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CONTENTS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
FEATURES COLUMNS DEPARTMENTS
24 DIGITAL LEARNING CAMPS 36 BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP 08 FROM THE
B Y A D A M PA R M A N A N D C R I S R O D R I G U E Z BY NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS
DIRECTOR’S DESK
Introducing a new way for 3 Crucial Decisions You Need to Make
your school to generate extra 12 IN THE KNOW
income during the pandemic! 42 IN THE CLASSROOM
Get all your questions answered, BY DAVE KOVAR
16 HEAR FROM
then enjoy a quick course on It’s Easy to Give Up Too Soon. Don’t! YOUR PEERS
marketing your new program.
56 TURNING POINT 18 PRODUCT
30 LET CENTURY DIRECT BE BY HERB BORKLAND
SPOTLIGHT
YOUR ONLINE STORE Kelly Cox: Following Keith Yate’s
BY SARAH LOBBAN Exampler 20 THE MAIA REPORT
Create a virtual store, let your
students order their gear and 58 HEALTH KICK 22 MARKETING
have it shipped directly from B Y E R I C P. F L E I S H M A N
RESOURCE
Century’s state-of-the-art facility, Get Your Dojo on the Map
all without stocking a single item! 62 SCHOOL
60 YOU MESSED UP! NOW SHOWCASE
38 MAKE 2021 YOUR WHAT?
BEST YEAR EVER! BY K AT H Y O L E V S KY
BY TERRY L. WILSON No Single Solution
Fight back against COVID with
better health for yourself, your 64 CONSULTANT’S CORNER QUOTE OF THE MONTH
students and your community. BY MIKE METZGER
Mike Storms describes Making Money Without Selling Out
the path he followed. “My mother always told me
66 MASTERFUL RETENTION to strive to be a leader,
44 ORGANIZE A BY CHRIS RAPPOLD

RECORD-BREAKING 3 Levels of Teaching not a follower, and that I

HOLIDAY SALE! should want what seems to
BY MICHAEL A. PERRI JR.
68 THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW
Even if COVID has you locked COMING be impossible.”
down, you can hold a successful BY BETH A. BLOCK
holiday sale. The first step is to 5 Social Media Liabilities to Avoid — MALIA BERNAL
stop thinking of it as just a “sale.”
70 THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE
50 COVID KICKERS BY PHILIP E. GOSS JR., ESQ.
B Y P E R R Y W I L L I A M K E L LY Requiring Students to Get the Coming
These MAIA members faced off COVID Vaccine
against the coronavirus and came
out on top! There’s no reason you 74 INSPIRATION OVATION
can’t follow in their footsteps. BY KAREN EDEN
The Mountain of Clothes

6 MASUCCESS
 24 30
0

38 44

50
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 7
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK
To Be Successful, Look Forward!
A
s I write this column, I reflect on the past
year: where we started, where we came
from and where it's left us. For most, the
year began second to none. Business was
BY FRANK booming, and the future looked bright. Then the
SILVERMAN
MAIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR world stopped turning. In March, we witnessed the
fragility of the world’s economy, not to mention life
itself, as the pandemic took hold and forced a shut-
down the likes of which we have never seen.
“Looking to the Today, we’re looking better than we did at the
future means onset of COVID-19 — at least, things are looking
recognizing that that way as I write this column. (Who knows what
the past year tomorrow will bring?) However, we are by no means
out of the woods. Many schools are still struggling,
was hard — but
and business is nowhere close to where it was at
that we survived. the beginning of the year. And then there are the
It means setting casualties: the schools that closed their doors for a
goals and final time.
I don’t want this column to be a message of
recognizing that
doom and gloom. I’ve said it before and it’s worth
living in the past repeating: We are a strong industry. We are resil-
will not make the ient. We are warriors. We will survive. For me, this
future better.” is a time not only to reflect on the past but also to
consider the future while focusing on the present.
So what does that look like?
First, looking to the future means recognizing
that the past year was hard — but that we survived.
It means having compassion for those whose busi-
nesses didn’t survive and offering a helping hand
when we can. It means setting goals and recogniz-
ing that living in the past will not make the future
better, although we can learn from the past. It
means getting out of the “funk” and restoring the
kind of energy that’s needed to grow our busi-
nesses, help our students and serve the communi-
ties in which we operate.
Now, what about living in the present, or as I
said, focusing on the present? This is so important
because it offers respect to the past while paving
the road to the future. This is a critical time of year
for the martial arts industry. Regardless of how
your back-to-school season was — industry reports
8 MASUCCESS
range from best-ever to nonexistent — it is now the
holiday season. Your ability to capitalize is guaran-
teed, but how you can do that will differ depending
on the state of the pandemic at the time you’re
reading this. Be creative. Be bold. Make things hap-
pen. And above all, make no excuses!
As I would normally do at this time of year, I’m
focusing on retail sales. December is almost upon
us, and now more than ever, offering a variety of
home-training kits is a great idea. You should offer
large, medium and small items, from XXL Wave-
masters and Versys bags to simple hand targets
and gloves. You should offer home-training kits not
only for your students but also for family members
who don’t train. You can be creative and bundle
a kicking shield with a family Zoom class for $99.
This will appeal to those who are still social dis-
tancing, as well as to those who are back in class.
Another potential package is a “school in a box.”
For example, it could include four or eight puzzle
mats and a Wavemaster or a stretch rack. This
is a high-dollar idea, so selling just two or three
will generate significant profit. Also, keep in mind
that sometimes people like to order the appetizer
before the main course. Have some fun things such
as T-shirts, picture frames and logoed gear.
Finally, no matter how, what and where you
are teaching, enrolling new members is still the
most important thing you can do every day. You
need to market and advertise so you can get new
members in the door and on the screen. Holiday
specials are imperative, and as we approach the
new year, fitness is key. Focus on the present, and
the future will be bright. On behalf of the Martial
Arts Industry Association, have a happy and safe
holiday season.
Frank Silverman is the executive director of the
Martial Arts Industry Association. To contact him,
send an email to teamcfck@aol.com. Find him on
Twitter and Facebook at @franksilverman.
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©2020 MAIA, LLC. #18354

STAFF
F R A N K S I LV E R M A N I S T H E E X E C U T I V E
Director of the Martial Arts Industry
Association, and the owner and operator of 11
martial arts schools in Orlando, FL. He’s also
the author of Business Is Business: Passion and
Profit in the Martial Arts Industry. Follow Frank
on Twitter and Facebook @franksilverman.
FROM THE
Contact him at teamcfck@aol.com.
DIRECTOR’S DESK
NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS, ED.D.,
is a sensei in Japanese jujitsu at TNT Jujitsu
under Hanshi Torey Overstreet in Houston,
TX. He’s the owner of Lead Connect Grow,
LLC. Organizations hire him to develop black
belt-level professionals in the areas of Teams,
BLACK BELT Leadership and Conflict Management. Feel
LEADERSHIP free to email him at tom@ntgriggs.com.
HERB BORKLAND WAS ONE OF
Jhoon Rhee’s original white belts at America’s
first taekwondo school and, later, a closed-
door student of Chinese “soft” styles pioneer
Robert W. Smith. For three years, starting
on ESPN, he hosted the weekly Black Belts
TURNING POINT TV show. He did the screenplay for Cynthia
Rothrock’s HBO-featured Honor and Glory
and is an Inside Kung-Fu Hall of Fame
martial arts writer. He can be reached at
herbork@comcast.net.
MIKE METZGER IS A MARTIAL
Arts Industry Association consultant and
the owner of 14 martial arts schools. He has
consulted for various school owners around
the world. He can be contacted via email at
mmetzger@masuccess.com.
CONSULTANT’S
CORNER
10 MASUCCESS
MELISSA TORRES IS THE DIVISION
Manager of the Martial Arts Industry
Association. She is a practitioner of kung fu san
soo, Cage Fitness and yoga. She is passionate
about helping school owners succeed and
achieve their goals.
She can be reached at mtorres@masuccess.com.
THE MAIA REPORT
DAVE KOVAR OWNS AND OPERATES
a chain of successful martial art schools.
Additionally, he operates Pro-Mac (Professional
Martial Arts College), dedicated to helping
martial artists become professionals in
Business Management, Mat Mastery, Sales
Mastery, Wealth Management and Cutting-
IN THE CLASSROOM Edge Classroom Concepts. In 2010, he was
the recipient of the Martial Arts Industry
Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Contact him at dave.kovar@kovars.com or check
out his blog at kovarsblog.kovarsystems.com.
CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD IS THE
founder of a successful martial arts
organization, Personal Best Karate,
headquartered in Norton, MA. He’s a five-time
world karate champion and is currently the
executive director of the world-renowned Team
Paul Mitchell, a championship team supported
MASTERFUL by sport-karate’s longest-running sponsorship.
RETENTION Rappold is the author of the landmark MAIA
program Retention Based Sparring. He can be
reached at founder@personalbestkarate.com.
BETH BLOCK, A 4TH-DEGREE BLACK
belt in karate, is the president of Block Insurance
in Orlando, FL. Block has protected businesses
that serve children for the past 24 years. She is
the writer of Martial Arts Minute, a weekly risk-
management newsletter. You can reach her at
THE KICK YOU (800) 225-0863 or beth@blockins.net.
NEVER SAW COMING!
 STAFF
SARAH LOBBAN IS THE ASSOCIATE MASUCCESS IS
Publications Editor for the Martial Arts PUBLISHED BY
Industry Association. She has trained and
fought in MMA and muay Thai, and currently
trains in jeet kune do. She can be reached at VOL. 21, NO. 6 // NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
slobban@centurymartialarts.com.
EDITOR EMERITUS MAIA LLC,
IN THE KNOW John Corcoran 1000 Century Blvd.,
Oklahoma City, OK 73110;
(866) 626-6226.
EDITOR
KATHY OLEVSKY AND HER Robert W. Young
husband, Rob, own and operate Karate Return postage
International in North Carolina. Kathy is EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR must accompany
MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION all manuscripts and
the managing partner in their five-school photographs submitted
Frank Silverman
operation. She’s an 8th-degree black belt to MASUCCESS, if they
with 32 full-time years of teaching and are to be returned, and
MAIA DIVISION MANAGER no responsibility can be
YOU MESSED UP! operating martial arts schools. She can Melissa Torres assumed for unsolicited
be reached for questions or comments at
NOW WHAT? kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com. ASSOCIATE EDITOR
materials. All rights for
letters submitted to this
Sarah Lobban magazine will be treated
as unconditionally
assigned for publication
M A I A I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O N S U LTA N T S
and copyright purposes
Robby Beard Kurt Klingenmeyer
E R I C T H E T R A I N E R ( E R I C P. and as subject to the
Jason Flame Mike Metzger editorial staff’s right
Fleishman) is a Hollywood-based celebrity Antonio Fournier Adam Parman to edit and to
personal trainer with over 28 years’ Cris Rodriguez Shane Tassoul comment editorially.
experience. He has worked with top actors
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR MAIA, its owners,
and musicians, MMA fighters, and the
Donna Diamond directors, officers,
military. He hosts the popular TV show employees, subsidiaries,
“Celebrity Sweat,” which you can watch on successors and assigns
ART DIRECTOR
Amazon Prime. His enthusiastic message are not responsible in
Paul Duarte any manner for any
HEALTH KICK of living a healthy life has been adopted by injury that may occur by
many groups, most recently the American DIRECTOR OF MEDIA AND reading and/or following
Culinary Federation. For questions or PUBLISHING DEVELOPMENT the instructions herein.
Patrick Sternkopf As publisher, MAIA
comments, contact Eric the Trainer at makes no endorsements,
Mainemonster@gmail.com. representations,
COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTORS
guarantees or
David Barnett Dave Kovar warranties concerning
Beth A. Block Sarah Lobban the products and or
Herb Borkland Mike Metzger services presented
PHILIP E. GOSS, JR., ESQ. IS or advertised herein.
a member of the Florida and several other Karen Eden Kristin Miller We expressly disclaim
Federal Bar Associations. Phil welcomes Jason Flame Kathy Olevsky any and all liability
Eric P. Fleishman Suzanne Pisano arising from or relating
any e-mail comments or questions at to the manufacture,
PhilGosslaw@gmail.com and will attempt Antonio Fournier Christopher Rappold
sale, distribution, use,
THE LEGAL to respond personally, time permitting. Philip E. Goss Jr., Esq. Frank Silverman misuse or other act of
LANDSCAPE Nguyen “Tom” Griggs Shane Tassoul any party in regard to
such products and/or
IBISWorld.com Melissa Torres
services. MASUCCESS
Perry William Kelly Dwight Trower is a trademark of the
KAREN EDEN IS A 7TH-DEGREE Kurt Klingenmeyer MAIA. © 2020 MAIA
master of tang soo do. She’s a broadcast LLC. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole
journalist who has appeared nationally CORRESPONDENTS
or in part without
on CNN, FOX and Animal Planet as well Herb Borkland (VA) Perry William Kelly (CANADA) permission is prohibited.
as on local affiliates for NBC and PBS. Karen Eden (CO) Terry L. Wilson (CA)
Andrea F. Harkins (AZ) Keith D. Yates (TX) The mission of MAIA is
Karen is also a published book author and
to grow, promote and
magazine columnist who has written for Andre Lima (CA) protect the martial arts
INSPIRATION or been featured in every major martial industry, and to provide
OVATION arts magazine globally. Contact her at
PUBLISHER benefits to its members
to help them become
David Wahl
renedenherdman@gmail.com. more successful.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 11
IN THE KNOW

WORDS OF WISDOM
DO NOT LET CIRCUMSTANCES
BY SARAH LOBBAN
CONTROL YOU. YOU CHANGE
YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
— JACKIE CHAN

MARTIAL ARTS TRIVIA

1 True or false: Multiple studies have proved 2 On the day it debuted in 2018, how
that martial arts training can improve the many viewers watched the first episode
social and emotional function of children of YouTube Red’s Cobra Kai series, a
on the autism spectrum sequel to The Karate Kid movies?

A) 780,000 B) 7.4 million

C) 2.3 million D) 5.4 million

3 In muay Thai, the _________ and 4 Which martial art originated in

_________ are the traditional armband Cambodia?
and headband worn by fighters.
A) butthan B) bokator
A) mongkon, prajiad B) prajiad, mongkon C) bokh D) bagua zhang
C) ram muay, mongkon D) prajiad, rambutan

ANSWERS: 1) True. 2) 5.4 million. 3) Prajiad; mongkon. 4) Bokator.

12 MASUCCESS
HAS COVID HURT YOUR
SCHOOL FINANCIALLY?

Let us help you not only get back on your feet,

but DOMINATE!

Not sure if MAIA Foundations is right for you?

Set up a call at MAIAFoundations.com with one of our coaches.

