Gen Z isn't lazy, they're changing what employees expect from work, leadership, communication, and growth.

In this peer conversation, leaders from Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z break down the misconceptions surrounding today's youngest major workforce generation. From communication preferences and technology to feedback, autonomy, mental health, training, and employee retention, the panel explores what managers can do differently to get the best from a multigenerational team.

What They'll Learn:

• Why asking "why" can signal engagement, not entitlement
• How to adapt communication, training, feedback, and leadership across generations
• Why empowering employees and avoiding assumptions can strengthen engagement and retention

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In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian talks with Vivian Conterio about how FECs can maximize Q4 through strategic planning, holiday group events, promotions, gift cards, and a fully aligned team.

What You'll Learn:

• How to use a 30-60-90 day marketing cycle to plan and execute Q4 promotions
• Why training your entire team is critical to turning marketing into sales
• How holiday events, gift cards, memberships, and value-added promotions can drive Q4 revenue

Find your next edge at TheGrowthProGroup.com

What's the highest-ROI investment you can make in your FEC? According to Amber Lambert of Betson, it's not a new attraction. It's not the latest game. It's your people.

In this week's Think Tank Thursday, Denise Killian sits down with Amber — who has owned and operated her own family entertainment center, worked in corporate FEC management, and now helps operators grow their business through Betson — to talk about why training has to be a culture, not a calendar item.

They cover the full arc: from what a first week of onboarding should actually look like, to why the buddy system works better than any employee handbook, to how cross-training and recognition keep your best people from walking out the door. Amber also gets real about safety — the stuff most operators think they've covered but haven't practiced nearly enough.

Key Takeaways:

• Training is your best ROI. More than any game or attraction you can buy. Amber guarantees it — and she sells games for a living.
• A buddy system in the first 6-12 weeks sets new hires up to succeed and strengthens your veteran employees at the same time.
• Cross-training creates a path forward. Nobody stays at a job where there's no room to grow.
• Safety training isn't a fire drill you do once. It has to be practiced until it's second nature — before the moment your team needs it.
• Monthly team training meetings don't have to be a burden. Make them fun, make them required, and let your team take turns leading them.

Ready to grow your team, your business, or yourself?
Visit thegrowthprogroup.com and set up a free growth call with one of our coaches.

Can technology make the customer experience better without making it feel less human?

In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian talks with John Keys of CenterEdge about balancing technology, efficiency, and hospitality, and why eliminating friction doesn't always mean automating everything.

John shares why technology should be treated as a tool, not the entire solution. From simplifying transactions and online purchases to walking through your business from the guest's point of view, the conversation explores how small changes can make the experience easier while still preserving the personal touches that guests remember.

What You'll Learn

• How technology can eliminate friction or accidentally create more of it
• Why collecting too much information can hurt the customer journey
• How to evaluate your business through your guest's eyes
• Why hospitality and human connection still matter in a tech-driven experience
• How empowering employees to notice and solve the little things can create a big customer impact
• Why technology should support your team, not distract them from the guest
• How small operational improvements can create better experiences and new revenue opportunities

Technology can make things faster and easier. But the moments that make people feel noticed, welcomed, and valued still come from people.

Find your next edge at GrowthProGroup.com

What if your manager meetings could solve problems, build leaders, and actually be worth everyone's time?

In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian sits down with Kevin Kochman of Semnox to tackle the dreaded manager meeting and share how to turn it from an information dump into an interactive coaching and development tool.

Kevin shares lessons from decades in the entertainment industry, including why he moved away from the "head buffalo" style of leadership toward a more collaborative "head geese" approach where everyone contributes.

What You'll Learn

• How the "head buffalo" approach can become a more collaborative "head geese" meeting
• Why manager meetings should develop business acumen, accountability, and future leaders
• How a consistent agenda gives meetings structure without making them stale
• Why every department leader should participate instead of simply listening
• How training, heart checks, and team participation can make meetings more productive and engaging
• Why consistency between managers can ultimately improve sales and profitability

Your manager meeting shouldn't be something everyone dreads. Done well, it can become one of your best tools for developing leaders and moving the business forward.

Find your next edge at GrowthProGroup.com

What if the best team-building experience is one that gets people out of their usual roles and gives them permission to play?

In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian talks with Carlo D'Amore of Live in Theater about how immersive experiences can build stronger teams, break down workplace barriers, and help people see their colleagues in a completely different way.

