The Profitable Play Podcast

If you own or manage an indoor play center, play cafe, indoor playground, family entertainment center, mobile soft play rental business or really any business that serves local children and families, and you want to operate with more EASE and JOY, all while making the living you dreamed of– I created the profitable play podcast just for you. Join me, your host, Michele Caruana, for small but mighty tips every single weekday that will all add up to a BIG impact on your mindset, your business, and your bottom line. Stick with me to keep the PASSION and GROW the profit in YOUR play-based business

Last refreshed: July 11th, 2025 at 12:32 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

159: 6 Tips For Executing A Successful (And Profitable!) Summer Camp Program

READ THIS EPISODE IN BLOG FORM: http://bit.ly/3Y4HEPO EPISODES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED: Emergency Prep: https://bit.ly/3Del8vL Planning & Promoting Summer Camps: https://bit.ly/3HuUWj6 Repurpose Reviews For Profit: https://bit.ly/3Xu9OE1 How To Price Camps: https://bit.ly/3wvac9s OTHER RESOURCES: Play Cafe Academy: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page Fund Your Indoor Pla...

Jan 27, 2023•26 min

158: 10 Tips For Booked-Out Summer Camps At Your Indoor Playground Business!

READ THIS EPISODE IN BLOG FORM: http://bit.ly/3RoMUM3 RESOURCES: FREE TRAINING: Fund Your Indoor Play Business: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playground-business-funding Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page Fund Your Indoor Play Business: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playground-business-funding Facebook And Instagram Ads Course: http://bit.ly/3N7bPAI Indoor Play...

Jan 25, 2023•34 min

157: Play Space Need A Face Lift? Try This Creative Funding Strategy For Existing Businesses!

RESOURCES: FREE TRAINING: Fund Your Indoor Play Business: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playground-business-funding Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page Fund Your Indoor Play Business: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playground-business-funding Facebook And Instagram Ads Course: http://bit.ly/3N7bPAI Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michel...

Jan 23, 2023•18 min

156: 5 Tips For Pinterest Ad Success For Your Indoor Playground Or Play Cafe Business

In this episode I share some tips that will help you get the best results for your money using Pinterest ads for your indoor playground or play cafe business! EPISODES MENTIONED: Why Pinterest Ads?: http://bit.ly/3QPLFW8 Facebook Pixel 101: http://bit.ly/3XADVJs FB and IG Retargeting Ads: http://bit.ly/3GIGbHN OTHER RESOURCES: Facebook And Instagram Ads Course: http://bit.ly/3N7bPAI Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ M...

Jan 18, 2023•24 min

155: The Ultra-Effective Advertising Platform You Might Be Missing Out On

EPISODES MENTIONED: Facebook Pixel 101: http://bit.ly/3XADVJs FB and IG Retargeting Ads: http://bit.ly/3GIGbHN Organic Pinterest Strategy Pinterest: http://bit.ly/3GNhv11 Google Ads 101: http://bit.ly/3GJAfhR OTHER RESOURCES: Facebook And Instagram Ads Course: http://bit.ly/3N7bPAI Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Curr...

Jan 16, 2023•19 min

154: Boost Your Instagram Engagement And Reach By Including These 4 Things On Each Graphic

LINKS AND RESOURCES: NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: https://www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Podcast Website: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playpodcast Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafe...

Jan 13, 2023•9 min

153: When Should You CANCEL An Event Due To Low Registration?

In this episode I share 4 helpful questions to ask yourself as an indoor playground or play cafe owner if you are considering canceling an upcoming event or class due to low registration numbers. And these questions go BEYOND the obvious-- beyond determining the "break-even" point where your event would cost you more to host than to cancel and refund. SO much in business is NOT black and white, so let's talk about what to consider besides your break-even point. PRICING EPISODE: https://bit.ly/3I...

Jan 11, 2023•13 min

152: Make THIS Your 2023 Business Resolution

How much do you consume vs. create? Let's talk about LEARNING as a procrastination tactic in this episode! Recurring & Big Ticket Revenue (Ep 115): https://bit.ly/3XjjvV8 OTHER LINKS: NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: https://www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Podcast Website: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playpodcast Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeac...

Jan 09, 2023•23 min

151: Could Your Character Event Advertising Land Your Indoor Playground Business In Hot Water?

Interview with Tiffany: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqQ1lR075Qk&t=2s Helpful Article: https://www.upcounsel.com/disney-trademark-infringement OTHER LINKS: NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: https://www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: https://www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play...

