Most after-school program owners stop selling the day school starts. That is the mistake. Fall enrollment has a second window, and it opens in week two.

In this episode:

• Why parents do not commit until they see the real schedule, and how to sell into that

• The 40 people already on your list who can fill your seats this week

• How to turn the school itself into your enrollment channel without asking for a favor

• The friction check: what your registration link is costing you in lost families

• Exactly what I would do with the next 7 days if I had empty seats

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: https://ariellehammond.com 

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com 

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

00:38 The second enrollment window

1:00 Week two, week three, and the seats nobody claims 

15:01 Where your audience is right now, by state 

17:46 The list you already have 

29:31 The school is the channel 

33:38 What I would do with the next 7 days 

40:41 The friction check 

42:39 Building a live registration link on camera

Growing a kids enrichment business from 10 to 30+ sites requires systems that scale before the complexity does.

In this episode:

• How to build parent communication systems that improve trust and reduce support requests

• The partner communication cadence that keeps schools informed and confident in your programs

• What to standardize before you add more sites, instructors, and complexity

• How to manage COIs, background checks, invoicing, and compliance without scrambling every term

• Why automation, scheduling systems, and re-enrollment campaigns become essential as you grow

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: https://ariellehammond.com

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

Timestamps

0:00 Build systems that scale before operational problems multiply

2:55 Create parent communication that builds trust and reduces complaints

13:15 Reduce customer support time with proactive communication systems

22:10 Prevent small operational problems from becoming growth bottlenecks

24:30 Increase repeat enrollments with simple re-enrollment campaigns

Summer camp safety protocols are what keep busy programs from depending on one person to catch every mistake.

In this episode:

• Why foolproof protocols matter more than relying on experienced instructors

• How attendance reminders and registration alerts can prevent small mistakes from becoming safety issues

• Why new instructors shouldn't start solo

• What summer camp demand taught Arielle about taking a real break

• Why making expectations explicit can protect your business and your families

  
  

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: 

https://ariellehammond.com 

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com 

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

0:00 Why systems, not "heroics" keep kids safe

5:14 How to stop last-minute camp chaos

10:47 The attendance gap that puts safety at risk

16:48 Why August breaks prevent burnout

21:47 How explicit standards strengthen new hires

After-school program registration may be costing you more enrollments than you realize.

In this episode:

- Why 70% of families abandon registration before checkout

- The registration mistakes that create friction and reduce enrollments

- How Apple Pay and mobile-first checkout increase conversion rates

- Why payment plans help more families enroll in your programs

- How automated wait lists recover missed enrollment opportunities

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: https://ariellehammond.com

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

Timestamps

00:00 Why Registration Deserves Your Attention

06:03 Faster Checkout With Apple Pay and Mobile-First Design

08:26 Registration Speed, Trust, and Customer Perception

12:30 Payment Plans That Help More Families Enroll

19:35 Registration Audit Checklist for Your Next Season

Building a successful after school program business starts with creating something families cannot replace.

In this episode:

- Why Shoreview Chess grew through word of mouth instead of advertising

- How a backyard chess class became a dedicated training facility

- The membership model that simplified operations and stabilized revenue

- What Demetrius looks for before allowing a coach to teach independently

- How community trust turns customers into long-term advocates

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: https://ariellehammond.com

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

Timestamps

00:00 How Shoreview Chess grew from a single backyard class into a brick-and-mortar business

06:07 The teaching moment that transformed chess from a side job into a long-term business

08:39 What makes opening a dedicated facility worth it and why your purpose matters before signing a lease

11:32 The hidden realities of running a brick-and-mortar program, from commercial leases to ongoing operating costs

14:45 Why families will drive 40+ minutes for your program and how excellence becomes your competitive advantage

Guest bio

Demetrius is the founder of Shoreview Chess, a chess academy based in Oakland, California. What began as backyard lessons has grown into a thriving brick-and-mortar enrichment business serving students and families across the Bay Area. In this episode, he shares the lessons he's learned about scaling a program, building a strong reputation, and creating an experience that keeps families coming back. 

Website: https://www.shoreviewchess.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetrius-goins-5299786/

Most enrichment operators are so busy running their programs they don't have time to look up and see what's happening around them. This episode is the lookout. Dr. Arielle Hammond breaks down the real forces reshaping the kids enrichment industry in 2025 and 2026…consolidation, shifting parent demand, the rise of school-sponsored programs, and what the growing gap between "free" and "specialized" means for your business. Whether you're one instructor and a van or running 20 school sites, these trends are already affecting your enrollment, your pricing, and your ability to survive the next five years. This is the episode you didn't know you needed.

