? In this inspiring episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe, Casey Jones, Sean Timmons, and special guest Nicole Kernohan—TEDx speaker, high-performance coach, and bestselling author of Audacious Joy—explore the powerful connection between mindset, resilience, gratitude, and peak performance.   Nicole shares her extraordinary jo...

Success is exciting—but why does it often come with more pressure instead of more peace? In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, hosts Stacy Rowe, Casey Jones, and Sean Timmons have an honest conversation about the hidden cost of entrepreneurship, leadership, and building successful businesses.   They discuss burnout, balancing family and business, knowing when to pivot instead of quit, managin...

In this fun episode, we tackle the counterintuitive truth about All Star Gyms - if you're not struggling with parking issues, you might not be growing fast enough! Join us as we dive into the real-world challenges of rapid gym expansion and what it means for your business. We field questions from gym owners nationwide, addressing crucial concerns maximizing limited floor space, and navigating the...

How do parents and coaches help young athletes build confidence without creating more pressure? In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with coach, gym director, and author Becky Acra to discuss the powerful lessons from her new book, Raise the Athlete.   Becky shares her perspective as a gym owner, coach, and parent, offering practical advice on athlete conf...

Got parent employees? This quick-edge episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast Short is for you! Join Stacy and Casey for an essential conversation about the unique dynamics of hiring parents at your gym – whether they're spotting back handsprings or managing your front desk.   In this power-packed session, we're tackling the dos and don'ts of bringing parents onto your payroll. Get practical tips for ma...

In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, hosts Stacy Rowe, Casey Jones, and Sean Timmons discuss the future of All Star cheer, why collaboration beats competition, how business owners can create sustainable careers, and the vision behind MotUS, the MotUS Business Expo, and the new CHEER & DANCE NOVAS Awards. They also explore leadership, industry innovation, employee development, business growth...

What are the smartest financial decisions youth sports business owners can make? In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, hosts Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with financial advisor and Knoxville Summit founder Mark Pancratz to discuss practical financial strategies for cheer gym owners, dance studio owners, and youth sports entrepreneurs.   From building emergency reserves and separating b...

In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with Angelo D'Amico to unpack leadership lessons every small business owner can use: building high-performing teams, creating a strong company culture, delegating with trust, making principled decisions, and leading people through pressure without losing sight of profit, purpose, or long-term stewardship. This conversat...

Should small gyms and mega gyms be competing on the same playing field in All Star Cheer? In this episode of The MotUS Edge, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones dive into one of the most debated topics in the cheer industry: the Small Gym Summit, D1 vs. D2 classifications, flex divisions, age grids, athlete participation, and the impact of competitive structures on gym growth and athlete opportunities.   T...

In this episode of The MotUS Edge, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with Brayden Black to talk about how to build confidence in teens, motivate young athletes, and help kids separate self-worth from performance. They unpack trust, autonomy, honest coaching, and comparison so parents, coaches, and gym owners can better lead the next generation.   ✅Perfect for: Cheer gym owners, coaches, parents...

In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with mental performance coach and Mind Body Cheer founder Jeff Benson to talk about one of the biggest challenges gym owners and coaches face today: building a healthy, lasting team culture. From leadership struggles and parent communication to athlete identity, emotional regulation, and handling criticism in the social...

In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with returning guest Sean Timmons, the new Executive Director of MotUS, for a raw and honest conversation about the real challenges facing cheer gym owners in 2026. From skyrocketing rent and rising operating costs to burnout, leadership, business growth, and adapting after COVID, this episode dives deep into what it tr...

How has all star cheerleading evolved—and is it better than ever? In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones break down the biggest changes in competitive cheerleading, from hard floors to spring floors, rubric-based scoring, music restrictions, roster sizes, and the growing cost of the sport. They dive into how modern cheer score sheets impact creativity, athlete develo...

In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with Jeff Metzger, founder of Kids First Sports Center, to unpack the leadership lessons, delegation strategies, and mindset shifts that fueled 53 years of continuous growth.   From learning the difference between mistakes and irresponsibility to mastering delegation and decentralization, Jeff shares hard-earned wisdom...

What if the key to better leadership, stronger teams, and less burnout was understanding how the brain actually works? In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with neuroscience-based leadership expert Dr. Sherry Yellin to uncover how brain science can transform the way you lead.   From understanding how "threat brain" shuts down creativity and performance to...

What does it really take to survive—and succeed—during the most chaotic time of the cheer season? In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with Orson Sykes, owner of Twist and Shout, to break down the realities of end-of-season pressure, tryout planning, staff management, and business growth in the all-star cheer industry.   From juggling competitions, staffin...

What is it really like to be a cheer parent in the world of all star cheerleading? In this entertaining and insightful episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, hosts Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with comedian and cheer dad Jay Yoder to pull back the curtain on the real cheer competition experience.   From long award ceremonies to emotional highs and lows, they explore the passion, pressure, and h...

What does it really take to run a successful all-star cheer gym while still coaching athletes every day? In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, hosts Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with gym owner Alex Csiernik of JPAC Radiance All Stars to talk about the realities of starting and managing a competitive cheer program.   Alex shares how she opened her gym during COVID, how she balances lead...

Cheer tryouts can make or break your entire season—but are you setting your program up for success or stress?   In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with Nelson De Dios, co-owner of OC All Stars and creator of the CheerSync app, to unpack real-world tryout horror stories, team placement challenges, and the growing pains of running a cheer business.   From...

Is all-star dance finally stepping into the spotlight alongside competitive cheerleading? In this episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe and Casey Jones sit down with Nikki Sticka, All-Star Director at Premier Athletics NKY, to break down the evolution of cheer and dance score sheets, division growth, music changes, performance quality, and the business realities of gym ownership.   From th...

In this candid and powerful episode of The MotUS Edge Podcast, Stacy Rowe, Casey Jones, Cole Stott, and Kevin Brubaker unpack the hard lessons they've learned as gym owners and entrepreneurs in the cheerleading and dance industry   From costly real estate decisions and lease negotiations to staffing challenges, culture fit, delegation, and leadership growth, this episode dives deep into the realit...

Recorded live at CX Brands Nashville Nationals, this Bonus MotUS Edge Podcast episode brings you real, unfiltered insights from All Star cheerleading parents. Host Casey Jones sits down with multiple parents to discuss their experiences at competitions, communication with coaches, financial expectations, team culture, and what truly matters most in their athlete's journey.   If you've ever wondere...