The Fullout Cheer Podcast
by Next Generation Gym Owners
Stop Defending Your Reputation. You're Making It Worse.
About this podcast
The Fullout Cheer Podcast with Danielle Johnston is the ultimate resource for cheerleading gym owners, all star cheer coaches, and industry professionals who want to grow their gyms, lead successful teams, and thrive in the competitive cheer industry. Hosted by Danielle Johnston — now in her 14th season as a cheer gym owner, co-owner of Next Generation Gym Owners, and author of the must-read “The Cheer Gym Owners’ Handbook” — this podcast delivers proven strategies and real-world insights from someone who’s built a thriving cheer program from the ground up.
In every episode, Danielle shares cheer gym business tips, marketing strategies for cheerleading gyms, leadership advice for working with teenage athletes, and behind-the-scenes looks at what it really takes to run a profitable, well-respected cheer program. From managing staff and parents to improving athlete retention and preparing winning routines, she covers every aspect of cheer gym ownership and coaching with honesty and expertise.
Whether you’re launching your first cheer program or looking to take your established gym to the next level, the Fullout Cheer Podcast gives you the tools, ideas, and inspiration you need to succeed. Subscribe now and start running your gym with confidence, clarity, and full-out passion.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 100 episodes
- Stop Defending Your Reputation. You're Making It Worse. · 29 min · Episode 115Someone said something negative about your gym. Do you defend yourself publicly, or let it go?When a parent, former employee, or another gym owner criticizes your program, the…
- Your Athletes Aren't Being Poached. They're Choosing to Leave. · 33 min · Episode 114Are other cheer gyms really poaching your athletes, or is something else happening?When an athlete leaves your all star cheer program for another gym, it's easy to blame the…
- Living on a Prayer: Guessing Your Numbers · 17 min · Episode 113Do you know your gym’s numbers—or are you making your best guess and hoping the money is there?In this episode, Danielle breaks down three reasons cheer gym owners struggle to…
- Waiting for Things to Slow Down? Listen to This. · 7 min · Episode 112“I’ll do it when things slow down.”Gym owners, that sentence can keep you stuck for years. Next month won’t magically give you more time to train your staff, fix your systems, or…
- Throwback: Turn Around Your 'Meh' Start to the Season · 25 min · Episode 111Throwback episode!🚨 Start-to-the-Season Check-In Time!Remember those goals we set in June? Yeah… we’re revisiting them in this follow-up to the fan-favorite “Rebuilding After…
- I Automated My Cheer Gym in One Day. Here’s What Changed. · 39 min · Episode 110AI is most useful when it takes a recurring task off your plate. In this episode of the Fullout Cheer Podcast, I share what I automated in my gym in about a day and how those…
- 5 Things Event Producers Do That Drive Gym Owners Crazy—with Kim Schaub · 57 min · Episode 109Why are spectator fees so high? Why do events get canceled? And why does your team sometimes end up competing alone?Danielle sits down with MCDA owner Kim Schaub to discuss five…
- Working With Family Without Wrecking the Relationship · 32 min · Episode 108Working with family in your cheer gym can be one of the best parts of owning a business... and one of the hardest.After 15 years of owning a family-run gym, Danielle has worked…
- You Either Speak "Teenager" or You Don't · 38 min · Episode 107Coaching teenagers is different. They don't want to be treated like little kids, but they're also still learning how to be adults. And if you coach a senior team the same way you…
- Cheer Makes Absolutely No Sense... Until It Does: Jay Yoder · 47 min · Episode 106If you've ever tried to explain all star cheer to someone outside the industry, you already know how ridiculous it can sound.In this episode, Danielle sits down with comedian…
- Throwback: Hijack the Back-to-School Hype · 21 min · Episode 105Back-to-school season is here, which means families are getting back into routines, schedules are filling up, and everyone is competing for their attention. So we’re bringing…
- Don't Take the Bait: How Great Leaders Stay Calm · 20 min · Episode 104Every gym owner will eventually deal with an angry parent, frustrated employee, or emotional customer. The question isn't whether it will happen. It's how you'll respond when it…
- Don't Send the Email! How to Deliver Difficult News Effectively · 32 min · Episode 103Every gym owner will eventually have to deliver bad news. Whether it's leveling down a team, changing payroll, losing a staff member, canceling an event, or making an unpopular…
- 5 Things You Can Only Learn Inside Another Gym · 30 min · Episode 102You can spend months reviewing reports, coaching calls, and financials with another gym owner, but there are some things you'll never understand until you walk through their…
- The Hardest Parent Conversation I've Had in 15 Years · 29 min · Episode 101A parent walked into my office furious about classes, policies, and staff. Forty minutes later, we were both in tears.In this episode, I share one of the most difficult parent…
- When a Key Employee Quits: 5 Lessons Every Gym Owner Needs to Know · 34 min · Episode 100One unexpected resignation can leave gym owners wondering how they're going to cover classes, support athletes, and keep the business moving forward. After recently experiencing…
- Why Some Dads Never Support Cheer... and How to Change That · 47 min · Episode 99Cheer moms get most of the attention, but what about dads?In this episode, Danielle sits down with Alex Russell, co-host of The Cheer Dad Podcast, to talk about a side of all…
- Why Some Athletes Never Build Resilience with Jeff Benson · 31 min · Episode 98Every parent wants what's best for their child. But sometimes the very behaviors meant to protect athletes can actually hold them back.In Part 2 of my conversation with sports…
- How Good Coaches Cause Emotional Damage with Jeff Benson · 32 min · Episode 98Most coaches genuinely want what's best for their athletes. But what happens when pressure, expectations, and the desire to win begin influencing how we coach?In this episode, I…
- How Gym Owners Create Toxic Parents · 42 min · Episode 97Are your gym's communication, policies, and leadership are helping create toxic parents?In this episode, Danielle shares her perspective as a gym owner on how parent toxicity…
