Stephen Oliver is a 10th Degree Black Belt, the Founder and CEO of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, and CEO and Chairman of NAPMA. He began training in 1969 in the Jhoon Rhee lineage, opened his first school in 1975 at age fifteen, and founded Mile High Karate in Denver in 1983 — building it past 3,500 active students before he was 25.
Key Takeaways
- Trained from 1969 in the Jhoon Rhee, Allen Steen, Pat Burleson lineage; received his Black Belt directly from Jhoon Rhee in 1978.
- Opened his first school in 1975 at fifteen, and was a head instructor and branch manager for the Jhoon Rhee Institute in Washington, D.C. while at Georgetown.
- Georgetown University, A.B. cum laude in International Economics, 1982; Executive MBA, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, 1992.
- Founded Mile High Karate in August 1983 with $10,000 — five schools in 18 months and more than 2,500 active students, six schools within 36 months and over 3,500 students.
- Promoted to 10th Degree Black Belt in April 2026 and inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Hall of Fame in August 2026.
Okay, so why am I qualified to share this information? Why would you want to listen to me?
A Little Background
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.”
Training and Lineage, 1969–1978
My training started in 1969 in the Texas/Oklahoma “Blood & Guts” era. I was with the Jhoon Rhee Institute branch in Tulsa, OK in the Jhoon Rhee, Allen Steen, Pat Burleson lineage, being taught directly when I started by Jhoon Rhee Black Belts Gran & Greg Moulder, Bob Olinghouse, and David Harrelson.
I started my first school (under Jhoon Rhee) in 1975, at the age of fifteen, and concurrently trained with Jeff Smith along with Roger Green (Joe Lewis’ first Black Belt), and a variety of others in Oklahoma and Texas.
In 1978 I received my Black Belt directly from Jhoon Rhee along with Jeff Smith and a wide collection of champion kickboxers and forms competitors. I was offered a teaching position in Washington. I was a National Merit Finalist and an A student, and had already been accepted at the University of Tulsa as a University Scholar with a full scholarship for the first year and partial scholarship beyond the first year. I attended school there while applying for transfer to Princeton, Stanford, and Wharton along with Georgetown University.
Georgetown and the Jhoon Rhee Institute
While attending college at Georgetown University I was a head instructor and branch manager for The Jhoon Rhee Institute, in Washington, D.C.
At the time the Jhoon Rhee Institute was the #1 martial arts business organization in the world. I sat through hours and hours of training sessions and meetings with a few notable figures in the martial arts industry: Jhoon Rhee (father of American Tae Kwon Do,) Nick Cokinos (then President of the Jhoon Rhee Institute, later chairman and owner of Educational Funding Company,) Jeff Smith (the DC Bomber – first World Light Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion and one of the top school owners in the United States,) Ned Muffley (then General Manager for the Jhoon Rhee Institute and later General Manager for Educational Funding Company) and many others.
When I graduated from Georgetown in 1982 – with an A.B., cum laude, in International Economics – I decided against moving on to big corporate America, and put pursuing an MBA on hold.
Preparing to Open: A Year of Study
I put together a very extensive business plan with Jhoon Rhee, Nick Cokinos, Jeff Smith and Ned Muffley’s help. I spent 12 months studying direct response, business management, and sales marketing at the Library of Congress and the SBA. I read everything that I could get my hands on about advertising – specifically direct mail and copywriting. I also spent several months at the Federal Trade Commission where I had an opportunity to read the sales manuals and management training materials for every major health spa chain in the United States and the other larger martial arts school organizations.
Founding Mile High Karate, 1983
In a rather gutsy move I then moved across the country to Denver, Colorado and, in August 1983, founded Mile High Karate with $10,000. We opened 5 schools in 18 months – growing to more than 2,500 active students – and 6 schools within 36 months, with over 3,500 active students. By the time I was 25 the schools were producing more than $1,700,000 a year in revenue, roughly $5,200,000 in today’s dollars.
Over the years I’ve continued to develop my schools and experiment with a huge number of approaches.
Executive MBA and the Mile High Karate Classic
In 1989 I decided to extend my management knowledge base and went back to school for an Executive MBA through the Executive Program at the Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, which I completed in 1992.
At the same time I began promoting the Mile High Karate Classic – which for 10 years was a very successful and highly rated NASKA world tour event.
Industry Relationships
During these many years I’ve had the privilege of meeting and working with just about every successful business person, teacher, and school owner in the martial arts industry. I’m lucky to count as close friends a range of leaders including Nick Cokinos, Jhoon Rhee, Jeff Smith, Andrew Wood, Tim and Dave Kovar, Steve LaVallee, Keith Hafner and just about everyone who’s accomplished anything in our industry.
These industry leaders have taught me much – and, I believe, often consider me a mentor and leader in the business of martial arts school operations.
During these years I’ve had many huge successes – and some spectacular failures. As in all endeavors, the failures have taught me much more than the successes. What I consider my greatest strength is a willingness to continue to take risks and try new approaches to all of the challenges of school operation.
Marketing Education and Publishing
In the recent past I decided to pursue what I think of as an informal Ph.D. in Internet and Direct Response Marketing. I’ve traveled around North America and spent way over $250,000 on a variety of internet marketing, direct marketing, and sales training seminars and programs – and have developed several internet companies, many totally unrelated to martial arts.
I continue to run a chain of schools that’s spread out from Washington, D.C. where we have a national training center, to Denver to Fresno and Miami along with New Zealand and Australia.
I’ve written a series of books on Marketing and Management for Martial Arts Schools and a series on Character Development and Leadership for kids, and lecture around the world on school operations – and continue to expand my knowledge of all the details of running a successful martial arts business.
I’ve been a part of NAPMA since prior to its founding. I developed its Maximum Impact Program, Inner Circle, and Peak Performers programs, and took over as CEO and Publisher in 2007.
Rank and Recognition
On the martial arts side, I was promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt in 2006, later to 9th Degree, and to 10th Degree Black Belt in April 2026. In August 2026 I was inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Hall of Fame.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Stephen Oliver?
Stephen Oliver is a 10th Degree Black Belt, the Founder and CEO of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, CEO and Chairman of NAPMA, and Publisher of Martial Arts Professional magazine. He has owned martial arts schools since 1975 and coached school owners since 1985.
When did Stephen Oliver start training in martial arts?
He began training in 1969 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the Jhoon Rhee Institute branch, in the Jhoon Rhee, Allen Steen, Pat Burleson lineage. He received his Black Belt directly from Jhoon Rhee in 1978.
What is Stephen Oliver’s martial arts lineage?
Jhoon Rhee, the father of American Tae Kwon Do, through the Allen Steen and Pat Burleson branch of that lineage. His first instructors were Jhoon Rhee Black Belts Gran and Greg Moulder, Bob Olinghouse, and David Harrelson. He later trained alongside Grandmaster Jeff Smith.
What is Stephen Oliver’s education?
An A.B., cum laude, in International Economics from Georgetown University (1982), and an Executive MBA through the Executive Program at the Daniels College of Business, University of Denver (1992).
How large did Mile High Karate become?
Founded in Denver in August 1983 with $10,000, it grew to five schools and more than 2,500 active students within 18 months, and six schools with over 3,500 active students within 36 months — producing more than $1,700,000 a year in revenue, roughly $5,200,000 in today’s dollars, before Oliver was 25.
What rank is Stephen Oliver?
10th Degree Black Belt, promoted in April 2026. He was inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Hall of Fame in August 2026.
