In this episode of Paradigm Playbook, host Steve Cook sits down with Alivia Orvieto, a volleyball and fitness specialist who’s redefining what sports training can look like.

Alivia shares her journey from competing in indoor volleyball at a young age to launching a first-of-its-kind beach volleyball hybrid program in Pennsylvania. She opens up about the challenges and rewards of building a business without a brick-and-mortar facility, and how she blends personal training, nutrition coaching, and athletic development into a holistic experience for her athletes.

Together, Steve and Alivia dive into:

🏐 How she built Orvieto Athletics from the ground up
💪 The role of strength training during in-season and off-season cycles
🌱 How she uses technology to scale online training + nutrition services
✨ The power—and pressure—of growing a business rooted in personal brand
🚀 Her long-term vision for expanding opportunities for young athletes

Whether you're an aspiring coach, a sports entrepreneur, or someone passionate about athlete development, this episode offers a fresh look at what it takes to build a thriving sports business with heart.

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Host Steve Cook sits down with entrepreneur, consultant, and innovation strategist Curtis Michelson to discuss his unique journey from nonprofit activism and sales to software development, product leadership, and AI. Curtis shares how AI is reshaping product teams, innovation, and the way businesses solve problems.

They explore lessons from Innovation Leader Magazine, the rise of AI-powered hackathons, and how organizations can uncover new opportunities through collaboration and experimentation. Curtis also shares how ChatGPT disrupted his previous venture, Info DJ, and led to the creation of Jedi on the Fly, a platform designed to help leaders cut through the noise and ask better strategic questions.

A thought-provoking conversation on innovation, adaptability, and the future of AI in business.

Thanks for joining us!

Visit us at https://stephenjcook.com/
Visit Curtis at https://curtismichelson.com/

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Host Steve Cook sits down with Ross Gage, Chief Executive of Gymnastics Clubs Australia (GCA), to explore the vital role associations play in strengthening youth sports organizations around the world. Drawing from his experience as a swimming coach, swim school owner, founder of Swim Australia and the Australian Swim Schools Association, and leader within Gymnastics Clubs Australia and the International Association of Child Development Programs (IACDP), Ross shares lessons from decades of industry leadership.

Steve and Ross discuss some of the biggest challenges facing youth sports today, including rising participation costs, athlete dropout rates, early specialization pressures, staffing shortages, and the decline of physical education in schools. They also explore how clubs can partner with schools to create new opportunities for growth and impact.

Whether you're a gym owner, swim school operator, youth sports leader, or industry advocate, this episode offers valuable insights on collaboration, sustainability, and the future of child development programs worldwide.

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