The Team Chip Podcast

Do you really know the people you serve, or do you just know their names?

In this episode, Chip breaks down the POGO Method for building better relationships with students and families: Personal, Organization, Goals, and Obstacles. Learn how genuinely understanding the people you serve can help you communicate better, anticipate challenges, and ultimately serve them better.

Who are you serving that you don't really know yet?

What does it really take to build a successful martial arts school?

Chip sits down with Mike Guido to talk about the work, mindset, systems, and leadership behind building a successful school. They discuss Mike’s approach to planning his week, showing up early and staying late, building a team, learning to delegate, and developing the black belt mindset that keeps him moving forward.

This is a look at what it really takes to build a school that lasts.

Instructors are trained to look for mistakes. But does every mistake need to be corrected immediately?

In this episode, Chip breaks down when to let a mistake go, when to teach it, and when to stop it immediately. He explains how instructors can look past the symptom, identify the root problem, and teach students to think, adjust, and eventually correct themselves.

Doug Peters, CEO and President of the Chamber of Commerce, joins Chip to talk about why getting involved with your local Chamber matters. It’s one of the best ways to connect with like-minded business owners, build relationships in your community, and get your school known by the people around you. Listen to this episode to learn how getting involved can open doors for your school and your community.

Most school owners think they have a testing problem. They don't. They have a preparation problem.

In this episode, Chip breaks down why testing and belt promotions should never be something students suddenly prepare for a few weeks before the big day. When every class is structured around clear expectations, meaningful corrections, and consistent growth, testing simply reveals what students have been working toward all along.

Testing doesn't begin on testing day. It begins on day one.

Parents say a lot more than they realize, and after years of working with families, Chip and Glyn Ann have learned their fair share about how to translate.

In this episode, they break down some of the most common things parents say, what they might actually mean, and how school owners can respond wisely without making assumptions or damaging the relationship. Because sometimes, “We’ll think about it” means a whole lot more than those four words.

Building strong relationships with students and families is one of the best parts of running a martial arts school, but there’s a difference between being personable and becoming too personal. In this episode, Chip talks about maintaining healthy boundaries, holding consistent standards, and leading well while still making students and families feel cared for.

Giving back is important, but generosity without structure can hurt the very school you're trying to build.

Chip sits down with Carson Rynders of Kicks for Kids to talk about how martial arts school owners can create scholarships that serve families, build responsibility, and strengthen their schools without creating entitlement or financial strain. They discuss faith, stewardship, accountability, and why generosity and high standards can, and should, go hand in hand.

Fall can be one of the biggest growth seasons for a martial arts school, but growth doesn't automatically mean you're building a stronger school.

In this episode, Chip breaks down why some schools are ready to grow in the fall while others simply get busier. Learn how leadership, student experience, and retention determine whether your growth actually lasts.

In this episode, Chip and Glyn Ann discuss why a packed schedule doesn't automatically build character. They explore the difference between participation and personal growth, why responsibility is the foundation of leadership, and how martial arts schools can help develop confident, accountable kids who lead both on and off the mat.