Many training providers care deeply about the impact of their work, but as businesses grow, pressure around revenue, scale, and delivery can pull them away from their original purpose. Whatever stage of the journey you’re at – from solo trainers finding their “why”, to established providers trying to protect their values while scaling – you’ll gain practical ideas and renewed clarity from this live conversation with three successful training business leaders.
Our recent live panel discussion with Tammy Banks, Holly Choi and Sean McPheat was built around one key theme: how purpose can help you scale your training business.
It was such a lively discussion where our expert panel explored what purpose really means in practice. From defining your purpose clearly, to making hard commercial decisions, to scaling delivery without losing what makes your training special.
Here are the key takeaways from the session, grounded in real experiences from the panel and the wider training community.
1. Purpose isn’t what you do – it’s what changes for your learners
Many training businesses are clear on what they do (courses, coaching, facilitation) and how they do it. Fewer clearly articulate the impact of that work – what’s different for people at the end of the learning journey. A strong purpose doesn’t stop at the activity itself; it finishes with the outcome.
Tammy Banks, Founder, Transform Your Training, described purpose as a North Star: something that guides decisions and priorities, especially when things feel messy.
“If you’re clear on your North Star, it makes decision-making so much easier. Even when the answer is uncomfortable.”
A strong purpose doesn’t stop at the activity itself. It finishes with the outcome.
Key takeaway: When articulating your purpose, ask yourself – It’s not what you do, or how you do it, but what changes for your delegates because of your work?
2. Purpose vs revenue: making hard commercial decisions
The tension between purpose and revenue resonated strongly with the audience – because it’s something every founder faces.
When growth slows or cash flow tightens, it can be tempting to say yes to opportunities that don’t quite fit. The panelists were refreshingly honest about this, sharing examples of deals that looked good on paper but didn’t align with their standards or values.
Sean McPheat, founder of MTD Training, shared a candid story about taking on a large contract he didn’t believe they could deliver at their absolute best.
“At the time, it felt like the right commercial decision. But very quickly, we realised it wasn’t aligned with the quality we stand for.”
That experience became a pivotal moment that prompted reflection, learning, and a deeper commitment to purpose.
One key insight stood out: these decisions often have a snowball effect. Taking on work that isn’t aligned can quietly erode quality, energy, and reputation over time. Making the harder call, even when it feels risky, often pays off later through better delivery, stronger reviews, repeat business, and referrals.
Key takeaway: When you’re under pressure, use your purpose as a decision filter. Before saying yes, ask: Can we deliver this at our absolute best without compromising our standards?
If the answer is no, the short-term revenue may cost you more in the long run.
3. Purpose lives or dies in delivery
As a training business grows, purpose becomes harder and more important to maintain. Purpose is something that has to show up consistently in every room, with every facilitator, for every learner. As soon as delivery is shared with others, facilitators become the living expression of your purpose.
Holly Choi, co-founder, Safe Beginnings spoke about how this becomes most visible in who you choose to work with:
“Purpose isn’t a poster on the wall. It shows up in how people deliver – especially when you’re not in the room.”
Tammy built on this by explaining that delivery quality comes not just from skill, but from lived experience. For her, purpose shows up when facilitators deeply and personally understand the reality learners are navigating through lived experience, not just the theory.
That creates credibility, trust, and relevance. Learners can feel when someone has “been there”, and that directly affects engagement and impact.
Sean added that authenticity and values alignment matter just as much internally as they do externally.
Together, the panel made one thing clear: hiring facilitators is one of the most important purpose decisions a training business makes.
Key takeaway: When hiring facilitators, look beyond technical skill. Test for values alignment and lived experience.
4. Purpose needs systems to scale
While purpose and people are critical, the panelists were clear that when training businesses scale, they need systems to support it.
With growth, manual administration quickly creeps in – more courses, more learners, more facilitators, more delivery formats. Teams spend increasing amounts of time on spreadsheets, emails, and workarounds, leaving less time and energy for quality delivery.
The panel highlighted the importance of automating this manual admin. From scheduling and instructor coordination to communications, learner management, and reporting, the right training management systems remove friction from the day-to-day. When these processes run smoothly in the background, teams stop firefighting and can refocus on what matters most: delivering high-quality, impactful training.
As Tammy said:
“Tech was a huge thing for us. Arlo helps us not have to worry too much about the tech, processes, and admin, so we could focus on delivering values-led training.”
Purpose-led delivery is much easier to maintain when operational complexity is handled in the background.
Key takeaway: The right systems protect your purpose. A Training Management System like Arlo frees you up from admin, so you can focus on delivering more quality training.
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Inside the Ultimate Guide to Training Management Systems, explore how world-class training businesses streamline operations, deliver exceptional learner experiences, and scale with confidence.
Watch the full panel discussion on-demand:
More about the panelists:
Holly Choi, Safe Beginnings First Aid
Holly Choi is the Co-Owner of Safe Beginnings First Aid and one of North America’s leading baby and toddler safety educators. A Child Passenger Safety Technician-Instructor, Red Cross–certified first aid instructor, and trusted media expert, Holly’s work is rooted in a clear purpose: empowering families with the skills and confidence to keep their little ones safe. Through Safe Beginnings, her courses and community reach tens of thousands of caregivers every month, blending empathy, clarity, and accessible learning design to make lifesaving knowledge available to everyone.
Connect with Holly Choi and Safe Beginnings on LinkedIn.
Sean McPheat, MTD Training
Sean McPheat is the Founder and CEO of MTD Training and a leading voice in modern leadership development. With over two decades spent helping thousands of organizations build stronger, more purpose-driven managers, Sean’s work centres on one belief: great leadership starts with people. A bestselling author, award-winning L&D professional, and frequent media contributor, he’s known for creating practical, outcome-focused training that inspires confidence, culture, and real behavior change.
Connect with Sean McPheat and MTD Training on LinkedIn.
Tammy Banks, Transform Your Training
Founder and Director of Transform your Training, Tammy Banks is a recognized leader in values-led, transformative training. Creator of the award-winning Training 4 Influence methodology, which earned a royal accolade in 2023, Tammy designed the first “Train the Trainer” qualification initially for high-risk, high-pressure environments, and has since developed it as a quality standard for in person training delivery across all industries.
With a career rooted in both operational and strategic roles, Tammy has championed the power of quality training to transform individuals, teams, and organisations. Her Amazon bestseller, Transform Your Training, captures the principles of her methodology, and she frequently shares insights in her vibrant training community, creating a collaborative space to continually advance best practice.
Connect with Tammy Banks and Transform Your Training on LinkedIn.
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