The podcast for people who run kids programs
The Youth Enrichment Leader
presented by enrops
I sit down with the owners and leaders of camps, classes and after-school programs, and I open my own playbook. Real programs. Real numbers. What worked and what it cost.
New season starts September 28, 2026 with Episode 37.
36 episodes are out now, each with written notes. See every episode or apply to be a guest.
What is The Youth Enrichment Leader podcast?
The Youth Enrichment Leader, presented by enrops, is a show for people who run programs for kids: after-school programs, camps, classes, sports, music and STEAM. Host Dr. Arielle Hammond talks with operators about enrollment, pricing, school partnerships, instructors and money, and shares how she runs Journey to STEAM. It was formerly called The Enrichment Entrepreneur.
Solo episodes from my own playbook
How I fill programs every fall. What to charge. How to pay instructors. How to land your first school partner. The steps, in the order I'd do them again.
Conversations with operators
Chess, jiu jitsu, music, movement. Owners who built something real tell you how they train coaches, keep families for years and manage cash.
A room of your own
As a principal I had a room full of peers every month. As an operator I had none. So I made one. Come sit with us.
Watch the show
Where can I watch The Youth Enrichment Leader?
Every episode is on YouTube as video, and on Spotify and Apple Podcasts as audio. The player below holds the full channel, newest first. New episodes come out every Monday, and Episode 37 opens the new season on September 28, 2026.
All 36 episodes
Every episode, with written notes. Pick the one that matches your week.
Episode 36 · Aug 24, 2026
After-School Enrollment Masterclass: How I Fill 35 Program Sites Every Fall
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 35 · Aug 17, 2026
Kids Enrichment Business Operations at 30+ Sites
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 34 · Aug 10, 2026
3 Hard Lessons From Summer Camp: Why Foolproof Protocols (Not Great Instructors) Keep Kids Safe
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 33 · Aug 3, 2026
Summer Camp Registration: Why Families Don't Finish Checkout
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 32 · July 28, 2026
After-School Program Business: Why Families Stay for Years with Demetrius Goins
Guest: Demetrius Goins, Shoreview Chess
Read the notes and listenEpisode 31 · July 20, 2026
The Enrichment Economy Is Changing. Are You Ready?
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 30 · July 16, 2026
Physical Literacy for Kids: What Enrichment Owners Need to Know with Jason D'Rocha
Guest: Jason D'Rocha, Sportball
Read the notes and listenEpisode 29 · July 13, 2026
How to Get Your First School Partnership
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 28 · July 9, 2026
Kids Enrichment Business: The Family Cost of Growth with Ryan Hammond
Guest: Ryan Hammond
Read the notes and listenEpisode 27 · July 6, 2026
How to Start an After-School Business
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 26 · July 2, 2026
Supporting an Entrepreneur: A Spouse's Perspective with Ryan Hammond
Guest: Ryan Hammond
Read the notes and listenEpisode 25 · June 29, 2026
How to Pay Enrichment Instructors Without Payroll Chaos
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisodes 13 to 24
Episode 24 · June 25, 2026
School Partnerships: How Play.Fit.Fun Reached 30 Schools with Spencer Rubin
Guest: Spencer Rubin, Play.Fit.Fun
Read the notes and listenEpisode 23 · June 22, 2026
Best Registration Software for After-School Programs
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 22 · June 18, 2026
How to Hire Instructors for Kids Enrichment with Jessica Vorster
Guest: Jessica Vorster, enrops
Read the notes and listenEpisode 21 · June 15, 2026
Kids Enrichment Business: What 10 Operators Taught Me
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 20 · June 11, 2026
After-School Program Business: Find Product-Market Fit with Jeff Kerestes
Guest: Jeff Kerestes, The Ukulele Project
Read the notes and listenEpisode 19 · June 8, 2026
Enrichment Business Systems: 5 Lessons I Learned
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 18 · June 4, 2026
Cash Flow for Kids Enrichment Businesses with Jeannette Sermak-Proulx
Guest: Jeannette Sermak-Proulx, Plaza Production One Mobile Dance Studio
Read the notes and listenEpisode 17 · June 1, 2026
Program Pricing: What Should You Charge?
