The Cheer Biz Podcast

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 coaching senior teams.  If you are a coach or an owner this is a must listen.

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 specific and rare conditions that would make me open one.

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. As we kick off the new year, I’m sharing insights on setting your own standards, valuing your services, and building confidence in your pricing strategy—without constantly comparing yourself to competitors. Whether you're looking to attract more client...

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 feelings of failure to embracing the power of saying “why not me,” this year has been full of challenges, growth, and pivotal moments.   I dive into the hard truths about pricing unapologetically, the superpower of mastering sales, and why surrounding...

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 down the five most common reasons gym owners and entrepreneurs face roadblocks in their journey—and what you can do to overcome them.   From managing distractions to setting clear priorities and surrounding yourself with the right people, I share actio...

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 stress and misunderstandings. Spoiler alert: It might even reduce the need to “yell” at your team by 50% (completely unproven, but feels right!).   I share insights from managing over 60 employees across multiple companies and provide actionable strate...

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-making processes we face every day. As a coach for over 20 years and a gym owner, I unpack what goes through my head when teams aren't hitting, athletes get injured, skills aren't being thrown, and parents start asking questions. I also share insights int...

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 why hiring a director is so difficult and what I think you should do instead.  

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

Confirmation Bias is the process of establishing a belief and ignoring all evidence to the contrary of that belief.  Confirmation bias impacts us as owners, our coaches and our athletes.  In this episode we will dive into what it is, how I have seen it impact us and how we can overcome it.  

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

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 cheer-related businesses with over 60 employees, I explore the grit, determination, leadership, and resilience needed to thrive in this industry. I share personal insights, lessons learned from years of challenges and successes, and the importance of...

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 standard is frustrating.  In this episode we will dive into the 6 reasons I have found in my 3 companies WHY employees end up sucking at their jobs.  

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 discusses how lack of knowledge, poor infrastructure, or insufficient belief and focus can sabotage potential growth. 

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 do it all?  The answer is in this episode on how to get more hours in your week and year to be more productive and accomplish your goals. 

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" by Jocko Willink, We break down the difference between pride and ego and explain why unchecked ego can lead to a lack of receptivity to feedback, hinder personal and professional development, and create tension within teams. Whether you're coaching, m...

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 of allowing coaches to keep 100% of their private lesson fees, arguing that this approach may not be truly beneficial for the coaches or the gym. Drawing from personal experience and industry insights, Dan discusses why a structured system through the...

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 sense?  In this episode, we will dive into my thoughts and evaluations of whether a coach should step into the routine. 

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 for any cheer gym. Dan shares insights from his own journey as a gym owner, discussing how having the right front desk staff transformed customer experience, increased sales, and boosted long-term retention. From lost opportunities to the power of p...

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.  This article quickly spread throughout the cheer world.  This is my response after reading the article, and my thoughts on the future.  

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 which caused us some un-needed suffering.  This got me thinking of correlations to business and looking critically about who we allow to lead us and how we lead our own teams.  

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?  In this episode we will dive into how I am guiding my staff and myself to motivate our athletes in 2024!  

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 experiences, and how they will make a difference for you. 

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 cons of both so you can make the best decision for your program.     Need help putting this together before next season.  A Next Gen Coach can help you budget and build your cost sheet!  Schedule a call to learn how to join the academy by visiting  nextg...

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 fill it with more members!  No matter if you are in a small town or a major metroplex, these 5 things are MUST do's for any owner looking to grow.