With the conclusion of the podcast, we’ve been patting ourselves on the back on a job well done. Graham and Ashkahn answered so many questions! The rigorous release schedule was definitely ambitious but we managed to do it without missing a single day.
Now we have so much content that it’s difficult to get to the best stuff. So we’ve compiled a list of the most listened to, most thorough, and most entertaining episodes from the full 367 episodes we ran so that you can hopefully find the best information we have a little more quickly.
Here’s a playlist of all these episodes on YouTube:
Productivity Software – DSP 24
Graham and Ashkahn have an impressive list of accomplishments and take productivity very seriously.
Beyond just starting up a float center, they’ve built a consulting company, international conference, their own booking software, a publishing company, and even their own record label! They share some of the tools they use to manage their time and help organize the chaos they bring on themselves.
How Long Does it Take to Open? – DSP 38
While it shouldn’t be used as a guideline, the timeline of Float On’s opening outlined in this episode is absolutely staggering.
The guys deep dive into the Industry Report to review exactly how long it takes people to open over the course of years in the industry.
The Chinese Float Conference – DSP 81
One of the most definitive examples of the growth of the float industry was the recent Chinese Float Conference. It’s definitely an exciting time to be a float center owner, no matter where you are in the world.
Jake and Ashkahn’s trip showed just how much the industry has grown, as well as how versatile floating can be.
What Are Average Floater Return Rates? – DSP 84
Graham and Ashkahn deep dive into Float On’s customer retention numbers and share what they consider a “return customer”. It’s a metric that everyone looks for, but find it difficult to qualify. What the numbers show is really encouraging though. Customers who may not come back for six months still can come back later, and maybe even bring a friend!
When Does a Float Start? – DSP 91
Gotta love that German accent by Ashkahn in the intro…
One of the most listened to episodes of the podcast, this question is deceptively simple, and the answer really ends up being a glimpse into how the owner runs their business. Graham and Ashkahn share how they do it at Float On and why, along with some examples of how they’ve seen it done other places.
100th Episode – Our First 100 days of Running Float On – DSP 100
Many people will look at the first 100 days of a Presidency to qualify how productive they will be, this is kind of similar except we find out that the first 100 days of anything Graham and Ashkahn do is fraught with peril. The two reminisce about the early days of Float On and there’s definitely some valuable lessons to be learned in here as well as just some hilarious stories.
Talking About Dr. Justin Feinstein’s Anxiety Study – DSP 101
Justin Feinstein has been making headlines this year and pushing the envelope with float research. Graham and Ashkahn’s conversation with him after he published his research provides some great insight into his recent publications as well as works as an exciting precursor to his eventual Conference talk later in the year.
How Much Does a Float Center Cost? – DSP 109
Another great episode that does a deep dive into Industry Report data from the last few years. Graham takes the reins and explores the data while the two of them explain what this information means to them.
Don’t Build Your Own Float Tank! – DSP 118
This has probably become one of the most controversial episodes of the Daily Solutions Podcast. It has definitely attracted a lot of listeners, but we’re pretty sure that not everyone appreciates the advice.
Graham and Ashkahn speak from experience on this subject, though. Float On has two custom built open pools that took literally years to get running properly! Sometimes it’s best to walk away from an idea.
Honorable Mention: April Fool’s Day Episode (How to Keep Your Float Center at 100% Capacity)
Okay, so we feel a little bad about this one. Naturally, we thought it’d be funny to put out a fake episode where the sound cuts out and we fake a drop bear attack (it was pretty funny). We did get dozens of comments, emails, and even phone calls about the episode shorting out. We kinda assumed that once people would look at the calendar, they’d get the joke. However in podcast land, episodes live forever… So, for that, we’re sorry.
Thank you all for being such good sports about it.
Live at Rise Float Gathering – DSP 146
While we recorded an entire weeks worth of episodes while out at Rise, I didn’t want to dominate the list with each one, given that they’re all such good conversations with other float center owners. I’m only placing the first one on here and trusting that hearing Graham and Ashkahn in a live environment is captivating enough to get you to listen to the rest of them.
The guys sat down with Jake and Kevin from Float STL and the hosts to the Rise Float Gathering to talk about the industry, getting to host these big industry events, and just a little bit of everything. It really feels more like listening in on old friends catching up more than an informational podcast. Certainly a nice change of pace from how serious and dour Graham and Ashkahn are on their own.
What do You Love About Running a Float Center? – DSP 172
It’s really easy to endlessly sound negative when addressing people’s problems in the float industry. This episode took the opportunity to share some positivity and Graham and Ashkahn share why they love this industry so much.
This is a great episode to listen to on a rainy day or late at night after that pump burst. It’s a helpful reminder of the value of the work the float industry does.
What Benefits of Floating have been Proven Scientifically? – DSP 181
This is a question regular floaters get all the time and the answer they get is usually from the people working their local float center, so it’s important to get it right!
