July 2019 by MASuccess

JULY 2019

JULY 2019 • $5.99 US

MASUCCESS

www.MASUCCESS.com

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

M I S TA K E H I S M E E K N E S S F OR W E A K N E SS -

I F YO U E N J OY

carlos machado

IGNITING A NEW STYLE OF FIGHTING! THE SUPERFOOT-JOE LEWIS SYSTEMS

ISSN 2380-561 7(PRINT ) 2469-6889(ONLINE )

MASUPERSHOW PROFILES OF SUCCESS 2018 HOW LAST YEAR’S CONVENTION ATTENDEES TRANSFORMED THEIR SCHOOLS!

6 STEPS TO WINNING WORKSHOPS: PROGRAMMING PRODUCT FOR PROFIT

NEW COLUMN!

ERIC THE TRAINER’S “HEALTH KICK”

Pre-Conference Events MAIA University Advanced Instructor College For Black Belts

MAIA University Instructor College

Martial Arts Business Forum

Harinder Singh

Frank Silverman

Dave Kovar

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-8pm Cost: $199

Date & Time: Monday, July 1, 9am-1:30pm Cost: 2 people for $99

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-5pm Cost: $129

Martial Fusion 6-Hour Power Workshop

The Ultimate Instructor Development Workshop for Anyone Teaching 3- to 6Year-Olds

BJJ Workshop Presented by Gameness

Guillermo Gomez Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 11am-6pm Cost: $99

(Break from 2pm-3pm)

Melody Johnson

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-5pm Cost: $99

Bo Staff & Kama Instructor Training Workshop

Rafael “Formiga” Barbosa & Joao Gabriel Rocha

(Bonus Hour for PreSKILLZ members 5pm-6pm)

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-5pm Cost: $99

The Legends of Kali II

Mackensi Emory, Robby Beard, & jackson Rudolph Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-6pm

Cost: $99

Apolo Ladra, Dan Inosanto, & Leo T. Gaje, Jr. Dates & Times: Saturday, June 29, 3pm-8pm Sunday, June 30, 8am-1pm Sunday, June 30, 3pm-8pm

Cost: 2 Sessions - $299 3 Sessions - $350

PRESENTED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

*Subject to change

CONTENTS FEATURES 30

MISTAKE HIS MEEKNESS FOR WEAKNESS — IF YOU ENJOY TAPPING OUT! I N T E R V I E W B Y P E R R Y W I L L I A M K E L LY

While this world-famous BJJ coach has probably sent more people off to slumber-land than sleeping pills, many consider the chance to work with him a “dream” come true! That’s because he’s the nicest, most nonthreatening BJJ teacher around. At the upcoming MAIA SuperShow in Vegas this year, come learn from the legend who has taught Chuck Norris and John Wick’s Keanu Reeves!

JULY 2019 DEPARTMENTS

COLUMNS 40 BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP BY

NG UYEN

“ TOM”

E Is for Empathy

44 IN THE CLASSROOM BY

DAV E

MASUPERSHOW PROFILES OF SUCCESS 2018 BY

DAVI D

Why Choose Martial Arts for Children? Part 2

18 HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

62 TURNING POINT BY

HERB

B ORKL AND

Merrill “Bobby” Matthews: Breaking with Roy Kurban

The proof? We asked freelance journalist David Barnett to interview instructors and school owners from last year’s convention — without any input from us. Here’s how they used what they learned at 2018’s MASuperShow to improve their profits and professionalism.

IGNITING A NEW STYLE OF FIGHTING! BY

ERI C

THE

S UZ A NNE

66 YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT? BY

KATHY

OLEV SKY

How Can You Outshine Your Competitors?

B Y M A I A C O N S U LT A N T A D A M PA R M A N

MASUCCESS

26 MARKETING RESOURCE

68 SCHOOL SHOWCASE

6 Steps to Winning Workshops: Programming Product for Profit

88 MASTERFUL RETENTION BY

C HRI STOPHER

RAPPOL D

Allowing Revenue to Help Prioritize Your Time Management

90 THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING BY

B ETH

A .

B LOC K

Security Double-Take

92 THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE BY

PHI L I P

G OS S,

JR.,

ESQ.

Unicorns, Bigfoot and the Standard Contract: Three Things That Don’t Exist in the Real World!

96 INSPIRATION OVATION BY

KAREN

Box of Rocks

24 THE MAIA REPORT

86 CONSULTANT’S CORNER

P I S AN O

22 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

TRAI NER

The Power of Positivity: Let Sunshine into Your Dojo

B AR N E T T

12 IN THE KNOW

KOVAR

64 HEALTH KICK! 52

04 FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

G RI G G S

EDEN

MAXIM OF THE MONTH “Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.” — DAVID LLOYD GEORGE, BRITISH STATESMAN

ESK

30 52

74 JULY 2019

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

It’s Quality, Not Size, That Unites Our Industry BY FRANK SILVERMAN

MAIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“There’s an underlying assumption that a large school is large because the owner(s) sold out, or that a small school is small because of poor business practices.”

nyone who has been reading my column over the years knows that I don’t jump into political debates or hot topics. I have no issue discussing them, but written articles are one-sided and the opportunity to debate doesn’t exist, so I don’t use this avenue for such. I’m not sure a discussion of small schools and large schools is a “hot topic,” but I do know that, depending on how the topic is approached, it gets people fired up. Ever since the martial arts industry in North America got started, this schism, real or imaginary, has continued to get airtime – especially in this heyday of social media, where we do most of our “talking” from the safety of our keyboards. First and foremost, it’s important to remind ourselves that we are all in the same industry and throwing stones at one another is counterproductive. Big school, small school, teaching out of a garage or owning multiple locations – it really doesn’t affect the one fundamental point. We all love the martial arts and we want to see our students become the best they can be. We all want to help our communities, too, while earning a living doing what we love. Too often, however, there’s an underlying assumption that a large school is large because the owner(s) sold out or that a small school is small because of poor business practices. Although, anecdotally, there are schools that do struggle because of inferior business practices and there are schools with huge numbers who have sold out, these are rare and certainly not mutually exclusive. What I mean by that is, some small schools choose to stay small. They enjoy a more personal one-on-one experience by limiting their student count. There are large schools with world champions, topranked fighters and best-of-the-best martial artists. Being big, small and anywhere in between is thus an arbitrary attribute. The reasons for the size are only relevant to the school owner and his/her staff.

We all share the goal to teach good quality martial arts. We share the goal to the best as we can possibly be — both in the ring and out. If an instructor teaches poor marital arts, it has nothing to do with the size of the school; it has everything to do with the quality and skill of the instructor. So, how do we move on from the nonproductive name calling (“sell-out,” “used car salesman,” “loser,” or “wanna-be business person”)? I strongly believe it’s about giving each other the benefit of the doubt rather than making judgments that are more about our own biases than about real facts. Let’s instead assume that we all want what is best for our students and we all want to be the best we can be. Then the most important barometer of any school’s success will never be their student count, but rather the quality of martial arts being taught — and learned — at the school. In this approach, we must all be united in our commitment to deliver a great product. Come meet and interact with your fellow school owners and instructors, small and large, at the 2019 MASuperShow in Las Vegas. Let’s train and learn from the experts and together celebrate the industry we all love! For more information visit www.masupershow.com or call the Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA) at (866) 626-6226. e m Contact Frank Silverman at teamcfck@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook @franksilverman.

MASUCCESS

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L E A R N M O R E O R B R O W S E O U R F U L L P R O D U C T S E L E C T I O N AT

C E N T U RY M ARTIAL ARTS.C OM

STAFF F R A N K S I LV E R M A N I S T H E E X E C U T I V E

MELISSA TORRES IS THE DIVISION

Director of the Martial Arts Industry Association,

Manager of the Martial Arts Industry Association.

and the owner and operator of 11 martial arts

She is a practitioner of kung fu san soo, Cage

schools in Orlando, FL. He’s also the author of

Fitness and yoga. She is passionate about helping

Business Is Business: Passion and Profit in the

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

Martial Arts Industry. Follow Frank on Twitter and Facebook @franksilverman. Contact him at

school owners succeed and achieve their goals.

THE MAIA REPORT

She can be reached at mtorres@masuccess.com.

fsilverman@masuccess.com.

DAVE KOVAR OWNS AND OPERATES A chain of successful martial art schools. Additionally,

NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS, ED.D., IS

he operates Pro-Mac (Professional Martial Arts

a sensei in Japanese jujitsu at TNT Jujitsu under

College), dedicated to helping martial artists

Hanshi Torey Overstreet in Houston, TX. He’s the owner of Lead Connect Grow, LLC. Organizations

BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP

IN THE CLASSROOM

become professionals in Business Management, Mat Mastery, Sales Mastery, Wealth Management

hire him to develop black belt-level professionals

and Cutting-Edge Classroom Concepts. In 2010,

in the areas of Teams, Leadership and Conflict

he was the recipient of the Martial Arts Industry

Management. Feel free to email him at

Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Contact

tom@ntgriggs.com.

him at dave.kovar@kovars.com or check out his blog at kovarsblog.kovarsystems.com.

HERB BORKLAND WAS ONE OF

CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD IS THE

Jhoon Rhee’s original white belts at America’s

founder of a successful martial arts organization,

first taekwondo school and, later, a closed-door

Personal Best Karate, headquartered in Norton,

student of Chinese “soft” styles pioneer Robert

MA. He’s a five-time world karate champion and

W. Smith. For three years, starting on ESPN, he

TURNING POINT

is currently the executive director of the world-

hosted the weekly Black Belts TV show. He did the screenplay for Cynthia Rothrock’s HBO-featured Honor and Glory and is an Inside Kung-Fu Hall of

MASTERFUL RETENTION

Fame martial arts writer. He can be reached at

MASUCCESS

sponsorship. Rappold is the author of the landmark reached at founder@personalbestkarate.com.

SHANE TASSOUL IS A MARTIAL ARTS

BETH BLOCK, A 4TH-DEGREE BLACK

Industry Association Consultant and the owner

belt in karate, is the president of Block Insurance

of Championship Martial Arts in Appleton, WI.

in Orlando, FL. Block has protected businesses

He is dedicated to helping school owners achieve

that serve children for the past 24 years. She is

their goals and dreams and can be reached at

team supported by sport-karate’s longest-running MAIA program Retention Based Sparring. He can be

herbork@comcast.net.

CONSULTANT’S CORNER

renowned Team Paul Mitchell, a championship

(920) 450-5425 or stassoul@masuccess.com.

THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING!

the writer of Martial Arts Minute, a weekly riskmanagement newsletter. You can reach her at (800) 225-0863 or beth@blockins.net.

STAFF MASUCCESS IS PUBLISHED BY

SARAH LOBBAN IS THE ASSOCIATE Publications Editor for the Martial Arts Industry Association. She has trained and fought in MMA and

VOL. 20, NO. 07

JULY 2019

muay thai, and currently trains in jeet kune do. She

IN THE KNOW

can be reached at slobban@centurymartialarts.com.

MAIA LLC, 1000 Century Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73110;

MANAGING EDITOR

John Corcoran

(866) 626-6226.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

KATHY OLEVSKY AND HER HUSBAND, Rob, own and operate Karate International in North Carolina. Kathy is the managing partner in their five-school operation. She’s an 8th-

YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

Melissa Torres MAIA ASSOCIATE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

teaching and operating martial arts schools. She

Sarah Lobban

can be reached for questions or comments at

M A I A I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O N S U LTA N T S Robby Beard Kurt Klingenmeyer Jason Flame Mike Metzger Antonio Fournier Adam Parman Cris Rodriguez Shane Tassoul

E R I C T H E T R A I N E R ( E R I C P.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

F L E I S H M A N ) I S A Hollywood-based celebrity

Jan Szijarto

personal trainer with over 28 years’ experience. He has worked with top actors and musicians, MMA fighters, and the military. He hosts the popular TV

ART DIRECTOR

Todd Bane

show “Celebrity Sweat,” which you can watch on

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Amazon Prime. His enthusiastic message of living

Kaily Prince Bridgette Rabe

a healthy life has been adopted by many groups, most recently the American Culinary Federation. For questions or comments, contact Eric the Trainer at

Stacy Robertson

COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTORS

David Barnett

Sarah Lobban

Beth A. Block

Mike Metzger

Herb Borkland

Kristin Miller

Karen Eden

Kathy Olevsky

PHILIP E. GOSS, JR., ESQ. IS A

Jason Flame

Suzanne Pisano

member of the Florida and several other Federal Bar

Eric P. Fleishman

Christopher Rappold

Associations. Phil welcomes any e-mail comments

Antonio Fournier

Frank Silverman

or questions at PhilGosslaw@gmail.com and will

Philip E. Goss, Jr., Esq.

Shane Tassoul

Nguyen “Tom” Griggs

Melissa Torres

Mainemonster@gmail.com

THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE

MAIA DIVISION MANAGER

degree black belt with 32 full-time years of

kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com.

HEALTH KICK!

Frank Silverman

attempt to respond personally, time permitting.

IBISWorld.com Perry William Kelly Kurt Klingenmeyer Dave Kovar

KAREN EDEN IS A 6TH-DEGREE master of tang soo do. She’s a broadcast journalist who has appeared nationally on CNN, FOX and Animal Planet as well as on local affiliates

INSPIRATION OVATION

for NBC and PBS. Karen is also a published book author and magazine columnist who has

CORRESPONDENTS

Perry William Kelly (CANADA) Stefan Billen (GERMANY) Herb Borkland (VA) Andre Lima (CA) Karen Eden (CO) Terry L. Wilson (CA) Mark Junday (UNITED KINGDOM) Keith D. Yates (TX) Andrea F. Harkins (AZ)

written for or been featured in every major martial arts magazine globally. Contact her at renedenherdman@gmail.com.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts and photographs submitted to MASUCCESS, if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights for letters submitted to this magazine will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as subject to the editorial staff’s right to edit and to comment editorially. MAIA, its owners, directors, officers, employees, subsidiaries, successors and assigns are not responsible in any manner for any injury that may occur by reading and/or following the instructions herein. As publisher, MAIA makes no endorsements, representations, guarantees or warranties concerning the products and or services presented or advertised herein. We expressly disclaim any and all liability arising from or relating to the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, misuse or other act of any party in regard to such products and/or services. MASUCCESS is a trademark of the MAIA. © 2019 MAIA LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The mission of MAIA is to grow, promote and protect the martial arts industry, and to provide benefits to its members to help them become more successful.

PUBLISHER

David Wahl JULY 2019

SHARPEN YOUR PROGRAM WITH A KAMA CURRICULUM Mackensi Emory started training with the kama when she was 9 years old. Now, the 59-time World Champion wants to show you all her secrets with the blade in this wide-ranging masterclass. Learn the weapon yourself or have an instructor train with Mackensi so you can implement the kama in your school.

THEFLOWSYSTEM.TV

IN THE KNOW

BY SARAH LOBBAN

MAIA ASSOCIATE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

WORDS OF WISDOM

“

TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS, WE MUST NOT ONLY ACT BUT ALSO DREAM; NOT ONLY PLAN, BUT ALSO BELIEVE.

”

— ANATOLE FRANCE

MARTIAL ARTS TRIVIA 1

Which martial art is required learning for children in the United Arab Emirates?

What does it mean to “kill” someone in the African martial art dambe?

Which branch of the military did Chuck Norris serve in?

Which is not an injury Jackie Chan has suffered performing his own stunts? A) Cracked skull B) Cracked femur C) Dislocated cheekbone D) Dislocated pelvis

2) To knock them down 3) Air Force 4) B) MASUCCESS

ANSWERS: 1) Brazilian jiu-jitsu

YOU ASKED

IN THE KNOW

DO YOU OFFER FREE TRIALS OR SOME TYPE OF PAID TRIAL? PLEASE ELABORATE. STATS SPEAK

We always market trials to get people to come into our school. Anytime you offer a low-price commitment and low-time commitment, it’s easier to get people to your school. Once they are in the school, our only objective at that point is to get them enrolled into a program.” —MIKE METZGER, CHAMPIONSHIP MARTIAL ARTS, ORLANDO, FL

IIN 2018, THE MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY HAD A TOTAL REVENUE OF OVER

$4 BILLION SOURCE: IBISWORLD.COM

We offer both free trials and paid trials. Our goal is to enroll them as a new student. The trial is just to get them in the door.” — K R I S T I N M I L L E R , G L E N V I E W M A RT I A L A RT S & F I T N E S S , G L E N V I E W, I L

I believe that both can work. We vary between a paid trial and a free trial, depending on the campaign we’re running and the time of year. Some people will tell you that you should never do a free trail. But honestly, we have been giving away a free month for over 25 years and it has worked fine for us.” — D A V E K O V A R , K O V A R ’ S F A M I LY M A R T I A L A R T S C E N T E R , S A C R A M E N T O , C A

Throughout the year, we rotate what we are offering at different price points. Typically, free is used for referrals or a very short-term, specific, direct-marketing ad. I know very successful schools that do both. It is less about free or not free and more about the new-student experience.” — C H R I S R A P P O L D , P E R S O N A L B E S T K A R AT E , B O S T O N , M A

JULY 2019

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HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

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DO YOU COLLABORATE WITH OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR MUTUAL PROMOTIONS?

YES

ARE YOU, OR IS YOUR SCHOOLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OWNER, A MEMBER OF YOUR LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE?

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1-5 miles

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MAIA ELITE

A HELPING HAND IN YOUR STORY! Martial Arts Industry Association

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Most martial artists are never introduced to the concepts of running a small business and don’t have the correct systems in place for the long-term

growth of their schools. With the four-step approach from MAIA, you can feel confident in the direction of your school and the growth of your business. 1. Hire a MAIA Business Coach

“WE DOVE INTO THE FIRST YEAR USING MAIA ELITE’S PROVEN SYSTEMS AND, IN 10 MONTHS, WE DOUBLED OUR ACTIVE STUDENT COUNT AND TRIPLED OUR GROSS REVENUE.” —GEORGE SKY, SKY CENTERS MARTIAL ARTS

2. Hop on a Call Twice a Month 3. Implement Our Systems 4. Accelerate Your School’s Growth

MAIA CAN IMPROVE YOUR SCHOOL BY HELPING YOU: UU PLAN A MARKETING CALENDAR

“EVERY TIME I GO TO A CONFERENCE, I REALIZE THAT THERE IS MORE TO LEARN AND THAT I CAN STILL GROW AND MAXIMIZE MY BUSINESS. I GO TO WORK THESE DAYS BECAUSE I WANT TO, NOT BECAUSE I HAVE TO.” —MICHAEL BANK, CAPITAL KARATE

UU OPEN A NEW SCHOOL UU HOLD INCOME-GENERATING EVENTS UU HOLD LEAD-GENERATING EVENTS UU MANAGE YOUR PROGRAMS UU ADD CURRICULUM UU HIRE NEW EMPLOYEES UU TRAIN YOUR STAFF

“I HAVE SEEN NOTHING BUT GROWTH IN MY SCHOOL. OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT HAS DOUBLED SINCE I JOINED ELITE. BEST CHOICE WE EVER MADE WAS TO JOIN MAIA!” —REYMUNDO GONZALEZ, WARCATS TAEKWONDO

UU KEEP YOUR MONTHLY BUDGET UU TRACK YOUR SCHOOL’S STATISTICS UU BUILD AND EXECUTE A MARKETING STRATEGY UU IMPROVE PARENT OUTREACH UU CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT FOR STUDENTS UU AND MUCH MORE

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MASUCCESS

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When potential new students walk into your school, what kind of gear do they see? Are there just bags, or are they your bags? Are there gloves, or are they your gloves?

Using customized gear with your school’s name, logo, or both, in your school and pro shop adds a much greater element of professionalism to your school. Century Martial Arts offers dozens of ways to customize your gear, including printed labels for your boxing gloves (and training gloves, and hand wraps — not to brag!). Imagine seeing new prospects’ faces light up when you show them a pair of gloves from your pro shop, with your labeled logo sewn on! Boxing glove labels are embroidered rectangles, 3.375” X 1.875” in size, and your logo can occupy the entire label.

a For more information on this and other great Century products call a helpful Century Sales Representative at (800) 626-2789 or visit www.CenturyMartialArts.com.