© 2020 MAIA, LLC. #19115

 YOU ASKED
HOW DO YOU DIVIDE UP
YOUR SCHOOL’S EXPENSES
BY PERCENTAGE?
STATS SPEAK

Rent is approximately 20 percent of our budget. Inventory

and maintenance are less than 5 percent each. Employee THE NUMBER
pay is 25 percent. Work vehicles and advertising account for OF PEOPLE
a large portion of the remainder.” EMPLOYED IN
— T O M M Y L I G H T F O O T, L E A D B Y E X A M P L E TA E K W O N D O , FA I R FA X , V A
THE MARTIAL
ARTS STUDIO
INDUSTRY IN
THE UNITED
Employee pay is our largest percentage, at between 40
and 60 percent of our gross, but this includes owner pay. STATES
Twenty percent goes to rent and utilities, and inventory INCREASED
varies by demand.”
— CHRIS HAMM, LEGACY MARTIAL ARTS, HARKER HEIGHTS, TX
6% ON AVERAGE
BETWEEN 2014
Rent is 15 percent; inventory 5 percent; payroll 20 percent. AND 2019.
Taxes are the other big category. We own our own building, SOURCE:
so we have to put away money for property taxes as well IBISWORLD.COM
as income taxes, and payroll taxes for our staff.”
— K E V I N N E V E L S , C O P P E L L TA E K W O N D O A C A D E M Y A N D C H A M P I O N S H I P M A RT I A L A RT S ;
LAS COLINAS, COPPELL AND IRVING, TX

About 50 percent of our gross revenue goes to pay for

inventory, maintenance, rent and employees. Taxes are easily
the biggest other expense we have.”
— D AV I D C H U R C H , C H U R C H ’ S TA E K W O N D O A M E R I C A , M A RY V I L L E , T N

14 MASUCCESS
HOW DOES YOUR SCHOOL
STACK UP?

Take the Martial Arts Business Health Quiz Today

Once you have a clear picture of how healthy your academy is right
now, connect with a coach to see how MAIA can help you get where
you want to be.

MAIAHub.com/Business-Health-Quiz

© 2019 MAIA, LLC. #17799

HEAR 1
FROM YOUR
PEERS 2
16 MASUCCESS
3
HOW OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR DO
YOU HOLD BELT TESTS?
15 % 1-2 times
44% 3-4 times
25 % 5-6 times
15 % More than 6 times

DO YOU HAVE SET TIMES DURING THE

YEAR FOR BELT TESTS, OR DOES THE
TIMING VARY ACCORDING TO THE
CLASS OR THE STUDENT?
68 % Set times
32 % Variable

AT YOUR SCHOOL, HOW LONG DOES A

TYPICAL BELT TEST LAST?
21% Less than 1 hour
49 % 1-2 hours
21% 2-3 hours
9 % More than 3 hours

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 17
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

WAVEMASTER LINE WALL-MOUNT HEAVY

BAG HANGER
Century® www.CenturyMartialArts.com
Century® www.CenturyMartialArts.com

1 Innovators lead, and the rest fall in line. Century has

set the pace for martial arts equipment for decades,
2 You’ll forget about this wall mount.
That’s a good thing, trust me. When
and with freestanding bags, it has been no differ-
support is done right, you’ll barely
ent. It will never be any different. That’s not cocky. It’s
notice it’s there — like a great offensive line
true. Century invented them!
giving the
Starting in 1995, the original freestanding bag, called the
quarterback
Wavemaster, became the standard. It’s no exaggeration
his moment of glory. You need
to say that the freestanding bag opened up a whole new
something solid, reliable …
world of training. Long gone are the days of struggling
forgettable. An unsung hero. The
to find a support beam in your garage (if you even had
Wall-Mount Heavy Bag Hanger
one!) to hold up your 100-pound heavy bag by its chain.
installs on any standard wall (as
Try explaining that concept to budding martial artists, and
long as the studs are there), and it
they’ll look just as confused as when you tell them you
holds a 100-pound training bag like
used to have to “hang up” the phone — literally, on the wall.
you hold a grocery sack filled with
For years, Century’s creation has allowed a session of
paper towels. Eventually, you’ll
hitting the bag to take place anywhere and everywhere.
forget it’s even there.
Living-room workout? Easy. Just slide that sucker into
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going ever since, from inventing the legendary BOB to
launching the modern Torrent and Versys training lines.
The company even made a series of freestanding bags
you can toss around and choke out like a fresh white belt
rolling with a guy who has too much cauliflower ear.
UPPERCUT WAVEMASTER
Needless to say, Century’s forward focus has kept its Century® www.CenturyMartialArts.com
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3
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with absolute certainty: Keep up or get left behind. is betrayed by its name. Any heavy bag can take a hit, but
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you from delivering those
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and knee strikes should land
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Uppercut Wavemaster takes
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you’re willing to do the work.
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that work has never been
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For more information on these and other great Century products, call a helpful Century Sales Representative at (800) 626-2789 or visit www.CenturyMartialArts.com.

18 MASUCCESS
THE MAIA REPORT
New Program Will
Help You Fight COVID
I
t was difficult to sit down to write this column
BY MELISSA TORRES because I knew that no matter what topic I
MAIA DIVISION MANAGER
chose to cover, I would have to mention COVID-19
in some capacity. Unfortunately, the pandemic
is still part of our daily lives, and it continues to
“We are excited affect martial arts schools in countless ways. Our
curriculums, instructor training, marketing and best
about this
retention practices all hinge on what happens with
group-coaching regard to the pandemic.
program because Since no one can predict when we finally will be
we know it will out of the COVID woods, it’s essential to continue
help schools get to adjust and “roll with the punches.” Recall Bruce
Lee’s well-known quote: “Be like water, my friend.”
back on their feet.
We must be adaptable in these uncertain times in
Our coaches are order to get to the other side. We’ve got to keep
fully committed pressing forward!
to assisting No doubt you all have had time to take a step
back to reevaluate your businesses and plan your
you every step
next move. Well, MAIA has done the same. After
of the way.” the SuperShow Virtual Summit, we realized that
there’s a huge need in the industry for information
that will help schools generate extra income during
the back-to-school season, specifically related to
the changing times.
As you know, this back-to-school season looks a
little different. Many parents still fear that the risk
of their children contracting or spreading COVID is
too high for them to return to traditional schooling.
As I write this, school has not yet started back in my
state, but already many districts are offering exclu-
sively virtual learning or a virtual/in-person mix. Even
during in-person classes, the number of students will
be reduced so they can practice social distancing.
If schools in your area are taking similar precau-
tions, you would do well to follow in their foot-
steps. However, you don’t have to pull the plug on
all your afterschool programs — you just have to
adapt them! And who better to teach you how to
do that than Adam Parman, MAIA’s Afterschool
and Summer Camp Specialist.
For more than 25 years, Parman has run his own
school and coached other schools on how to succeed
with afterschool programs and summer camps. Using
that knowledge base, he developed a course model
20 MASUCCESS
designed specifically to deal with the changes school
districts across the country have implemented. Before
he released it to MAIA, he tested it in his own school.
When we launched his course, which revolves around
digital learning camps, we were blown away by the
results. Not only did Parman deliver a comprehensive
three-day live seminar, but he also provided an exten-
sive library of done-for-you marketing that includes
photos, posters, fliers, emails, videos and even social
media posts created with help from Cris Rodriguez,
MAIA’s Digital Marketing Specialist. We’ve had amaz-
ing feedback on this course and continue to hear about
the results schools are experiencing as they generate
extra income with Parman’s methods.
For many years, Parman has helped schools add
between $50,000 and $350,000 to their bottom lines.
He wants to share those systems so more schools
can benefit — not just with digital learning camps but
also with other ideas for afterschool classes, summer
camps and special events.
Now, we are ready to develop the next phase and
launch a monthly group-coaching program. It will focus
on summer camps and similar events, as well as ways
to generate income, improve marketing and so on.
Not only will members get coaching from Parman, but
they also will be able to tap into the vast knowledge of
Rodriguez. This will enable them to obtain the digital-
marketing knowhow they need to gain more students
and prospects at these events.
We are excited about this group-coaching program
because we know it will help schools get back on their
feet. Our coaches are fully committed to assisting you
every step of the way.
Read more about this coaching option in the cover
story. Stay up-to-date by checking out maiahub.com or
visiting our Facebook group, MAIA Hub. And, as always,
if you need help during these difficult times, reach out
to our coaches. You can schedule a free call to ask any
questions you may have at maiahub.com/connect. We
are here for you.
To contact Melissa Torres, send an email to
mtorres@masuccess.com.
I NNOVATORS
LEAD A N D T H E R EST
FA L L I N L I N E.
TORRENT | WAVEMASTER | BOB | VERSYS
SHOP TRAINING BAGS AT CENTURYMARTIALARTS.COM

“Century” is a registered trademark of Century, LLC. All rights reserved. © 2020 Century, LLC. #18363
MARKETING RESOURCE

True Value

WEEK ONE
November 2011

THE TIMELESS MESSAGE

FOR PARENTS AND
STUDENTS: MARTIAL Gratefulness: Gratefulness is being thankful or showing appreciation.

“
ARTS TRAINING IS ABOUT
MUCH MORE THAN JUST In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that

”
KICKING AND PUNCHING. makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.
~Brother David Steindl-Rast

GratEfulNEss
When we are grateful, we are thankful for Ask your students:
what we have. This can be the people in our 1. What are you grateful for?
lives, our health, our martial arts skills, and
2. Do you think about being grateful?
the positive things that we feel.
3. What can you do on a daily basis to show
We should be thankful for what we have and
your gratefulness?
work towards what we want by planning and
setting goals.

WEEK TWO
November 2011

“ Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a

present and not giving it.
~ William Arthur Ward
”
ThanKing OThErs
When we are grateful for someone or Ask your students:
something, we must tell the person how we 1. How do you feel when you are given a gift?
feel. This will make us feel good and it will
2. Do you tell the person who gave you the
also make the other person feel good.
present how you feel?
3. Do you send a thank you note, an e-mail
or call someone to tell them how grateful
you are?

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or get the download link from our Facebook page: fb.com/masuccess.

22 MASUCCESS
 WEEK THREE
November 2011

“ He who receives a good turn should never forget it; he who

does one should never remember it.
~Charron

”
AppREciATE WHAT You HAvE
Gratefulness is about being thankful for what Ask your students:
we receive or what we have. Thanking people 1. Do you like to give other people presents?
who gave us things is showing our gratitude.
2. Do you expect something back when you
When you give something to others, do it give someone something?
because you want to and not because you have
3. Do you think it is better to give than to
to. This way others will be grateful for what you
receive? Why or why not?
did for them.

WEEK FOUR
November 2011

“ He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which
he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
~Epictetus

”
WORK FOR What YOU Want
How do you feel when you want something but Ask your students:
don’t have it? Sad, angry, frustrated? Learn to 1. What can you do when you want something?
not be upset by what you don’t have. Instead,
2. Can you be patience until you get what
make an action plan to get what you want. Work
you want?
hard, practice, save money, and learn until you
have what you want. Be grateful that you can 3. Can you make a plan as to how to get what
set a goal and make it happen. you want?

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 23
 Questions and
Answers About
This Exciting
Method for
Boosting
Your
Revenue During
These Challenging
Times! By Adam Parman
A
s many of you reopen your martial arts schools, some
for the second time, you probably are looking closely
at your business model and contemplating what you
might do differently to battle the ongoing economic
struggles that stem from the global pandemic and the
shutdowns that ensued. No doubt you’ve noticed that
some of your peers seem overwhelmed by the challenges they’re
forced to face, and you’ve vowed to take action before you find
yourself in the same boat. Rather than reacting out of despera-
tion, you prefer to be proactive so you can succeed no matter
how tough an opponent the coronavirus is.
In this article, I will focus on one action you can take to thrive
during COVID: the creation of digital learning camps. Presented
below are 10 common questions school owners are asking, along
with the answers you’ll need before you decide whether this
solution is for you.
Question No. 1: What are digital learning camps?
They are small daily camps for kids between the ages of 8 and 14.
They’re designed to facilitate the online education of students
who are returning to school on a digital platform. The camps allow
parents to return to work while providing a safe environment in
which their children can complete the demands of online school-
ing in a manner that limits their exposure to the virus.
Martial arts school owners are in a unique position to provide
such a learning environment because of the close relationships
and trust their instructors have fostered with their families and
because of their ability to see to the physical fitness needs of
the children.
Question No. 2: Why is the demand for these
camps growing?
Parents need to get back to work, and they’re frantically search-
ing for a safe and healthy solution for their children’s schooling
while addressing the demands of their own jobs. Additionally,
school districts across the nation are implementing a variety of
back-to-school solutions in an effort to reduce the surge of new
COVID cases, but none of them is convenient for every parent.
This has caused many martial arts school owners to adjust to
meet these demands, and they’re reaping the financial rewards.
Imagine running a small camp every day in the morning and in
the afternoon and generating the profits that come from having
65 evening martial art students. Many school owners will find
that this is just what they need to get back on their feet.
Question No. 3: How does the method my school district
is using affect what I do with my digital learning camps?
School districts have three basic models to choose from: an
online model that has all instruction taking place digitally, a
hybrid model that includes in-person instruction on certain days
and digital instruction on other days, and an in-person model
that has instruction taking place in school but that still offers
parents who don’t feel comfortable sending their children back
to a physical school the option of digital learning.
Which option your district choses will affect how you run your
camps and what you charge. Why? Because you can charge more
for five days of service than you can for a hybrid model that
brings the children to you just three days a week.
Question No. 4: What is the going rate for camps?
To answer this, it helps to call facilities that offer similar services
in your area and ask what they charge. In most areas, you’ll notice
that the rate for digital learning camps is about 25-percent higher
than summer-camp pricing because of the greater demand.
Using the data you collect
The rate for for guidance, price your camps
competitively — without under-
digital learning estimating the cost of staffing.
Facilitating digital learning
camps is about camps is time-consuming for
25-percent your staff and will require lots
of attention to ensure that
higher than children are participating in
summer-camp daily meetings with their online
teachers while completing and
pricing. uploading their assignments.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 25
Question No. 5: How many staff members will I need to
facilitate the camps?
You’ll want to provide the best environment for the students
while maximizing your revenue. To that end, I suggest a ratio of
one staff member per six to seven children. If you prefer, you can
go with one facilitator and one assistant per 12 to 14 kids.
Remember that digital learning camps are unlike day camps or
summer camps. Because ensuring that each child completes daily
assignments and submits schoolwork is so time-consuming, digi-
tal learning camps require much more individual attention.
Question No. 6: What would be my revenue goal for
hosting camps?
Here, the notion of beginning with the end in mind will prove
valuable. If you know the revenue you’ve lost, you’ll know how
much money you need to make to get back where you were. Of
course, generating more than that will help your business thrive.
Thinking this way enables you to easily adjust your camp pric-
ing to meet your goal. Keep in mind, however, that camps need
to be limited to small numbers of students to meet local health
and social distancing requirements, as well as to ensure your
ability to service the children.
26 MASUCCESS
Question No. 7: So what is my potential revenue?
It varies according to the size of your facility, the staff that’s
available and the restrictions your state and local govern-
ments have placed on group size. That said, most martial arts
schools that hold camps are getting between 12 to 28 camp-
ers a week with weekly pricing that ranges from $180 to $280
per camper.
Crunching those numbers reveals that a camp with 12 partici-
pants paying $200 a week would gross $9,600 a month.
Question No. 8: What would a daily schedule look like?
This depends on the expectations and workload of your local
school districts. Some martial arts school owners are seeing
minimal workloads for students, while others report that some
teachers are holding daily chat meetings for hours at a time
and have monstrous homework expectations. It’s best to be
prepared to accommodate both ends of the spectrum with addi-
tional supplemental materials and early drop-off hours for those
teachers who begin their online classes at 7:30 a.m.
Most digital learning camps open between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
for those students who must start early and offer morning activi-
ties for students whose schools elect to begin later. The camps
facilitate online learning into the early afternoon, say 2 p.m. to 3
p.m., and then end their services with a fun martial arts class.
Question No. 9: How do I staff my camps?
Most school owners have little to no problem finding qualified
people to administer their camps because of higher-than-normal
unemployment rates. You’ll need one main facilitator to run
things and oversee the learning experience. This person will need
to be at least 21 years old and have experience working with chil-
dren. If you can find someone with a background in early child-
hood education or someone who used to work as a public school
teacher, that can be a huge selling point.
You’ll also need an assistant for camps that host more than 10
students to manage their schedules and help with assignments.
The ideal candidate for this position is someone who’s 16 to 20
years old and has a flexible schedule that permits him or her to
work four hours a day.
I suggest budgeting $3,000 to $4,000 a month in payroll
expenses for both positions.
Question No. 10: What is the best way to market digital
learning camps?
To answer this question, I will pass the mic to Cris Rodriguez …
Adam Parman is a Martial Arts Industry Association consul-
tant who owns schools in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s worked for some
of the biggest names in the industry, including Keith Scott, Joe
Corley, Bill Clark, Mike Metzger and Frank Silverman. To contact
him, send an email to aparman@masuccess.com.
YOU’VE DECIDED TO HOST
DIGITAL LEARNING CAMPS.
GREAT! HOW DO
YOU MARKET
THEM?
By Cris Rodriguez
N
ow that you understand what digital learning camps
are, whom they’re crafted for and how they’re run,
it’s time to fill the openings in yours. More than likely,
you will have less than 15 spots to fill because of social
distancing guidelines, capacity limits and the number
of staff members you have or will hire (with an eye on
keeping payroll costs down).
Depending on the size of your evening martial arts program
active count and your afterschool program count, you may need
to leverage only a few levels of marketing, as many schools will
be able to fill their digital learning camps from their own student
base. Before we dive into the seven levels of marketing, how-
ever, it’s imperative that you understand what an avatar is.
A customer avatar is a representation of your ideal customer
— the type of person you want to purchase your services. The
perfect customer is someone who will spend big, make repeat
purchases and promote your academy to others. This is the type
of person you want to attract.
Without nailing down your customer avatar, you’re left hop-
ing that people will see your message and then sign up for your
camps — which can be costly and ineffective. However, when
you know who your ideal customers are, where they spend their
time, what they want and how your camps can meet their par-
ticular needs, you will have the key ingredients for marketing
and sales success.
Level 1
Once you identify your customer avatar, you should address the
seven levels of marketing. The first is leveraging organic social
media. This refers to any social media activity that is not a paid
promotion and that utilizes free social media tools to build and
engage an online following.
Your Facebook Business Page and your Facebook Group are
two examples of organic social media. Posting on both is a great
way to spread word of your digital learning camps. One of the
most powerful features of organic social media is sharing — spe-
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 27
cifically, when your followers/students share your posts. More keting strategies — if you know how to leverage them. Blasting
shares means more prospects will see your offer. And the best out one-off emails or text messages is unlikely to get you the
part? It’s absolutely free. response you’re hoping for. In part, that’s because writing emails
is an art in itself called copywriting. Copywriting is one of the
Level 2 most important elements of marketing and advertising. It con-
The second level of marketing is search engine optimization, or sists of using words, either written or spoken, to get people to
SEO. Search is one of the main ways people discover content take action. It’s basically writing to persuade, and it’s one of the
online. If you can rank higher on Google most sought-after skill sets in marketing.
when parents search for “digital You should send a minimum of three emails in your market-
learning camps,” this can lead to ing campaign. Make sure those emails address social
an increase in traffic to your proof, scarcity, reciprocity and authority with respect
website.
OUTSOURCING to your digital learning camps.

