Learning to Thrive Ep. 169 - Learning to Thrive's 2026 Revamp

This winter season pushed us inward to reflect on what matters for our lives and for our work. Coming back, we want more than momentum; we want to cultivate meaning and community. We talk candidly about being in the messy middle - we’ve come far from where we started, and there is still so much great work to be done  - and how a period of hibernation can be wise if it leads to deliberate action. February feels like the hinge, the place where rest becomes motion, and where a plan can become a promise.

On the life front, we’re excited to share this wonderful update: a baby arriving in late March for Michaela! This news reminds us that our values are personal, as well as professional; knowing when to lean on your circle, getting comfortable with the unknown, and trusting in your ability to adapt are all things that translate to every facet of life.

At Thrive, we’re approaching the 10-year anniversary of opening our Annapolis location, a milestone that gives us another reason to pause and reflect. Longevity is proof that habits compound. But habits can also dull our drive to constantly be evolving, so we continue to challenge ourselves with questions like: What do customers need now? Where are we coasting? How do we avoid complacency? As a leadership team, we have honored our wins from the last six months, and narrowed our focus to the next four. That simple cadence - review, recognize, refocus - lit up our team. It gave context to winter’s slower pace and set a clean runway into spring’s energy.

The loudest theme we kept returning to is the gap between endless information and actual connection. AI can outline a plan; YouTube can demonstrate any tactic. But high standards are sustained by people, not prompts. You need proximity to peers who share your values, not just your problems. In youth sports, we all face tough parents, tight margins, and rising expectations. We want a community that chooses empathy with boundaries, service with clarity, and excellence that lifts staff, families, and athletes. This matters more than ever.

So, with all of this reflection in mind, we’re revamping the Learning to Thrive podcast. Expect focused, practical episodes on leadership, culture, customer care, hiring, and retention that cut past buzzwords. Expect guests who add substance, not noise. We’ll keep the stories, but we’ll also bring the scaffolding - checklists, questions, and frames that strengthen teams and decisions.

Beyond audio, we’re building ways to gather: through Thrive University, we’re bringing you opportunities to connect 1-on-1 as well as with a larger community. Across the youth sports industry, we look to center leaders who are choosing excellence around values-based leadership, service excellence, and practical tools to face economic swings, technology shifts, and industry change without lowering our standards. This is a place for people who want to run better organizations, manage better lobbies, and become better humans while they do it. Spring is near. The plan is clear. Let’s move with intention and keep on Thriving, together!