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
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364: The Automated Campaigns Every Play Cafe Should Have Running (And How To Set Them Up)
Monday, May 4, 2026 • Duration 56:08
In this episode of The Profitable Play Podcast, I’m joined by Nick Veneris, Email Marketing Expert at Aluvii, for a conversation all about email marketing, automation, and how indoor playground and play café owners can turn the customer data they already have into more bookings and repeat visits.
One thing I really want to emphasize upfront: this conversation is NOT platform specific.
Even though Nick is from Aluvii, the strategies we discuss apply no matter what POS, CRM, or email platform you use.
This episode is really about understanding your customer journey and communicating with more intention.
We talk about:
Why email marketing is still one of the most powerful tools for play-based businesses
The automated campaigns that are actually driving birthday bookings and repeat visits
How birthday, half-birthday, bounce-back, and review request campaigns work in practice
Subject lines, timing, and messaging strategies that are getting parents to engage right now
The biggest mistakes play café owners make with email marketing
How to segment your customer list in a simple, manageable way
How to “sell” naturally without sounding overly promotional
Realistic ways busy owners can implement these systems without adding more overwhelm
If you’ve ever felt like you’re sitting on valuable customer information but not fully using it—or like your marketing feels reactive instead of predictable—this episode is packed with practical strategies you can start applying immediately.
363: Google’s NEW Review Rules — What to Stop Doing + What to Do Instead
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 • Duration 27:27
Google updated its review policies in April 2026—and many of the strategies play café and indoor playground owners have relied on for years are now considered violations.
BLOG for this episode: https://www.michelecaruana.com/blog/new-google-review-rules
In this episode, I break down what actually changed, what’s now banned (including incentivized reviews, in-person asks, and review gating), and how Google’s AI is actively flagging suspicious behavior.
More importantly, I walk you through exactly what to do instead—so you can continue generating consistent, high-quality reviews without putting your business at risk.
If reviews drive your bookings (and they do), this is a shift you need to understand.
In this episode, we discuss:
The biggest Google review policy changes in 2026
Common review tactics that are now violations
What “review gating” is and why it’s banned
Whether you can still share your Google review link (and how to do it correctly)
The new role of AI in detecting review manipulation
How to build a compliant, system-driven review strategy
Practical ways to still get consistent, high-quality reviews
362: How Sunshine Indoor Play Uses a Nonprofit Arm to Serve More Families
Monday, April 13, 2026 • Duration 52:55
In this episode of the Profitable Play Podcast, I sit down with Kate, the owner of Sunshine Indoor Play in Lake Havasu City, Arizona—an indoor playground and play café that has evolved into a true community hub for moms and families.
BLOG for this episode: https://www.michelecaruana.com/blog/non-profit-play-cafe
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HwetKpdryvQ
Kate shares how she built a multi-revenue business that includes open play, memberships, retail, a coffee shop, birthday parties, and a nonprofit arm designed to support families through services like mental health groups, lactation support, car seat checks, and access to essential baby items.
We also discuss how her personal experiences shaped both her business model and mission, and how her faith plays a central role in how she leads, makes decisions, and serves her community.
Inside this episode, we break down how she raised over $55,000 in local sponsorships to fund her build-out, why being in a small town actually worked to her advantage, and the realities of opening and running a play café with no prior business experience.
Kate also shares what surprised her most about her revenue streams—including why birthday parties underperformed expectations, how memberships and open play now drive nearly half her revenue, and how she’s working to grow her café sales.
Plus, we talk about the challenges of managing multiple revenue streams, balancing motherhood with business ownership, and her long-term vision to build a sustainable, purpose-driven business that can eventually be passed on to another family.
In this episode, we cover:
How to have both a for-profit and non-profit play cafe (under one roof!)
361: 6 Operational Shifts Play Café Owners Are Making in 2026
Monday, April 6, 2026 • Duration 36:47
In this episode of the Profitable Play Podcast, we’re breaking down 6 "micro-trends" or shifts some play cafes are quietly making behind-the-scenes as we go through 2026.
BLOG for this episode: https://www.michelecaruana.com/blog/simplify-your-play-cafe
These aren’t big flashy trends—but they’re the small operational shifts that can have a huge impact on your day-to-day, your team, and ultimately your quality of life as an owner.