YOUR
The top website in
our industry, Market Level 4
Muscles, recently
began creating ONLINE MARKETING The next level of marketing is my personal
favorite: paid advertising. Four of the most
digital-learning- “Check us out if you’re looking to outsource your mar- popular platforms where you can leverage
camp landing pages keting,” Cris Rodriguez says. “We offer a complimentary the power of paid advertising are Face-
for its clients. These Lead Acceleration Zoom call where we do a full market- book, Instagram, Google and YouTube.
pages are built with ing audit on your business’ Facebook Page, ads, web- To be honest, though, running paid ads is
keywords, metatags, site, Google My Business listing and Google search. difficult. The platforms are always changing
backlinks and lead We uncover what you’re doing well, what needs their rules and procedures, it’s time con-
magnets to help school work and how we can help you gain more suming and it can be frustrating when the ad
owners capture lead infor- traffic and sign up more students.” manager is “bugging out.” Unless you have done
mation so they can follow up extensive deliberate learning and training on these
easily. What exactly does all that platforms, it’s probably best to hire a professional.
mean? It means that when someone If you’re going to use paid advertising, it’s essential to
in your community searches on Google for use video marketing. This refers to using video to promote your
“digital learning camps,” there’s a higher probability that your brand or offer on digital channels. Over the years, video has
website will show up near the top of the results. become the most consumed content online. It’s easily acces-
Another level-two option is to write a blog on your website sible, it’s engaging, it can be entertaining, it’s easy to digest and
that explains exactly what digital learning camps are, addresses it has the potential to offer a huge return on investment on the
frequently asked questions and outlines what your USP is. In many channels on which it can be used.
marketing, USP stands for unique selling proposition. The con- Be sure to call out your customer avatar in your videos, high-
cept helps you inform customers about how your service is supe- light the COVID-related precautions your academy is taking, dive
rior to that of your competitors. It highlights the benefits that into your USP and give a call to action.
are most meaningful to your customers.
With all the training options out there, you must make sure Level 5
that you highlight your USP so you can out-cool the competition The fifth level of marketing is what I consider the lifeline of our
and stand above them. business: the telephone. Not too many school owners enjoy
Anytime SEO is discussed, it must be mentioned that improv- making outbound phone calls, but it’s still one of the most
ing it takes time and that the best strategy is pairing it with paid important tools in our business.
advertising. Utilizing paid traffic to the landing page you have cre- Things you don’t necessarily enjoy are often easier if you
ated for your digital learning camps will give you far greater results. have a game plan. As a former MAIA client and now a MAIA
consultant, I’ve found that one of my favorite MAIA systems is
Level 3 the Four Steps of Selling. What I love about it is its simplicity
The third level of marketing is using your email and SMS when it’s used to make outbound marketing calls for your digital
lists. One of the most popular phrases in digital marketing learning camps.
is, “Always grow your list.” To that, I would add “with quality First, state the reason you are calling. Second, sell it. Third,
engaged contacts.” create urgency and scarcity. Fourth, close it. Follow these steps
To that end, your e-mail and SMS, which stands for short every time you make an outbound marketing call and watch as
message service, lists can be among your most powerful mar- the system gets results.

28 MASUCCESS
 Your current students
can influence
and encourage
discussions with
others in your
community to help
you fill your digital
learning camps.

Level 6 Nevertheless, you need to encourage them to be proactive

The sixth level of marketing is direct mail. This involves sending about it.
a physical piece of promotional material through the U.S. Postal This is when the power of referral programs and referral
Service or another courier. Because of the massive amounts of contests can come into play. With so many schools going
content that consumers digest every day online, using snail mail above and beyond for their students during the shutdowns,
to send a promotional offer to a targeted group is a great way to many of your students and their families will be more than
“cut through the noise.” happy to spread the word about your academy. You just have
My recommendation to keep marketing costs low is to com- to ask.
pile a list of the hot and warm leads that you’ve collected since
the beginning of the year. If they fit your customer avatar, mail Take Action
them a promotional offer for your digital learning camps with a Now that you know the seven levels of marketing, it’s time to
call to action. implement them. One of my favorite quotes about this subject
If you want to take it a step further and have the time, send comes from Peter Drucker, who has been
them a handwritten message. It’s guaranteed to stand hailed as the father of modern man-
out from the junk they receive in their mailbox and agement: “The two most impor-
therefore will have a greater chance of being read.
MAIA TO tant functions of a business are
innovation and marketing.”
Level 7
The seventh level of marketing is face to
THE RESCUE! Clearly, you have been
innovative in deciding
To help school owners like you launch digi-
face/word of mouth. While this is the most to offer digital learning
tal learning camps, the Martial Arts Industry
powerful method, it also requires the most camps, a service that
Association has created an online course that
sweat equity and, with the current state of parents need. Now, all
provides support materials, prerecorded videos,
the world, can seem nearly impossible to use you have to do is market
coordinating notes, a complete arsenal of
right now. them.
social media ads, fliers, a supply list and
Face-to-face marketing — setting up booths
more! Go to maiahub.com/courses
at festivals, open houses and community events
to get started.
— is one of the most effective (and time-consuming) Cris Rodriguez has a black
ways to gain qualified leads. However, because of belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a third
COVID-19, most states and counties are not allowing fes- degree in taekwondo. The co-owner of
tivals, open houses or community events. Although that can Gracie PAC MMA, she has 25 years of experi-
make it difficult to leverage this strategy, there are ways to ence in the martial arts and 18 years of experience as a teacher.
facilitate word-of-mouth marketing. Based in Tampa, Florida, Rodriguez has studied internet mar-
Your current students can influence and encourage discus- keting for eight years and is the founder of Grow Pro Agency, a
sions with others in your community to help you fill your digi- digital-marketing firm that runs Facebook and Instagram ads
tal learning camps. They just might not be doing it in person. for martial arts school owners.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 29
WELCOME TO
THE FUTURE!
Let Century Direct Be Your Online Store and You
Can Facilitate Your Students’ Gear Purchases
Without Ordering Product or Stocking Inventory!
BY SARAH LOBBAN
A
s you well know, 2020 has been
a tough year for the martial arts
world — especially for school own-
ers. The COVID-19 pandemic has,
perhaps irrevocably, changed how
our industry does business.
By their very nature, the martial
arts have always been up close
and personal. A dojo is not, historically speaking, a place that’s
intended for social distancing. It’s meant to effectively and
efficiently let as many people as possible learn within a given
space. Sparring, grappling and other daily training activities all
bring people much closer than the recommended 6 feet. Because
of the threat posed by COVID, many martial arts school own-
ers have had to put a temporary stop to in-person training and
make a drastic pivot to virtual lessons.
Despite the unfamiliarity of teaching through a computer
screen, martial arts school owners and instructors have done a
fantastic job of keeping the arts alive and their classes strong.
As states reopen, students have begun trickling back in; how-
ever, the threat of a new outbreak still hangs overhead. School
owners must now work to retain students who may or may not
be able (or willing) to show up to class.
32 MASUCCESS
One of the challenges in keeping students’ attention is the
lack of gear. Although most students own some personal equip-
ment (sparring pads, helmets, gloves), many relied on their
school’s ability to provide larger, shared items like body shields,
heavy bags and so on. Without them, training becomes limited.
Limited training breeds less interest, and a loss of interest spells
the death of student retention.
On the other hand, students who own larger pieces of gear —
especially bags — are more likely to continue their training and
maintain their memberships even while at home. In part, it’s
because they have more ways to train. They can work through
drills by themselves on a bag, or have an older sibling or parent
hold mitts. And speaking of parents: Those who have invested in
gear are less likely to let their children drop out.
So getting gear into your students’ hands is clearly a win-win.
But then the dilemma: How do you get it there most efficiently?
If your school is closed, so is your pro shop. Even worse, now is
not the time many school owners want to spend a lot of money
stocking up on inventory. Sure, you can let your students go
through Amazon or retail stores — or even scour garage sales in
search of used gear — but none of that helps your bottom line.
That’s where Century Direct comes in. This redesigned and
relaunched program from the United States’ premier martial
arts equipment supplier comes just in time for schools that are
struggling to turn a profit in the age of COVID. Without spending
a dollar, stocking a single shinguard or even coming within 6 feet
of another person, you now can set up a system that allows your
students to access thousands of Century products — and you’ll
get paid for it.
The main brain behind Century Direct is Tu Le, creator of the
MyStudio platform. Le is also a martial arts instructor and, along
with his wife, the co-owner of InCourage Martial Arts, which boasts
five locations in Virginia. He created MyStudio initially for his own
team as a way to simplify administrative tasks and allow staff
members to focus on what they love most: teaching. Century Direct
follows the same premise, taking care of mundane, time-consum-
ing and bureaucratic work. Ideally for these times, it also removes
the need for human-to-human contact in many scenarios.
Not only did Le help design Century Direct, but he also uses it
at his schools. That’s why I thought, Who better to give you an
inside look at the program?
MASuccess: When did you start developing Century
Direct, and what inspired it?
Tu Le: We started developing the technology to power the Cen-
tury Direct platform two years ago. After a great discussion with
Mark Hammond at the SuperShow in 2018, our team felt that
this was a great opportunity to help propel the industry forward.
MAS: What problems does Century Direct solve?
Le: It takes a [martial arts school] operator an estimated 15
minutes to fulfill one retail order — purchasing inventory, stor-
ing the equipment, and servicing and fulfilling the order. That
means taking four orders a day would come out to be one hour,
or 13 percent of an eight-hour workday.
Century Direct allows [school owners] to pick items that we
want to sell from our custom online retail store, and when a
customer buys a product, Century ships it straight to their door.
We get money in our account the next day. This frees up five
hours per week for every studio operator to focus on creating
and keeping their students — and this is quite significant to the
industry as a whole.
MAS: What has it been like collaborating with Cen-
tury Martial Arts?
Le: Safety and security is the top priority for us, and that aligns
perfectly with the mindset of the leaders at Century.
MAS: Besides Century, what companies have you
partnered with to make Century Direct?
Le: Amazon Web Services and Chase Bank. This allows us to
have the best-in-class customer data protection and secure-
payment system in the industry. And that’s what is powering
the Century Direct platform.
MAS: Your schools use Century Direct. What ben-
efits have you seen?
Le: There’s simply no other product in the marketplace that
offers what Century Direct does. It totally changed the way we
approached our business at InCourage Martial Arts.
We no longer need storage rooms/space for student equip-
ment. We only carry uniforms and T-shirts now at our studios.
Students buy sparring equipment from our app, and it’s deliv-
ered to their door.
Wrong size? Cen-
tury will handle
the return and
customer service.
No more cus-
tomer complaints
about an item
that they ordered
two months ago.

Century Direct Step-by-Step

1 Go to CenturyDirect.com.

2 Click “Get started.” This will direct you to MyStudio. Don’t worry! This is right where you’re supposed to be.

3 If you don’t already have one, create a MyStudio account. It’s free, and you don’t have to purchase any additional
MyStudio services (although you might want to check them out). This account is what will enable you to get money
from your sales, so make sure you set it up correctly.

4 Enter your account number.

5 Start adding products. You can choose from Century’s thousands of SKUs to create a shopping site that’s perfectly
tailored to your students and your art.

6 Post the link to your store on your website, Facebook page or wherever your students will have easy access — and
make sure you let them know they should buy from you to support their school.