Graham and Ashkahn share what they know about the benefits of floating and what’s been studied by the scientists who have researched floatation throughout the years.
Is it Bad for Float Centers to Always be Running Discounts? – DSP 195
Float On only runs discounts twice a year, so Graham and Ashkahn share their opinions and try reeeeeally hard to provide an unbiased perspective on how to run discounts often intelligently. The biggest thing is you don’t want to be cannibalizing your own business or competing with others in a race to the bottom with discounts.
Checking in on Float On’s Annual Summer Sale – DSP 211
If you’re looking for another discount episode, this is it! This one is also pretty thick with Float On business philosophy, but it’s pretty cool that Graham and Ashkahn share the actual numbers from Float On’s sale.
The guys run through the numbers and compare it to the previous three years in sales while explaining why they do it the way that they do.
5½ of the Most Common Construction Mistakes Float Centers Make – DSP 217
Who doesn’t love a clickbait title? Now that we have your attention, let’s share with you some uncomfortable truths about the mistakes that float centers are most prone to falling into.
Graham and Ashkahn share what they’ve seen from the many years of visiting float centers and talking with others who have just opened or are about to open.
The Getting Salty with Speakers: Roy Vore – DSP 226
These one-on-one chats with the float conference speakers was a highlight of the podcast leading up to the Conference. The entire series is great, but these two stood out to listeners. Graham and Ashkahn had befriended Roy Vore while attending water sanitation conferences, and he took his professionally skeptical view on the float industry. His talk was a crowd favorite at the Conference, and listening to him on the podcast was a great lead in.
The Getting Salty with Speakers: Gloria Morris – DSP 233
Gloria Morris, the owner of Float Sixty and stat hero of the float world, spoke at the Conference about her experiences opening up 3 different float centers within 2 ½ years of each other. She shares her own marketing tips as well as her perspective on not getting burnt out. Plus, she’s just hilarious.
Our Top 10 Marketing Book Suggestions! – DSP 255
Graham and Derek went a little extra with this post. They are ravenous readers and love marketing, so constraining their favorites into just 5 books each didn’t really work.
This is a great reading list for anyone eager to learn some marketing tips, from fundamentals to advanced philosophical ideas. The best part is that most of these are available as audio books as well, so you can listen to them on your morning commute or during late night deep cleans!
Basics of Opening a Business – DSP 287
Float centers are opened by people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. There’s no class or owners manual required before opening a business, and even people with business backgrounds can have gaps in their knowledge when it comes to opening a float center.
Graham and Ashkahn share stories about the many lessons they learned while opening Float On about the fundamentals of brick and mortar businesses, with some hilarious anecdotes thrown in as well.
The Real Tips on Building Your Own Float Tank – DSP 297
Graham and Ashkahn try their hardest to give practical advice to anyone who wants to build their own tank and the struggles they went through doing so at Float On, but they still strongly advise against attempting it in the first place.
While the advice is definitely laced with cautionary tales and warnings, it’s still a great reference for what to expect when making your own float tank.
Best Cleaning Practices without Burning Out Employees- DSP 322
If there’s one thing that Graham and Ashkahn are great at, it’s finding joy in everything they do. Anyone who’s spent time around them can attest to their positivity being infectious. Even that positivity isn’t always enough to make sure employees are satisfied and not overworked, however.
They share their experiences making sure their center stays clean and how they encourage their employees to set goals through communication.
What you Need to Know about UV – DSP 328
While Ashkahn and Graham are very upfront in the fact that their understanding of the subject is limited, they do a great job explaining the complex issues involved in using UV in a float tanks filtration system.
The topic gets a little scary, because basically they sum up all the ways that UV can fail without really talking about why, in a float tank, that’s not as big a deal as in commercial pools, but it’s good to know, especially if you rely on it for your main disinfectant in your process.
How to get your Water Tested – DSP 359
Ashkahn breaks down exactly the steps necessary to get your water tested and what to look for when surveying labs, as well as how to talk to health departments about the type of information to gather.
Don’t be afraid to take notes and consult the transcript of this episode, and if it gets too dry, you can take a look at the float themed acronyms I threw in there for you.
Float On’s Membership Change – DSP 364
Graham and Ashkahn break down what it’s been like for Float On to switch to a single-priced membership platform, using real data from their membership change.
The guys dissect exactly the difference in membership numbers, conversions, retention, and total dollars spent by members just to show exactly what the benefits have been at Float On.
The Final Episode (2 Hour Live Call-in Event) – DSP 367
If there’s any chance you missed this finale, then please check it out. It’s hilarious, heart warming, and incredibly informative. It was a lot of fun getting to speak to everyone more directly and it’s a format that will hopefully be used in the future as well. Give it a listen.
We had surprise special guests, special intros, and special props for this episode. And even though we won’t be bringing you this podcast every day anymore, we’re still here to answer all your float-y questions.
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If you’re still looking for more consolidated lists of episodes, head on over to our YouTube page, where you can find playlists on Marketing, Water Treatment, Funding, and more!