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Many martial arts, including karate and taekwondo, often require that competitors wear chest guards during

tournament competition. Whether or not your school hosts tournaments, if you have students who plan on competing, it makes sense to let them train in the same gear they’ll be wearing in competition. The Century Lightweight Chest Guard is a great option for students who need a chest cover in order to compete, but don’t want to be encumbered by a bulky guard. It’s made with a single layer of flexible foam, with a mesh interior for comfort. A hook-and-loop closure tab in the back secures the guard.

a For more information on this and other great Century products call a helpful Century Sales Representative at (800) 626-2789 or visit www.CenturyMartialArts.com. JULY 2019

THE MAIA REPORT

A “Sleek” New Program We all (most likely) have heard of bands like Def

BY MELISSA TORRES

MAIA DIVISION MANAGER

Leppard or celebrities such as Chris Noth, Shawn Mendes,

MASuperShow. Eric’s energy is unbelievable. And he

Vincent Rodriguez III – and of course we all know Mike

is a martial artist! He understands the needs of school

Chat. But you may not know the man who sweats with

owners and instructors. He created this program

them. He is their personal trainer. He is a martial artist

specifically for the dojos to help get more students and

himself. His name is Eric Fleishman and goes by the mon-

adults through their doors.

iker Eric the Trainer. He was featured on the cover of the January mag-

“Catch Eric’s early-morning workout in Vegas. This is the perfect time to experience the Sleek Ninja workout firsthand and ask questions. He’s there to help you. And he’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet!”

January issue, go back and read it! He explains why he created Sleek Ninja, his backstory as a skinny teenager

attended the MASuperShow last year, you may have

in Maine who got bullied, his decision to become a

even had a chance to work out with him during an early

personal trainer and how he became the host of the TV

morning workout!

show Celebrity Sweat.

With that said, I have exciting news! First of all, he’s

Catch his early morning workout in Vegas! This is

coming back to the Show this year for a morning work-

the perfect time to experience the workout and ask

out that you won’t want to miss. Trust me. I recently

questions. He’s there to help you! And he’s the nicest

trained with him and his wealth of knowledge on how

guy you’ll ever meet!

to sculpt the human body is unbelievable! I’m still sore. On top of that, MAIA has now partnered with him on his Sleek Ninja program!

Send me an email if you want to be the first to sign up for his program as soon as it’s ready. The MAIA team will keep you updated first! e

The program will be available this summer and includes a training manual that breaks down all the moves, as well as diet, sleep and the science behind it. It also includes videos of each move with correct form as well as sample workout videos that you can implement in your classes. involved and get more adults into your school. If you don’t have a morning workout class for adults, you could be missing out on a great source of monthly revenue plus the opportunity to introduce these adults to martial arts. Another reason this program is important for martial arts school owners and instructors is because, if you’re like many school owners, you probably devote most of your time to teaching or working on the business growth of your school. Your personal fitness and health may have taken a back seat. Sleek Ninja will motivate you to get back into shape so you can be the best example to your students. In turn, you will have more energy and excitement to teach your regular classes.

MASUCCESS

Again, if you haven’t read Eric’s feature article in the

azine, which I hope you got a chance to read. If you

This is a great way to get your students’ parents

I encourage you to try the morning workout at the

m Melissa Torres is the Martial Arts Industry Association Division Manager and can be reached at mtorres@masuccess.com.

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DO YOU KNOW... THE 7 STEPS FOR TEACHING A DRILL? THE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TEACHING CHILDREN? METHODS FOR TEACHING CHILDREN THAT WORKS BEST FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE?

MO S T S C HOOL S DO NO T H AV E T HE B A SIC UNDER S TA NDING OF C HIL D P S YCHOL OG Y A ND T HE PR OPER WAY OF T E A C HING 3 - T O 6 -Y E A R - OL D S .

T H A T ’ S W H Y C H I L D D E V E L O P M E N T E X P E R T, M E L O D Y S H U M A N DE V E L OP E D T HE ULT IM AT E C HIL DR E N ’ S C UR R IC UL UM .

HEY GUYS! I want to personally invite you to attend my pre-conference event, “The Ultimate Instructor Development Workshop for Anyone Teaching 3- to 6-Year Olds”, at the 2019 Martial Arts SuperShow! Last year, we hit record attendance numbers and I don’t want you to miss out. This workshop will break down how to teach your youngest students, using age-specific methods that will not just get them engaged for one class, but will start to lay the foundation for learning and retaining martial arts-applicable skills. Learn specific methods to teaching young children and creative drills you can take home and implement immediately! Even if you have never taught children, this can even become your favorite class! Visit MASuperShow.com for more info. I hope to see you there! -

Melody Shuman

P.S. If you are already a PreSKILLZ member, you will get one ticket to my pre-con plus a bonus hour of behind-the-scenes training for free!

M I S TA K E H I S M E E K N E S S F OR W E A K N E S S -

I F YO U E N J OY

Carlos Machado, the nicest instructor in BJJ, offers some insights into his teaching methods, his famous students like Keanu Reeves and Stephan â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wonderboyâ&#x20AC;? Thompson, how to succeed in business and what he has in store for the MAIA SuperShow.

b y P e r r y W il l i a m K e l ly

CARLOS MACHADO

MASUCCESS

While growing up, Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Carlos Machado’s nickname was Soneca (Sleepy) for the naps he used to take between training sessions. It’s good that he took the chance to rest while he had it, because these days, everyone wants to roll with now-black belt and instructor Machado! The list seems endless: John Wick’s Keanu Reeves’s, Kickboxer’s Alain Moussi, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. While this world-famous BJJ coach has probably sent more people off to slumber-land than sleeping pills, many consider the chance to work with him a “dream” come true! Carlos Machado was born in Rio de Janeiro on November 9, 1963. From birth, it seemed almost predestined for him to be raised on the mats, as members of the Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu clan are his cousins (his aunt Layr was married to Carlos Gracie Sr.). Although Carlos is the eldest of the world-famous Machado Brothers, his little brothers also have some serious BJJ chops. Rigan Machado is an eighth-degree black belt who won the Brazilian National Championships every year from ages fourteen through 21. Jean Jacques Machado, a seventh-degree black belt, was Brazilian National Champion for ten years and is a multi-time ADCC champ. Youngest brother John is a sixth-degree black belt and a Pan American Sambo Champion. Last, but certainly not least, is sixthdegree black belt Roger, who embodies a zen-like calmness perhaps due to his other love: yoga. Carlos enjoyed a 34-year competitive career, winning many titles including Brazilian State and National Champion between 1982 to 1993, Pan American Champ 1997 and 1998, U.S. Open Champion 1998 and 1999, and World Mater Champion (in both middle and open weight divisions) in 2000. Perhaps the most amazing of his victories on the mat, at least in the eyes of this writer, was pulling off the fastest submission at the ADCC in 1998 – which he did while competing with a broken foot! It seems almost unbelievable, but for Carlos, it’s just another day on the mat. The Machado brothers moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990’s when BJJ was beginning to shock the world with its success in the Octagon. They were teaching private lessons one day when, out of nowhere, in walked martial arts icon and movie star Chuck Norris! Norris was interested in learning more about BJJ, and knew the reputation of the Machados. Thus began a lifelong friendship and collaboration between Carlos and Norris. In 1995, Carlos moved to Dallas, Texas, where he opened a BJJ school inside the same warehouse where the indoor scenes for Norris’s Walker, Texas Ranger were being filmed. This allowed him to teach Norris (who later became a black belt under Carlos) and work

on the show on an almost weekly basis. Eventually, Carlos would appear in over twenty of the show’s episodes and choreograph the grappling and ground-based elements of the fight scenes. Carlos has been inducted into eight Martial Arts Halls of Fame for his efforts in BJJ and martial arts. His affiliate school system reaches across the United States, Canada, England, France, Australia, Mexico and of course, Brazil. Perhaps one of the secrets behind his success is that while completing his law school studies at university, young Carlos lived with his uncle Carlos Gracie Sr. for five years. Talk about having an opportunity to get extra help with your grappling game! Master Machado graciously gave MASuccess some of his valuable time to chat while he was getting his brother-in law-Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson ready to meet Anthony Pettis at UFC Fight Night 148 this past March in Nashville.

MASUCCESS: What is one stand-out memory you have of working with Chuck Norris? CARLOS MACHADO: One memorable moment with me and Chuck was being at the UFAF (United Fighting Arts Federation) convention in Vegas when he was a blue belt. In the old days, we would line people up and tap them all out in sequence. The biggest guy at the seminar was in the line that Chuck was supposed to get. This guy wanted to be last, maybe to catch him when he was tired. Chuck made the whole line tap including the biggest guy. To make a long story short, (as his instructor) he made my day. MAS: Through film director Chad Stahelski (an instructor under Jeet Kune Do legend Guro Dan Inosanto) you have had the opportunity to train Keanu Reeves for the John Wick movie series. Reeves often refers to your teaching him how to “breathe” while doing BJJ. Can you elaborate on what techniques you taught him?

CM: It doesn’t matter if you (have the cardio of a) marathon runner; if you don’t know how to breathe for jiu-jitsu you will die out in the first few minutes. Jiu-jitsu is (like) swimming: if you don’t know how to breathe, you drown. Inhaling is natural, but you must teach students how to empty their lungs. Jiu-jitsu is about being relaxed and seizing opportunities. I have a simple system. You do three short exhales and one long one, like a train: “Choo, Choo, Choo, Chooooh.” I got Keanu to do a sequence of moves with me and told him to focus on his breathing. Low and behold, he was able to do the techniques with more dexterity and motor skill.

“Life in the martial arts is all about opportunities. Each student offers the instructor the chance to make a difference. His or her life will be changed if you do it right. In the process, your life will be changed as well. It is the greatest reward to make a living by changing lives.”

- excerpt from Carlos Machado’s Putting the Pieces Together: Truths You Learn AFTER You Get Your Butt Kicked!

JULY 2019

CARLOS MACHADO

MAS: One of the things that most impressed me while attending your seminars is your humble manner of teaching. However, being such a nice guy, how do you deal with the “problem seminar attendee” who tries to challenge what you are teaching?

CM: Anyone that walks into my gym or into a seminar, they know I am there to help them. I am not there to fight them, (or) to take anything away from anybody. And, if anybody can contribute to what I am showing, I have no problem asking them to show it. I have done a lot of brainstorming sessions with people skilled in a certain aspect, asking them, “Show me how you like this certain thing. Show me what you can add to it.” I am open to learning too if I don’t know the answer. MAS: So, you use the height of strategy by turning a potential enemy into a friend?

CM: Yes. The whole thing about being on opposite ends is an illusion because in a similar way, we all want to grow. Either we grow

MASUCCESS

from me giving what you need. And, I ask seminar attendees “If you had to accomplish one thing at this seminar today what would that be?” Or “If you had one aspect of Jiu-Jitsu you could walk out happy with what would it be?”. And, I try to map out the class not only according to the lesson plan already to go, but I mold in what I feel the group needs or expects the most. Once you blend in that interaction you break the ice. People realize that I am not there to fight anybody or challenge anybody. I am there to grow with everybody and have everybody grow with me.

