Super Star Sport

Listen to the podcast here:

A few months ago, Daniel Priestley stood on stage as a keynote speaker at the BFA Conference, speaking to hundreds of franchisors and business owners.

One message landed with real impact.

Daniel said that in today’s world, personal brand matters. Not in a “look at me” way. In a practical way. People want to know who they’re buying from, who they’re partnering with, and what you stand for.

And then he challenged the room to do something that hit us right between the eyes:

“Build hours and hours of accessible IP so people can find you, learn from you, and trust you before they ever meet you.”

His advice was simple:

“Start a podcast. Write a book. Share your thinking. Put your lessons out there.”

So we did.

We started the Super Star Sport Podcast.

And then, in what still feels surreal… Daniel Priestley joined us as a guest.

Why this episode mattered to us

At Super Star Sport, we’re building more than a children’s sports company.

We’re building a network of leaders, coaches and franchise owners who care about:

• delivering brilliant sessions for children
• building strong relationships with schools and parents
• keeping standards high
• creating a culture that reflects our values: Fun, Positivity, Enthusiasm and Safety

This episode wasn’t just a “business chat”. It was an honest conversation about building something properly… and staying grounded while you do it.
 

I’ll be honest — I was nervous.

It reminded me of my very first coaching session years ago. Waiting for parents to arrive. Walking back and forth to the car park thinking, “What if nobody turns up?” That same feeling came back. Excited… but nervous.

Daniel arrived (even with a broken wrist after trying to impress his daughter on a skateboard) and within minutes it felt relaxed, real and full of value.

The biggest moments and takeaways

1) Balance isn’t something you “find” — it’s something you manage

We spoke about family and ambition — because that’s real life.

Daniel put it perfectly:

“Balance isn’t standing still… you don’t ever achieve balance. You maintain it.”

He shared a few non-negotiables that keep him grounded, even with big goals:

• one-to-one time with each of his kids, every day
• dropping them at school when possible
• hearing about their day
• bedtime moments

For us, that hit home. Building a business is a brilliant challenge — but you don’t want success at the cost of missing the moments that matter most.

2) Hard work isn’t the strategy anymore — hard work on the right things is

One of Daniel’s lines that really stayed with us:

“You can’t outwork digital assets.”

In other words: effort still matters, but putting energy into things that scale matters more.

Daniel spoke about working hard on:

• content and storytelling
• strong websites and landing pages
• clear customer journeys
• systems that create speed and consistency
• culture that still holds when you’re not in the room

And in franchising, that last point is everything. Standards don’t happen by accident.

3) Early reps matter — because fast growth doesn’t always feel good

Daniel spoke about his early jobs — McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, call centres, sales — and how those “early reps” shape you.

Then he dropped a line that was as honest as it gets:

“Fast growth doesn’t feel good. It stretches you… it can break you if you aren’t ready.”

We’ve felt that ourselves. In the early days of Super Star Sport, every new school, nursery, and booking felt massive. We celebrated everything.

Then the targets get bigger and you barely notice milestones. You just go straight to “what’s next?”

That’s why those early reps matter — they build your resilience, your habits, and your ability to keep your head when things move quickly.

4) Luck is real… but you control your odds

This was one of the strongest frameworks in the episode:

“Everything involves luck… but you’re in control of the odds.”

Your odds change based on:

• who you spend time with
• where you show up
• what you learn
• what risks you take
• whether you stay comfortable or step forward

That’s why this podcast exists. It’s us stepping forward, putting ourselves out there, learning from people we respect, and increasing the odds.

Sometimes the next move is simply:

“Send the email. Take the shot. Turn up.”

5) Apprenticeship beats shortcuts

This part will resonate with franchise owners and young entrepreneurs.

Daniel’s advice was clear:

“Start out as an apprentice… get a job in a small business where you report directly to the founder.”

Because once a company grows past a certain size, you stop learning from the founder and start learning through layers.

That links to one of the best things about franchising.

You’re not building alone.

You’re learning inside a community — sharing ideas, seeing what works, avoiding mistakes, and improving faster because you’re surrounded by other people in the same game.

6) Decide what “done” looks like

Daniel said something we think every business owner needs to hear:

“Most entrepreneurs don’t decide what ‘done’ looks like.”

Saying “I want seven figures” isn’t clear enough.

Daniel’s point was brilliant:

“That’s like saying you want to build a building… somewhere between two and twenty storeys.”

Instead, he talked about defining an “end state” clearly:

• revenue target
• profit target
• type of customer
• size of team
• days per week you work
• what life looks like when you get there

Clarity removes chaos.

7) Speed to market and speed to value

Daniel spoke about how fast the world is changing — especially with AI — and boiled business down to two key ideas:

“Speed to market… and speed to value.”

• Speed to market: how quickly you can tell your story and reach people.
• Speed to value: how quickly you can deliver a great service consistently through systems, communication and operations.

In our world, the delivery always matters. You can’t fake the energy and enthusiasm that a brilliant coach brings to a session.

But everything around the delivery matters too:

• parent communication
• scheduling
• standards
• reporting
• and the systems that keep children safe

That’s why we’re so big on doing things properly.

Mentors, franchising, and learning from great people

One of the most encouraging parts of the conversation was Daniel’s view on mentorship.

He made a point that stuck with us:

“The only time you really find a mentor is when you’re working on a project with someone who’s ten times bigger than you.”

And this is where franchising is powerful.

When it’s done properly, a franchise network becomes a place where ideas move fast, standards get shared, and you’re constantly learning from people around you.

A win in one territory can become a win for everyone.

And the best franchise networks are full of people who want to support each other, push standards, and keep improving.

How this episode came about

This whole thing started at the BFA Conference.

Daniel challenged a room full of franchisors and business owners to build accessible IP and show up with their voice.

We took it seriously.

We started the podcast, reached out, booked the studio, and made it happen.

That’s the lesson in itself:

you don’t need to overthink the next step — you just need to take it.

If you’re a franchisor, a franchisee, a business owner, or someone building something while trying to keep family at the centre, this episode is well worth your time.

Daniel, thank you again for giving us your time. We’re genuinely grateful.