7 If you have questions about any part of the process, contact the Century or MyStudio teams.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 33
 We can now sell Wavemasters, KicKing shields, targets and so
many other things without worrying about how we would store
them, finding the money to buy them or wondering if students will
want them if we do buy them.
All the time and energy that was spent on this before is now
poured into projects and tasks that are creating [new members]
and keeping our current members during this pandemic.
MAS: What feature do you think school owners will
like most?
Le: The next-day deposits of the difference [between] retail and
wholesale — while doing none of the fulfillment and administrative
work of selling retail.
MAS: How can Century Direct help school owners
through the COVID pandemic?
Le: We are seeing high demand for gym and martial arts equipment
for home practice. A studio with Century Direct will have the capabil-
ity to ship products to their customers who are choosing to practice
at home. This is a big differentiator and a competitive advantage for
studios that are powered by the Century Direct platform.
6 Reasons to Choose Century Direct
❱ It’s Totally Free
There is no fee to sign up. All you need is a valid
Century Martial Arts wholesale account (which is
also free, in case you’re wondering). There are no
maintenance fees, membership fees, one-time charges
or recurring costs of any kind — no matter how much
your students buy from you.
Century does take a 10-percent processing fee from
every order; however, that is calculated and deducted
before you are paid your share of the profits. In other
words, no money will ever be taken out of your account
— except by you.
❱ It’s Easy to Set Up and Use
Creating your own online shop can take months and
require thousands of dollars in programmer fees. And
after that, you still have to maintain it, update it, keep
tabs on inventory, and manage shipping and delivery.
The smart alternative is to set up your own unique shop
through Century Direct, stock it with hundreds of items
and not worry about a thing.
❱ It Uses Exactly Zero Dojo Space
Some school owners keep their pro-shop inventory
behind the counter, in the mop closet, squashed into
boxes in the corner or even at home. Not only is this a
hassle, but even the simple fact of keeping inventory is
limiting — realistically, how much variety can you expect
to stock if you have to physically store every single item?
And that’s not taking into account how much it costs to
stock up in the first place. Speaking of which …
34 MASUCCESS
MAS: What do your staff and students think of
Century Direct?
Le: Century Direct has created a totally new and more
effective business model for running a martial arts or fit- T
ness studio. Our team members at InCourage Martial Arts
will never have to look for sparring equipment in our stor-
age room again. That storage room is now a staff break
room for us. We only store limited uniforms and T-shirts at
our front desk.
Our customers are blown away when we tell them that
their equipment will be shipped directly to their homes. This
adds a professional “wow” factor that we could have never
had before. Meanwhile, we’re making the most money we
have ever from retail sales. How? [We’re] selling a lot of
Wavemasters and larger items that we did not want to spend
the money to buy or [have] the room to store.
Sarah Lobban is the associate publications editor for the
Martial Arts Industry Association.
❱ It Takes the Guesswork Out of Inventory Management
As Tu Le said, it makes sense to have some items in stock
in your in-school pro shop: T-shirts, popular uniform
sizes, and any novelty apparel or common gear that fits
your school’s needs. However, stocking too far outside
that range is gambling. For example, you shouldn’t have
to stock a full range of sparring gear in every color for
the one student who is much smaller (or larger) than the
rest on the off chance that the family dog might chew
up a glove on a weekend. Create a Century Direct page,
and let the student do the ordering the minute Fido gets
ahold of the gear bag.
❱ It Generates Extra Retail Revenue
You’ll save money up front by not having to buy
inventory, but you’ll also get paid whenever students buy
from your Century Direct site. You earn the difference
between the retail and wholesale prices (minus the
10-percent shipping and processing fee).
Here’s an example: Two popular items are the Original
Wavemaster bag and Brave Boxing Gloves. Their
wholesale costs are $140 and $25, respectively. They retail
for $180 and $37. That’s a difference of $52. Subtract the
processing fee (10 percent of $52 is $5.20), and you’ve
just made $46 and change — without lifting a finger.
The money will be deposited in the bank account that’s
associated with your account on the next business day.
❱ It’s Contactless
Enough said.
THE BAND IS BACK

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BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP
3 Crucial Decisions You Need to Make
H
ello, my friends. I hope you all are
doing well and finding ways to suc-
cessfully navigate these difficult
times. In this column, I want to talk
about three crucial decisions that leaders need to
BY NGUYEN make to survive our current chaos.
“TOM” GRIGGS I ask that you bear with me. The stories I will
use involve airline crashes, and the details are not
pleasant. However, all are relevant to the situation
that now faces the martial arts community.
“Use virtual • In 2015, Maria Murillo, 18, and her 1-year-old sur-
platforms and vived the crash of a small Cessna airplane in the
social media Colombian jungles. They spent five days on the
banks of a river, surviving on coconuts and col-
private rooms
lected rainwater. When they were found, rescuers
to their fullest were astounded to learn that despite having sus-
extent. Think tained burns and broken bones, the woman had
about how you been able to run from the burning plane while
can present carrying her child.
• Bahia Bakari, 14, was the sole survivor of a 2009
aspects of your
crash of an airliner that claimed the lives of 151 peo-
curriculum ple. She spent 13 hours adrift in the Indian Ocean,
in a different holding onto wreckage to keep from drowning.
manner.” • Annette Herfkens, 31, survived a 1992 plane crash
in Vietnam that took the lives of everyone aboard,
including her fiancé. After dragging herself from
the site, she subsisted on whatever sources of
water she could find. Despite having a collapsed
lung, a displaced jaw and a fractured hip, she
remained calm and meditated to stay centered.
In each case, the survivors made crucial decisions
that helped them avoid what seemed like inevi-
table death. Specifically, they made the decision to
live, the decision to use whatever resources they
could and the decision that their futures mattered.
Let’s explore each of these.
No. 1: Decide to Live
In each case study, the survivors decided to remove
themselves from danger so they could find a path
to safety. Murillo’s situation was more complicated
because she also had to care for her child.
Takeaway: The pandemic presents health risks
and economic turmoil. Many businesses have been
hurt, and some have closed. Even though you are
struggling, you must decide to remove yourself from
36 MASUCCESS
any mindset or attitude that could cause further harm.
If you are fortunate to still have an open business, you
must separate yourself from the things that could hurt
you and your school. I doubt Murillo and her child would
have survived if she had chosen to stay in the wreckage.
Similarly, you have to remove yourself from practices
that aren’t working and rid yourself of attitudes and
beliefs that are keeping you in a bad place mentally and
emotionally. If you don’t have hope and work from faith,
you’ll stay in the proverbial wreckage and suffer.
No. 2: Decide to Use Every Possible Resource
It’s difficult to imagine clinging to airplane wreckage in
the ocean for 13 hours, not knowing if you will receive
help. But just as Bakari did, you need to look around and
use every resource you can find to keep going.
Takeaway: Use virtual platforms and social media
private rooms to their fullest extent. Think about how
you can present aspects of your curriculum in a differ-
ent manner. For example, my dojo, a traditional Japa-
nese jujitsu school, has adopted simple but fun kata
that work for us. Students are improving their memo-
ries, focus and basics. The parents are happy, and the
kids are learning.
Another resource is your former students and parents
of current students. Ask them to help promote your
school and spread the word. Sometimes simply asking
people to introduce you to others can open all kinds of
doors. Remember that if you don’t ask, you won’t get.
Unless you ended on bad terms, most former students
and parents probably won’t mind helping you, especially
during these times.
No. 3: Decide That Your Future Matters
Herfkens lost her fiancé and sustained terrible injuries,
but she knew her time here was not yet done. She
decided that her future mattered. You have to make
that same decision. Then you must ask yourself, What
activities am I engaged in that will help build my future?
Takeaway: Don’t get drawn into social media battles
over politics, face masks, vaccines, etc. This, too, is
looking out for your future. Is the comment or article
you’re about to post or share one that will add to or
detract from your image as a leader?
This pandemic will subside, and people will remember —
as Maya Angelou once noted — how you made them feel.
Don’t put out something that you cannot take back.
BY TERRY L. WILSON

For two decades, Mike Storms has owned a 6,000-square-foot
school. For the past 15 years, he’s grossed more than half a mil-
lion dollars a year — in a town with a population of less than
10,000. In part, that’s been possible because of Habits of Health,
a program he designed to improve his quality of life, as well as
that of his students and their families. Now, school owners across
the country are using it to battle the impact COVID-19 is having
on their businesses.
arts students and their families in the fields of nutrition, fit-
ness and well-being, Storms sought to help them understand
the importance of health in the battle against the coronavirus
and the treatment of other chronic medical issues. An integral
part of the subject matter is learning how and why certain
foods are like medicine — while other foods are poisons.
The genesis of the concept was Storms’ desire to shed a few
pounds. “About two years ago, I was coming up on my 55th birth-
day, and as an eighth-degree black belt, I decided to challenge
myself to get in really good shape again to fit into my Marine

T he pandemic and the lockdowns that ensued forced

martial arts schools to engage in a fight for their lives.
After months of little to no income, some schools closed forever.
dress-blue uniform,” he said. “After losing the weight, everyone at
the school noticed the change in my energy and appearance. My
students began asking me how I did it, so I talked to them about
Others were treading water. To do more than just survive, a proper nutrition and how it affects your health and the way you
school owner had to think outside the box, which is exactly what look and act. After that, the program just fell into place.”
Mike Storms did. When people approached Storms with questions, he would do
Realizing that martial arts were all about self-defense, he a quick health assessment so he could guide them toward their
began teaching his students how to fight lifestyle illnesses goal. “We’d discuss their current eating regimen and daily hab-
with healthier habits and improved nutrition. Along the way, he its, then I’d offer healthy options based on documented scien-
developed a program that anyone can use to generate additional tific results,” he said. “I now offer this program at my school and
income while helping people lose weight, boost sleep quality and to my students’ parents, their older brothers and sisters, and
energy levels, and transition to a healthier lifestyle. individuals who have zero interest in martial arts.
“We added a nutrition program to our school 21 months ago “I’ve implemented this at the dojo with before-and-after pho-
called Habits of Health, and that is why we are not only sur- tos on the wall. People come in and see the changes in all of us
viving the pandemic but and are blown away by the transformation.
are thriving,” Storms said. “We also do a Habits of Health seminar once a quarter and
“Because of the pandemic, What to Watch invite people [to come] for free to learn about what we’re doing
people are more concerned “Just like a kata is a and how they can not only lose weight and become nutritionally
sequence of techniques
about their health than ever sound but also, if they desire, become a coach and mentor with
that must be practiced
before. They realize that daily, we have specific their own clients. Our program caught fire within the community
being overweight and out must-do’s to maintain ideal because we were addressing the No. 1 problem in our country
of shape isn’t about how health,” Mike Storms said. today, which is the obesity epidemic.”
They include:
you look in a bathing suit;
◗ getting sufficient sleep
it’s about how those extra ◗ maintaining energy levels DANGER OF DIETS
inches affect your overall ◗ ensuring proper hydration In our modern society, it seems as though each month, a new
health. If you are obese or ◗ managing bodyweight exercise guru pops up to pitch some gizmo to shape flabby
◗ eating nutritious food
have diabetes, COVID can frames into works of art. Others tout new diets that promise to
◗ exercising frequently
kill you.” ◗ managing stress have you swimsuit ready in time for summer. These fads seldom
By coaching his martial yield lasting results, Storms said.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 39
 “Diets don’t work,” he said. “The key to long-term life trans- have taught us that virtual is
formation is breaking bad habits. The psychology in that is diets the way of the future. “Every- A Father’s
are temporary. When a person reaches a certain goal, they go off thing we do is individual coach- Inspiration
Mike Storms’ passion
the diet because they’ve accomplished their goal of losing 5, 20 ing done on the internet,” he
for nutrition stemmed
or whatever [number of] pounds they wanted to drop. From a said. “For 10 minutes a week, from his love for his dad.
psychology perspective, that is absolutely the wrong way to go I speak with my clients about Although his father was
about achieving a lifelong transformation.” their goals and the actions they a man of great accom-
plishments, he devel-
Contrary to popular belief, Storms said, success is not just a are taking. We do Zoom calls
oped unhealthy eating
matter of self-discipline or willpower; it’s about developing benefi- each week to help our clients habits. They continued
cial routines. “It’s vital that we drink 64 ounces or more of water and coaches learn and celebrate despite his son’s admon-
a day, and you can up your metabolism by 20 to 40 percent by their accomplishments. ishments to embrace a
healthier lifestyle based
getting eight hours of sleep and tapping into the power of your “There are no long-term
on sound nutrition.
circadian rhythm. This is accomplished by going to bed and get- licensing agreements involved,” “My father, who was a
ting up within 20 minutes of the same time every day and night Storms said. “For a school college baseball player
seven days a week — it changes your immune system, your brain owner to become a health at Cornell University and
a Marine Corps sniper,
function and your metabolism.” coach is only $199. I have
died of Type 2 diabetes
Storms bases his statements on studies done at Johns Hop- people that aren’t remotely that he gave himself,”
kins University and other research institutions. “All have proved interested in martial arts that Storms said. “I talked
that turning off insulin resistance is the key to health, well- are using this and making to him about exercise
being and brain function,” he noted. “For example, if you crave money. Of course, I have black- and nutrition most of his
life. A month before his
a jelly donut, a giant bowl of pasta or a chocolate candy bar, you belt instructors, school owners death, he said, ‘I guess
are in insulin resistance, dealing with the rising and crashing and fitness trainers, too. These I really should have lis-
of insulin. The body, at a cellular and psychological level, wants individuals are already work- tened to you.’”
what you’re giving it. So if you’re giving it sugar and fast, dirty ing as professional mentors to That was when Storms
noted that his martial arts
carbs, your body will continue to demand those types of foods. their students.”
school was serving only
“Conversely, when you feed your body vegetables and proteins Storms said his represen- 1 percent of his com-
and non-glycemic fruits, your body will want more of them. tatives use a script when munity but that 80 per-
Just by switching your metabolic system, you can get your body interacting with potential cent of the community
was interested in better
to desire what’s good for you. And the great thing about the clients. Because martial arts
health. “A light bulb went
body is that change for the better can happen in just a couple instructors often use scripts off inside my head, tell-
of weeks. In two weeks, your sleep and energy are restored, when meeting potential stu- ing me I had an opportu-
and the longer you’re on the habit train, the less you even think dents, most of them already nity to make up for some
stuff that my dad didn’t
about sugar cravings.” have the skills they need to
get to do in his lifetime
succeed. and save other people’s
BLACK BELT IN NUTRITION “Now they can become a lives in the process.”
Storms’ program offers clients a way to pass along a healthier black belt in nutrition and
lifestyle that’s affordable for all. “It’s a zero-ongoing-expense make a lot of money while helping people lose weight and have
program,” he said. “We don’t a better quality of life,” he said. “Just this month, our net grew
Sugar Is Not pay for advertising; advertis- over 10 percent, earning us around $14,000 from our Habits of
Your Friend ing is done on your school’s Health coaching service.
“Nearly 80 percent of the Facebook page and your “We are only at phase two of the COVID reopening. I’m only
people who are suffering
personal Facebook page. My allowed to have 17 students in my building at a time. The income
from anxiety and depres-
sion are because of what health program is an add-on from my health coaching is allowing me to keep my doors open.
they eat,” Mike Storms said. revenue, an additional pro- This program has been a lifesaver for us and for school owners in
“Your food dictates your gut gram that is all net — which is other states.”
health and brain function.
the reason school owners are
So people are sad.”
Once they reduce their coming to me. I have clients
sugar intake, however, in 42 states. This is a com- For more information about Mike Storms and Habits of
things begin to change. plete virtual business for the Health, visit stormshealth.com.
“Sugar should come in a
school owner.”
package with a skull and
crossbones on it,” he said. He noted that whether we About the author: Terry L. Wilson is a freelance writer and mar-
like it or not, recent events tial artist based in San Diego.

