- New school owners, and
- Struggling school owners.
And guess what? Both markets need the same information to help them overcome their challenges and succeed in business.
If I started jumping from fad to fad, and presented a bunch of disjointed information to the folks who follow me, then I'd also be promoting one of the things I hate most...
Shiny new object syndrome.
See, a lot of martial art school owners spend their time running after the latest fad, trick, or shortcut -
"Teach this new ULTIMATE martial arts/self-defense/fitness program in your school and SEE your enrollment EXPLODE!"
"This latest software gee-gaw will do EVERYTHING you need it to do in your dojo... it dices, it slices, it purees, it does your laundry, and it'll even find you a suitable mate!"
"Our engineers have been working overtime to bring you this new, improved, really neat-looking punching bag. Your students will rave over this piece of equipment, because it's shaped funny and you can kick and strike it EXACTLY the same way you kick and strike your current punching bags... but it's TOTALLY different!"
*Sigh.*
And that's how thousands of martial arts instructors get distracted from what they really need to be doing in their school, and from what they really need to be spending their money on...
...and so, they'll attend the certification seminar and add that class, they'll buy the software and spend weeks learning how to use it, and they'll order those new bags (even though they don't have room for them).
Yet, their dojos will still be barely turning a profit, or maybe even operating in the red.
Their classrooms will still be half-empty, and their new enrollment numbers flat.
Their students will still continue to drop out after one or two months, and their school will still be a revolving door.
And next year, they'll start the cycle all over again - attending the seminars, buying the gee-gaws, and ordering the latest weird-looking equipment that does exactly what their current equipment does...
...and they'll still be wondering why they're struggling.
But you on the other hand will have had the martial arts business basics (that 20% of tasks and activities that are responsible for 80% of your income and success in running a martial art school) practically pounded into your skull by yours truly.
That's why you'll be focused on the activities and tasks that are truly crucial to your school's success, and you'll be sitting pretty next year while the shiny object chasers are wondering how they're going to make payroll and pay the rent.
So, I hope you don't mind if I engage in a little repetition every now and again.