MAS: You once told me that your strength as a coach is to teach a technique that the student already knows, but to break it down in such a way that they can apply it more effectively than before. CM: My goal when I teach a seminar is to not teach a technique, a move or a topic, but to cause an experience. I want everybody there to not be the same when they are done with the class. I want to teach everybody, from the guy who has a little knowledge and experience [or is a] small individual up to the

black belt who has skill and all the physical attributes of size, speed, physicality. How do I cross this range? I start at the core; I don’t teach anything fancy. I break things down into small details. Everybody can relate to that, even a guy who is very accomplished. There might be one tweak that he might be missing that will make the skill he possesses stronger and better. I have had guys who were studying with me that day and who were also competing that day. They trained in a move and were able to go out that day and execute the move in three different matches.

MAS: Can you give an example of your teaching process that other instructors can benefit from? CM: In terms of methodology of teaching, I like to slow things down. If you can’t slow things down, it is sometimes hard to see when and how [a technique works] and where you are going to apply the technique. When I train someone, I have his training part ner move in random ways, unexpectedly. It’s not always going to be the same reaction.

And [I tell the student], “You just focus on just slowing this guy down. Once you’ve accomplished that, then how can you set this guy up?” It’s like trying to shoot a moving target if you are trying to set a guy up and he is moving too fast. Unless you are an accomplished shooter, the only way you can hit the target is by slowing it down. Also, you start from the smallest things, like how your fingertips grip the gi. It is a small adjustment, but it can give you [big returns]. Then you move to weight distribution to slow someone down. If you are a lighter person, but know how to use your weight distribution, you can use this to change angles. You can make a person suffer a lot to get out of a position and slow him down enough to get you into a better position.

MAS: You paint vivid word pictures, like “Zombie Surfer,” for your students to grasp different positional set ups and techniques. In your opinion does this process quicken their mastery of BJJ? CM: No question about it. When it comes to a method of teaching, if you’re going to accelerate and improve the person’s method of JULY 2019

CARLOS MACHADO learning and retention of a technique, it must be through imagery. In jiu-jitsu, if you can see it [in your mind], you can do it. I have lot of terminology that work especially well when doing a seminar, because in a seminar I may never see these people again, so I want to make sure they learn and never forget. [When] I say, “don’t pass the guard, just be a “Zombie Surfer,” you [envision] always moving your head from one side to the other of the middle line, and you are not a stationery target. And, when you start to surf, your leg starts to breach through your opponent’s defence, and you start to create angles that allow you to keep your balance more easily. Eventually, you accomplish a transition and control position without having to go through too much hardship. The other guy fights and sweats and you just enjoy the surf. The thing that is ironic, is that they will never forget how to do that move because that visual is so strong in their minds.

MAS: Olympic Judo champion Anton Geesink once told me that you should focus on a few techniques you can always pull off rather than learning many techniques. What do you think about this approach? CM: If you look at my uncle Helio Gracie, his two main positions were the choke and the ankle lock. He would choke you if you gave up your neck and if you gave up your ankle, he would ankle lock you. He would go either high or low. I call [always being able to always pull off a technique] the 360 Method. I will give you an example for a move like a choke. You start by choking the guy from the bottom, then on your side, then when you are on top of him, then the turtle position, and when he tries to get up. You try to exhaust all the different situations where you can apply a choke. Sometimes, it’s the same move [but] from a different angle. Other times, you just adjust a little bit. In fact, my students are learning to choke from any angle.

MASUCCESS

MAS: You are famous for being able to apply a submission while escaping from your opponent’s attempt to submit you. How do us mere mortal BJJ players pull something like this off?

CM: The definition of the “Escape Game” is that it is “the art of (ticking) people off.” When somebody tries to get a submission, your goal is not to escape, your goal is just to delay how long it takes before the guy gets you. The other thing is how do I protect my breathing, (because) the first rule in jiu-jitsu is “don’t drown.” Anyone who wants to be good at escaping or become savvy at being elusive and evasive, the first thing is to be able to deal with pressure, which has to do with protecting your breathing. Someone can take the air out of your lungs if you are caught in kesa-gatame (side-control hold) simply by the pressure on your lungs. The first step is to learn how to deal with pressure. You can minimize the pressure by keeping one shoulder off the ground at any given time. Or, if you are flat, you must be on your toes slightly, keeping your hips off the ground. Your diaphragm can dilate through your kidneys. If you are completely flat and have pressure on top, your lungs have nowhere to expand. You must be savvy in finding space to keep on breathing. There’s another rule in jiu-jitsu: “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” When the guy wants to crush you, the more you grab and pull him to you, the more it deflects and dissipates the pressure. When you try to push the guy away, it gets a lot worse. MAS: Who have been your mentors, and how did living with your uncle, Carlos Gracie Sr., influence you? CM: My two main mentors were my Dad and my uncle. You have two parallels in life, careers that are laid out for you and careers that you follow for your heart. [They taught me] to keep my head in the clouds but my feet on the ground.

My dad was a judge and he had set a path for me that would have been an easier one, because he had all these connections to assist me. He was more [focused on] a practical side of life. But I didn’t see myself as a lawyer. I was more comfortable wearing a gi than a suit. I wanted to help people using martial arts. Uncle Carlos was more the guru side of life. He became a healer, a nutritionist, and an herbalist. He created the Gracie diet. He was a spiritual person who kind of mentored me more on the character aspects: Be humble, treat people with respect. Try to take care of your body – that’s your temple. Be a good example to others. When I and my brothers first came to America, we based our motto for all the Machado Academies, “Leave your ego at the door,” on a conversation that I had with my uncle. (He said,) “Remember, be humble. Be respectful, and remember you are never too good to learn.” We were always respectful of every martial arts instructor who showed up at our gym. We are always open and willing to share.

ourselves; we talk about stuff about the business. Sometimes you are going to have personal issue in there. You got to work on it. Sometimes you’re going to have training issues, like injuries, where you cannot train. But you cannot let the business drop because that’s the biggest house of cards. If that one folds it can affect everything else. It took a long time for me to understand, if you want to be in the game, you have to learn how to play the game or you won’t be able to (succeed). There are certain rules you must follow. You must track your numbers. You must spend less than you make. You must hire staff and re-invest in your business. And, fire people when they

MAS: How are you able to find time to travel the world conducting seminars, training UFC fighters and action movie stars? CM: Everything is related. When I am off to a seminar, I am often training guys who are fighters at different gyms. I was at one of my affiliates, Tri-Force MMA in Boston, and they had a guy who fought the following weekend for a belt. I connect everything. I will be in Indiana in June teaching the Purdue wrestling team and there will be quite a few MMA fighters who will be there. MAS: What are the most challenging obstacles you face and what success tips would you offer to other school owners?

CM: There are three obstacles for every instructor: yourself, your training, (and) your business. What I found out is that I must be okay with myself regardless of whatever happens with my training or my business. I must be okay with my training regardless of what happens with my business. And, ultimately and decisively, I must be okay with my business regardless of what is happening with my training or my personal. Students, for me, are family members. I’ve had situations where students I created became rogue and started to compete against me and tried to take me out. You are due for heartbreak because it is an impossibility that you are going to keep every person with you forever. My constructive approach is that I just want to know what I could have done better to not repeat the reason the guy left, so other people won’t follow. In regard to business, it is an animal. It can become a monster if you don’t keep that in check. More often than not, it becomes so allencompassing that on a personal level everything gets swallowed. You don’t have time to spend with your kids, don’t have time to spend with your spouse. If you work with your spouse, which is the case with my wife, we don’t take time to talk about stuff about JULY 2019

CARLOS MACHADO don’t fit. Some instructors I know say, “Slow to hire, quick to fire.” I think you should adopt a personality test as part of the job interview and have a ninety-day paid trial. People will not show their true selves in one week. If people have something they are hiding, they are going to slip up within the three-month period. As an instructor I have a mission to hold the torch for others, so I can’t drop the ball on my health, my fitness, and everything that I do that led me to where I am. You’ve got to find the medium. You’re not going to be even with everything, but don’t drop the ball. You’ve got to be good at all.

MAS: Your brother-in-law, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson is fighting Anthony Pettis at UFC Nashville. Since we are chatting on the eve of the fight (so this info won’t be published until after), what have you added to Wonderboy’s submission game for his bout with the man called “Showtime”? CM: I know this will be post-fight [laughs] but, as usual, we don’t comment too much on the specifics. But I can tell you in general terms, this is a business. Mr. Thompson, Wonderboy’s dad, he’s the one that oversees everything that happens around and within Stephen’s camp. He studies anyone they are going to fight. He breaks it down for Stephen. And, he molds training camp as to what he feels will give Stephen the most chances. I try to assess what Stephen is doing and try to add whatever jiu-jitsu strategy that will maximize his dominance for the event. Stephen does have a photographic memory, as well, so it’s not by accident that he is so talented. He has gifts but he is also tremendously coachable. When I am in the corner, I relay to his dad my thoughts. Stephen and his dad have a synchronicity that he can dissect his dad’s voice out of a million people yelling at the same time.

MAS: Your seminar at the upcoming MASuperShow is called “Big or Small, Sweep Them All: The Most Effective Sweep Techniques.” Can you provide readers with a taste of what to expect? CM: I have a quote: “Big and Small, Take Them All.” Size, of course,

is always an issue. But when your opponent doesn’t know enough, you can get around it by overcoming with more positions, skills and leverages. Then you have all the other factors, the different things that are in the mix: timing, setting it up, different entries, the baits. But when the guy also knows the same stuff, how do you make it work? Now the guy knows what you are doing, and he is able to counter and has a size advantage on top of everything. For example, I looked back on my training, and all the times I could not use a sweep on a guy, it was because he had a “beer belly.” My legs could not fit and kick from underneath the guy. That is when sound mechanics come into play. Everything works in synchronicity: your body, your timing, your leverage. I call that sound mechanics. You synchronize your body [so that] all the moves you do are with the whole body. And, once you’ve got a position, if you are set and MASUCCESS

strong, then every time you set that up, the sweep is bound to happen.

