The Cheer Biz Podcast

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down what cheer coaches and gym owners often get wrong when studying the routines that win major end-of-season events.

Too many coaches watch a winning routine and immediately focus on the hardest stunt, the biggest tumbling pass, or the most creative transition. Dan explains why copying isolated skills is rarely the answer—and why difficulty alone is not what separates the best routines from everyone else.

This episode explores how execution, pacing, routine construction, score sheet strategy, and overall performance quality work together to create a winning package. Dan also explains why coaches need to study the full routine instead of one viral section, why different score sheets reward different choices, and why a video can never fully capture the energy a team creates in the arena.

If you are a cheer gym owner, all star coach, choreographer, or program director, this episode will help you analyze winning cheer routines more effectively, make smarter choreography decisions, and build routines that score—not just routines that look difficult online.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton tackles one of the biggest challenges facing the cheer industry today: gym owner burnout.

After presenting on burnout at the Next Gen Coaches & Owners Conference, Dan shares why more cheer gym owners are feeling overwhelmed than ever before—and why the real cause often isn't long hours. It's the way they're leading their businesses.

Dan explains how trying to do everything yourself, refusing to delegate, chasing perfection, and carrying every responsibility alone can quietly lead to exhaustion, frustration, and eventually burnout. He also shares practical strategies to help gym owners build better systems, trust their team, and create a business that doesn't depend on them every minute of the day.

In this episode, Dan discusses:

Why burnout is becoming more common among gym owners
The connection between delegation and long-term success
How perfectionism creates unnecessary stress
Simple tasks owners should stop doing themselves
Why investing time in training others pays off later
How better systems create healthier businesses and healthier leaders

If you're a cheer gym owner, entrepreneur, or business leader, this episode will help you recognize the warning signs of burnout and build a business that's sustainable for years to come.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton challenges one of the most celebrated phrases in all star cheer: hit zero.

While hitting zero can be exciting, Dan explains why the industry’s obsession with no-deduction routines may be creating unhealthy pressure for athletes, confusing parents, and shifting the focus away from overall performance, execution, difficulty, and growth. He shares why teams can hit zero and still lose, why teams can have deductions and still win, and why coaches need to educate athletes and families on what the score sheet actually rewards.

Dan also dives into the emotional impact of hit-zero culture, including how one mistake can make athletes feel like they ruined the entire routine, even when the rest of the performance was excellent. He explores how the pressure for perfection may contribute to anxiety, fear, and mental blocks in cheer athletes.

If you are a cheer gym owner, coach, or program director, this episode will challenge how you talk about success, performance, deductions, and athlete confidence inside your gym.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton shares five things he would do if he wanted his staff to absolutely hate their jobs.
Drawing from his experience leading teams across Oregon Dream Teams, Dream Camps, and Next Generation Gym Owners, Dan breaks down the leadership mistakes that quietly destroy morale, increase turnover, and drive great coaches away.

From never asking for staff input and micromanaging every decision to paying people late and refusing to explain your reasoning, Dan explains why these behaviors create frustration, resentment, and burnout inside cheer gyms.

In this episode, you'll learn:
Why staff want their opinions to be heard
The importance of paying people accurately and on time
How micromanagement destroys trust and confidence
Why explaining your decisions matters as a leader
How helping staff build a life outside the gym improves retention
What great gym owners do differently to keep coaches engaged

If you're a cheer gym owner, program director, or leader, this episode will help you create a healthier workplace, retain great staff, and build a stronger coaching culture.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton shares the three things that consistently separate high-performing cheer gyms from everyone else.

While many gym owners spend their time chasing new ideas, new marketing strategies, and new programs, Dan argues that the biggest competitive advantages are often much simpler. The gyms that consistently outperform their competition focus relentlessly on staff development, content creation, and long-term consistency.

Dan breaks down:
Why training your staff may be the most important investment you can make
How quality content helps build trust and attract new families
Why consistency matters more than talent or creativity
The role systems play in long-term success
How successful gym owners stay focused when things get difficult
Why most gyms know what to do but fail to execute consistently

If you are a cheer gym owner, coach, or entrepreneur, this episode will help you identify the habits, systems, and leadership principles that create long-term success and help your gym stand out in a crowded market.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton shares the three things that consistently separate high-performing cheer gyms from everyone else.

