One of the challenges of martial arts professionals and school owners is a resistance to change. Do you believe in change, if it makes sense? Absolutely. The world is changing around us and if we aren’t able to adapt to that change, then we’ll perish. As Tony Robbins says, either grow or die. Just as ...
Read More »Martial Arts Management
Hiring from Within
Everyone knows the rule that you should “grow your own” staff, but don’t forget the lessons that are plainly obvious. This is certainly a rule that can be broken from time to time, but let me remind you what you already know about martial artists. As employees, they tend to be very self-righteous; they shouldn’t ...
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The central source of information for professional martial artists around the world. AudienceOur audience is virtually every martial arts facility in North America, professional martial arts instructors, personal trainers, martial arts consultants, fitness professionals, YMCAs, health clubs, ad agencies, key industry professionals and most companies offering a martial arts related product or service. Plus, Martial ...
Read More »The Seven Laws of Mental Mastery
Over the next few months, here in Martial Arts Professional I will ne explaining to you the Seven Laws of Mental Mastery. The United States spends more its gross national product on health care than any other nation, and the costs are increasing. More people are sick, overweight, unfit, and unhealthy than ever before. Today, we ...
Read More »20 Mistakes That School Owners Make-Part 2
Call-Out: “Often we make the mistake of operating with a small-club mentality and do not grasp the fact that business professionals play by a different set of rules to become successful.” Here are 13 more business mistakes that I’ve made in owning and operating my school. Words of wisdom: Don’t repeat them in your school, ...
Read More »The Other Side of Strategy
Last month, I told you how I moved away from the deck. This month, I want to take the role of devil’s advocate: How can I return to the deck again? If you’ve ever read Michael Gerber’s business book, The E-Myth, then you know that most of us who opened martial arts schools ...
Read More »Use Layers of Legal Entities for Virtually "Bulletproof" Protection of Your Martial Arts School and Its Mission
When I served my three tours of military duty in Southeast Asia, we used multiple layers of defensive methods, or multiple redundancy defenses, to protect an installation. For example, my job as a dog handler was to be the first level of defense, encountering the enemy outside the perimeter of the installation. We were also ...
Read More »Thriving in a Scary Economy, Part 2
In my December 2008 column, I stated that the first way to thrive in a scary economy is to protect yourself and your staff from the influence of media and of the “Mediocre Majority.” This month, I recommend four additional methods. The first is “Raging Thunder lizard Evangelists.” What is that you may ask? Well, ...
Read More »Martial Arts Professional Asks… Tom Hopkins, The Builder of Sales Champions
Renewing students from a short-term beginner program to a long-term Black Belt program is a process that occurs at virtually all martial arts school. How can martial arts instructors use pre-framing to make their renewal process smoother and more successful? Tom Hopkins answers… First, I think it’s very important that instructors show a real personal ...
Read More »What other leaders in the industry saying about Stephen Oliver
“Stephen Oliver is one of those highly competent, hard working, visionary people who can literally make things happen by bringing all the resources he has to a project and by inspiring those around him to work synergistically in the effort. He consistently sees what is possible and works tirelessly for powerful results.” Joe Corley, Pres, ...
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