Jan 06, 2023•10 min

150: Why Do We Even Have Liability Waivers If They Won't Hold Up In Court? (An Important Reminder!)

Who do indoor playground or play cafe businesses bother with using liability waivers if they will not hold up in a legal proceeding in the event of a customer injury? Let's talk about it! FULL YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/Iy4AVMhX958 All About Liability Insurance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plVzRiGOTUg&t=2s OTHER LINKS AND RESOURCES: NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: https://www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagra...

Jan 04, 2023•13 min

149: How To Price Your Services Based On Profit Margin [A Case Study Example]

We have covered pricing based on profit margin before on this podcast-- but I wanted to give you an example exercise in a NEW context that we have NOT covered before! For all episodes and resources mentioned check out the links below! EPISODE 139- Determine Your ICA: https://bit.ly/3Q9QDfJ EPISODE 137- Hiring A Coach Or Consultant: https://bit.ly/3IcrLlM PLAY CAFE ACADEMY: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy OTHER LINKS AND RESOURCES: Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly...

Jan 02, 2023•21 min

148: Inspiration For A Creative And Engaging Year-End Business Round Up

NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: https://www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking OTHER LINKS AND RESOURCES: Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: https://www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafeacad...

Dec 31, 2022•8 min

147: Indoor Playground Business Trend Predictions For 2023!

FULL VIDEO: https://youtu.be/oAnfufp_5Wc NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: https://www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking MORE ABOUT MEMBERSHIPS: https://bit.ly/3v8uODT MORE ABOUT CAFES: https://apple.co/3HWfu4C MORE ABOUT CHARACTER EVENTS: https://bit.ly/3hWVZyj MORE ABOUT BALLOONS: https://bit.ly/3Gp8ITS MORE ABOUT MOBILE BUSINESSES: https://bit.ly/3KcJvMo MORE ABOUT BETTER ACCOMMODATING AUTISTIC CLIENTS: https://bit.ly/3GmyV5v LAST YEARS TRENDS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG02UbNRciQ&t=4s ...

Dec 29, 2022•22 min

146: Optimizing Your Instagram Story Highlights For Sales And Bookings

Today is the day to clean up and organize your Instagram story highlights and ensure they are truly representing your business in a way that converts followers into clients for your indoor playground, play cafe or soft play rental business or your family entertainment center! EPISODES MENTIONED: Create Your Social Media Pillars (Ep 4): https://bit.ly/3GgHSNO Optimize Your IG Bio For Sales (Ep 13): https://bit.ly/3GlCLfn Manage Your Tasks With Asana (Ep 3): https://bit.ly/3jtUJ6l OTHER LINKS AND ...

Dec 26, 2022•15 min

145: 7 Things To Consider Giving Up In Your Business in 2023

In this episode I take a trip down memory lane back to my 3rd year of indoor playground ownership. I share how year 3 looked compared to years 1 and 2, and how my day-to-day changed. And, most importantly, I share what I stopped doing at my play cafe and how that made me a much more joyful and energetic owner! MORE ABOUT CAFES: https://apple.co/3HWfu4C MORE ABOUT MEMBERSHIPS: https://bit.ly/3v8uODT READ IT ON THE BLOG: http://bit.ly/3WBXAbI MORE LINKS: NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: https://www....

Dec 23, 2022•29 min

144: 3 Takeaways About Hosting Profitable Character Events At Your Indoor Playground Or Play Cafe From Tiffany, Owner of My Play Cafe

In this episode I share 3 important takeaways about hosting character events at your indoor playground or play cafe business from my full conversation with Tiffany, owner of My Play Cafe in Missouri! FULL VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqQ1lR075Qk&t=2s Tiffany's website: https://www.myplaycafe.com/ Tiffany's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myplaycafe/ Tiffany's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myplaycafekc OTHER LINKS: NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: https://www.michelecaruana....

Dec 21, 2022•13 min

143: Boost Retail Sales Ahead Of The Holiday With A Live Social Media Sale

Thank you to Renee from Mezanmi Play Cafe for the inspiration behind this episode! MEZANMI FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/mezanmiplaycafe MEZANMI WEBSITE: https://www.mezanmiplaycafe.com/ OTHER LINKS: NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners-...