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 16 · May 28, 2026
Music Lessons for Kids That Build Confidence with Seth Miller
Guest: Seth Miller, Portland Sound Academy
Read the notes and listenEpisode 15 · May 25, 2026
Kids Enrichment Business: Are You Ready for What's Next?
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 14 · May 21, 2026
Music Lessons Business: How to Keep Students Engaged with Aarun Carter
Guest: Aarun Carter
Read the notes and listenEpisode 13 · May 18, 2026
Kids Enrichment Marketing: Why No One Can Find You
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisodes 1 to 12
Episode 12 · May 14, 2026
After-School Program Business: How to Train Coaches with Dan VanDetta
Guest: Dan VanDetta, Five Rings Jiu Jitsu
Read the notes and listenEpisode 11 · May 11, 2026
Kids Enrichment Business: What I'd Do in 2026
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 10 · May 7, 2026
After-School Program Business: How to Scale to 16 Schools with Darren Chase
Guest: Darren Chase, Chase Youth Programs LLC
Read the notes and listenEpisode 9 · May 4, 2026
How to Hire for an After-School Program Business
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 8 · Apr 30, 2026
After-School Magic Classes: What Keeps Kids Coming Back with Professor DR Schreiber
Guest: Professor DR Schreiber, The Historical Conjurer
Read the notes and listenEpisode 7 · Apr 27, 2026
How to Build Systems for an Enrichment Business
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 6 · Apr 23, 2026
Bootstrapping an Enrichment Business to 7 Figures with David Dodge
Guest: David Dodge, CodaKid
Read the notes and listenEpisode 5 · Apr 20, 2026
Kids Enrichment Business: 5 Hard Truths Nobody Talks About
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 4 · Apr 16, 2026
School Enrichment Programs: Scale or Pivot? with Amir Moazami
Guest: Amir Moazami, Rookly
Read the notes and listenEpisode 3 · Apr 13, 2026
Hiring for Youth Programs: What Actually Works
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenEpisode 2 · Apr 9, 2026
Kids Enrichment Marketing: Where to Start with Brandon Laws
Guest: Brandon Laws
Read the notes and listenEpisode 1 · Apr 6, 2026
Kids Enrichment Business: Mistakes That Cost $100K
Solo episode with Arielle
Read the notes and listenBe a guest
How do I become a guest?
Fill out the guest interest form on this page. It takes a few minutes. If your story fits what listeners are asking about, we set up a 30-minute intro meeting, pick the one topic you know cold, and record. There is no fee to appear, and we never sell to a guest on air.
Who we feature
Owners and leaders of kids programs, whether you have four students or four hundred.
- Music, dance, theater and arts
- Sports, swim, martial arts and outdoor programs
- STEAM, tutoring and camps
- Franchise owners and independents
What guests get
You run something real. Come talk about it.
- No fee to appear
- Clips from your episode that you can use in your own marketing
- A conversation about your program and what you've learned running it
- Your episode on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Apply
Tell us about your program and what you'd want to talk about. The form is right below.
Meet
A 30-minute intro meeting. We find the one topic other operators need to hear from you.
Record
We record the conversation. You know what we're covering before we start.
Share
Your episode goes live, and you get clips to share with your families and partners.
Guest interest form
Tell us your story and we'll build a real episode around it. The form takes a few minutes. No wrong answers, no polish required.
If your story fits what listeners are asking about, we set up a 30-minute intro meeting. There is no fee to appear, and we never sell to a guest on air.
Ask a question for the show
What's the one thing you can't figure out?
Enrollment that stalls in October. A school that won't call back. An instructor who quit mid-session. A price you haven't raised in three years.
Ask it badly. That's fine. I read every question. The ones I keep hearing from operators get answered on the show.
Parents, schools, PTOs and parks departments: your questions are welcome here too.
Your host
Who hosts the show?
I'm Dr. Arielle Hammond. I spent a decade in public education, leading schools. In 2023 I founded Journey to STEAM, which runs kids STEM programs at 75+ school sites. Then I built enrops, the software my own company needed first.
I've been the teacher. I've been the principal. I've been the parent registering from the pickup line. On the show I'm the operator a few steps down the path, telling you what I'd do again.
The show is presented by enrops.
enrops is registration and payments software for kids programs. Families register and pay on one link, your roster fills itself, and the money lands in your own Stripe account.
Free for businesses. Live in under 5 minutes.