Because at a certain point, it’s not just about adding more.
It’s about simplifying what you’re already doing so your business actually feels manageable to run.
In this episode, we cover:
Going cashless
Collecting party payments in advance
Simplifying or eliminating drip coffee
Short-term or seasonal memberships
Encouraging or requiring reservations
Positioning your space as a “third space” or community hub
If you’ve been feeling stretched, overwhelmed, or like your business is more complicated than it needs to be, this episode will help you start thinking differently about what to streamline, what to rethink, and what actually makes sense for your space.
(Episode 49) Adding An Automatic Service Charge To Parties: https://bit.ly/4cme8Pr
(Esisode 203) How To Create A Summer/Seasonal Membership Offer: https://bit.ly/3NXe4MQ
OTHER RESOURCES:
360: How Hangtime Play Café Hit 250+ Members in Just 2 Months
Monday, March 30, 2026 • Duration 01:10:13
In this episode of the Profitable Play Podcast, I sit down with Erin and Justin, the owners of Hangtime Play Café in Arlington, Washington—an indoor playground and play café that scaled to over 250 members just two months after opening.
We break down how they pre-sold over 100 memberships before they even opened, the exact strategies they used to build demand early, and how they created strong recurring revenue from day one.
We also dive into how they designed a smaller 2,500 sq ft space to feel bigger, more premium, and highly functional—maximizing every square foot to support open play, memberships, and birthday parties without sacrificing the customer experience.
Plus, we discuss what’s actually driving revenue in their play café business, including how their café is contributing a significant portion of total sales, how they’re balancing memberships, open play, and private parties, and what they’ve learned about capacity, pricing, and operations in their first few months.
We also cover a major build-out challenge—a delayed play structure shipment—and how they used that time to build hype, collect leads, and strengthen their brand before fully opening.
If you’re starting or growing an indoor playground, play café, or kids’ activity center, this episode is packed with real-world insights on membership growth, play café design, revenue streams, and what it actually takes to launch and scale successfully.
In this episode, I break down why indoor playgrounds and play cafés don’t actually compete with free events—and how to position your paid classes, camps, and events so they consistently sell out.
Free events often come with crowds, long lines, and unpredictable experiences, while paid events offer structure, convenience, and a higher-quality experience that many families are happy to pay for.
We’ll cover:
Why you don’t need to compete with free events at all
The mindset shift that changes everything for your marketing
How to attract the right customers (not everyone)
Why smaller, curated events can be more profitable
How to position your events as premium, not optional
If you’ve been second-guessing your pricing or struggling to fill events, this episode will help you reframe your strategy and sell with confidence.
358: From Speech Therapist to Multi-Location Inclusive Play Space Founder With Lindsay
Monday, March 2, 2026 • Duration 55:37
In this episode of The Profitable Play Podcast, I’m joined by Lindsay, the founder of Spirited Play Labs—an inclusive, membership-based indoor play space in the San Francisco Bay Area designed to support neurodivergent children and their families.
Lindsay is a former speech therapist, a parent of a neurodivergent child, and she now identifies as neurodivergent herself—so this conversation blends real-life inclusion, sustainable operations, and multi-location growth.
We talk about how Lindsay scaled from one location to three (with a fourth planned), how she built a team structure that allows her to stay out of daily operations, and why her staff and culture are the most defensible part of her business model.
We also cover the behind-the-scenes of becoming a vendor with California’s Regional Center so certain families can have memberships covered—creating a B2B revenue stream and a strong referral engine.
If you want practical ideas around membership models, inclusive play design, staff training, customer experience consistency, and scaling beyond one location, this episode is for you.
BLOG with top 12 takeaways: https://www.michelecaruana.com/blog/spirited-play-labs-interview
In this episode, Lindsay and I cover:
How she launched Spirited Play Labs after COVID and the needs she saw in her community
What it looks like to build an inclusive indoor playground that supports neurodivergent kids without feeling clinical
Why she chose a membership-based model and how her first-time visit process works
How she scaled from 1 to 3 locations (and what changed operationally as she grew)
The staffing structure behind her locations: managers, training, and culture consistency
357: 9 Sneaky Reasons I See Play Cafés Struggle to Grow
Monday, February 23, 2026 • Duration 54:45
n this episode, I’m sharing 11 sneaky patterns I consistently see holding play cafés and indoor playgrounds back—not because owners aren’t working hard, but because these habits are easy to miss when you’re in the day-to-day.