Dec 19, 2022•11 min

142: The Quick And Easy Way To Get Inspiration And Motivation To (FINALLY!) Regularly Email Your List

This is for the family entertainment center or indoor playground owners out there who KNOW how important email marketing is to their long-term success (I know you do since you listen to this podcast!) but who just can’t seem to work the habit of regularly emailing their list into their regular workflow. NEW 2023 What's Working Guide: www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Websi...

Dec 16, 2022•10 min

141: 9 Tips To Keep Your Indoor Playground or Play Cafe Clean And Tidy (In An Efficient, Cost-Effective Manner!)

It can be overwhelming trying to keep even a smaller indoor playground or play cafe clean and tidy-- without spending too much on employee hours or driving yourself crazy. Here are my best 9 tips for keeping your family entertainment center clean in the most cost-effective and efficient way. Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeac...

Dec 14, 2022•26 min

140: How to Increase The Perceived Value Of Your Holiday Events At Your Indoor Playground Or Play Cafe Business (And Make MORE Profit!)

YOUTUBE VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DQ5cfeqYio&t=574s Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafeacademy FREE 14-DAY Active Campaign Trial: https://bit.l...

Dec 12, 2022•30 min

139: Do You Have Multiple "Ideal Customer Avatars" In Your Business? Here's How To Speak To Each To Increase The Effectiveness Of Your Play Cafe Marketing

EPISODE 114: https://bit.ly/3ULBl1F Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafeacademy FREE 14-DAY Active Campaign Trial: https://bit.ly/3rjp5bP What's Working 2022 Guid...

Dec 09, 2022•24 min

138: Why It's OK To Make Your Business Unique (An Example- The Great Train Table Debate)

Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafeacademy FREE 14-DAY Active Campaign Trial: https://bit.ly/3rjp5bP What's Working 2022 Guide: www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworki...

Dec 02, 2022•10 min

137: 3 Tips You Need To Hear BEFORE Investing In Your Next Coach, Consultant, or Program

Nov 30, 2022•19 min

136: Should You Exclude Current And Past Customers From Your Ad Targeting? (2 Different Takes)

BOOK MORE BIRTHDAYS WITH ADS: http://bit.ly/3N7bPAI Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafeacademy FREE 14-DAY Active Campaign Trial: https://bit.ly/3rjp5bP What's W...

Nov 28, 2022•14 min

135: 8 Sales To Take Advantage Of As An Indoor Playground Or Soft Play Business Owner

YouTube Video- Birthday Party Parent Venue Review: bit.ly/3ESYURo Why You Should Invest In A Camera: bit.ly/3EXm35l Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafeacademy FR...

Nov 23, 2022•17 min

134: 6 Unique Black Friday Promotion Ideas For Your Indoor Playground Or Play Cafe Business (That Aren't Your Typical Discounts!)

FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_4jFwdBJnbQ Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafeacademy FREE 14-DAY Active Campaign Trial: https://bit.ly/3rjp5bP What's Work...

Nov 19, 2022•20 min

133: DO NOT Even Think About Closing Next Week (5 Reasons To Stay Open)

Nov 15, 2022•24 min

132: Don't Fall For THESE Scams (And Continue To Keep Your Accounts Secure- Especially If You Have A Team!)

What's Working 2022 Guide: www.michelecaruana.com/whatsworking Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/play-maker-society-application-page YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playcafeacademy Play Cafe Academy & Play Makers Society: http://bit...

Nov 11, 2022•12 min

131: My 3 Favorite Things About The Indoor Playground I Visited Yesterday

LINKS MENTIONED: Play Cafe Academy & Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy 2 Types of Revenue To Focus On: https://youtu.be/yqt-zuL_27Q Interview With Food Allergy Expert Corinna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adz_ixvO-uc Cafe O Play Website: https://cafeoplay.com/site/ OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES: Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe ...

Nov 09, 2022•13 min

130: Are You Putting Your Sales And Business At Risk With This Major (VERY Common) Mistake?

FOLLOW-UP EPISODES: Episode 1 Grow Your Email List: https://apple.co/3IdRLtC Episode 129 Keep Your Accounts Activated: http://bit.ly/3NH7pBE MORE LINKS: FREE 14-DAY Active Campaign Trial: https://bit.ly/3rjp5bP Indoor Playground Business Courses: https://bit.ly/37yCxAC Michele’s Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichelecaruana/ Michele’s Website: www.michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy: www.michelecaruana.com/playcafeacademy Current Owners- Apply To Play Maker Society: https://www.michelecaruana.com/...

Nov 07, 2022•15 min

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