The GrowthPro Edge

Watch the full episode on YouTube:  Are memberships quietly hurting your business instead of helping it? In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian sits down with Lasertron founder Jim Kessler to talk about why memberships often fail to increase revenue—and what actually drives guests to come back. Drawing from decades of real-world testing, Jim shares what many operators get wrong about frequency, loyalty, discounts, and customer behavior. In this episode, you'll hear: • Why memberships may attract your best customers but lower what they spend • Why repeat visits are driven by experience, not discounts • How social gaming and human connection can compete with in-home entertainment • Why becoming the "must-visit" place matters more than selling another offer Find your next edge at TheGrowthProGroup.com. Connect with Us: Visit our website: thegrowthprogroup.com. Book a Free Call: Ready to start your own growth journey? Set up a free growth call with one of our coaches today. Get in Touch: Have an idea for the show or want to be a guest? Email Denise at [email protected]

Watch on YouTube: What if you could have top-level marketing leadership—without the full-time cost? In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, we break down the real role of a Fractional CMO and why more Family Entertainment Centers are turning to this model to drive smarter growth. If your marketing feels inconsistent, reactive, or disconnected from sales… this is the conversation you need to hear. We're talking about: What a Fractional CMO actually does (and what they don't) The biggest marketing gaps FECs don't realize they have How to align marketing, sales, and operations for real results Why strategy—not just more posts or ads—is the missing piece Stop guessing. Start leading your marketing with intention. Find your next edge at GrowthProGroup.com Show Notes Episode Overview: Marketing isn't just social media posts and promotions—it's the engine that drives revenue. But most FECs don't have the structure, strategy, or leadership to make it work consistently. That's where a Fractional CMO comes in. This episode breaks down how this role helps operators move from scattered efforts to a clear, focused growth plan. Key Takeaways: 1. Marketing Without Strategy Is Just Activity Posting more won't fix a broken system. Without direction, you're just staying busy—not growing. 2. Most FECs Are Missing Leadership, Not Effort Teams are working hard, but without someone steering the ship, results stay inconsistent. 3. Alignment Changes Everything When marketing, sales, and operations work together, revenue becomes predictable—not random. 4. Fractional Doesn't Mean Part-Time Thinking You're getting executive-level strategy—just without the full-time overhead. Who This Is For: FEC Owners General Managers Marketing Teams feeling stuck or reactive Operators ready to scale smarter, not harder Connect with Us: Visit our website: thegrowthprogroup.com. Book a Free Call: Ready to start your own growth journey? Set up a free growth call with one of our coaches today. Get in Touch: Have an idea for the show or want to be a guest? Email Denise at [email protected]

Watch on YouTube: Most operators track numbers. Very few actually use them. In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, we break down one of the biggest issues holding teams back right now: KPIs that exist on paper but don't drive action. If your team is: Tracking numbers but not improving them Reviewing reports with no clear next step Setting goals that never turn into behavior You don't have a KPI system. You have a reporting problem. We walk through: The real reason KPIs fail (it's not the numbers) How to spot the disconnect between tracking and execution What a simple, usable KPI action plan actually looks like How to get your team to take ownership instead of just "checking stats" This is about turning data into direction—and direction into results. If your KPIs aren't changing behavior, they're not doing their job. Connect with Us: Visit our website: thegrowthprogroup.com. Book a Free Call: Ready to start your own growth journey? Set up a free growth call with one of our coaches today. Get in Touch: Have an idea for the show or want to be a guest? Email Denise at [email protected]

Watch on YouTube: What does it really take to build a successful entertainment center from the ground up? In this episode, Denise Killian sits down with Amber Lambert to break down what actually works when launching a new concept and what quietly kills it before it ever gains traction. This isn't theory. It's what operators get wrong every day and how to fix it early. In this episode: Why trying to be everything to everyone slows growth The mistakes that cost you money in games, staffing, and layout How to build an experience people come back to again and again If you're building, expanding, or reworking your model, this one matters. Connect with Us: Visit our website: thegrowthprogroup.com. Book a Free Call: Ready to start your own growth journey? Set up a free growth call with one of our coaches today. Get in Touch: Have an idea for the show or want to be a guest? Email Denise at [email protected]

Watch on YouTube: What if the thing holding you back isn't effort—but lack of clarity? In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian sits down with Chris Moyer to unpack how mentorship and coaching unlock growth, create structure, and help leaders find the right path faster. From real estate to running multi-location entertainment centers, Chris shares how coaching changed everything. You'll walk away with clear, practical insights on how to lead with more direction and less guesswork. • Why coaching isn't about answers—but asking better questions • How structure and metrics create clarity across your team • The power of "grace to fail" in building stronger leaders Find your next edge at: https://www.growthprogroup.com About The GrowthPro Edge The GrowthPro Edge delivers real conversations with industry leaders focused on sales, leadership, and growth. Each episode is designed to give you practical tools and perspective you can apply immediately in your business. New episodes drop every Thursday at 1:00 PM CST.

