School Owner Talk

418 | The Hidden Leaks: Where Your School Is Losing Students (and Money) Without You Knowing
Podcast Description In this powerful episode of School Owner Talk, Duane Brumitt and Allie Alberigo expose the “hidden leaks” that silently drain your martial arts school of students, energy, and income. From overlooked onboarding issues and poor follow-up to undertrained staff and outdated systems, these problems often go unnoticed—until it’s too late. But here’s the good news: every leak can be fixed with the right awareness and action. Tune in as Duane and Allie help you identify where your school might be losing momentum and money—and provide simple, effective ways to plug those leaks fast. Key Takeaways Hidden leaks can quietly erode your school’s success, especially in areas like retention and revenue. Weak onboarding and poor communication are major causes of early dropouts. Letting expired payments or overdue tuition slide leads to massive revenue loss. Staff mindset and lack of clear expectations can create a toxic culture without you realizing it. Systems (or lack of them) are either saving or sabotaging your business. Fixing just one leak can lead to more sign-ups, fewer dropouts, and better peace of mind. Action Steps for School Owners Conduct a Retention Audit:Review attendance trends and drop-off points. Where are students slipping through the cracks? Evaluate Your Onboarding Process:Is your new student experience strong, warm, and systemized? Track Financial Leaks:Look at missed payments, overdue accounts, or discounts given too freely. Tighten up your billing systems. Assess Staff Performance:Are instructors reinforcing your school’s values and culture consistently? Review Your Systems:Is your CRM up to date? Are you using automation to stay connected with leads and students? Create a 90-Day Leak Repair Plan:Choose 2–3 problem areas to focus on and implement small changes that will yield big results. Additional Resources Mentioned Student onboarding frameworks Retention and upgrade tracking tools Internal team audit templates