40 MASUCCESS
Nutrition Is a Form of Self-Defense
Mike Storms decided that
he needed to address
health-related issues in his
school and in the community
at large, specifically with
respect to obesity, so he
connected it with the concept
of self-defense. “Lifestyle
illnesses are the top 10 kill-
ers of men and women in
the United States,” he said.
“These people aren’t victims
of carjackings, rapes, mug-
gings or home invasions;
they die from a lifestyle of
bad habits.
“As a martial artist, you
train to defend yourself and
your loved ones against
someone who means to harm
them. To be relevant today,
self-defense [must include]
self-care because it is that
poor lifestyle that will attack
you. Good nutrition habits are
your defense.
“Most of the lifestyle dis-
eases people get are prevent-
able through nutrition. Some
people complain about their
back hurting, their knees
aching, being too tired to go
here or to do this — a lot of
that can be remedied, even
repaired, by a change of life-
style. It’s easy to blame a bad
back on an injury when the
real culprits are the carbs and
sugars you’ve stuffed into your
face over the years. From my
own experience, I can tell you
that it is possible for a person
to regain the level of fitness
they had in their late teens
and early 20s. But you’ve got
to want to, and you must be
willing to put forth the effort!”

“Most of the lifestyle

diseases people
get are preventable
through nutrition.”

TOP 10 FOODS
TO AVOID,
ACCORDING TO
MIKE STORMS
1. soda, both regular and diet
2. fried food
3. candy, cookies, ice cream, bakery sweets
4. sugary coffee drinks
5. potatoes, French fries, potato chips
6. corn and things made from corn
7. fast food
8. most juices
9. sugary breakfast cereals
10. high-glycemic fruits

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 41
IN THE CLASSROOM

It’s Easy to Give Up Too Soon. Don’t!

I
am an outdoor enthusiast. Hiking,
biking, climbing, training — it doesn’t
matter. If it takes place outside, I
BY DAVE KOVAR
love it. Some time ago, I went on an
intense mountain-bike ride with two friends. We
picked a challenging course near Forest Hill, Cali-
“We owe it to our fornia. I do a decent bit of cycling on the road, but
communities it had been years since I pushed myself on a moun-
tain bike on a hard trail.
and students
Both my friends had better bikes and a lot more
to improvise, trail experience than I, but I did my best to keep
improve and up, and we had a great time. The ride illustrated to
adapt. We me one of the wonderful things about martial arts
need to find a training: The attributes of balance, timing, strength,
flexibility and focus carry over to other activities.
way to adjust (Another bonus became evident that day: I had only
to this new one crash but managed to avoid injury.)
environment.” The highlight of the trip was swimming in the
American River after the ride. We picked the per-
fect spot for it. The water was deep, calm and cool.
One of my friends mentioned that when he was in
college, he used to pick up a large rock and try to
walk across the river in this very spot. Of course, I
had to try it.
I found a suitable rock, probably around 30
pounds, and began to make my way to the oppo-
site side. As the river got deeper, I did my Wim
Hof breathing so I could absorb as much oxygen
into my system as possible before my face went
under. Once I was fully submerged, I stayed calm.
I knew I could do it. All I had to focus on was tak-
ing one step after another until I reached the
other side.
I was doing great and was certain I was almost
there — and then a voice in my head started saying,
“You better quit now. You are not going to make it.
It’s too far.”
I tried to block out the voice and stay calm
because I knew I still had plenty of oxygen in my
system. Sometimes, however, once fear grabs you,
it’s all over. This was one of those times. I dropped
the rock and made a dash for the surface, only to
find that I was literally two steps from completing
the journey. Ugh!
This experience got me thinking about how often
we give up without knowing that a major victory is
just two steps ahead of us. Many martial arts busi-
nesses are experiencing the hardest times they’ve
ever seen right now. We hear about schools closing
every week, and it’s not hard to understand why.
It’s difficult to run a school under the best of cir-
cumstances; it’s even harder with COVID-19 rearing
its ugly head.
In these challenging times, I encourage all of you
to double down on your commitments and work
harder and smarter than ever. Remember that
the world needs what we have to offer. We owe
it to our communities and students to improvise,
improve and adapt. We need to find a way to
adjust to this new environment.
Adversity doesn’t make a person; it reveals the
person. This is our chance to step up. I encourage
everyone to join me in striving to be a little extra
compassionate, a little extra calm and a little extra
confident in the face of adversity. Often, the dif-
ference between ordinary and extraordinary is that
“little extra.”
To contact Dave Kovar, send an email to
dave.kovar@kovars.com.

42 MASUCCESS

Cover_OCT_20
Cover_OCT_2018.indd 2 8/1/18 5:18 PM MP 81:5 8
 A. Perri Jr.
By Michael
T
his year has been one for the ages, with
the wildfires, hurricanes, riots, a polar-
ized country and, of course, the global
pandemic. Many businesses have been so
severely impacted that they’ve been forced to shut their doors
for good. This includes some of our fellow martial arts profes-
sionals, people who were making a career out of sharing their
passion. Although we’ve suffered setbacks, our industry still
boasts people who are not only surviving but also thriving.
Schools that had the systems in place have managed to pull
out record months financially regardless of the trials and tribu-
lations they faced.
I’m talking about schools like Caleb and Heidi Collier’s Cham-
pionship Martial Arts in Kaysville, Utah, where they took the
systems and strategies of CMA’s Holiday Event and applied it to
their “Christmas in July Sale.” It transformed what was regarded
as a slow time of the year into one of their most profitable
months ever —in the middle of a pandemic!
You may be asking yourself, “How could they have had that
kind of success with all the obstacles we’re facing?” The answer
boils down to what Dave Kovar said on an episode of The
Metzger/Tassoul Show: “Find a freakin’ way!”
That’s what the Colliers and many other school owners did
with a little help from the tried-and-true system created by
Championship Martial Arts. This article will highlight the finer
points of hosting a successful Holiday Event and offer some tips
on how to approach it in a socially distanced environment.
Regardless of what’s going on in your world, you have the abil-
ity to take a four-hour period and turn it into a profit-generating,
retention-increasing, feel-good event that will make an impact
on your life and your students’ lives for years to come. The great
thing is that whether your event is live and in-person, or virtual
and socially distanced, the concepts and strategies stay the
same (minus a tweak here and there). Let’s look at some of the
steps to success I wrote about last year.
Out With the Old, In With the New
The old standard used to be that there were two times of the
year you knew your school would have to brace itself for a strug-
gle. One was the middle of summer, and the other was the holi-
days in December. How could a martial arts school compete with
the winter’s cold, holiday parties and the excitement of pres-
ents? Through trial and error and by learning from the successes
and failures of others, the CMA team homed in on a system that
followed an old adage: If you can’t beat them, join them.
Mike Metzger and Frank Silverman, the founders and co-
owners of Championship Martial Arts Limited, not only own
eight martial arts schools but also have 70 licensees through-
out the United States and Canada. These schools decided to
be a part of the CMA family so they could partake in a group of
like-minded martial artists looking to make a positive impact
46 MASUCCESS
in their communities through their lifelong dedication to the
arts. In addition, they had a goal to refine the practices that
allowed them to turn their passion into profit. Through the
interaction of their licensees and the hundreds of martial arts
schools for which they’ve consulted during the past 18 years,
Metzger and Silverman created the ultimate system to make
your holiday season a success.
The concept of the holiday sale was one of those systems that
they knew needed to be tweaked. Instead of trying to compete
with every other retailer out there, though, they turned the
concept on its heels. They stopped referring to it as a sale in the
first place. With this change in thinking, gone were the days of a
holiday sale, and in came the idea of a Holiday Event. The notion
of a “holiday event” gives every student and family member a
reason to come to your school — to celebrate the season! This
simple mental shift turned decently attended holiday sales into
can’t-miss events. More bodies equaled more sales.
Retail Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Although retail is an important component of a Holiday Event,
it’s only one element. To maximize your success, you must
incorporate all five profit centers: new-member sales, upgrade-
program sales, special events, retention and retail.
New-member and upgrade sales include tuition, down pay-
ments and paid-in-fulls. Special-event sales include single
events such as parent’s night outs, testing and private lessons,
ideally packaging them so students can pay for multiple events
at once. You should also package your retail to create a win-win
for you and your members. You win because you get greater
sales, and they win because they get to save big on things they
want and need.
“You can’t stop there, though,” Metzger says. “There are three
components to generating more revenue: more customers in
attendance, more transactions per customer and more money
per transaction.”
Once you realize that your Holiday Event’s success relies on
multiple streams of revenue, you can begin focusing on attract-
ing as many people as possible.
Make It a Can’t-Miss Event
This sale needs to be more than just that. It has to be the can’t-
miss event of the year. Food, fun activities, prizes and giveaways
will help generate the excitement you need to make yours well-
attended. Don’t forget that great attendance is integral to your
Holiday Event success. Below is a list of features you can include
to get more people to attend:
• Set up a festive picture station in your school and have
someone dress up like Santa. Take pictures of your students
with Santa and post them on social media. You can even go as
far as having both Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Another big hit is to have
holiday photo ops with the instructors and students.
 • Have food and drinks for everyone. Bagels, donuts, pas- goal of hosting a financially successful event. You will need to
tries, coffee, orange juice, hot apple cider and hot cocoa are have available times every 15 minutes throughout the duration
fan favorites. You can get creative here and make it a pot-luck of the festivities.
event. Providing your attendees with a nice spread tends to Let students know that this will be the best savings oppor-
keep them around longer because — let’s face it — who doesn’t tunity of the year and that you would love to set a time to let
love free food? them know how much they can save on their program. Don’t tell
• Create a sense of urgency by giving every student a Holiday them the exact deal. Let each appointment know that you will
Event envelope containing a special coupon that’s redeemable decide the night before the event how much savings you’ll offer
only at the event when an instructor opens it. Hand out these for the holidays. Plan for each appointment to last 10 to 15 min-
envelopes to your students at the end of class in the weeks utes. This should not be a high-pressure sale at all. You’re simply
leading up to the event. Your students and families will be itch- giving them an opportunity. If they decide not to take advantage
ing to see what they get in their envelope. (If you’re a member, of it, that’s OK.
you can find this tool maiaedge.com.) This is why it’s imperative to schedule a minimum of 16
• Make sure your school is festive. When students walk in, appointments. That amounts to one appointment every 15
they should feel like they’re entering a world that’s different minutes for the duration of the four hours. If you have multiple
from the one they’re used to seeing. Lights, people on hand, you can potentially double
garlands and tinsel are a great start, but even or even triple that number of appointments.
tables with equipment can be decorated in a Let students know The schools that have the most appoint-
festive manner. Play holiday music through- ments end up with the greatest results.
out the day. You want people to feel good that this will be
Win/Win Solution:
about being there.
• To ensure that more people are engaged,
the best savings They Save and You Earn
hold a table-decorating contest. Have stu-
dents form teams of two and assign them to
opportunity of the The reason Holiday Events have proved so
successful for CMA schools is everyone wins
a themed table for the event — for example, year and that you at the end of the day. The students, the
a table for sparring gear, a table for uniforms, families and the school all come out on top.
a table for weapons, a table for upgrade pro- would love to set Because the biggest monetary investment
grams and so on. You can provide them with students can make in a studio is their tuition,
materials for decorating, or they can bring a time to let them they appreciate the opportunity to save sig-
their own. Order pizza for everyone to show nificantly. At our Holiday Event, we offer an
your appreciation. The day of the event, your know how much they additional 5 percent off their prepaid tuition
attendees can vote on which table is the best plus a credit for them to use on non-tuition-
looking. The team that gains the most votes
can save on their related items.
wins a $50 prize. That can be a gift card to
the store of their choice or $25 cash for each
program. This works particularly well when upgrading
students into higher-level programs such as a
person on the winning team. Black Belt Club or a Masters Club. At most of
• An out-of-the-box idea that one of our schools used the CMA-licensed facilities, those programs are three years long.
entailed making its event an ugly-sweater party, as well. The They can provide a large boost in cash flow at your event. Just
instructors dressed up in their ugliest holiday sweaters and think what you could do if you were to get 10 families to take
invited their students and families to join them. It’s an easy advantage of the deal. For demonstration’s sake, let’s say each
way for people to feel like they’re part of the team, to par- family paid $2,500. That would equate to $25,000 just in paid-
take in the holiday fun and, most important, to have a reason in-full tuition, and that doesn’t include anything else you bring
to attend. in at the event. Also, keep in mind that the average paid-in-full
price is likely to be much more than that.
Appointments You Set This same approach can be taken for members you want to
Will Equal Revenue You Get renew in their current program. The only stipulation is that they
Now that you’ve fostered the excitement needed to make will need to pay for 18, 24 or 36 months up front to take advan-
people eager to come to your Holiday Event, it’s time to set tage of the savings. When thinking renewals, it doesn’t need to
revenue-generating appointments. These meetings represent be only members who are expiring in December, January or Feb-
your opportunity to have students save big on their tuition. ruary. Anyone who wants to accept the offer can do so regard-
Each appointment is important in your efforts to reach your less of their expiration date.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 47
 If you don’t have an upgrade program, you still can use this profit centers. Testing fees, camps, parent’s night outs, private
system. Give your customers the opportunity to save money on lessons and birthday parties all belong in this category. Give a
their program, as well. To do this, present the option to pay in full 10-percent discount if they prepay testing fees through black
for 18, 24 or 36 months. By doing this, you will save them money belt. Sell a special-event punch card that allows students to get
and lock in their current program without any tuition increases. So 12 parent’s-night-out evenings or seminars for the price of nine.
whether you have only one training program or multiple programs, If you already sell private-lesson packages, sell them for a slight
you can use this strategy to generate revenue. discount the day of your Holiday Event. The goal is to not only
show and sell the benefit of these packages but also the value of
Packaging Your buying the package.
Other Profit Centers
A large portion of your Holiday Event revenue will come from
new students, upgrades and renewals, but you don’t want to Michael A. Perri Jr. is the COO of Championship Martial Arts
rely solely on them for your success. Recognize that other profit Ltd. and MAIA Edge. A martial artist since 1987, he has a fifth-
centers such as retail and special events are just as important. degree black belt in the CMA system, as well as a black belt in
Even though I’ve hammered home the idea that a Holiday American kenpo and chito-ryu. To contact him, send an email to
Event is more than just a retail blowout, you still need to maxi- mperri@championshipmartialarts.com.
mize your retail sales. Aside from providing
a set discount on merchandise, the best way
to generate higher retail sales is by giving a
greater markdown if customers purchase a
package. This can take the form of sparring-
gear packages, program-based training
packages, weapons-training packages, home-
training kits and so on. Your students and
their families will be looking for things to put
under the tree for themselves or loved ones.
Have these items on display so they can see
and touch them.
You also want to package those things that
fall into the special-event category of the five

A large portion of your Holiday

Event revenue will come from new
students, upgrades and renewals,
but you don’t want to rely
solely on them for your success.
Recognize that other profit centers
such as retail and special events
are just as important.