Watch on YouTube: Consumers are pulling back—and operators everywhere are feeling it. In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian shares a real conversation from a recent GrowthPro Peer Talk with operators across the FEC industry. The topic is simple but urgent: what do you do when guests are spending less? This isn't theory. It's what operators are seeing right now—and how they're responding. In this episode: • What's actually happening with consumer spending right now • Where operators are seeing the biggest slowdowns • Practical ways to adjust without cutting your value • How to stay relevant when guests become more selective If your numbers feel tighter than they should, this is the conversation you need to hear. About The GrowthPro Edge The GrowthPro Edge delivers real-world strategies for sales, leadership, and operations in the Family Entertainment industry. Each episode focuses on practical actions that help you grow your business, develop your team, and improve performance where it matters most.

Watch on YouTube What happens when leaders from the amusement industry take their concerns directly to Washington? In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian shares her experience representing the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) in meetings with members of Congress in Washington DC. She explains why advocacy matters for the family entertainment industry and the role small business voices play when policies are being shaped. The conversation covers several of the policy issues affecting operators and manufacturers across the amusement and family entertainment center industry. From lending regulations to tariffs and rising operational costs, these are real challenges impacting businesses today. In this episode you'll hear about • The real policy issues affecting FECs, from lending rules to tariffs • Why credit card fees and healthcare costs matter to operators • How business owners can make their voices heard in Washington Find your next edge at TheGrowthProGroup.com Connect with Us: Website: thegrowthprogroup.com Free Growth Call: thegrowthprogroup.com/coaching About The GrowthPro Edge The GrowthPro Edge is a weekly podcast featuring conversations with leaders, operators, and experts across the family entertainment and attractions industry. Each episode shares practical insights and real-world experiences to help businesses grow and improve operations. New episodes drop every Thursday at 1:00 PM CST.  

Watch on YouTube: Show Notes: Why do some employees thrive while others quietly disengage? In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian sits down with Amber Lambert to unpack what truly motivates employees today. From personalization and gamification to culture and burnout, this conversation challenges outdated incentive systems and replaces them with practical leadership shifts that actually move performance. Amber shares what she's seeing in the field, why generic incentives no longer work, and how leaders can build environments where people want to stay, grow, and win. Key takeaways: Why generic incentives fail and personalization wins How culture, autonomy, and ownership fuel retention The leadership shift that immediately boosts motivation The difference between compliance and commitment   How burnout quietly kills performance Chapters (For YouTube Viewers): 0:00 – Welcome to The GrowthPro Edge 1:40 – Meet Amber Lambert 4:15 – Why Incentives Don't Motivate Anymore 8:30 – Personalization vs. One-Size-Fits-All 13:05 – Burnout and Quiet Disengagement 18:20 – Culture, Ownership, and Autonomy 23:10 – The Leadership Shift That Changes Everything 27:45 – Final Takeaways & How to Connect   Connect with Us: Website: thegrowthprogroup.com  Free Growth Call: thegrowthprogroup.com/coaching    About The GrowthPro Edge: Formerly ThinkTank Thursdays, The GrowthPro Edge is a weekly deep dive into strategies that help high-performing teams and visionary leaders sharpen their competitive advantage. Hosted by Denise Killian and brought to you by The GrowthPro Group.

