In the last column I explained that most school owners who want to do multiple schools probably shouldn’t. I gave you a few questions to ask yourself prior to considering a second location: Why do I want a second location? Am I capable of managing multiple locations? Is my existing staff focused on our growth ...

I’ve just been listening to the audiotapes from my boot camp, “The Summit of Martial Arts Millionaires.” As I sit here listening to over 22 hours of tapes, I am blown away by the incredible content. As I facilitated this discussion of how to most effectively run multiple locations, one theme surfaced early: Most school ...

Do I recommend that you open five schools in 18 months as I did when I was 23? No way! However, these lessons working for opening one school or dramatically growing your existing school. Prior to opening, get extensive training on business operations. Do extensive market research to locate a good market with adequate income ...

I can pretty much judge the success of a school within about five minutes during “prime time” by observing its pulse. What do I mean by the pulse of a school? Well, let me share a story to illustrate. In the mid 1980’s I traveled to New York to visit a school run by a ...

When I started in martial arts over 41 years ago, I never would have imagined martial arts would become my profession rather than just my passionate hobby. When I founded Mile High Karate in 1983, it was an alternative to using my degree in International Economics to landing a job in banking or working for ...

There are many effective styles of leadership, but there are several “secrets” to leadership in any organization. Vision: You must have a clear and compelling vision of the future of your organization. It’s the big picture of how your business should look, in as much sensory rich detail as possible. Leadership starts from within. If ...

It’s interesting to listen to a group of school owners brag about their schools, according to three measurements: number of students, school size and gross revenue. Let the lying begin.Active student count is the most exaggerated number of them all. For example, I asked an acquaintance that owns a very small school his active student ...

There are several types of e-mail you can use to market your school to prospective students. Among the most common are e-zines, flyers, school newsletters and promotional pieces. An e-zine, or “electronic magazine,” is delivered to subscribers via a Web site or an e-mail newsletter. E-zines are sometimes referred to as “opt-in” lists because everyone ...

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 ...

In the July and August NAPMA Resources Kits, all NAPMA members received parts 1 and 2 of an interview by Rob Colasanti with my instructor Jhoon Rhee. Jeff Smith and I have been associated with Jhoon Rhee for 45 and almost 40 years, respectively. If you are a NAPMA member, then pay close attention to ...