Love how so many think that ACE just walks on the floor and is successful. ACE generally does well, but if anyone thinks we win everything, they aren't paying attention. The kids and coaches work hard every day to get better.
And ACE hasn't always been a large gym. When my daughter started cheering there (and I started coaching), they had been in existence 3 years. The first two years, all they had were 8 rolls of flat mat and they carried it from location to location so they could practice. Everyone got a phone call at the first of the week to know where practice would be that week.
But Happy had a big dream and he kept hiring people that shared that dream. He's worked his butt off over the years to keep getting better despite bumps in the road every year. And not every location has been successful. It's a shame but it happens in life and business.
So, if you're small, it's time to think through some things. Maybe you want to stay small and compete in a specific niche. Or maybe you want to get bigger but only be all girl. Or only all coed. Or maybe you want to develop a succesful gym by being the best level 1-4 gym around and "feed" kids to a larger gym down the road.
Or maybe you want to grow and be the next huge gym and take down WC, CEA, ACE, etc.
Whatever you want, you're not going to get it by whining all the time. You have to work harder, think bigger and be more creative than the next guy.