Martial Arts Management

In defining what is the most important element to success, in any endeavor, you would be hard pressed to find anything more important than attitude. In Japanese, the word for attitude is shisei, which is made up of two kanji meaning shape and forces. In other words, it is the attitude that shapes the forces ...

In a recent column, I introduced an important concept that deserves additional thought. If you operate your school in a very competitive market, then you must develop a unique selling proposition (USP). Your USP describes what you offer your customers above and beyond your competitors, and will enhance prospects’ experience. How does that concept apply ...

Why is it important to have a crystal-clear vision of where a person wants to go in life? Brian Tracy answers… This is one of the most important things I’ve ever learned: Successful people tend to be future-oriented. Unsuccessful people tend to be present- or past-oriented. You can tell if a person will be successful ...

I feel grateful to serve so many people in the martial arts community, because martial arts put major discipline into my own life. Grand Master Jhoon Rhee was the reason I got involved in tae kwon do. I was originally interested in aikido because I loved the beauty of the art and the concept of ...

Maybe I was just born under a lucky star - but when it comes to running a professional martial arts school I was born with the proverbial “Silver Spoon.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be motivated to achieve by such a lofty goal as benevolence? I must confess, however, that in the early years of my struggle to succeed, my motivation was much more down-to-earth. My reason for succeeding was more basic. In fact, it fell into the category of what I like to ...

How important is truth in today’s world? As a salesperson, one of the biggest misconceptions of our profession is that we will say anything to make a sale. To the public, and sometimes to ourselves, it appears that the end objective is more important than telling the truth. That is just not true for the Conscious Salesperson. Our job is to find the benefits and value of our product or service for our prospects and tell them the truth. When it comes to making a sale, what are your...

In your view, how much time and effort should instructors invest in generating leads for new students?  Tom Hopkins answers… A school owner’s most important investment of time and effort is to sell memberships. A major part of that effort is to become known as an expert, an advisor in physical fitness and marital arts, ...

Stephen Oliver: You’re one of the highest ranked Parker Kenpo black belts in the world, give us a little bit of background of your training and how you got started with your school in Fresno California

Our culture seems to make everything available seven days a week, twenty-four hours per day. People who once rested on the weekend now use that time for many activities and chores. Our lives seem to contain endless work. All of us must become conscious of the scope of damage that this stressful, materialist cycle has ...