BLOG For this Episode: https://www.michelecaruana.com/blog/why-play-cafes-struggle-to-grow
I explain how inconsistent boundaries, unclear systems, staffing challenges, and operational habits quietly limit revenue, increase stress, and prevent businesses from reaching their full potential.
These issues are incredibly common—but once you identify them, they are entirely fixable.
In this episode, I explain:
The most common operational patterns I see holding play cafés back
How inconsistent policies reduce customer trust and retention
The systems mistakes I see that quietly reduce bookings
Why staffing and training directly impact profitability
The leadership habits I see that separate struggling and thriving owners
How small operational decisions compound into major growth limitations
This episode is especially helpful if you:
Feel stuck despite working hard
Want to increase profitability without working more hours
Are trying to scale your play café or indoor playground
356: Buying, Running, and Pivoting a Play Café: Hard Lessons, Smart Decisions, and What Comes Next with Kaylinn
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 • Duration 48:12
What’s it really like to buy an existing play café instead of starting from scratch?
In this candid conversation, I sit down with Kaylinn from Kay’s Play Days — former owner of Monkey Around Play Café and now floor manager at Wise Wonders Children’s Museum — to talk through the real behind-the-scenes of purchasing, running, and ultimately closing a play space.
Watch on YouTube instead: https://youtu.be/FV7nwc-nBZA
She shares what she wishes she had verified before buying, lessons around finances and leases, and the operational realities that don’t always show up in a business plan. We also talk about the personal side of ownership — how the long hours and stress impacted her family — and why stepping into a museum leadership role has given her more balance without leaving the industry she loves.
If you’re considering buying, selling, or simply questioning whether ownership is right for you, this episode will give you clarity, perspective, and practical lessons you can apply immediately.
We Cover:
• Buying vs. starting from scratch
• Due diligence and financial transparency
• Lease and landlord challenges
• Hidden operational realities of ownership
• Why she’d skip bounce houses next time
• Simple ways to empower your team
• Creative staffing partnerships
• The personal and family impact of ownership
• Pivoting into a museum leadership role
Connect with KaylinnReady to Open Your Own Play Café?More Resources:
355: Retain Customers And Get Repeat Bookings By Creating A "Disney-Level" Experience At Your Play Cafe With Vance Morris
Monday, February 2, 2026 • Duration 36:05
Retain your customers and get repeat bookings by creating a Disney-level experience at your indoor playground business or play cafe business!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/S5mc-itOHuk
What if the reason families don’t rebook birthday parties, memberships, or repeat visits isn’t your pricing, marketing, or competition—but your customer experience systems?
In this episode, I’m joined by Vance Morris, a former Disney leader who spent over a decade designing and operating guest experiences at Disney—and now helps brick-and-mortar businesses create raving fans for life without overspending or burning out.
This conversation is especially relevant for indoor playground and play café owners who are:
...Facing increased local competition
...Frustrated with always chasing new leads
...Tired of the social media hamster-wheel and getting new customers in the door each day
...Competing against chains or copycat concepts
...Relying heavily on birthday parties for revenue
...Trying to stand out without discounts or constant promotions
In this interview, we cover:
...Why customer retention beats customer acquisition for play businesses
...How Disney delivers consistent, magical experiences using systems—not perfect staff
...The biggest mistake small businesses make when training employees
...How scripts, SOPs, and onboarding create freedom instead of rigidity
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...Low-cost ways to create tellable moments that drive referrals
...How experience impacts party rebookings and guest-to-customer conversion
...What indoor playground owners should focus on after the party ends
Vance also shares real examples of how small changes—many costing little to nothing—can dramatically increase repeat business and lifetime customer value.
If you want families talking about your business, choosing you over competitors, and coming back year after year, this episode will completely shift how you think about experience.