Watch on YouTube: Show Notes: What can the .com boom of the 90s teach us about the AI revolution of today? In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian talks with John Sullivan, a former ad agency owner who pivoted his business to become a digital pioneer for Fortune 500 companies. John shares how he recognized the internet as a threat to his traditional print business and transformed it into an opportunity by embracing "Business at the Speed of Thought". Key Takeaways from This Episode: Curiosity as a Survival Tool: Why John leaned into the internet rather than fearing it when it threatened his primary revenue stream. The "Fail Fast" Mentality: The importance of rolling out ideas, finding mistakes quickly, and adjusting on the fly. Leading What You Can't Do: How John built a programming team without knowing how to write a single line of code. The Grace of Failure: Why the .com bubble burst and how John's business survived by focusing on real-world business models. Outsourcing the Noise: Why leaders must delegate day-to-day tasks to focus on the "big picture" and the future of their industry. Chapters (For YouTube Viewers): 0:00 - Welcome to The GrowthPro Edge 1:50 - Meet John Sullivan: From the Marines to Marketing 4:04 - 1990: Discovering the Internet 6:27 - Recognizing the Threat to Traditional Print 7:40 - The Power of Business Networking & Research 10:55 - Selling Whirlpool on the "Way Cool" Internet 12:05 - The $0 Website: Building the College Football Hall of Fame 15:05 - Disrupting Your Own Revenue Model 17:00 - Fail Fast, Fix Fast, Move Fast 18:40 - Surviving the .com Bubble Burst 23:45 - The Lesson: Mind the Store, But Look to the Future 25:55 - Parallels to the AI Revolution 27:40 - Connecting with John Sullivan Connect with Us: Website: thegrowthprogroup.com Free Growth Call: thegrowthprogroup.com/coaching About The GrowthPro Edge: Formerly ThinkTank Thursdays, The GrowthPro Edge is a weekly deep dive into the strategies that help high-performing teams and visionary leaders sharpen their competitive advantage. Hosted by Denise Killian and brought to you by The GrowthPro Group.

Watch on YouTube: Show Notes: Did you know there is an estimated $21 billion sitting in unused gift and game cards across America? In the FEC world, this is known as "Float," and it represents both a massive opportunity and a significant liability. In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian sits down with Josh Adkins, North American Sales Manager at Embed, to discuss how to manage unused balances and turn them into active spending. Key Takeaways from This Episode: Understanding Float: Why monitoring unused card balances is critical for spotting system inconsistencies and potential fraud. Minimizing Liability: Practical ways to drive customers back to your center, from half-price game nights to high-quality redemption selections. The Power of Data: Why you should lean on your card system provider to digest the hundreds of available reports and identify your true KPIs. Mobile Wallet Benefits: How the shift to mobile reloading is changing the guest experience and driving revenue before the customer even walks through your door. Chapters (For YouTube Viewers): 0:00 - Welcome to The GrowthPro Edge 1:45 - Meet Josh Adkins from Embed 2:10 - The $21 Billion Unused Spend 3:42 - Why Retailers Must Monitor Card Balances 5:02 - Strategies to Minimize Float Risk 6:10 - Redemption Makeup and Its Impact on Balances 8:12 - State vs. Federal Revenue Regulations 10:00 - Registering Cards for Birthday Marketing 12:05 - The Scavenger Hunt: A Creative Way to Spend Points 14:15 - Identifying the Right KPIs 16:15 - New Tech: Mobile Wallets and Tablets 20:10 - Final Growth Thoughts Connect with Us:   ·         Website: thegrowthprogroup.com   ·         Free Growth Call: thegrowthprogroup.com/coaching ·         Learn more about Embed: embedcard.com About The GrowthPro Edge: Formerly ThinkTank Thursdays, The GrowthPro Edge is a weekly deep dive into the strategies that help high-performing teams and visionary leaders sharpen their competitive advantage. Hosted by Denise Killian and brought to you by The GrowthPro Group.

Watch on YouTube: Show Notes: Can you be a high-level entrepreneur and keep your day job? In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian sits down with Chris Moyer, owner of Let's Roll Bowling and a successful real estate investor, to discuss how he manages multi-location businesses while maintaining a full-time career. Chris pulls back the curtain on the reality of the 36-month "break-even" period, the importance of journaling for mental clarity, and why the fear of failure shouldn't stop you from moving forward. What We Cover in This Episode: The W2 Safety Net: Why Chris's mentor advised him to keep his full-time job to prevent "fear paralysis" during early business growth. The 36-Month Rule: Understanding that early business success often means reinvesting every penny for the first 12–36 months. Mental Hygiene: How a daily journaling practice helped Chris clear "brain clutter" and improve his mental clarity for business decisions. Learning to Walk: Why "no decision is permanent" and how to treat business mistakes like learning to walk. Chapters (For YouTube Viewers): 0:00 - Welcome to The GrowthPro Edge 1:00 - Meet Multi-Entrepreneur Chris Moyer 2:48 - The Moments That Sparked the Entrepreneurial Spirit 5:41 - Managing Real Estate, Bowling Centers, and a W2 Job 6:44 - How to Stop Fear Paralysis 9:55 - The Reality of ROI & Reinvestment 11:27 - Journaling for Business Clarity 15:40 - Making Decisions Without Fearing the Outcome 19:59 - Advice to My Younger Self 21:45 - What Does Chris Moyer Do to Grow? 23:26 - How to Connect with Chris Connect with Us: Website: thegrowthprogroup.com Book a Free Growth Call: thegrowthprogroup.com/coaching Connect with Chris: WaystoWealthEquity.com or on LinkedIn. About The GrowthPro Edge: The GrowthPro Edge is a weekly deep dive into the strategies that help high-performing teams and visionary leaders sharpen their competitive advantage. Hosted by Denise Killian and brought to you by The GrowthPro Group.

WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhoXR5UooscWgniQfP9hpRLAkehyobe8T  Show Notes: As we move past the holiday rush and into the heart of the first quarter, it's time to stop chasing every shiny new promotion and start building a foundation that lasts. In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, host Denise Killian sits down with marketing guru and "OG" team member Vivian Conterio to discuss why oversimplification is the ultimate marketing tool for 2026 . Key Takeaways from This Episode:  Foundation Over Promotions: Why jumping straight into new ideas without looking at what worked last year can stall your growth . Identifying Your Audience: The danger of trying to be "all things to all people" and how to find the specific community you should be serving . The 3rd Grade Rule: Why your message must be short, concise, and clear enough for a five-year-old to understand . Inspirational Metrics: How to identify the specific data points that drive your business forward rather than getting lost in too much information . About Our Guest: Vivian Conterio is a marketing and promotions expert with the GrowthPro Group and TrainerTainment . With over 10 years of experience, she is known for her extraordinary talent in creating beautiful, high-impact marketing initiatives that drive real business growth . Connect with Us:  Visit our website: thegrowthprogroup.com Book a Free Growth Call: Schedule a consultation with one of our coaches today . Subscribe: Never miss an episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube .

WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/RAaUSsLk-mc  What if the smartest way to start with AI is to treat it like your newest employee? In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian sits down with AI expert Todd Smith to discuss building ethical, secure, and effective foundations before integrating AI into your business. Todd shares his "ETHICS" framework for navigating the rapidly changing landscape of artificial intelligence. Key Takeaways from This Episode: Defining Purpose: Why you must treat AI like a new position with a specific job description. The ETHICS Framework: A step-by-step guide involving executives, tech leaders, HR, and industry experts. Security & Proprietary Data: Why paying for a protected service is essential to safeguard your intellectual property. Human-in-the-Loop: The critical importance of human oversight to avoid bias and harmful outputs. About Our Guest: Todd Smith has spent the past 20 years in filmmaking and the last three years working behind the scenes in the generative AI space, helping companies cultivate and integrate these advanced tools responsibly. Connect with Us:  Visit our website: thegrowthprogroup.com Book a Free Growth Call: Set up a consultation with one of our coaches today. Get in Touch: Have an idea for the show? Email Denise at [email protected] 

Watch on YouTube: Welcome to the very first episode of The GrowthPro Edge!. Host Denise Killian sits down with the visionary leaders behind The GrowthPro Group to discuss why growth only happens when we take a break from the "doing" to focus on "thinking." In this inaugural episode, Beth Standlee (Founder of Trainertainment) and Candi Kelley (CEO of The GrowthPro Group) share the story of how their business evolved to meet the holistic needs of their clients—expanding from family entertainment into a powerhouse of sales, leadership, and team growth across multiple industries. Key Takeaways from This Episode: The Evolution of Growth: Why "outgrowing your name" is a sign of a healthy business. Training vs. Coaching: Why the greatest impact comes from ongoing relationships rather than one-time events. The "In the Weeds" Trap: Why even the best leaders need an outside perspective to gain clarity and confidence.. Leading with Intention: How curiosity and intentional learning drive personal and professional success..   About Our Guests: Beth Standlee: Chairwoman and Founder of The GrowthPro Group and TrainerTainment with over 20 years of industry experience. Candi Kelley: CEO of The GrowthPro Group, a hospitality veteran, and an expert in sales and team leadership. Connect with Us: Visit our website: thegrowthprogroup.com. Book a Free Call: Ready to start your own growth journey? Set up a free growth call with one of our coaches today. Get in Touch: Have an idea for the show or want to be a guest? Email Denise at [email protected]