Paradigm Playbook

Hosted by Steve Cook

Business EntrepreneurshipInterviews guests

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Episodes

132

Latest episode

Jul 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Welcome to Paradigm Playbook—the one company dedicated to teaching you the practices and habits of successful sports businesses. We aim to help motivated entrepreneurs merge their passion for sports with the mission of optimizing their business.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 21, 202627 min

Ep 128: Positive Leadership Is a Competitive Advantage with Marcella Miciano

Host Steve Cook welcomes back Marcella Miciano of Vivid Motivation to explore how positive leadership can transform culture, strengthen teams, and create a competitive advantage in youth sports and child activity businesses. Drawing on The Energy Bus and The Power of Positive Leadership , Marcella shares practical ways leaders can turn positivity into a daily practice through gratitude, intentional self-talk, recognition, and consistent habits. She also breaks down how culture shapes beliefs and expectations, which drive behaviors, create habits, and ultimately determine the future of an organization. Steve and Marcella also preview her upcoming Power of Positive Leadership workshop at the Signature Business Workshop in Orlando and discuss why building a great culture starts with what leaders practice every day. Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

July 29, 202626 min

Ep. 127: How Cognitive Biases Help Entrepreneurs Close More Deals with John Asher

Host Steve Cook sits down with sales expert, entrepreneur, and author John Asher to explore how understanding how people think can transform how entrepreneurs sell. Drawing on his unique background as a Navy submarine captain, Pentagon buyer and program manager, engineering firm founder, and sales advisor, John explains why selling is a skill every business owner needs. John breaks down the neuroscience behind common cognitive biases that influence purchasing decisions and shares practical ways to apply them in everyday conversations. From using genuine compliments to build rapport, creating reciprocity by giving value first, and leveraging similarity to strengthen connections, to offering the right number of choices to avoid decision fatigue, he provides actionable strategies that help businesses build trust and close more sales. Whether you're a swim school owner, youth program operator, or entrepreneur looking to improve your sales process, this episode delivers simple, science-backed techniques that can help you communicate more effectively, connect with customers, and grow your business. Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

July 15, 202626 min

Ep 126: Giving Every Child the Chance to Swim with Kristin Mabrouk

Host Steve Cook sits down with Kristin Mabrouk, Executive Director of the Hope Floats Foundation, to discuss how the organization is making lifesaving swim lessons accessible to more children across the country. By partnering with swim schools nationwide, Hope Floats helps create local scholarship programs that open the door for children from low-income families and those in foster care. Kristin shares how the foundation supports swim schools through scholarship administration, fundraising resources, and initiatives like the Swim for Hope campaign. She also discusses the importance of water safety, the challenges families face in accessing swim lessons, and why collaboration is key to expanding opportunities for children. Whether you're involved in youth programs, own a swim school, or simply believe every child should have the chance to learn to swim, this episode is an inspiring conversation about community, impact, and making a difference. Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

June 15, 202625 min

Building a Sports Business with Passion and Personal Touch with Alivia Orvieto | Playmakers Replay

In this episode of Paradigm Playbook , host Steve Cook sits down with Alivia Orvieto , a volleyball and fitness specialist who’s redefining what sports training can look like. Alivia shares her journey from competing in indoor volleyball at a young age to launching a first-of-its-kind beach volleyball hybrid program in Pennsylvania. She opens up about the challenges and rewards of building a business without a brick-and-mortar facility, and how she blends personal training, nutrition coaching, and athletic development into a holistic experience for her athletes. Together, Steve and Alivia dive into: 🏐 How she built Orvieto Athletics from the ground up 💪 The role of strength training during in-season and off-season cycles 🌱 How she uses technology to scale online training + nutrition services ✨ The power—and pressure—of growing a business rooted in personal brand 🚀 Her long-term vision for expanding opportunities for young athletes Whether you're an aspiring coach, a sports entrepreneur, or someone passionate about athlete development, this episode offers a fresh look at what it takes to build a thriving sports business with heart. Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

June 8, 202631 min

Ep 125: From Activism to AI: Curtis Michelson on Innovation

Host Steve Cook sits down with entrepreneur, consultant, and innovation strategist Curtis Michelson to discuss his unique journey from nonprofit activism and sales to software development, product leadership, and AI. Curtis shares how AI is reshaping product teams, innovation, and the way businesses solve problems. They explore lessons from Innovation Leader Magazine, the rise of AI-powered hackathons, and how organizations can uncover new opportunities through collaboration and experimentation. Curtis also shares how ChatGPT disrupted his previous venture, Info DJ, and led to the creation of Jedi on the Fly, a platform designed to help leaders cut through the noise and ask better strategic questions. A thought-provoking conversation on innovation, adaptability, and the future of AI in business. Thanks for joining us! Visit us at https://stephenjcook.com/ Visit Curtis at https://curtismichelson.com/ Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

