Building Training Systems That Scale w. Katin Keirstead

In this episode of The Training Effect, host Doug Mark sits down with Katin Keirstead, Vice President of Operations at The Junk Luggers and Certified Franchise Executive, to explore what it takes to build training systems that can scale from hundreds to thousands of locations while maintaining quality and driving real business outcomes.Katin shares her journey from education and adult learning into the franchise world, where she helped scale Planet Fitness from approximately 600 to over 2,500 locations globally. During her nearly decade-long tenure, she established and transformed operational training programs that impacted over 30,000 team members, navigated the post-COVID landscape, and helped recapture 97% of the membership base.Throughout the conversation, Katin reveals the practical realities of implementing learning management systems, the critical difference between compliance training and behavior-changing training, and why the answers to your training challenges are always in the field, not in your office. She discusses the importance of understanding adult learners, the mistakes franchisors commonly make when developing training programs, and how to align learning KPIs with strategic business objectives.From mobile app adoption strategies that drove engagement from 63% to 89% to creating emotional connections through training materials, Katin provides actionable insights for franchise training professionals at any stage of growth. She also shares her philosophy on communication, leading distributed teams, and why unit level profitability should be the metric every franchise system tracks.Whether you are just starting to build your training infrastructure or looking to take your existing programs to the next level, this episode offers a masterclass in franchise training and development from someone who has done it at scale.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and welcome02:05 - Katin's journey from education to franchise operations02:50 - What is a Certified Franchise Executive and why pursue it04:35 - Scaling Planet Fitness from 600 to 2,500 locations06:45 - The state of training when Katin joined Planet Fitness in 201408:10 - Going back to basics: focusing on customer experience10:20 - The role of the learning management system in enabling scale13:20 - Common mistakes with technology implementation and change management14:50 - Aligning learning KPIs with strategic business objectives18:30 - Creating meaningful metrics beyond vanity numbers20:45 - Training initiatives that directly impacted business results21:20 - The mobile app adoption story: from 63% to 89%27:00 - Compliance training versus behavior-changing training30:05 - Designing learning for different audiences in franchising34:20 - Deciding which training modalities to use38:15 - Biggest mistakes franchisors make when developing training41:45 - Knowing what format will be most effective43:00 - Leading distributed teams and driving change46:30 - Ensuring every team member's voice is valued at scale49:25 - Quick questions: one piece of advice, common beliefs, key metrics51:00 - What excites Katin about The Junk Luggers52:10 - Regional food dish of New Hampshire53:25 - Closing and how to connect with KatinConnect with Doug: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mark-649866a/Website: learningzen.comConnect with Katin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katinkeirstead/Website: https://katinkeirstead.kit.com/684fccda83