Blair Orr, founder of LEAD Athletic Performance, joins the show to break down how he’s built one of the top athlete-only sports performance facilities in California.

We dive into why Blair chooses to serve and market exclusively to athletes, how he crafts a gym culture that keeps athletes coming back, and the intentional conversations he has during onboarding to set expectations and drive long-term success.

Blair also walks through his Phase System—a data-driven framework he built to bucket athletes into different levels of programming. We unpack how the system works, why it creates clarity for both coaches and athletes, and how to scale high-quality programming without losing individualization.

🔗Check out more from Blair 👇

Instagram: @lead.blair @leadperformance

This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches.

Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success.

👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here].

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

03:21 The Start of LEAD

12:20 Focusing on Athlete Training vs. Adult Training

15:49 Navigating Seasonality in Athlete Training

20:42 Creating an Addictive Experience for Athletes

28:03 Onboarding New Athletes and Success Meetings

35:07 The Phase System: Data Driven Programming

56:17 Utilizing Technology in Training

59:33 Designing a College Like Weight Room Environment

01:06:48 Longevity as a Gym Owner

01:11:11 Future Plans and Business Growth

01:13:29 Mentorship Cycle