MAS: Is there any last thing else you would like our readers to know about you or your career success? CM: Just to summarize: If I teach a seminar, I want to cause an experience. What I try to do with my business, whether it is my academy, how I change the life of a student, my affiliates or my association, RCJ Machado – I try to cause an experience. I can help people in more ways than one, not just make them a better fighter or instructor. Part-time instructors can become full time instructors, or school owners can buy their own buildings through working with me. If I can give them some clarity on a path, so they can become for self-reliant or successful, then I have changed the lives of all those people around them, like their family members. There is no man who is an island. We all need to build upon the shoulders of others who came before us. I have tremendous people helping me out, like my wife Lindsay and partner Adam Carl, who are instrumental in making my vision become a reality. My vision has become clear. So much more must be done. I have a motto that I believe in, in martial arts, in business and in life: “The job is never done but always a work in progress.” It would seem that Carlos Machado’s work-in-progress is to create experiences for those who learn from him. From some, that experience can be life-changing. If you have the chance to attend his seminar at the upcoming MASuperShow, who knows what might happen to your life in the future? This humble writer’s next article might be about your success as a competitor, instructor or school owner! e

m Perry William Kelly is the 2017 World Police and Firefighter Games Karate Gold medalist and a 2018 Joe Lewis Eternal Warrior Award recipient. A fifth-degree jiu-jitsu black belt, he is also an instructor in four other martial arts. He may be contacted for seminars and interviews at perrytheauthor@yahoo.com.

JULY 2019

BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP

“E” Is for Empathy

BY DR. NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS

“You can sympathize or relate to other peoples’ experiences without taking on problems and issues. Show others that you understand, but keep one eye on your business and mission at all times.”

or this column, I continue using acronyms to spell out the words BLACK BELT, as they relate to teams and leadership. This month, I’ll address “E,” which stands for empathy. Empathy means to relate to or understand another person’s experiences and thoughts.

Why Empathy Matters for Leaders and Teams

In the early 2000s, I taught business courses at a local community college in Houston. One fall semester, I had a fun-loving and bright student named Jose. He was doing well in the course.

But effort from all sides is required for good use of empathy and relationship-building. Here are three tips on effectively using empathy for teams and leaders.

During the last five weeks of class, however, Jose disappeared. He missed the remaining exams and his group-project assignment. Jose failed the course in spectacular fashion. His final grade for the entire course was almost a 37. On the first day of the spring semester, I saw Jose in my classroom. He had an expression on his face that can only be described as shame, mischief and utter disbelief. After class, he walked up to me, apologized for the fall semester and shared a tale of youthful misadventure fueled by angst and alcohol. The short version of his story is that his dad asked him to drive down to Mexico to look at some real estate. Jose took a few friends with him. While driving around, a police officer swerved into his lane, causing him to hit a parked car. The officer got out and proceeded to threaten to arrest him and asked him for a bribe. Infuriated, Jose punched the officer in the face. Four weeks later, after spending some “extra” time in Mexico, resulting in his absence, Jose returned home. We both laughed about the incident, and I told him that I hoped everything was good now. I informed Jose that the exams were going to be the same, but I changed the order of the questions and answers. I marked correct answers on the exams and let the students keep them for the final. I warned him to not memorize the old exam answers. He agreed and promised improvement. A few weeks later, the class took their first exam and Jose bombs it horribly! When I compared his answers to the answer key from the fall semester, it became clear that he had memorized those answers! We talked again after the first exam and he told me he was sorry for being lazy. When I administered the second exam, he once again memorized the answers and failed miserably. Shortly afterwards, he dropped the class.

MASUCCESS

Personally, I work on being understanding and empathetic. But honestly, I couldn’t relate to anything Jose did. As leaders, we have to be able to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and relate to what they experience. The same is true for team members as well.

1) Be consistent. Some days, you aren’t in the mood. People’s stories and issues just aren’t connecting with you. I tried to work with Jose, but in the spring semester he kept taking the easy route and it showed. However, please be as empathetically consistent as possible. Consistency creates fairness and respect with your people. If you aren’t consistent with your sense of empathy, others may see you as unbalanced or playing favorites. 2) Don’t confuse sympathy and empathy. Sympathy means to “feel as someone else feels.” Confusing sympathy and empathy can lead to poor decision-making. I can relate to Jose messing up on an exam or two. I certainly could not relate to failing the same exams because of laziness. Giving people room to correct and grow despite your lack of mutual experiences and subsequent feelings will help you and others grow. When he showed me his unwillingness to improve, he dropped the course. 3) Empathy isn’t an excuse for mediocrity. You operate a business and have expectations and standards. Please hold everyone and yourself to those standards. You can sympathize or relate to other peoples’ experiences without taking on problems and issues. Show others that you understand, but keep one eye on your business and mission at all times. I gave Jose space to make things right and he didn’t. Trust me, I can relate to messing up big time. Yet when I was given the chances to succeed, I didn’t take them for granted. Thanks for reading! I hope my column has been helpful. I hope to see you all at the 2019 MASuperShow in Las Vegas. e m Nguyen “Tom” Griggs is a professional consultant/

speaker in the areas of Teams, Leadership and Conflict and can be reached at tom@ntgriggs.com.

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IN THE CLASSROOM

Why Choose Martial Arts for Children? Part 2

BY DAVE KOVAR

“For most overactive children, or children with a learning disability, martial arts is the perfect activity. It’s fastpaced, fun and requires a high level of physical activity. This is usually exactly what they need.”

s I have previously stated, I believe that martial arts has the answer for nearly every challenge a child might face. Whether it be bullying, obesity, a short attention span, a lack of athletic skill, low confidence or a poor self-image, martial arts can help. I’m guessing you feel the same way. Here are some more scripts that might help you articulate the benefits to parents of potential students. Let’s get the word out so a lot more children will benefit from training, and, in turn, help our schools. Why Martial Arts Is Good For Overactive Children And Children With Learning Disabilities For most overactive children, or children with a learning disability, martial arts is the perfect activity. It’s fastpaced, fun and requires a high level of physical activity. This is usually exactly what they need. When taught correctly, martial arts helps students get into the ideal performance state which combines mental clarity, physical energy and emotional calm. It is rarely boring and helps overactive children to focus their energy in a productive manner. On top of that, a well-run martial arts class naturally facilitates the three main learning modalities - visual, auditory and kinesthetic - so that every child’s learning needs are met. How Does Martial Arts Training Make Children Less Violent? It is amazing how often you might hear parents say that they would like to get their child involved in martial arts, but they don’t want them to become violent. In almost every case, the reverse is true. Martial arts does not make children more violent! In fact, it makes them less violent. There is a quote that you will often hear in the martial arts, “Practice the fight so you don’t have to.” By practicing martial arts, children become more confident. Therefore, they are less likely to become targets for bullying. Also, martial arts gives children a safe environment in which they can blow off some steam and relieve stress. On top of that, as a child develops a stronger self-image, they are less likely to feel the need to prove themselves. With a stronger self-image, they also become less interested in tearing others down.

MASUCCESS

Why Is Martial Arts A Good Choice When Compared to Other Sports? For many children, when it comes to choosing a sport or an after-school activity, martial arts is the perfect choice. There is a team atmosphere, but there are no benchsitters. Everyone participates at their own level so there is not as much pressure put on any one individual. Because of this, children who might not excel in other sports have a chance to excel in martial arts. How Does Martial Arts Help Children Excel In Other Sports? There’s a reason why many professional athletes from multiple sports cross-train in martial arts. It is a perfectly balanced form of exercise using the right side, the left side, upper body, lower body, lateral movement, circular movement, rotational movement, strength, flexibility, endurance, timing, and eye/hand coordination. For children who are involved in a specific sport, martial arts is the perfect off-season training activity. When Is the Best Time Of Year To Begin Martial Arts? You can begin martial arts training at any time. Most team sports, especially those primarily played outside, are seasonal. Martial arts is practiced year round. This consistency helps build upon discipline and allows children to progress at a quick pace. Next month, we will continue our discussion in Part 3 of this column. e m You can contact Master Dave Kovar at dave.kovar@kovars.com.

SUPERSHOW SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 3:00PM - 8:00PM

Pre-Conference Event: APOLO LADRA, LEO T. GAJE, JR. & DAN INOSANTO (BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - The Legends of Kali II, Session 1

SUNDAY, JUNE 30 10:00AM - 6:00PM 8:00AM - 1:00PM

11:00AM - 2:00PM; 3:00PM - 8:00PM

PRESENTED BY:

2:00PM - 5:00PM; 5:00PM - 6:00PM FOR PRESKILLZ MEMBERS

Pre-Conference Event: MELODY JOHNSON (MONET 4) The Ultimate Instructor Development Workshop for Anyone Teaching 3- to 6-Year-Olds

2:00PM - 6:00PM

Pre-Conference Event: JACKSON RUDOLPH, MACKENSI EMORY & ROBBY BEARD (BELLAGIO BALLROOM 7) - The Flow System: Bo Staff & Kama Instructor Training Workshop

2:00PM - 6:00PM

MAIA ELITE SEMINAR (MONET 1 & 2) - Day 1 (Members Only)

2:00PM - 8:00PM

Pre-Conference Event: HARINDER SINGH (BELLAGIO 3 & 4) - MAIA University Advanced Instructor College: Black Belt Master Class

3:00PM - 8:00PM

Pre-Conference Event: APOLO LADRA, LEO T. GAJE, JR. & DAN INOSANTO (BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - The Legends of Kali II, Session 3

MONDAY, JULY 1 6:30AM - 7:30AM

MAIA ELITE TRAINING WITH ERIC THE TRAINER (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) - (Members Only)

7:00AM - 6:00PM

REGISTRATION DESK OPEN

8:00AM - 9:00AM

MAIA ELITE BREAKFAST (MONET 1 & 2) - (Members Only)

8:30AM - 9:00AM

NEW ATTENDEE ORIENTATION (GAUGUIN 1 & 2)

9:00AM - 12:00PM

MAIA ELITE SEMINAR (MONET 1 & 2) - Day 2 (Members Only)

9:00AM - 12:00PM

Pre-Conference Event: FRANK SILVERMAN, MIKE METZGER, SHANE TASSOUL & ROBBY BEARD (MONET 3 & 4) Martial Arts Business Forum

2:00PM

Billy Blanks Billy’s BoomBoxing™ is a new and exciting workout and curriculum for the martial arts schools. The workout consists of 8 basic Martial Arts moves combined with upper body boxing Kata techniques. It is a high intensity workout, joining cardio-kickboxing, boxing and mixed martial arts, performed to music specifically designed for BoomBoxing. Boxing bags and hand pads are used for striking. For those joining the BoomBoxing Workshop, please bring your own boxing gloves, if you have them.