48 MASUCCESS
W
e’ve all had to pivot hard because
of COVID-19, and we’ve learned
some new skills along the way. One
of those skills is the ability to host
online meetings via Zoom, Microsoft Teams and GoToMeet-
ing, to name a few. These platforms were not part of the daily
operations at most martial arts schools before March 2020, but
they have given us the ability to keep business flowing even
when people can’t meet face to face.
If the pandemic is preventing you from having people come
to your school, remember what I said in the main article: It’s
all about the appointments you set. Even though you may not
have the pomp of an in-person Holiday Event, you can abso-
lutely thrive by going digital. Here are some tips to reach your
full potential when things have to be done online.
Overcommunicate
• Let everyone know about the changes that are happening
this year with your Holiday Event.
• Send out postcards with all the important information.
• Send a series of three emails to all families. The first one should
announce the date. The second should highlight some of the sav-
ings. The third should be a last-chance email letting them know
that there are limited spots available for appointments.
• Post announcements on your social media pages. Having a
12-day countdown creates excitement.
Set Your Appointments Online
• On the day of your Holiday Event, set up appointments as you
normally would.
• Creatae a separate virtual meeting for each appointment.
• Because you’re going virtual, schedule them 20 minutes apart
to accommodate attendees who may need to figure out the
sign-in process.
• Conduct the meeting in the same manner you would if it was
in person.
• Have documents to share onscreen to show the savings they
can enjoy.
Be an Assistant Buyer
• Meet with your team about each student and decide what
equipment would be beneficial for the person.
• Explain why this equipment will benefit the student and how
it will help his or her training.
• Create a file that shows the equipment, the regular price and
the sale price of each item.
• Share that file onscreen when talking about the equipment.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 49
These MAIA Members Faced
Off Against the Coronavirus
and Came Out on Top!
BY PERRY WILLIAM KELLY
 The
pandemic
has hit the world’s economy like a side kick that
knocks the wind out of a white belt in his first
tournament. It would have been simple enough if our industry
had could have followed the example of other small businesses
that shifted gears to stay afloat — for example, distilleries that
started making hand sanitizer and clothing companies that
began fabricating facemasks. This option, however, was not
available to us. Our end product — martial arts instruction — sim-
ply cannot morph into something else.
To help school owners cope with the fallout of the pandemic
and the shutdowns, MASuccess organized a virtual roundtable
with professionals from across the country who agreed to speak
about how they weathered the crisis. All are small-business
owners like you, and they were able to not only navigate the
COVID chaos but also beat the odds that the pandemic had
stacked against them.
Our Experts: the COVID Kickers
• Denisse Ramos is a fourth-degree black belt, as well as the co-
owner of and an instructor at Ramos Taekwondo in Tahlequah,
Oklahoma. She started training at age 6 in her native Mexico.
Upon moving to Tahlequah, she enrolled at Vann’s Taekwondo,
where she later volunteered for 10 years. After the school’s mas-
ter retired, Paula Thompson, a third dan and now the co-owner/
program coordinator at Ramos TKD, proposed opening their own
facility. Which they did.
• Bret and Katie Hamlin have owned and operated Sturgis
Academy of Martial Arts in Sturgis, Michigan, since 2015. They
are black belts in chung do kwan taekwondo and chun moo kwan
hapkido, as well as instructors in kali under Black Belt Hall of
Famer Apolo Ladra.
• Caleb and Heidi Collier are the owners of Championship
Martial Arts Kaysville in Kaysville, Utah. Caleb holds a third dan
52 MASUCCESS
in taekwondo and shotokan. He launched his karate school in
his parent’s basement and, after starting college, moved to a
commercial location, where he built it into, in his words, “a real
business.” He and Heidi recently celebrated their 15th year of
dojo operation.
• Nathan Halama moved to Wausau, Wisconsin, in 2005 and
opened Halama’s Martial Arts. Nathan started taekwondo at age
8. He used the training he received to steer clear of the alcohol
abuse that was rampant in his family and his town. He has a
sixth-degree black belt in the jidokwan style of the Korean art.
Topic: Communication Strategies
Question: How do you keep in touch with your students and their
families to ensure that you don’t lose anyone?
Halama said Facebook is among his primary communication
strategies. He also calls and texts his students to stay up to date
on their health status and make sure they know about upcom-
ing Zoom classes. “It is important to have a connection and give
them a level of reassurance that we’re taking actions to stay
safe,” he said.
For the Colliers, the job of keeping in touch with students is
at the forefront of their daily duties: “We call, email, text [and]
send personal videos to the students, [as well as use] Facebook
messages and posts. And we drop off belts and uniforms at
their doors.”
When they decided to transition to virtual classes, the Colliers
phoned every student before the move. “We also helped them
navigate the Zoom classes,” they said. “We had a weekly Face-
book live video, which we texted out to each parent.”
The Hamlins used the methods listed above, and they found
a student app that facilitated face-to-face communication.
“Two-way discussion helped us make sure we stayed very
connected to the students and parents and helped them see
how we would continue to offer the same level of benefits and
experience regardless of the medium used to provide the train-
ing,” Bret said.
Ramos stayed connected in a myriad of imaginative ways:
“Every Tuesday, we had lunch with our students via Zoom with a
different theme. [We] also had a painting competition. We had
a virtual belt promotion, and students were able to pick up their
belts drive-through style. When a new student enrolled, we per-
sonally delivered their uniform to their front door.”
Topic: Online Training
Question: What lessons did you learn as you transitioned to dis-
tance learning?
“We used Zoom as our platform for our regular classes and have
offered supplemental material in our app using Spark software,”
Katie Hamlin said. “We did have a few parents express concern
about the ‘Zoom bombing’ incidents they had heard about,
but we had already taken the necessary precautions to prevent
those so our parents felt confident about the platform.

“We were concerned about online learning causing a decline in
the quality of our students’ technique, but we were impressed
with them once they returned to in-person classes. We practice
a lot of striking and joint locks, and these students had gone
months without making contact with a person, target or heavy
bag, [but] they still showed power, application and accuracy.”
That’s not to say that computer learning is easy for everyone.
“We did have a few very young students struggle with online
learning,” Bret Hamlin said. “Several adult students struggled
with it, as well, just for different reasons. One of the big reasons
adults train in martial arts is for a healthy social activity, and
Zoom classes simply do not provide the same level of social
interaction as a regular live class [does]. But we are extremely
grateful to have access to technology like Zoom; it kept us going
during a really challenging time, and we learned a lot.”
Topic: Business Shifts and Pivots
Question: How did you navigate the uncertainty, and were there
any particular strategies that helped?
“One of the biggest shifts we did was in our mentality: How
were we going to make it work?” Ramos said. “If it works in
person, it has to work virtually. We did Black Belt Club nomina-
tions virtually the same way we do them at our school — except
through the computer. We sold retail virtually. We did enrollment
appointments virtually. Everything was done this way.”
For the Hamlins, adapting started with a return to the tried-
and-true. “We were understandably worried because we are
experiencing the most significant health and financial crises
in a century,” Bret said. “We realized we needed to go back to
working our systems, and this was not the time to change how
we’ve been doing things. We are MAIA Elite members, and the
systems we’ve learned from them have changed our lives both
pre-COVID and presently.”
But, as Katie Hamlin explained, they also pivoted toward the
new: “In May, we joined the Skillz and Hyper teams, and that
was a huge step for us. The resources available through the
programs were so helpful and lifted a huge weight off class
planning and, quite honestly, helped relieve a lot of stress for us.
Skillz and Hyper helped us plan upbeat, fun and exciting classes
that had our students making awesome progress, and our pro-
grams are better for it.”
The Colliers said they focused on making things easier for
students: “We set up easier ways to buy equipment and sign up
for trials, programs and private lessons digitally. After our March
belt testing, completed in the school but with no ceremony
because we shut down immediately after testing, we held a
drive-through belt ceremony. We delivered Black Belt Club nomi-
nations to kids’ doors with balloons and giant congratulation
signs! We went above and beyond to make sure our students
knew we were thinking about them.”
Topic: Marketing and Sales
Question: Have you used any marketing tools or sales opportuni-
ties specifically to address the pandemic?
Ramos said she participated in such programs: “We offered
at-home-training kits, which included a set of gloves, square
targets and a clapper pad. This helped collect revenue for the
school, while also helping parents train with their kids. Some
of our students already had at-home-training equipment, but
those who didn’t, we took care of them. We made calls to those
students who had stopped training because of spring sports,
[and] we offered them virtual training. Some came back since
they had no other sports to do.
“We also gave parents incentives such as a 10-percent dis-
count on programs once reopening took place, free parent’s-
night-out vouchers [and] retail discounts that can be used
any time.”
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 53

The Colliers mentioned a partnership program their school
ran: “We talked to each of our Partner in Education schools and
worked to offer an eight-week martial arts summer intro course.
Many of the schools agreed, and we got 103 summer trials for a
combination of virtual and in-person classes.”
Topic: Safety Precautions
Question: What preventive measures did you use to keep stu-
dents safe? (Many noted the same measures, so we’re listing
just a few of their ideas.)
“We did and still do temperatures checks and hand sanitizing,”
Ramos said. “We adjusted our schedule to 30-minute classes
with a block of time in between each class to clean and disinfect.
Each class held 10 students to keep numbers down. Parents
were very understanding about staying in their cars. If we had
siblings, cousins or a group of friends, we adjusted their class
time so they could do it [together]. This made it possible for us
to fit all our student base back into onsite training.”
Bret Hamlin said, “We have installed air purifiers that will run
nonstop throughout classes. Additionally, we will run an ozone
machine at night and have installed a UV light in our HVAC sys-
tem for sanitizing the circulating air.”
Halama said his team installed a new sidewalk to adjust traffic
flow into and out of the school. “We also renovated the gym to
eliminate changing rooms and create a whole new training room
to split up [students] into smaller groups,” he said. “Students
now come dressed in their uniform or they use the single-occu-
pancy changing room.”
The Colliers have their students line up outside on markers
spaced 6 feet apart. “They are admitted one at a time after
being temperature-checked and symptom-checked,” they said.
“They wear masks in line when entering and exiting the building.
Then they sanitize their hands and walk to their training square
54 MASUCCESS
“We decided that the
crisis brought us a
unique opportunity
because all our
competitors — soccer,
football, baseball,
etc. — were not being
practiced or played.”
where they train for the rest of their class. Masks are optional
while in the squares.”
Topic: Locations and Demographics
Question: Was your success during the pandemic tied to the loca-
tion of your school or the demographics of your student body?
The Hamlins said their small town’s population benefited their
business. “When many of the local sports and activities [were]
still being canceled because they [were] generally following the
rest of the state, people [were] searching for some kind of activ-
ity, and many [were] finding us and our martial arts programs,”
they said.
The Colliers answered similarly: “We decided that the crisis
brought us a unique opportunity because all our competitors
— soccer, football, baseball, etc. — were not being practiced
or played. We had thousands of parents in our county going
insane with kids trapped at home with nothing to do and
nowhere to go.”
The fact that Ramos is located in a town of 16,000 meant
that for her, attitude and business savvy were more important
than location. “I personally don’t believe demographics had
anything to do with the success or the failure of any school,”
she noted. “I believe the mentality of the instructors and staff
has 100 percent to do with the success. I know schools in Cali-
fornia and New York that were closed for five months and still
managed to succeed.
“But also being part of MAIA set us up for success. One of the
first things I remember hearing from Mr. [Mike] Metzger and
Mr. [Shane] Tassoul was having money set aside for rainy days.
Running a business as a business [rather] than a hobby really
made it possible for us to survive. Mindset is everything. Set
your goals and reach them. If you can’t, don’t change the goal.
Change the approach.”
Topic: Reliance on Martial Arts Principles
Question: Were there any principles that you relied on to keep
your business from being defeated?
Like the others, Ramos said that grit and determination were
key. “We wouldn’t be great instructors if we give up when things
get difficult,” she said.
The Hamlins added: “Excuses don’t get things done; hard work
does. Keep putting in the work, day in and day out. Don’t back
off, especially if it’s difficult.”
It was the Colliers who offered the reply that’s most likely to
resonate with their fellow martial artists: “When someone is
beating the tar out of you, you don’t hide in the corner and let
him kick the stuffing out of you. It isn’t time to back down; it’s
time to step it up. Hit harder and faster.”
Topic: Advice and Encouragement
Question: Are there any parting thoughts you would like to pass
on to readers to help them succeed during these tough times?
From the Hamlins: “Don’t give up. Persevere and stay disci-
plined. Whatever you have been doing, all the work you’ve been
putting in — keep at it. It will pay off, and things will get better.
More specifically, have your plans and systems in place and stick
to them. Don’t be afraid to adapt as needed, but stay disciplined
and true to your systems and procedures to both earn and keep
the trust of your students and to be successful in business.”
From Halama: “Always keep pushing forward even when it
doesn’t seem like [there will be] an immediate return. During
the two months of shutdown, things seemed pretty bleak. But
all the little things we did helped get us ready for reopening.
You need to get your ducks in a row when it’s slow so you can
use them when the opportunity strikes. Reach out and get help.
Keep strengthening your processes and systems, and keep work-
ing to make them better so you can make big changes in short
amounts of time.”
From the Colliers: “Be ready and be proactive. Have a plan for
marketing with and without COVID. Hope for the best but plan
for the worst. Plan how you’ll find and how you’ll teach new stu-
dents, even if you’re locked at home. This will not last forever.
Support your staff in every way possible — they will support you
and work harder.”
From Ramos: “One main thing everyone should do is have a
coach. I don’t mean a karate coach; [I mean] a business coach,
someone who will tell you what you are doing wrong without
babying you. Always have a plan B and a plan C. Be ready to pivot
at any time to make your business successful. If we get a second
wave of the virus, we already have plans on how to make [our
virtual program] even better. We have been working in the back-
ground [to be] ready for anything that hits us.”
Conclusion
In some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic can be compared to the
scene in The Karate Kid in which Daniel-san is practicing his
blocking while standing in the boat and Mr. Miyagi is rowing.
Unfortunately, most of us are doing a similar balancing act with
our businesses while storm clouds swirl overhead. None of us
knows when those clouds will disperse.
As we huddle to await the passing of the storm, we must stick
together, supporting each other with actions and knowledge if
we want our industry, our communities and our country to win.
As Bruce Lee said, “Under the sky, under the heavens, there is
but one family.”
Perry William Kelly has a sixth-degree black belt in jiu-jitsu
and is an instructor in four other martial arts. He’s the former
national coordinator for use of force for the Correctional Service
of Canada. In 2017 he was a karate gold medalist at the World
Police and Fire Games, and in 2018 he received the Joe Lewis
Eternal Warrior Award. His website is perrywkelly.com.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 55
TURNING POINT

