How to Start a Martial Arts School without Being Reckless
June 9, 2008 by Ryan Wheaton
Filed under Business
I receive a lot of emails from potential martial arts school owners and there seems to be a disturbing trend.
There is a notion that starting a martial arts school means you have to have start big, lease a huge facility, and need to develop an all inclusive business plan to get a business loan.
That’s simply not the case.
If you have the passion and desire to start a studio and don’t want to get in over your head, then this method might be right for you.
And, that strategy can be summed up in two words: “start small.”
No matter how big or small you decide to start, there is going to be a significant learning curve. So, it’s probably a good idea to learn as you go in a smaller, less financially stressful setting.
Key Concept: Just because you’re good at martial arts doesn’t mean you’re going to be equally as good at running a business.
What most people forget is that while they might be great martial artists, they aren’t equally as good at running a business.
According to many small business experts, that’s the number one reason why so many small businesses fail.
You have to learn a lot of skills and develop systems before you can successfully run a martial arts school:
- Accounting
- Marketing
- Sales
- Teaching
- Retention
- Public Relations
- And more!
Are you an expert in each area? If not, you might want to consider starting smaller.
There is NOTHING wrong with starting small and growing into a larger business. It will teach you a lot about what works and what doesn’t so you can properly scale your business in the right directions.
It also gives you time to educate yourself on things you might be as familiar or strong with while paying lower overhead.
Three Simple Ways to Start a Martial Arts School
- Teach out of your garage or basement.
- Find a fitness club or dance studio with available space.
- Teach out of another martial arts studio on their off days and times.
Believe me, you can successfully market your smaller studio and position yourself against the big chain studios as a viable alternative. I know, because I’ve done this approach for about 8 years now teaching out of a fitness facility.
Start small, build you student base, and get some experience running a smaller studio. In time, you can graduate to a larger studio with proper planning, education, patience, and determination.
Agree or disagree? Let me know in the form of a comment below!
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I'm Ryan Wheaton and I work with martial arts school owners to help them attract more students. Many martial arts school owners are confused at how to best market their business and feel awkward in selling situations. I help them overcome those challenges to become confident and competent in marketing and selling their services - helping them become more profitable so they can live the lifestyle they want to live.