LEO T. GAJE, JR. & DAN INOSANTO (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) - Edged and Impact Weapons Tactics

5:00PM - 6:30PM

WELCOME RECEPTION (EXHIBIT HALL FLOOR)

Cost: $125

7:00PM - 8:30PM

8:00

9:00A

10:00

10:45

11:4

12:1

1:4

TRADESHOW BEGINS

3:00PM - 4:00PM

6:30PM

7:00

Pre-Conference Event: GUILLERMO GOMEZ (GAUGUIN 1 & 2) Martial Fusion 6-Hour Power Workshop Pre-Conference Events: DAVE KOVAR (BELLAGIO BALLROOM 1) MAIA University Instructor College JOAO GABRIEL ROCHA & RAFAEL "FORMIGA" BARBOSA (GRAND BALLROOM 1) BJJ Seminar Presented by Gameness

Date & Time: Tuesday, July 2, 6PM-9PM

Pre-Conference Event: APOLO LADRA, LEO T. GAJE, JR. & DAN INOSANTO (BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - The Legends of Kali II, Session 2

2:00PM - 5:00PM

SPONSORED BY:

Billy’s BoomBoxing™ Workshop Session

REGISTRATION DESK OPEN

7:00

TRADESHOW FLOOR CLOSES GENERAL SESSION (BELLAGIO BALLROOM)

2:4

3:30

6:00 *Separate registration is required for each pre-conference event. Schedule subject to change.

ROOM COLOR KEY:

CENTURY ROOM PHYSICAL TRAINING

ZEN PLANNER ROOM PHYSICAL TRAINING

TUESDAY, JULY 2 AGIO

SPARK MINDS ROOM

CLICK FUNNELS ROOM

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3

7:00AM - 6:00PM

REGISTRATION DESK OPEN

7:00AM - 6:00PM

REGISTRATION DESK OPEN

7:00AM - 8:00AM

BILLY BLANKS (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO 6 & 7) Master Morning Workout

7:00AM - 8:00AM

ALAIN MOUSSI (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO 6 & 7) K2XFIT

BILL WALLACE (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Early Morning Stretch 8:00AM - 6:00PM 9:00AM - 10:00AM

AGIO

nyone

MAIA ROOM

TRADESHOW FLOOR OPEN MIKE DILLARD (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Advanced Timing, Punching, and Footwork

ERIC THE TRAINER (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Sleek Ninja Training 8:00AM - 5:00PM 9:00AM - 10:00AM

CHRIS RAPPOLD (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - Trust Me! A Progress-Based Sparring Program That Will Grow Your School

TRADESHOW FLOOR OPEN JOHN HACKLEMAN (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Drilling is the New Sparring TOM PATIRE (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - MARTIAL OPS®: When Seconds Count ROBBY BEARD (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) - 5 Systems Every Successful School Has Implemented

MIKE METZGER & SHANE TASSOUL (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) - The 3 Key Strategies You Must Use to Maximize Profitability in Your Martial Arts School

FARID DORDAR (SPARK MINDS ROOM - MONET 3 & 4) Leadership Strategies to Build a Strong Team

HAKIM ISLER (SPARK MINDS ROOM - MONET 3 & 4) - Naked Success, Six Secrets I Learned Surviving Naked on a Mountain

STEPHEN REINSTEIN (CLICKFUNNELS ROOM - MONET 1 & 2) - Changing Perception: Marketing in 2019 and Beyond

JUSTIN WREN (CLICKFUNNELS ROOM - MONET 1 & 2) Ultimate Marketing: Connect your School to a Cause

10:00AM - 10:45AM

BREAK MARTIAL FUSION DEMO WITH GUILLERMO GOMEZ (EXHIBIT HALL STAGE)

10:45AM - 11:45AM

HARINDER SINGH (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Combat Chess: Learn the Queen of All Moves

APOLO LADRA (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Bridging the Gap Between the Office and the Mat

D &

MIKE CHAT (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) The 10 Elements of Leadership You Need to Know to Supercharge Your Staff and Classes

Only)

MIKE METZGER & SHANE TASSOUL (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) - Open Forum: Mike Metzger & Shane Tassoul Answer Your Questions

MIKE HUGHES & DON GULLA (ZEN PLANNER ROOM BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) How to Teach Pistol Combatives Using SIRT CRIS RODRIGUEZ (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) - Digital Marketing 101: How to Use Facebook and Google to Grow Your Business ROBYN SILVERMAN (SPARK MINDS ROOM - MONET 3 & 4) What You Don’t Know about How Kids Learn Might Tank Your Business

KELLY MURRAY GRYS (SPARK MINDS ROOM - MONET 3 & 4) The Linchpin to Your Success: Building a Team that Works Like They Own the Place KINNICK MCDONALD (CLICKFUNNELS ROOM - MONET 1 & 2) Diving Into the Numbers: Learn How Data and Metrics Are Key To Growing Your School

AGIO 11:45AM - 1:45PM

LUNCH BREAK

12:15PM - 1:15AM

JACKSON RUDOLPH & MACKENSI EMORY (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - The Flow System Elite Weapons Training Workshop

)

BILL STORM (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) Let’s Build a Customer Avatar So You Can Find More of Your “Perfect Customers” 1:45PM - 2:45PM

Only)

ADAM PARMAN (CLICKFUNNELS ROOM - MONET 1 & 2) Creating Your Business Breakthrough 11:45AM - 12:45PM 12:15PM - 1:15PM

1:45PM - 2:45PM

AKSELL NICOLAIDES (CLICKFUNNELS ROOM - MONET 1 & 2) Add Six Figures in Fitness Revenue to Your School

RAND 2:45PM - 3:30PM

BREAK NINJA TRIX DEMO (EXHIBIT HALL STAGE)

3:30PM - 4:30PM

MICHAEL WONG (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Crafting a Combat Mindset for Street Self-Defense ERIC THE TRAINER (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - Get Fit: Transform Your School and Yourself Through This One Fitness Workout BILL STORM (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) The 10 Commandments To Building A Black Belt Business RICK RANDO (SPARK MINDS ROOM - MONET 3 & 4) Creating Concrete Retention at Black Belt: A Culture Designed with Lifetime Staff Members in Mind KURT KLINGENMEYER (CLICKFUNNELS ROOM - MONET 1 & 2) Growing Your Martial Arts School: Turning Leads into Students

6:00PM - 9:00PM

Evening Workshop (Cost $125; Register at the Registration Desk): BILLY BLANKS (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - Billy's BoomBoxing™ Workshop Session

BENNY URQUIDEZ (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Ukidokan Kickboxing Techniques

BILL CLARK (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) The Ultimate Roadmap to Opening Multiple Schools BARRY VAN OVER (SPARK MINDS ROOM - MONET 3 & 4) 10 Great New Ideas for Your School

DAMON GILBERT (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - Game-Changing Sparring Essentials

NGUYEN TOM GRIGGS (SPARK MINDS ROOM - MONET 3 & 4) Winning Without Fighting: Black Belt Guide to Conflict Resolution

ANNIKA KAHN WITH JUNGSHIN (ZEN PLANNER ROOM BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) The 21st Century Warrior SWORD-FIT-FLOW

GK LEE (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) The Importance of Traditional Values in Contemporary Martial Arts

CARLOS MACHADO (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) Big or Small, Sweep Them All!

MELODY JOHNSON (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) - Behavior Management Strategies for Children

LUNCH BREAK

LAUREN & DUANE SPIRES (CLICKFUNNELS ROOM - MONET 1 & 2) - Secrets to a 6-figure Martial Arts Summer Camp 2:45PM - 3:30PM

BREAK

3:30PM - 4:30PM

RAFAEL "FORMIGA" BARBOSA & JOAO GABRIEL ROCHA (CENTURY ROOM - GRAND BALLROOM 1) - Finishes and Fundamentals of BJJ ERNIE KIRK (ZEN PLANNER ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 5 & 6) - Krav Maga Universal: Drills and Skills DAVE KOVAR (MAIA ROOM - BELLAGIO BALLROOM 2, 3 & 4) The Samurai Lifestyle: How Personal Habits Affect Business Success MICHAEL SIROTA (SPARK MINDS ROOM - MONET 3 & 4) Support Your Community: How to Add a Special Needs Program and Grow Your School ROLAND OSBORNE (CLICKFUNNELS ROOM - MONET 1 & 2) How to Select Instructors and Train Them to Teach

ClickFunnels Seminar Room

TUESDAY

KURT KLINGENMEYER

KINNICK MCDONALD

AKSELL NICOLAIDES

JUSTIN WREN

WEDNESDAY

ROLAND OSBORNE

ADAM PARMAN

STEPHEN REINSTEIN

DUANE SPIRES

LAUREN SPIRES

Zen Planner Seminar Room

TUESDAY

MIKE CHAT

ERIC THE TRAINER

DAMON GILBERT

MACKENSI EMORY

CHRIS RAPPOLD

JACKSON RUDOLPH

Spark Minds Seminar Room TUESDAY

NGUYEN TOM GRIGGS

KELLY MURRAY GRYS

HAKIM ISLER

RICK RANDO

ROBYN SILVERMAN

MICHAEL SIROTA

BARRY VAN OVER

WEDNESDAY

FARID DORDAR

Zen Planner Seminar Room WEDNESDAY

DON GULLA

MIKE HUGHES

ERNIE KIRK

GK LEE

TOM PATIRE *Subject to change

MAIA Seminar Room

TUESDAY

MELODY JOHNSON

MIKE METZGER

BILL STORM

SHANE TASSOUL

WEDNESDAY

ROBBY BEARD

BILL CLARK

DAVE KOVAR

CRIS RODRIGUEZ

Morning Workouts TUESDAY

BILLY BLANKS

WEDNESDAY

BILL WALLACE

ERIC THE TRAINER

ALAIN MOUSSI

R B

Century Seminar Room MONDAY

LEO T. GAJE, JR.

DAN INOSANTO

TUESDAY

MIKE DILLARD

MICHAEL WONG

HARINDER SINGH

CARLOS MACHADO

WEDNESDAY

RAFAEL “FORMIGA” BARBOSA

JOHN HACKLEMAN

ANNIKA KAHN

APOLO LADRA

JOAO GABRIEL ROCHA

BENNY “THE JET” URQUIDEZ *Subject to change

P RO FI L ES

O F

S U CC ESS

20 1 8

De si

Ka i

By David Barnett

Do you want to grow your school, improve your teaching, excite your staff, and train with some of the best martial artists and best business people in the industry? Attend the Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas this summer, June 30-July 3. It will be the best investment you make in time and money for your business this year! The proof? We asked freelance journalist David Barnett to interview instructors and school owners from last year’s convention — without any input from us. Here’s how they used what they learned at 2018’s MASuperShow to improve their profits and professionalism.