June 1, 202631 min

Ep 124: Building Stronger Youth Sports Through Associations with Ross Gage

Host Steve Cook sits down with Ross Gage, Chief Executive of Gymnastics Clubs Australia (GCA), to explore the vital role associations play in strengthening youth sports organizations around the world. Drawing from his experience as a swimming coach, swim school owner, founder of Swim Australia and the Australian Swim Schools Association, and leader within Gymnastics Clubs Australia and the International Association of Child Development Programs (IACDP), Ross shares lessons from decades of industry leadership. Steve and Ross discuss some of the biggest challenges facing youth sports today, including rising participation costs, athlete dropout rates, early specialization pressures, staffing shortages, and the decline of physical education in schools. They also explore how clubs can partner with schools to create new opportunities for growth and impact. Whether you're a gym owner, swim school operator, youth sports leader, or industry advocate, this episode offers valuable insights on collaboration, sustainability, and the future of child development programs worldwide. Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

May 8, 202621 min

Ep 123: Ninja Zone: Turning American Ninja Warrior Into a Profitable Youth Program with Tyler Wetzel

Host Steve Cook sits down with Tyler Wetzel, Customer Success Director at Ninja Zone, to break down how Ninja Zone evolved from a concept into a global program with 300+ clubs. Tyler shares how the program blends gymnastics, parkour, martial arts, and ninja-style training into a progression-based system that builds skills and confidence. They dive into why it resonates with parents, how classes are structured for maximum engagement, and what makes it a profitable addition for gym owners. If you’re looking to grow your gym, engage a new audience, or build a program that scales, this is a must-listen! Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

April 28, 202627 min

Ep 122: Building a Culture of Ownership with Miren Oca

Steve Cook sits down with Miren Oca, founder of Ocaquatics and Ripples of Impact, to talk about what it really takes to build a business rooted in ownership and purpose. Miren shares how she started teaching swim lessons at 19 and grew it into a full aquatics company—learning business through books, mentors, and experience along the way. She breaks down the “OWN IT” culture behind Ocaquatics and why investing in your team is what actually drives retention and results. The conversation dives into her decision to sell 100% of the company to employees through an Employee Ownership Trust—while staying on as CEO to protect the mission, culture, and long-term vision. She also shares the story behind Ripples of Impact, a nonprofit focused on redefining ROI by turning speaking fees into swim scholarships and expanding access to water safety. This episode is about building something bigger than yourself—and creating a business that lasts. Visit Miren here: https://www.mirenoca.com/ Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

April 22, 202628 min

Ep 121: Scaling Smarter — How Lena Urusova Built a System That Runs Your Gym Without Burning You Out

Most gyms don’t struggle from lack of passion — they struggle from lack of structure. In this episode, Steve Cook sits down with Lena Urusova, founder and CEO of Plan Sport Pro, to unpack the system behind scalable, sustainable gym growth. With over 20 years of experience as a gym owner, Lena saw the same problem over and over: inconsistent programming, overwhelmed coaches, and owners stuck in the day-to-day. So she built Plan Sport Pro — a fully systemized, plug-and-play curriculum designed to bring consistency across every class while reducing owner burnout. They break down how biweekly themed lesson plans, built-in timers, and coach “cheat sheets” create a seamless experience across staff — regardless of skill level. Plus, how structured testing weeks, stronger onboarding, and clearer parent communication directly impact retention and long-term growth. If your gym still relies on you to keep everything running — this episode will show you how to build systems that scale, simplify, and actually last. Visit Lena Here: https://info.plansportpro.com/ Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube

April 7, 202625 min

Ep 120: Business Ideas That Seemed Smart (Until They Weren’t) with Christie Copeland

Steve Cook and Christie Copeland unpack the business decisions that felt like great ideas at the time —but came with hard lessons. Christie shares her experience opening a second gymnastics facility, while Steve reflects on building an outdoor skate park that didn’t go as planned. They dive into the importance of exit strategies, understanding local competition, hiring for true fit, and avoiding costly mistakes like overexpanding and overinvesting. This is a candid conversation about learning the hard way—and building smarter because of it. Listen now to learn the strategies that can help your business grow—and the pitfalls to avoid along the way. Follow us: Paradigm Playbook Instagram Facebook YouTube