Kelly Cox:
Following Keith Yate’s Example

A
lthough he’s acknowledged by his peers
to be a ninth-degree grandmaster, Kelly
BY HERB BORKLAND Cox prefers not to use the title. Even
more rare among notable American
martial artists is that online searches for either Cox or
his Rendokan Dojo return nothing. This lifelong stu-
“In this column, dent of karate and sword fighting inherited one of the
we examine the first martial arts schools in the United States and has
formed his life around its tradition of severe humility
pivotal point
and a ceaseless work ethic. He is currently writing a
in a prominent book that explores the boundless wisdom of original
black belt’s scrolls from the 1800s that he inherited from Chris-
career, the event tine and Ken Carson, who founded Rendokan in 1946.
that launched
MASuccess: Where did you grow up, and what did
him or her
your dad do?
toward success Kelly Cox: I grew up on a farm in East Texas. Dad
in martial arts was a farmer. We toiled in the dirt. I grew up pick-
business, sports ing vegetables, riding horses and herding cattle.
or films.”
MAS: How did you first hear about karate?
Cox: I was 9 years old, and I heard about it on Steve
McQueen’s Wanted: Dead or Alive TV show. [In the
March 19, 1960, episode,] the toughest guy on tele-
vision got beat up, and when they asked what hap-
pened, he said, “I ran into some karate.” My first
thought was, What is karate?
MAS: What was your turning point?
Cox: Grandmaster Keith Yates has always inspired
me to live up to the standards Ken and Christine
Carson — Rendokan’s founders — stood for.
As a soldier during World War II, Ken Carson stud-
ied karate in Okinawa and the Philippines. After the
war, he continued to practice and opened Rendokan
as a backyard dojo in 1946. The Carsons were not
teachers, only first dan. They possessed a library of
19th-century scrolls and told students, “Here are the
belts in the world. As a teenager, “Judo” Gene LeBell
studied with him and Mrs. Carson. She was so good
at judo, people were brought in from Japan to see if
they could throw her. They couldn’t.
After Mr. Carson died, Mrs. Carson felt forced to
close the school. A group of students came to ask
her to be promoted to sixth dan. [They said,] “You’re
too old to teach, but the school must go on. Promote
us, and we’ll do it without you.” Her answer was to
bring in a truck and empty the school. Mrs. Carson
would not sell Rendokan — but passed it along. I was
seventh dan when she met me. We had conversa-
tions I did not know were a job interview.
One day, she came into the room with an Oki-
nawan scroll and said, “It’s yours.” I found myself
kneeling on the floor: “I am not worthy!”
“Your saying that proves you’re the one,” she
told me.
She is now 93, and we still talk. She opens my
head up with knowledge so vast, it’s incredible.
MAS: What does the future hold?
Cox: No one has a crystal ball. We can only hope.
You are the sum total of your experience. Always
honor the people who came before [you]. Never
think you are better than your teacher. You got here
because of someone else. Don’t be so much about
yourself. What we do in this world touches other
people. What gifts we give and receive and pass
along — that’s what is important.
To contact Herb Borkland, send an email
to herbork@comcast.net.
Photos Courtesy of Kelly Cox

masters. They are teaching you and us, too.” Their

feeling was a master or grandmaster isn’t one if he
makes his students call him that.
Carson taught until he was 92 and died six
months after he stopped. He had been a stunt
man, a political-dignitary bodyguard and a U.S.
marshal. He founded the first organization of black

56 MASUCCESS
Photos Courtesy of Kelly Cox

JIU JITSU
NEW PEARL GI
HEALTH KICK
Get Your Dojo on the Map
R
unning a martial arts school can be
challenging. Before you can teach the
BY ERIC P. most basic of techniques, you must
FLEISHMAN lease a school, obtain proper signage,
build a website and enroll your first students.
The fight doesn’t end there. Now you have to
expand your enrollment, keep those signs main-
“Even if you
tained, promote your business online and see to
operate a the upkeep of the property. This constant “battle
traditional of the business” can leave you so weary that the
martial arts joys of teaching in general and shaping young
minds in particular are lost.
school, you
That’s why it’s imperative to create a plan to grow
are not limited your school. One of the most important components
to traditional of that plan is promoting your dojo in every way
advertising. Here possible, including on local television, in local news-
papers and on websites that feature local news.
are some easy
Even if you operate a traditional martial arts school,
steps to bring you’re not limited to traditional advertising.
your school So how do you go about orchestrating this posi-
into the media tive PR blitz? Here are some easy steps to bring
spotlight.” your school into the media spotlight.
Research
Look up data that reflect the reach and impact
of local media outlets. You may find that some
blogs, websites and radio shows have better pen-
etration in your community than do TV stations,
especially if you’re in a small town on the out-
skirts of a large city.
Be sure to select an option that has a friendly,
happy tone. This ultimately will reflect on your
business. You wouldn’t want to contact an investi-
gative news show, nor would you want to invite an
obnoxious, condescending radio personality to your
school knowing that no matter what happens, he’ll
make fun of you and your students.
Instead, choose options that have good reach
and reflect the right attitude so it’s a win/win for
both parties.
Analysis
Once you’ve selected a few outlets, determine how
challenging it will be to contact the TV host, radio
personality or blogger. Often, the more popular a
show is, the harder it is to get in touch.
58 MASUCCESS
Rather than cold-calling, reach out to your immedi-
ate circle of friends, clients and students to see if
anyone has a connection with the talent you seek.
You’d be surprised at how often a mutual friend,
neighbor or coworker can bring people together.
Here’s an example:
Years ago, I needed some formal on-camera training
for a TV gig. Someone advised me to watch television
and look for somebody I wished to emulate. I chose
Mark Steines, host of Entertainment Tonight. He was
charming and athletic, and he had a personable deliv-
ery that connected with the audience. The next day at
work, I asked my clients if they knew or had a link to
Steines. Almost immediately, one shouted, “My sister
is a PA on his show!” I had my connection.
The Pitch
Prepare a concise statement that details exactly what
you have in mind for the promotion of your business.
In Hollywood, we call this an “elevator pitch” because it
can be delivered in roughly the amount of time it takes
to go up a few floors on a lift.
The pitch should be simple, direct, doable and fun. It
should be presented in an enthusiastic way that high-
lights the benefits for both parties involved. It should
mention a specific timeline, ideally one to three weeks.
Practice your delivery until it flows like the best idea
anyone’s ever heard. The better the pitch, the more
likely you’ll be successful.
Document
Once the talent commits to your pitch, start docu-
menting the journey. These days, there’s no reason to
hire a camera crew. Instead, rotate your smartphone to
landscape mode and press record. Capturing the trans-
formation of a student who journeys from normal to
extraordinary — especially using my SLEEK NINJA work-
out — or watching a student correctly execute a martial
arts move for the first time is exciting. The footage can
be used for promotional purposes online, where it may
be seen by hundreds of potential students.
Let the enthusiasm of the talent sing your praises on
the platform he or she controls. Let your current stu-
dents become part of the success story you promote
online. And let your community reap the benefits of
the training you offer.
OBSTACLES AVAILABLE FROM:
OFFICIAL NINJA TRIX SUPPLIER
YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

No Single Solution

F
irst, the good news: Many of us are to increase the number of virtual classes and virtual
back to teaching in our schools. private lessons to maintain the interest and satis-
Now, the bad news: Some of us are faction of our colored-belt students.
BY KATHY OLEVSKY dealing with a resurgence of COVID-19 We had students who needed classes in which
cases, and our states are taking action to address everyone would be in a mask, as well as students
it. I know a few martial arts school owners who who wanted to not wear a mask. To meet the
could not sustain their businesses. As a result, they needs of both groups, we created “mandatory
“I’ve operated had to close their doors. mask” and “recommended mask” class options.
a martial arts Basically, we all are operating on the same prem- We are still providing all the necessary temperature
ise: We will open our schools if we can, and if not, checks, waivers and hand sanitizer. We are still
school full time
we will operate virtually until in-person training is teaching classes in which students have no part-
for 45 years. I may possible again. It is interesting to see how many ners most of the time. We have started offering
have made every of us invested time to learn new skills so we could classes in which individuals can pair up with family
mistake that can continue in our chosen field. That should not come members or close friends. We tell them that we
be made in this as a surprise. As martial artists, we are constantly want each student to have only one training part-
reinventing our methods to keep our students ner, and they must agree to stick with that person
business. The for the duration of the class.
happy and enthusiastic about training. COVID was
reason I’m still just one more obstacle that required us to adapt There is no way to make everyone happy with
in business, I and move forward. one solution. Instead, we found that the only
believe, is I asked An interesting thing happened at our school in way to make everyone happy is to offer multiple
August: We began seeing new faces before old solutions. We are now learning how to meet our
for help. I learned
faces. In July, I made the decision to restart our students’ needs in as many ways as possible. After
quickly that others marketing. Shortly afterward, we noticed new all, this is a waiting game. We all are just trying to
before me had students were showing up daily. However, our old stay in business until we can return to the martial
already found students, who I thought would trust us the most, arts programs that we have taught for years. Most
were happy just continuing their virtual lessons. Of likely, we all will keep portions of the things we
solutions. In this
course, some of our old students did come back to learned. It will make our programs better in the
column, I’ll point our physical classes, but in the end, that number long run.
out key mistakes only reached 15 percent. The rest are content with
I made in my virtual lessons — at least until they can feel safe
career, which are engaging in an indoor activity again. To contact Kathy Olevsky, send an email to
It was at that moment in August when I realized kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com.
common errors
we might see a turnover in most of our clients.
among school It was like going back to where we were 10 years
owners, both ago, starting from a small student body and try-
large and small, ing to build.
Fortunately, I realized that we are good at this.
throughout our
We did it before, and we can do it again. We imme-
industry. And diately conducted surveys to find out what people
I’ll share the wanted, then allocated resources to the areas that
solutions I used to would bring us the best results. We started offer-
ing beginner classes five days a week for preschool-
overcome them.”
ers, kids, teens and adults. Those classes were
well-attended. We also discovered that we needed