Every year, the Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA) stages the premier training and networking event for martial arts instructors and school owners: the MASuperShow. Is your school growing the way you want it to, or are you struggling with your business? Are you excited every day when you head to your school, or are you missing the enthusiasm you used to have? Whether you’re happy or not, maybe you aren’t entirely satisfied. You know that there’s always room for growth and improvement. This is the same lesson we try to instill in our students every day. Are you asking yourself questions like: • How can I grow my school? • How can I help my students improve faster? • How can I add value for my customers? • What do I need to do to make this year better than last year? • What impact can I have on my students this year? • How can I get motivated and reenergized? • How can I motivate and energize my staff? • How can I improve myself in 2019 and beyond? The 2019 MASuperShow is the place to find your answers. Whatever you’re looking to learn or accomplish, you’ll find it in Las Vegas this summer. From opportunities to learn from the biggest and brightest (and most successful!) school owners in the country, to the chance to train with some of the best living martial artists, there’s something for everyone at the 2019 MASuperShow. It will be the best investment you make in time and money for your business this year! Each year, I write an article about several school owners and instructors who attended the previous year’s MASuperShow and how they used the information they acquired there as a springboard to improve their schools. From small school owners attending their first event to veteran multi-school owners with hundreds of students, these motivated individuals have used their experiences at this remarkable convention to drive themselves and their businesses to even greater success. Here’s how some attendees and their staff members implemented what they learned at the convention to elevate their schools’ success.

CHRISTOPHER SCHWARTZ N O R T H W E S T WA D O - RY U K A R AT E M O S COW, I D Most martial arts school owners start out because they are good at martial arts. They have found that they have a talent at teaching, and their passion for the martial arts creates a desire to share their knowledge with others. It may start out as a hobby, but some have a dream of one day pursuing teaching martial arts as a full-time career. In a very short time, Christopher Schwartz has been able to do just that! Christopher Schwartz holds the ranks of Shodan and Nidan in wado-ryu karate. He runs his school, Northwest Wado-Ryu Karate, in a town in northwest Idaho. In 2018, Schwartz attended his first MA SuperShow. “We were a school with only 25 students, grossing barely enough to cover rent,” he says. “Around March of 2018, I saw an advertisement about the SuperShow. I also saw it highly recommended by Mr. Leon Rogers [Senior Vice-President of Century Martial Arts]. I started to do research and read everything I could about the event. I was very impressed with the list of speakers and clinicians. My school had been on a very slow growth pattern, and I knew I needed something to help me grow the school. My gut instinct told me that I needed to go, in such an overwhelming way, that I thought it would be good for my sister school, West Coast Wado-Ryu, in Olympia, Washington, to attend as well.” Schwartz had a dream and a plan for attending the SuperShow: “I hoped to learn some specific devices to grow my school. I figured if I learned two or three really good ideas that I could bring back and implement in my dojo, it would make the trip well worth it. “My one goal that I would have loved to achieve after attending the SuperShow was to be able to work full-time in my dojo, pursuing my passion in life. “I prepared quite a bit for my first trip to the Martial Arts SuperShow. My only goal for the event was to learn things to help my school grow. Little did I know that not only would I learn far more than two or three things, but I would also learn the value of solid business practices.” “Without attending the SuperShow last year, I would probably still be on the same path I had been on – working 60 hours a week at one job, and then going to my dojo and trying to teach, and then doing all the administrative things on my days off from my job. At the SuperShow, I took the next step, which was MAIA Launch. From there, I started to grow.” In a very short time, using the information and motivation he gained from the SuperShow, Schwartz achieved his goal!

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the MAIA Launch program. This program seemed like a nobrainer to me, so we started the process.” The secret to success in school ownership doesn’t end with just attending the SuperShow, but in implementing new ideas to help your school grow. Using some new ideas he learned, Schwartz began making changes. “We still teach the same way, just with more focused classes,” he says. “Before, we just had class times. Now we have classes broken down in to ranks, program types, and even specialty classes. Our enrollment has grown very steadily, and I credit this directly to the addition of new programs and upgrades.”

Christopher Schwartz Northwest Wado-Ryu Karate

“Amazingly, only nine months after the Show, I was finally able to go full-time in my school,” Schwartz says, and adds, “The MA SuperShow has changed my life for the better!” When asked what he liked best about attending the 2018 SuperShow, Schwartz had a lot of things to say. “There are too many things about the SuperShow that I liked, loved, adored, or admired,” he gushes. “However, the one thing that impressed me above all else was the level of respect. Not just from other attendees, but from the big names and industry giants. Mr. Jamie Gudell welcomed us and treated us as if we were a big school. Mr. Leon Rogers gave us the VIP treatment, and even sat us as VIPs at the opening ceremony. Mr. Michael Dillard, Sr. even knew of our system of karate, and I have not met many people who have even heard of it. Mr. Bill Wallace came up to me and chatted as if he were just an ordinary person. So many others, too many to even name. Here we were, a school with only 25 students, and we were treated with respect and support!” The first time someone attends the SuperShow can be overwhelming. In addition to the great seminars and learning opportunities, the trade show, where various vendors get to show off their products and programs, gives school owners the chance to learn about tools and products they can use to help them succeed. “I did not buy much at the show, but I trust my gut, and when it tells me to do something, I do it,” Schwartz says. “There was one thing that did stand out, though. We went to the Small School Business Forum, and we learned about

Schwartz added a “Samurai Program” and a “Shogun Program”, both upgrades in which the student must be nominated by an instructor, where the student can take additional classes and specialize in new areas of martial arts. He learned about the value of mass enrollments, using events to help drive fast growth. “After the SuperShow, we signed up for a booth at our county fair and started our mass enrollments. We saw a growth of 20 students in one day!” Schwartz also learned how to partner with local schools, something many martial arts school owners struggle with. “We started helping out our local schools, going to the schools, and working with them at events. We have seen an increase in support from those schools and have gotten to a point where schools are inviting us to come.” He adds, “We started getting out more in front of our target audience: kids! We have also stepped up our online presence and marketing more online. The combinations of our various methods of community outreach has helped people to recognize our logo, and sometimes they will stop me out in public to ask for more information. We are gaining recognition, and people in the community now know who we are.” Schwartz will continue his success and plans to attend the 2019 MA SuperShow. “The benefits for my school and myself are the same thing, but also very different. I gained the ability to be full time at my dojo, and free from other obligations. My school, on the other hand, gained my undivided attention. “The SuperShow put me on my true path. It has helped me to reach more people, and to help people in need. I am eternally grateful to the guidance I have received.” “Yes, we will be at the SuperShow again this year,” he concludes. “While we have learned a lot, we are still just beginning our journey.” JULY 2019

RENARD BEATY

K I C K S TA R T M A R T I A L A R T S AT L A N TA , G A In addition to holding a 4th degree black belt in tang soo do and a 1st degree black belt in taekwondo, Renard Beaty has a master’s degree in training and development. All of these come in handy as he teaches over 170 students, most of them children, at his school in Atlanta, Georgia. Beaty attended his first Martial Arts SuperShow in 2018. “Having been open for six years, it was part of my business plan to attend in order to seek more knowledge (handling growth, best practices, developing an instructor team) and understanding about how well I was doing compared to the industry standard,” he says. “I went to the SuperShow thinking I was a small school, but while I was there, I discovered that KSMA is considered a large school.” Renard Beaty Kick Start Martial Arts

Beaty had some specific goals in mind for the SuperShow. “Most significantly was keeping my students front and center and creating better training classes for them. Second, I wanted to build a strong and dynamic training team. And finally, I wanted to discover strategies for managed growth.” He adds, “My priority was learning how to create a better customer experience through organized, challenging, and exciting instruction, because happy and satisfied customers bring in more customers.” The trade show allows school owners to discover new tools and products to help their schools. While he didn’t buy anything, Beaty still took advantage of the trade show. “I established a relationship with Century’s custom department to create custom uniforms for my clubs. Since this was my first time [at the SuperShow], I didn’t realize that I could get special pricing for large orders, but next year I will be more prepared to shop.” People come to the SuperShow to get new ideas to implement in their schools. Based on what he learned at the Show, Beaty was inspired to add several new programs and classes to his school. “Our Basic Program option allows the basic student to not feel the pressure to learn more than they wanted,” he explains. “Not all students want to go beyond the basic requirements needed to successfully be a black belt. This option provides a [positive] atmosphere for new students to figure out if they want to do more. “We implemented SWAT (Special Winning Attitude Team) for the students that are thirsty to learn more and want to spend more time in class. This has been received with great success. Parents have told me that their child

MASUCCESS

regained their excitement.” Beaty adds, “Because you have to be nominated for SWAT, the basic students are training better and demonstrating appropriate behavior at school, home, and in the studio with the hope of being nominated. “Weapons classes are a great addition and retention tool. The students enjoy learning how to use various weapons for protection, but they also learn how to defend against them using empty hand skills, as well as learning skills and tricks to help at tournaments.” Schools must constantly seek to recruit new students, as well to increase retention of existing students. One can learn many new marketing ideas at the SuperShow. “I am trying a new marketing strategy, offering a very low rate, the cost of a uniform, for one month of classes, and a birthday party with guests,” explains Beaty. “I have experienced great results. In one month, seven people took advantage of the offer, and five enrolled before the month of lessons was done.” Beaty also holds a number of events for students and non-students alike. “I am continuing to hold events that my students love to participate in, like board-breaking clinics and tournament training. I will repeat these events in the fall and spring. Each month I offer Parents Night Out, and I do a summer series on women’s self-defense. Both are very well-attended. I am now trying to offer free community workshops (stranger danger, bully defense, etc.), but it’s too early to see results.” Like other successful instructors, Beaty is open-minded and is always looking to improve his methods.

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GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE SUPERSHOW Whether you are a veteran SuperShow attendee or this is your first time, here are some tips to get the most out of the SuperShow, and make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money investment.

Plan your attack.

Look at the session lineup and decide which sessions you will attend. (If you have never been to one of Master Dave Kovar’s sessions, I highly recommend it.) Make a list of things you’d like to get out of each session.

Divide and conquer.

If you are lucky enough to have some staff members with you, attend different sessions and share the information with each other. There may be some sessions that you want your team to attend together (like the aforementioned Kovar session), but you can cover more ground (and get more ideas) by splitting up. Challenge each staff member to come out of each session with at least one idea.

Take notes.

This should go without saying, but take notes during the sessions. I also always keep a separate sheet where I put ideas as they pop into my head. A speaker might be talking about one thing, but it makes you think of something else. Write it down so you don’t forget it later. This also helps you focus on the current session.

Follow up. I’ve found that most of the speakers are more than happy to have a conversation with you or answer questions, even after the Show is over. Reach out to them if you have a question, or seek them out between sessions. (Just please be respectful of their time, keeping in mind that there are probably a lot of people who also want a few minutes with them.)