Carlo shares how his background as an actor, writer, director, producer, and entrepreneur led him to create Live in Theater, an interactive experience where the audience doesn't simply watch the story. They become part of it.

That same approach has become a powerful team-building tool. Through storytelling, problem-solving, improvisation, laughter, and shared experiences, teams have an opportunity to interact outside their normal workplace roles. Employees who are typically quiet may find their voice, traditional workplace hierarchies begin to disappear, and coworkers discover strengths in one another they may never see at work.

Carlo and Denise also discuss why these experiences work: people are actively participating, communicating, thinking critically, and solving challenges together while having fun.

What You'll Learn

• Why shared experiences create deeper team connections
• How play, storytelling, and inclusion build trust and collaboration
• Why getting outside your normal roles can transform a team
• How interactive experiences can give quieter team members an opportunity to contribute
• Why laughter can be a surprisingly powerful team-building tool
• How critical thinking and collaboration develop naturally when teams solve challenges together
• Why the most valuable team-building experiences give everyone a role in the outcome

Learn more about Carlo and Live in Theater at LiveInTheater.com.

Follow @LiveInTheater.

Listen, watch, and subscribe to The GrowthPro Edge:
https://thegrowthprogroup.com/the-growthpro-edge-podcast/

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What if the customers already coming through your doors are your biggest untapped opportunity for growth?

In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian talks with Brett Sheridan of ROLLER about the latest Pulse Report findings on customer loyalty, membership programs, and the rapidly changing role of AI in how guests discover and book attractions.

Brett brings more than 30 years of operations experience to the conversation and shares what ROLLER is seeing from attraction operators and guests around the world. One finding stands out: 41% of regular guests still don't have a membership or loyalty status, creating a significant opportunity for businesses to turn occasional and repeat visitors into more loyal customers.

Denise and Brett dig into what makes a loyalty or membership program work, why simpler programs are often better, and how operators can use value, frequency, exclusivity, and smart incentives to encourage guests to visit and spend more.

They also explore how AI is changing customer discovery. Search is no longer just about traditional SEO. AI tools and large language models are pulling information from websites, reviews, directories, and other sources, making your entire online presence increasingly important.

What You'll Learn

• Why 41% of regular guests still don't have a membership or loyalty status
• How to build simple loyalty programs that drive frequency and spending
• Why unlimited-visit memberships may be more attractive than points-based programs
• How season passes and monthly payment options can make memberships more accessible
• Ways to create value and encourage additional in-venue spending
• Why operators should avoid overcomplicating loyalty programs
• How AI and large language models are changing attraction discovery
• Why the human touch may become even more valuable as technology advances

Get the ROLLER 2026 Pulse Report:
Roller Report

Listen, watch, and subscribe to The GrowthPro Edge:
https://thegrowthprogroup.com/the-growthpro-edge-podcast/

Find your next edge at TheGrowthProGroup.com

Why are great candidates getting overlooked—and what can hiring managers do differently?

In this episode of The GrowthPro Edge, Denise Killian talks with Amber Lambert of Betson about the frustrations on both sides of the hiring process. They explore why businesses may be looking for candidates in the wrong places, how AI and credentials can create barriers, and why personality, potential, flexibility, and cultural fit may matter more than what's on paper.

Amber brings experience as both a former family entertainment center owner and a leader within the industry. She explains why hiring managers should look beyond the résumé, avoid judging candidates too quickly, and create interview experiences that reveal how someone communicates, interacts, and responds in real situations.

The conversation also examines how automated hiring systems may screen out qualified candidates simply because they did not use the right keywords. Denise and Amber discuss the importance of identifying what a position truly requires and separating skills that must already be present from those that can be taught through a strong training program.

What You'll Learn

• Why great candidates may be getting overlooked in today's hiring process
• How to hire for personality, potential, and aptitude—not just credentials
• Why getting to know candidates before judging them can lead to better hires
• How AI screening tools may prevent qualified candidates from being seen
• Why audition-style and group interviews can reveal more than a résumé
• How pay, flexibility, happiness, and culture influence a candidate's decision
• Why employers should evaluate whether a degree is truly necessary for the job

Listen, watch, and subscribe to The GrowthPro Edge:
https://thegrowthprogroup.com/the-growthpro-edge-podcast/

Find your next edge at TheGrowthProGroup.com