Note: This article was originally published in the June 2026 issue of RePlay Magazine. I’m expanding on it here with some extra "Consultant's Corner" strategies and a hands-on walk-through audit you can use with your management team this week. We spend a lot of time as operators looking at the "back of the house." We’re deep into P&L statements, labor percentages, and the day-to-day coaching of a young, energetic staff. But when was the last time you actually experienced your

Note: This article was originally published in the May 2026 issue of RePlay Magazine. I’m expanding on it here with some extra "Clint’s Corner" strategies and structural advice for operators who need to transition from "survival hiring" to "excellence hiring." As I travel the country on the Novak Roadshow, I hear the same refrain from nearly every operator I meet: "Clint, I just can’t find good help." It’s the universal struggle of the 2026 FEC landscape. We are all fighting

Reclaiming Prime Real Estate with High-Engagement Social Play As I prepare to hit the pavement for the first leg of the Novak Roadshow , I’ve been thinking a lot about the "real estate" inside our facilities. Every square foot has to earn its keep. We all have that one attraction that perhaps was the "star of the show" five years ago but is now seeing its numbers plateau. For this month’s column, I reached out to someone who recently made a bold move to reclaim some prime rea