While many gym owners spend their time chasing new ideas, new marketing strategies, and new programs, Dan argues that the biggest competitive advantages are often much simpler. The gyms that consistently outperform their competition focus relentlessly on staff development, content creation, and long-term consistency.

Dan breaks down:
Why training your staff may be the most important investment you can make
How quality content helps build trust and attract new families
Why consistency matters more than talent or creativity
The role systems play in long-term success
How successful gym owners stay focused when things get difficult
Why most gyms know what to do but fail to execute consistently

If you are a cheer gym owner, coach, or entrepreneur, this episode will help you identify the habits, systems, and leadership principles that create long-term success and help your gym stand out in a crowded market.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton explains why summer camps remain one of the most valuable tools a cheer gym owner can use to grow enrollment, improve athlete development, increase retention, and generate additional revenue.

While many gym owners view camps as a seasonal activity, Dan argues that summer camps can have a major impact on the long-term success of a cheer program when they are planned and executed strategically.

Dan breaks down:
Why summer camps create opportunities to attract new athletes
How camps help retain current athletes during slower months
The role camps play in athlete development and confidence building
Why camps can generate meaningful revenue for cheer gyms
How camps help develop future coaches and staff members
The biggest mistakes gym owners make when planning summer programs

If you are a cheer gym owner, coach, or program director, this episode will help you maximize the value of your summer camps and use them as a tool for growth throughout the year.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton sits down with Elizabeth Scumaci, Founder and CEO of GlitterStarz, to discuss what it takes to build a brand that lasts in the cheer industry.

What started as a small rhinestone and pro shop business has grown into one of the most recognizable brands in all star cheer. Elizabeth shares the story behind GlitterStarz, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the lessons she's learned while growing and evolving her company over nearly two decades.

Dan and Elizabeth discuss:
How GlitterStarz got its start
The importance of listening to customers and adapting to their needs
Building a recognizable brand in a competitive industry
Marketing, social media, and staying relevant as the industry evolves
Hiring talented people and creating a strong team
Company culture, leadership, and long-term growth
Why gratitude and giving back have been important parts of the journey

Whether you're a cheer gym owner, entrepreneur, or business leader, this episode is packed with lessons on branding, leadership, innovation, customer service, and building a business that stands the test of time.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down the three things every cheer gym owner must master before they can truly scale their business.

Too many gym owners focus on marketing tactics, sales funnels, and growth hacks while ignoring the foundations that actually create sustainable growth. According to Dan, nearly every growth problem can be traced back to one of three areas: systems, accountability, or execution.

Drawing from his experience growing Oregon Dream Teams, Dream Camps, and Next Generation Gym Owners, Dan explains why systems create scalability, why accountability drives consistency, and why execution ultimately determines results.

In this episode, you'll learn:
Why systems are the foundation of growth
How accountability impacts staff performance and consistency
Why execution matters more than ideas
The biggest mistakes gym owners make when trying to scale
How to identify what's actually holding your gym back
Why growth becomes impossible without delegation and structure

If you're a cheer gym owner, program director, or entrepreneur, this episode provides a practical framework for building a business that can grow without depending on you to do everything yourself.

In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton gets honest about one of the most emotionally exhausting parts of owning a cheer gym: tryouts and team placements.

After wrapping up placements at Oregon Dream Teams, Dan shares the reality gym owners face when athletes quit after being placed, parents question levels, kids are disappointed, and coaches are left trying to rebuild teams around missing pieces. He talks through the stress of balancing athlete happiness, team success, parent expectations, high school cheer conflicts, and the pressure to educate families who may not fully understand how all star cheer placements work.

This episode is a real behind-the-scenes look at the part of cheer gym ownership most families never see. Dan reminds owners that even when the hard conversations feel heavy, there are still dozens of athletes who are excited, grateful, and ready for the season ahead.

If you are a cheer gym owner, coach, or program director, this episode will help you feel less alone during tryout season and remind you why the hard parts of placements are still worth it.