Episode Highlights 

00:00 Why the enrichment industry is changing faster than ever

17:32 What consolidation means for independent enrichment businesses

26:25 The advantage national brands can't easily replicate

31:18 Where parents are willing to spend more

39:42 Why competing on price isn't the answer

Resources mentioned

- enrops: Dr. Arielle Hammond is building the all-in-one platform this industry has been missing. We’re talking scheduling, instructor management, and parent communication all in one place.Go to getenrops.com to get on the list.

- Enrichment Entrepreneur Community: Connect with other after-school and enrichment program owners, share what's working, and get support from people who get it. 

→ https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

That's a wrap. If this episode gave you something — an idea, a laugh, a story — share it with one person who needs it. Leave us a five star review because it helps other enrichment entrepreneurs find this show. Got a question or a story worth telling? Head to getenrops.com/podcast — you can submit your questions, apply to be a guest, and access resources to help you launch and grow your business. Again, that's getenrops.com/podcast.

And if you're not in the community yet, come find us. 

→ https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur it's where enrichment entrepreneurs connect, share, and grow between episodes. 

Until next time — keep learning, keep building. 

Physical literacy is one of the most overlooked foundations of a great kids enrichment business.

In this episode:

• Why physical literacy matters in kids enrichment programs and how it shapes long-term success

• How meeting children where they are builds confidence, participation, and growth

• What Sportball learned from partnering with universities to validate program outcomes

• The rookie-to-master coach model that creates consistent, high-quality program delivery 

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: https://ariellehammond.com

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

Timestamps

0:42 How Jason built a 30-year sports enrichment brand

5:03 Why competence comes before confidence in kids programs

13:34 Using research to strengthen your enrichment programs

21:06 Developing instructors who create exceptional child experiences

32:57 The systems that support long-term program growth

Guest bio

Jason D'Rocha is the Vice President of Sportball, a youth enrichment organization that has been helping children build confidence and physical literacy through sports for more than 31 years. With a background in child psychology and more than 20 years at Sportball, he has helped develop research-informed curriculum, instructor training, and programs that support children's physical, social, and emotional development. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondrocha/

Website: https://sportball.com/ 

How to get your first school partnership is one of the biggest challenges in a kids enrichment business.

In this episode:- Why the distance between zero and one feels harder than every partnership after it

- How to make your program easier for schools and PTOs to say yes to

- Where to find partnership opportunities before schools are ready

- What belongs on your one-page program overview

- How parents, volunteers, and community events can open doors faster than cold outreach

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: https://ariellehammond.com

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

01:06 Understanding how schools make partnership decisions

09:31 Building your first school partnership through relationships

11:56 Making your program easy for schools to say yes to

21:25 Finding opportunities through parents and the community

24:58 Creating a one-pager that schools will actually read

A kids enrichment business changes more than your calendar. It changes the people living with you.

In this episode:

• The unseen impact entrepreneurship can have on a household

• What it really means to build a business with another person

• How couples can protect their relationship during demanding seasons

• When ambition, family responsibilities, and limited capacity collide

• A reminder for the people supporting the entrepreneur behind the scenes

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: https://ariellehammond.com 

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com 

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

03:15 The sacrifices that come with building a business

10:50 Supporting an entrepreneur takes more than encouragement

16:00 When work starts affecting your relationship

22:45 Advice for couples building a business together

31:42 A message for the partners behind the scenes

Guest bioRyan Hammond is a Coast Guard veteran and database developer who has spent the past several years helping build Journey to STEAM alongside his wife, Arielle. As both a business partner and spouse, he offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on entrepreneurship, family life, and the sacrifices that come with building an enrichment business. 

Journey To STEAM: https://www.journeytosteam.com/

Starting an after-school business takes more than a good program. You need the right model, your first school partnership, and a way to build trust from the beginning.

In this episode:

- How to choose between a mobile and studio-based kids enrichment business

- Why your first school partnership matters more than trying to scale quickly

- What to include in a one-pager before you start registration

- How to choose class size ratios that protect the experience

- Why starting smaller can help you build reputation and momentum

Start or grow your kids enrichment business with Arielle: https://ariellehammond.com 

Run your registrations on enrops, free for businesses: https://getenrops.com 

Join the community of enrichment entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enrichmententrepreneur

Timestamps

00:00 Getting started and choosing a business model

03:30 Mobile vs. studio-based enrichment businesses

10:45 Landing your first school partnership

18:30 Class sizes, pricing, and running your first programs

29:30 Hiring instructors and building community