60 MASUCCESS
 School Showcase
November/December 2020

School Owner
John Olshlager
School Name
Nokado School of Self-Defense

Photos Courtesy of Nokado School of Self-Defense

Location
Kings Park, New York
Styles/Disciplines
Jiu-jitsu

62 MASUCCESS
 Why did you begin studying martial arts?
Originally, to learn self-defense.
What is your school name and how did you choose it?
I named it nokado because it translates to “tranquility,” and
when I left training, I always felt completely relaxed.
Photos Courtesy of Nokado School of Self-Defense
What is your school’s motto or student creed?
“We have come to share a message. We have come to learn
patience. We have come to learn discipline. We have come to
understand jiu-jitsu do. We have come for each other. If we
lose this, we have lost our way.”
How long have you been teaching?
Forty-three years.
Who or what inspires you?
Great teachers who motivate you to be better. My teachers
Robert Hansen, Soke DePasquale, Prof. Wally Jay, Prof. Willy
Cahill and Grandmaster Tanemura have all inspired me.
What is something unique that your school or student body
does well?
They are family. They help one another and push each other to
perform better.
What do you find most rewarding about working in the
martial arts?
Changing lives, building confidence and seeing students grow.
What is your favorite inspirational quote?
“Training is endless.”
If you could give one bit of advice to fellow martial arts
school owners, what would it be?
Don’t be easy on your students. Make them earn their belt
and earn the respect that comes with it.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 63
CONSULTANT'S CORNER
Making Money Without Selling Out
T
here is no shortage of opinions on
martial arts schools that make money.
The owners of schools that make a lot
BY MIKE METZGER of money have the opinion that they
MAIA CONSULTANT
are running a very successful business. The owners of
schools that don’t make a lot claim that the schools
that do only run a business.
“The quality of What does this mean exactly? It means there’s a
martial arts stigma that says school owners who make big profits
taught on the must have low technical quality and teach substan-
floor has no dard skills. Or that they “nickel-and-dime” their stu-
dents and care only about money.
correlation to the
I’d like to present some facts that will allow readers
amount of money to form their own opinions about how a school that
a school does or makes money should be classified.
doesn’t make.”
Quality
The quality of martial arts taught on the floor has no
correlation to the amount of money a school does or
doesn’t make. A lot of schools that struggle finan-
cially have produced world champions within their
student body. But they also have produced poor-
quality martial arts students.
The same can be said about high-profit schools. Some
teach phenomenal martial arts, and some don’t.
Nickel-and-Diming
First, I should clarify what this refers to in a martial arts
context. School owners who struggle financially are
sometimes so nervous about the stigma of “nickel-and-
diming” that they often give everything away for free.
The last thing they want is to enroll students on a con-
tract or term basis and then add unexpected but neces-
sary costs the students were never made aware of.
Some financially successful schools do nickel-and-
dime their customers. Other financially successful
schools, whether or not they use term agreements
or contracts, are very upfront about extra costs that
may be involved when a prospect becomes a student.
There are no surprises.
In my opinion, if you’re upfront with people about
costs before they enroll and if you provide some sort
of value with each cost, it isn’t nickel-and-diming.
Selling Out
This is a term I often hear from people in the industry
64 MASUCCESS
when talking about someone who makes big money
in the school business. I assume it’s said when there’s
a belief that people sacrifice the quality of their art to
make a lot of money.
If this is the case, my question would be, “Can’t you
make a lot of money without sacrificing your art?” The
answer is 100-percent yes. Does everyone do that? The
answer is no. But that doesn’t mean everybody who
makes money sacrifices his or her art.
Helping the Community
Often, school owners who don’t charge what they’re
worth feel they will get more students or have a great
reputation in the community because of their actions.
The truth is, when a school makes a healthy profit,
Y
it can give back more. It can invest in instructors and
offer scholarships to people in need. Most important,
it can give some of its black belt students an opportu-
nity to make a career in the martial arts.
Good and Bad Everywhere
The martial arts industry, like every industry, has good
and bad people. Some martial artists are excellent at their
craft. But they have no idea how to run a business and,
unfortunately, struggle and often go out of business.
Conversely, some people are adept at business but
not highly skilled at their art. Among them are people
who sometimes give our industry a black eye.
Then there are others who are good at both busi-
ness and their martial art. These are the black belts
who make the biggest impact on their communities.
Your Decision
As a martial arts professional, you must decide who you
want to be. Know that it’s OK to make money doing
what you love and providing 100 times more value than
what you charge. But to achieve this, you do have to
know how to run a business and how to maximize rev-
enue. This is not only about getting more students but
also about knowing how to charge, what to offer and
how to schedule efficiently.
Like your martial art, learning the business takes
time and practice. The key to success is to open your
mind and learn all you can, then make informed deci-
sions about how you want to run your school.
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MASTERFUL RETENTION
3 Levels of Teaching
T
he retention of students in your
martial arts school is of paramount
importance. Retention saves you
BY CHRISTOPHER
money by cutting down on monthly
RAPPOLD
advertising costs. It increases your cash flow by
creating happier students who stay longer. And it
enables your staff to earn more money for the ser-
“Remarkable vices they provide.
teachers see All around, everyone wins when the retention
rate is high and the quit rate is low. But if this
even more in the
makes so much sense, why does it seem so hard
students than for some teachers to retain students?
the students do One answer to this that I would like to explore is
in themselves, the quality of teachers. As you know, if you replace a
then they use bad teacher with a good one, all of a sudden, a school
that was limping along will start to grow. Conversely,
this vision to set
if you replace a great teacher with one who is only
a new standard
good, the exact opposite happens. So what makes
for the students.” the difference between one instructor and another?
How can you quantify teaching quality?
To answer those questions, I will discuss the
three levels of growth that teachers may or may
not go through on their way to realizing their
potential. I say “may or may not” because some
teachers, even if they have the desire, may not
have the intangibles that are needed to excel.
The Good Teacher
Being a good teacher is the first level. I started here
because it seemed to me that if people couldn’t
reach this level at a minimum, they wouldn’t be
teaching at all.
Good teachers deliver information. They know
the subject matter, have the ability to break down
techniques, know what to say, and can create the
structure and appearance of an organized class.
This is the baseline qualification.
The Great Teacher
Being a great teacher is one step above good.
Teachers who reach this status have all the quali-
ties of a good teacher. The difference is that they
look at teaching not just as the transfer of informa-
tion but as the transfer of energy.
You can have two classes side by side, both
learning the same information, but the feel of the
66 MASUCCESS
classes, depending on who is instructing, is totally
different. A great teacher infuses energy into the les- W
son. Since energy comes in many different forms, this in
ar
teacher matches his or her personality to the correct
kind of energy to have the greatest effect. yo
Even introverted instructors can get students to feel oc
energy. But it will be conveyed very differently from qu
how it would be conveyed from an extroverted, excit-
able teacher. Co
Great teachers must remain authentic to the person w
they are at the core. They must play the personality or
hand they were dealt — or their career will be short-lived.
qu
The Remarkable Teacher
The final level — and one that is just magical to watch
— is the remarkable teacher. These people possess K&
all the qualities of the first two types. They know the pro
op
techniques and can organize a class. They are congru-
Ag
ent, matching the style of energy to their personality.
And they have an uncanny ability to combine all this
with the skills needed to meet the students where
they are and then grow their potential.
Remarkable teachers see even more in the students
than the students do in themselves, then they use this
vision to set a new standard for the students.
Upward Mobility
These three levels, often unrecognizable to the
untrained eye, can make all the difference in the world
with your students and the success of your school.
Remember that good teachers deliver information,
great teachers transfer energy and remarkable teach-
ers meet a student’s potential where it is. Remarkable
teachers then share information with the right amount
of energy to grow the individual’s access to his or her
full potential.
Which level are the teachers at your school? Think
carefully about them, then rate each one. Help train all
of them so they can rise to the next level. It will make
a profound difference at your school.
To contact Christopher Rappold, send an email to
founder@personalbestkarate.com.
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THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING
5 Social Media Liabilities to Avoid
H
ave you surrendered to the “dark side,”
or are you committed to the “light”?
In other words, do you and your
BY BETH A. BLOCK employees wield your social media
saber for the light or the dark? Surrendering to the
dark can get you sued, just like it did in the cases
described below.
“The first thing a
typical family will Case Study No. 1
Modern martial arts studios depend on social media
do after hearing
to market their programs and to maintain relation-
about your studio ships with students and families. And those stu-
is check you out. dents and families use social media for everything.
They will look The first thing a typical family will do after
at your social hearing about your studio is check you out. They
will look at your social media pages, then search
media pages, for reviews before deciding whether to enroll.
then search for Because your instructors are also likely to be on
reviews before social media, they will be checked out, as well.
deciding whether What you and they do online can reflect nega-
tively on your school.
to enroll.”
In one studio, a 19-year-old instructor sent a
naked picture of himself to a 16-year-old student.
To prevent this from happening, the school owner
should have prohibited the instructor from using
his personal social media accounts to communicate
with students. To prevent this from happening in
the future, you should prohibit your instructors
from doing the same.
Case Study No. 2
Posts on personal social media accounts have
the potential to shatter students’ views of their
instructors. To many students, martial arts instruc-
tors are heroes, and learning that they have charac-
ter flaws can be devastating.
In one school, a 12-year-old student looked up a
potential instructor on social media. The child found
a photo of the instructor clutching a red cup appar-
ently containing alcohol. His eyes were glazed over,
and he was cozying up to two half-dressed women.
In part because of the influence of that instruc-
tor, it was argued that the student decided that
drinking and sexual promiscuity were an appealing
pathway to follow. By age 15, that student was in
drug rehab.
68 MASUCCESS
Case Study No. 3
Social media can cause a school’s team members to
be arrested. If an employee has photos of students
on his or her personal device and those photos are
deemed child pornography, incarceration can result.
In one case, a female instructor had images of
young students on her cellphone. One of them
showed a little girl doing the “I-have-to-pee”
dance while holding herself. The parents saw it
online and complained to the police. The instruc-
tor was arrested.
Case Study No. 4
Social media messaging is something to which you
have to pay special attention. One studio turned
over control of its marketing to an older non-
student. That person didn’t know all the cultural
views associated with popular internet memes. She
picked out a GIF that looked good and posted it.
It turned out the GIF came from a movie that was
highly controversial. As soon as the GIF was posted,
the martial arts studio found itself in the middle of
a political debate.
Case Study No. 5
Social media can give you a black eye that lives
online forever. Parents’ perceptions can change
quickly if unhappy instructors say negative things
about you. Although the Federal Fair Labor Stan-
dards Act prevents you from controlling what your
instructors say to each other, you can control what
they say to the public. (To obtain a copy of the law,
send an email to beth@blockins.net.)
There are simple solutions for preventing such
a problem. A studio can maintain its social media
pages so instructors don’t have access to them for
posting or for direct communication with students.
If your studio must have ongoing communica-
tion with students and parents — which most will
want — consider using an app. An app will allow
your school to push messages to all families or
just to a single family. It will allow instructors to
establish a personal relationship with each student
without requiring the instructors to use their per-
sonal accounts and thus without subjecting those
accounts to public scrutiny.
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THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE
Requiring Students to
Get the Coming COVID Vaccine
BY PHILIP E.
I
GOSS JR., ESQ. f you’re a regular reader of this col-
umn, you may be stricken with déjà
vu: The theme of this essay is eerily
“In the 19 years similar to one printed almost five
years ago. The difference is that the previous col-
I have penned
umn stemmed from a widely publicized but far less
this column, this deadly measles outbreak.
is the first time In that 2015 essay, I reviewed how measles, a
I cannot tell you disease most people thought was eradicated, sur-
faced again because of lax childhood vaccination
what you should
schedules. At that time — in contrast to the current
do. I can tell situation with COVID-19 — there was an effective
you only that at vaccine available. The premise of the column was
some point, you this: Under what circumstances do you have the
right, or the obligation, to require your employees
will be forced to
and students to be immunized?
make a series of Today, we face a similar situation, and the afore-
decisions. Now mentioned question is one you will face within the
is the time to next six months. Several vaccines for COVID are in
understand this.” development, so now is the time to start formulat-
ing a game plan.
The world is made up of competing interests.
Many people believe that once a vaccine is ready,
all people should be immediately immunized.
Another group is composed of those who will resist
doing things “just because they’re told to.” They
will refrain from being vaccinated. A third group
will ruminate on the options and make their choice
later rather than sooner.
This will create problems for you as a school
owner. Do you demand as a condition of employ-
ment that all your employees get vaccinated?
What happens if there’s an adverse reaction?
Although unlikely, there is always a chance that a
vaccine, especially a new one, will have ill effects.
Will you be sued? Can an affected employee expect
to receive benefits if workdays are missed or if he
or she has to quit?
What about your students? Can you require
them to be vaccinated in order to be welcome at
your school? If a vaccine is recommended and you
70 MASUCCESS
choose not to mandate it at your school, can you
be held accountable for failing to protect your stu-
dents should an outbreak occur?
Based on advice provided to me 19 years ago by
Diego Perez, a friend, a MAIA member and my chil-
dren’s former instructor, I have always attempted
to tell school owners what to do as opposed to
explaining why I’m telling them what to do.
Perez’ premise was that school owners simply
want the facts and a reasonable opinion as to what
they should do, no matter the subject. I can hon-
estly state that in the 19 years I have penned this
column, this is the first time I cannot tell you what
you should do. I can tell you only that at some point
you will be forced to make a series of decisions.
Now is the time to understand this.
In the next several months, I suggest that you
draw on trusted resources — attorneys, insur-
ance agents, medical professionals and the MAIA
team — to educate yourself about the decisions
you will be required to make regarding the com-
ing COVID vaccine.
I presume that additional facts will come to
light that will help you make those decisions. For
example, tort reforms may be passed to protect
businesses from litigation instituted by third par-
ties who develop COVID or from employees who
are prevented from working unless they are willing
to be vaccinated. We may get proof that the vac-
cine is entirely safe and effective — or we may get
evidence to the contrary. And, of course, we will see
what precedent is set by academic schools.
Wish as I might to help you more, this is an
executive decision that only you can make. How-
ever, you now have the time to make the best
decision for your situation. Do not waste the next
several months.
To contact attorney Philip E. Goss Jr., send an
email PhilGosslaw@gmail.com.
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72 MASUCCESS
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INSPIRATION OVATION
The Mountain of Clothes
T
his is a true story about too much
of a good thing. When Hurricane
Katrina hit with such devastation,
BY KAREN EDEN the entire nation would have to
come to New Orleans’ rescue. I was just coming out
of a TV contract and teaching martial arts through
The Salvation Army. I was asked if I could help TSA
“I pushed myself by acting as the division’s Public Information Offi-
for more than cer. No problem, since I knew most of the media
a decade to members on a first-name basis anyway.
When the now-homeless victims of the hur-
achieve the ricane were bused into Denver, they literally had
strongest and no possessions to bring with them. They needed
highest kicks everything — from basics such as shampoo and
my body would toothpaste to food and especially clothes. I made
the executive decision, along with the Corps Officer
allow. Then my
of the thrift-store division, to put out a public plea
teachers taught for donated clothing items.
me one of the The city of Denver generously responded, like it so
most valuable often does. Seventy-two hours later, I got a call from
the officer: “Karen, you got to stop with the clothes.”
lessons through
“What do you mean?” I asked.
their own actions: “Just swing by the back lawn on your way into
They were work,” he responded. I really couldn’t imagine
falling apart.” what the problem was. I mean, worst-case sce-
nario, we could always take the donated items to
our thrift stores.
Now, if you’ve ever visited Denver, you know that
there are vast areas of grasslands, with foothills
and mountains in the background. But as I was
headed in the next morning, I realized I didn’t recall
that we had a mountain this close to the plains.
Then everything turned into slow motion as I began
to comprehend what I was seeing: It wasn’t a
mountain of any natural substance; it was literally
a mountain of clothes!
“Oh, my God! Now what do we do?” I said as I
hopped out of my car and shut the door. The Corps
Officer looked at me and said, “Well, now we got
a problem. Not only do we have enough donated
items to clothe Africa, we gotta pay to clean it up
and send it there.”
Just then, three more cars drove up to dump
more clothes onto the mountain.
74 MASUCCESS
My fellow instructors, this was a lifetime lesson
for yours truly on how important it is to initiate
and maintain balance. Coming from a hard-style
martial art, I pushed myself for more than a decade
to achieve the strongest and highest kicks my body
would allow. Then my teachers taught me one
of the most valuable lessons through their own
actions: They were falling apart.
From back surgeries all the way down to ankle
problems, they ran the gauntlet of physical
issues. Evidently, the body can take only so much
of the “hard.”
That’s when I began to add a little soft training
at the end of my classes, including yoga and tai chi.
The girls were totally into it, and the boys hated it.
My very big son, who was a second-degree black
belt, fought me tooth and nail at the end of every
class when I made him do a yoga session. Interest-
ingly enough, today he actively seeks out yoga
classes to maintain balance and flexibility as a col-
lege football player.
Here’s the thing: I can see what’s coming down
the pike for all of us hard-style practitioners, and
I feel obligated not only to practice soft-style arts
but also to teach my students the meaning of bal-
ance — literally. Because there really can be “too
much of a good thing” in life.
As for the mountain of clothes, I booked the
Corps Officer on a TV news segment, and he made
an official plea to halt all clothing donations. The
mountain of clothing was boxed up and eventually
shipped to a country where it was needed more.
Lesson learned. We must always keep in mind the
one word that will save us a lot of hardship in the
end: balance.
To contact Karen Eden, send an email to
renedenherdman@gmail.com or visit the Facebook
group “The Eden Assignment.”
H I T M E W I T H YO U R

PRO

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

The new Uppercut Wavemaster features advanced

striking zones with an angled design to catch up-

percuts, knees and various kicks with ease.

PRO FES S I O NAL- G R AD E

F R E E S TA N D I N G B A G S

s e e t h e f u l l l i n e o f t ra i n i n g b a g s a t
C e n t u r y M a r t i a l A r t s .co m /co l l e c t i o n s /t ra i n i n g - b a g s

“Century” is a registered trademark of Century, LLC. All rights reserved. © 2020 Century, LLC. #19279
N E W L O O K

PRO FES S I O N A L- G R A D E

F R E E S TA N D I N G B AG S

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

s e e t h e f u l l l i n e o f t ra i n i n g b a g s a t
C e n t u r y M a r t i a l A r t s .co m /co l l e c t i o n s /t ra i n i n g - b a g s

“Century” is a registered trademark of Century, LLC.

All rights reserved. © 2020 Century, LLC. #19279
 THE NEW

1
Select products you would like
to sell from the century direct
marketplace

4
Century ships the products
directly to your customer

5
Profits earned are deposited
to your bank next day
YOUR ONLINE SHOP FULFILLED BY CENTURY AND
PRODUCTS SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO YOUR CUSTOMERS

2
Your online retail store is
automatically created after you
add products

3
Customer places an order from
your online store

Learn more by visiting CenturyDirect.com or calling a

customer service representative at (800) 626-2787

“Century” is a registered trademark of Century, LLC. All rights reserved. © 2020 Century, LLC. #19122
 WAV E M A S T E R W O R K O U T S

P
P O W E R H O U S E
POWER HOUSE
O W E R H O U S E
Train with this full body blast workout designed to make you the ultimate powerhouse.

You will choose a level and begin the workout at exercise 1 until you have completed all 8 exercises.
How many rounds can you make it?

BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED

20 SECONDS 40 SECONDS 60 SECONDS

1 2 3

DOUBLE CHAMBER SIDE KICKS BACK FISTS SQUAT N’ KICK

4 5

PUSH UPS BACKFIST + SIDE KICK

6 7 8

JAB/CROSS/HOOK SIDE LEG RAISE BAG TOUCHES FRONT KICKS

“Century” is a registered trademark of Century, LLC. All rights reserved. © 2020 Century, LLC. All rights reserved. #19263
 WAV E M A S T E R W O R K O U T S

R
R A II S E T H E B A R
RAISE THE BAR
A S E T H E B A R
Raise the bar with this high intensity circuit designed to put your body to the test.

You will choose a level and begin the workout at exercise 1 until you have completed all 9 exercises.
How many rounds can you make it?

BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED

20 SECONDS 40 SECONDS 60 SECONDS

1 2 3

FRONT KICK PUNCHES SIDE KICKS

4 5 6

ROUND KICKS BACK FIST PUSH UPS

7 8 9

SQUAT N’ KICK PUNCHES SIDE KICKS

“Century” is a registered trademark of Century, LLC. All rights reserved. © 2020 Century, LLC. All rights reserved. #19263
 BACK TO SCHOOL! YOUR GUIDE TO MOVING FORWARD POST-COVID
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