Building Community and Connection in Business with Michael Browning
Kids today are surrounded by digital noise, but what they crave most is a place to belong.
A longitudinal study found that when young people move from no extracurriculars into regular activities, their mental health improves largely because their sense of peer belonging increases.
In this episode of The Bliss Business Podcast, we sit down with Michael Browning Jr., CEO and Founder of Unleashed Brands, to explore how to build real community and connection across youth enrichment franchises that help kids learn, play, and grow.
Michael shares powerful insights on:
• How to design experiences families trust for their kids’ growth, not just entertainment
• The systems that keep safety, joy, and connection strong across multiple brands and locations
• Whether empathy and purpose can truly scale, and the real challenges of doing it well
• Why long-term legacy with families matters more than short-term transactions
🎙️ Hosted by Stephen Sakach and Tullio Siragusa
🎧 Produced by Tullio Siragusa
The future of youth brands will belong to leaders who create places where kids do more than show up. They belong, grow, and come back with their friends.
CEO and Founder of Unleashed Brands,
Michael Browning is the CEO and Founder of Unleashed Brands, a platform company that houses the world’s best franchise brands to help kids Learn, Play and Grow. Browning launched Unleashed in 2021 after noticing a void in the market for parents looking for a trusted resource for kid’s activities. The growing portfolio currently includes Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym, Sylvan Learning, Snapology, Class 101, Premier Martial Arts, and Water Wings Swim School.
In 2011, Browning launched Urban Air Adventure Park, the world’s preeminent family indoor adventure park, that has since served more than 20 million kids annually and generated $500 million+ of annual systemwide revenue. Browning believes that every guest to come through the doors of Urban Air has a story and the company’s mission is to enhance the story through engaging atmospheres that leverage the combination of lighting, sound, attractions and a guest-centric staff.
A young entrepreneur, Browning was named a rising star by the Dallas Business Journal in their Annual “40 Under 40” list in 2021. Urban Air has also ranked as No. 1 for the past seven years in the annual Franchise 500 list put out by Entrepreneur Magazine. The company was also ranked on the Franchise Times Top 200+ list, an exclusive annual ranking of the 500 largest franchises.
Starting in childhood, those who watched Browning’s passion for business recognized an innate ability and vision that would help him overcome obstacles and push him to succeed. It was this passion and determination combined with his ability t… Read More
