How to Keep Families in Your Kids Program for Years (Ep. 32)

Episode 32 · July 28, 2026 · Guest: Demetrius Goins, Shoreview Chess

Families stay in a kids program for years when their child always has somewhere to go next. Build a path past the intro class, hold one high standard for every instructor, make paying so simple that nobody has an awkward money conversation, and become part of the community. That's what Demetrius Goins of Shoreview Chess walked me through in this episode.

Listen or watch: Spotify · YouTube · Apple Podcasts

Demetrius Goins is the founder of Shoreview Chess, a chess academy in Oakland, California that grew from backyard lessons into its own dedicated space. On "After-School Program Business: Why Families Stay for Years with Demetrius Goins," I asked how a program keeps the same kids from first lesson to college. Here's what he taught, paraphrased, plus what I'm taking back to Journey to STEAM.

Why do families stay in a kids program for years?

Because the learning compounds and the parent can see it. Demetrius started out teaching general after-school chess, where kids play for an hour and go home. His business changed when he began coaching kids who compete. Beginners still start with fun. Then there's a next level, and a level after that.

When a family's budget gets tight, the nice-to-have class is the first thing cut. The program where a child is visibly getting better gets treated like a necessity, and families make room for it.

I've hit this wall in my own STEM programs. A child finishes the intro course, lights up, wants more, and we have nothing new for her. If every program you run is a 101, you lose every family who finishes 101.

Should I switch from term pricing to a flat monthly membership?

If families can use you every month, a flat monthly fee is worth testing. Demetrius said he began with blocks of classes and dropped that model within his first few months. Now families pay one monthly fee and get everything: classes, open play time and in-house tournaments. They don't even register for the tournaments. They check in.

His reasons were practical. He no longer tracks who has used how many classes. He no longer has the awkward payment talk, and he made a point I keep thinking about: every time you raise money with a parent, you invite her to ask whether she still needs you. And he can see what's coming in each month.

My add is about seasonality, which knocks good operators out of this business. A worked example with my own sample numbers. Twelve kids at $220 a term is 12 x $220 = $2,640, arriving three times a year, with lean months between. Twelve kids at $75 a month is 12 x $75 = $900, arriving every month. Same families. A very different August. It only holds if there's something to come to every month. I compare the two structures in per-session or monthly tuition.

How should I vet an instructor before giving them a class?

Watch them with your kids before they lead anything. Demetrius described a process where a new coach, whatever their chess credentials, starts by helping in the room. The kids get to know them, he sees their temperament, and a class of their own is earned.

Three more practices I wrote down:

• At regular coach meetings he asks detailed questions about individual students. A coach who can't say why a child struggled isn't connected to the class.
• He measures a coach by the progress of the whole class. Two stars and eight kids falling behind is a failing class.
• He believes the teacher comes down to the student's level, because the teacher is the one holding the knowledge. When a coach is stuck with a child, he sits in and helps.

We have a similar rule at Journey to STEAM: new instructors don't start solo. One caution. Rules about unpaid time differ by state, so check with your state labor agency before anyone works in your room without pay. Still teaching everything yourself? Read when to stop teaching every class.

Is opening my own facility worth it?

Only if your purpose is specific enough that families can't get it at their school's after-school club. A general "kids have a good time" offer won't keep the doors open.

What a space gives you: your own schedule and full say over who is in the room. What comes with it: a commercial lease, and every repair is yours. So are the chairs, the worn-out equipment and the cleanup after birthday cupcakes. I lay out both models in school-based vs studio-based kids programs.

Can a kids program grow with no marketing?

Yes, when results are public. Demetrius said Shoreview Chess has grown by word of mouth. His students did well at competitions, other parents asked which club they played for, and families now travel a long way to train there.

He also named the downside. A parent who walks in cold doesn't understand what makes the club different, and he has had little to hand her. So even if referrals fill your programs, write down how your program works in plain words. For the channels that work close to home, see how to market a kids enrichment program locally.

How do I check whether my program is built to keep families?

Ask yourself these five questions this week.

1. When a child finishes my intro program, what is the next thing I can offer her?
2. Can a parent see progress without asking me? A showcase, a rating, a finished piece.
3. How many times a term do I talk to a parent about money?
4. Do I judge each instructor by the whole class, or by the two kids who shine?
5. Does my neighborhood know me for this? His advice to new owners was consistency. If nobody brings you questions about your craft, you haven't been visible enough yet.

The best sign is the one he described last. Parents started showing up with bookshelves and extra chairs. He gives back the same way, handing a chess book to a child who has none at home. No scorekeeping. Families stay in places like that.

Who should listen: anyone running intro classes who wants repeat families, weighing a lease or curious about memberships.

Listen or watch: Spotify · YouTube · Apple Podcasts

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a competitive track to keep families?

No. You need a next step. A level two, a harder project, a performance, a portfolio.

What should a monthly membership include?

Decide it once and say it plainly. One fee for everything removes the tracking and the questions.

How long should a new instructor assist before leading a class?

Long enough for you to see them with kids on a hard day. He bases it on how often the person is in the room, so someone who comes once a week takes longer.

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Arielle Hammond, Ed.D. is the founder of enrops and host of The Youth Enrichment Leader, presented by enrops.