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Meet other people. There will be hundreds of people at the SuperShow with goals like yours, schools like yours, and challenges like yours. Meet the people you are sitting next to at the sessions and exchange business cards. Ask them about their schools. Almost every person I’ve written about in these articles mentions that they love to see old friends every year that they met at the SuperShow. After the Show, get in touch with some of the people and share ideas. Find out what they are doing and how it’s working for them. Some of my best ideas were gotten after the SuperShow from other attendees.

Set goals. What areas do you want to improve? What problems are you experiencing in your school? What challenges do you have? What do you want to be able to do better when you return from the Show? Write some things down.

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Check out the vendors.

Even if you aren’t looking for anything specific, be sure to check out the vendors. You might get some great ideas. We have purchased a number of products and programs at the SuperShow over the years and have never been disappointed.

Spend time at the end of each day with your team. If you are lucky (smart?) enough to have some team members with you, spend some time at the end of the day to talk about the day and share what they have learned. We used to meet before dinner, and each staff member was to share three ideas they got that day. It’s also great bonding time, and it’s fun to see the excitement in your staff members after a day at the SuperShow. If you are attending by yourself, spend some time at the end of the day reflecting, and write down your top three ideas from that day.

Create an action plan.

Either during the SuperShow, or immediately upon returning home (don’t put it off – life will try to get in the way), take your best ideas and create an action plan. Break them down into categories. What can you do right now, in the next two weeks, that will make your school better? What can you implement in the next two-three months? What can you do in the next six months? Make a calendar of the things you want to do. Focus on your biggest goals or challenges, and find things you can implement quickly.

Implement!

None of this will help unless you actually implement your ideas. Take action, and you will see results. If you procrastinate, excuses will pop up and a year from now, you’ll be in the same place as you are now, or worse. Some ideas will be easy to implement. Others will take more time, effort, money, and help. Figure out a way to make things happen. You are a leader, a black belt, and successful business owner. You can do it!

“I always knew that we learn differently at different stages of development. Attending Melody Shuman’s seminar allowed me to present this in terms that help the parents see that I am different from other martial arts studios,” he explains. “I enhanced how I present my teaching method to parents, establishing that we are more than just a place where students build confidence. I explain that we develop four major areas of development. Once the parent understands that we strengthen the emotional, social, intellectual, and physical areas of development, as well as how we develop leadership skills in my older students based on my 20 years of experience as a Corporate Leadership Instructor and coach, they are motivated to take the next step. “I also organize my training into themes like strength, endurance, partnering, etc., for my Little Ninjas, and I do more application talks to my other classes which helps with proper training.” Beaty will be back to the SuperShow this year, and he encourages others to attend, as well.

“Treat it like a business event and not vacation,” he urges. “Go to the seminars, network with other studio owners, keep an open mind on new strategies, and don’t be too quick to say that something won’t work in your studio.” Beaty concludes, “I started my martial arts training at 16 years of age to develop mental discipline for the track team. I loved it but stopped when I went to college. Fast forward to when I was 42, and I had the urge to get back into martial arts. I found a style and a Grandmaster that reminded me of my first Master, so I enrolled. Six years ago, I started my studio with a business plan. I followed it and felt successful, but I did not know where I stood as a school in my industry. Going to the SuperShow allowed me to see that I was doing very well. I learned how to think like a large school, which has delivered great results. I had a goal of 20 percent growth over last year; I am already currently 18 percent above my 2019 goal, thanks to my MAIA consultant pushing me into my discomfort zone.

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and products, and even get a great deal for signing up! By the time my plane landed back at home, our school had an amazing website. I even had a qualified lead! “Last year, 2018, I knew what to expect and had a very detailed plan. My team and I split up to have a presence in each and every seminar, taking detailed notes to be discussed at length at a later time. I wanted to find an app for our school to be able to communicate with our members and families more effectively and offer them convenient event registration and purchasing power. I also needed to change our front desk software. Again, the trade show floor offered me the opportunity to compare and contrast the different platforms and figure out which would serve us the best.”

David Church Church’s Taekwondo America

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C H U RC H ’S TA E KWO N D O A M E R I CA M A RY V I L L E , T N With a 6th degree black belt in taekwondo and a brown belt in weeping-style jujutsu, David Church teaches traditional taekwondo to about 175 students in his Maryville, Tennessee, school. The 2018 Martial Arts SuperShow was Church’s second, having attended the prior year as well. In addition to attending himself, he brought four team members with him to the Show so they could also benefit from the great experience. Some people attend the SuperShow just to see what it’s all about. Others have specific challenges they want to find solutions for. The SuperShow has something for everyone. Church explains one of his motivations for attending last year: “I decided to attend the SuperShow because I was tired of working day in and day out trying to grow our student count and revenue, yet always staying in the same spot. We would gain 10 new members one month just to lose 10 the next month. Our classes were incredible. My instructor team was incredible. Our program was incredible. I knew there had to be something that I was missing on the business side of my school. “My main goal in attending my first SuperShow in 2017 was to just take it all in and learn as much as possible. I know that is very vague, but I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I knew that I wanted to learn some new marketing strategies and find a website developer. Our website had struggled for years to produce leads, and at the show I was able to meet the companies, compare their services

For 2019, Church has ongoing goals: “I really need to learn how get more organized and improve my time management. And I am always interested in seeing the new products from Century that can improve the class experience for my students.” When asked what he liked best about attending the SuperShow, Church was enthusiastic. “I love the professionalism of the event,” he explains. “The attendees are very eager to learn, whether it be during martial arts training sessions or business seminars. The instructors are the best in the country. They know their arts, and they have a passion for sharing their knowledge. The MAIA consultants are second-to-none. The information and business strategies that they provide to all of the attendees is enough to make dramatic positive changes to any school’s bottom line.” Church also enjoys seeing the various vendors. “The trade show is overwhelmingly awesome!” he exclaims. “There are so many products available for schools of all disciplines and sizes. The sales people are very willing to answer questions and inform the attendees about their products without pushing for a sale. I have purchased so many new products from the vendors at the SuperShow. Many of the products that we purchased were smaller. For example, I purchased several rolls of student-of-theday stickers that we give out in every class every day. I purchased adhesive striking targets that stick to our heavy bags to give our students small targets to aim for. We also picked up several sets of Finger Armor to protect our students’ fingers while holding boards.” Church also made some bigger investments in his future: a new website, a new software company, and a MAIA Elite membership. There are always great ideas at the SuperShow that school owners and instructors can use right away to grow and enhance their schools. Church took advantage of a number of ideas and took the steps to implement them. “We changed from month-to-month memberships that were the same cost for everyone to 12-month programs with a variety of different payment plans. This has had a JULY 2019

profound impact on our school. Our students are sticking around longer, and we have a pricing plan that will meet every budget. “We got serious about marketing in our local schools. Through school supply drives, teacher breakfasts, community events, intent to promote forms, buddy days, and other similar events, our relationship with our school system has never been better. “We also implemented an upgrade program for our students. Now, in addition to our traditional taekwondo program, we are offering weapons training, tricking, and jujutsu. Our students love the opportunity to take their training to the next level, and I love the opportunity to increase my average student value.” Church also implemented new marketing ideas. “The biggest new marketing strategy we have implemented since attending the SuperShow is mass enrollments,” he says. “These are huge! In addition to booking individual appointments daily, we now offer free events in which large numbers of potential new students can attend, learn new skills, and potentially enroll in our program. Our best mass enrollment so far was a free anti-bully workshop in which we enrolled 23 new students in an hour-and-a-half.”

Church adds, “Our classes are so much better now thanks to the added excitement that tons of new students bring.” “The biggest benefit I have received from attending the SuperShow is the feeling that I am now running my school instead of the other way around. I have specific goals, a plan to achieve them, and systems in place to make it happen. Although we have grown considerably, I am actually working less now and have far less stress.” Church will be attending the 2019 SuperShow without question: “There is no way I would miss the 2019 SuperShow. We are bringing even more team members with us this year. I can’t wait!” Church offers some advice for anyone who is new to the SuperShow. “Do a little bit of research. Reach out to others who have attended in the past so that you can formulate a plan as to what you want to achieve when you get there. Also, be sure to look at all of the materials that are available prior to the event so that you know what seminars you will be attending. Finally, don’t buy anything the first day. You are so bombarded with desire the first day that you will end up purchasing a lot of stuff that you may not need or use. Sleep on it. All of the vendors will still be available the next day and will most likely be less busy. This gives you an opportunity to discuss their products in detail. “Finally, take action! No matter how much knowledge you acquire or how many new products you purchase nothing will help your situation unless you act! “The SuperShow can be a bit intimidating, I know. It’s a huge event! It’s a big investment of time, energy, and money. But no matter what your fear is, the SuperShow is more than worth it!”

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YOU NEED TO BE AT THE 2019 MASUPERSHOW TO TAKE YOUR SCHOOL TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

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It’s not too late! Whether you’re an instructor, program director, small-school owner or run multiple locations, the education-rich Martial Arts SuperShow will have something valuable for you. Whatever you’re seeking to enhance your school, instruction, marketing, retention, profits, or your business systems, you’ll find what you need at this comprehensive event!

I WANT TO GO, BUT I CAN’T! Some readers may be saying to themselves, “It sounds great, but I just can’t go.” Maybe they feel they can’t afford it. Maybe they feel they can’t take the time away from their school or their jobs. There are tons of reasons – or rather, excuses. Let me take a minute to give you my personal observations and experiences, from having attended almost every SuperShow (except the very first one) and talking to countless attendees, from school owners and instructors to front desk personnel. Here are some comments: “Every year when I went, I came back with great ideas that helped my school grow and stay competitive. Our retention was always good, and the teaching and curriculum changes made it better.” “Marketing was always a challenge for me, especially since, like many school owners, I also had a full-time job outside of my dojo. I always took home ideas that were simple to implement and free or nearly free that brought in more that enough students to pay for the trip.” “I had good instructors, but when I started taking them to the SuperShow, they got better. They were more motivated. They were excited. They became even more passionate. And they wanted to help the dojo succeed.” I have several friends who own schools as well. I’ve been trying to convince them into going to the SuperShow for years, but they couldn’t afford it, had a birthday party they had to go to during the SuperShow (I’m not kidding), didn’t want to close the school for a week, or said they were doing just fine on their own. One of them dropped from 100 students to 10 in less than two years and had to file bankruptcy. One of them is the same size as five years ago, with around 30 students. He’d like to make it a full-time profession, but just can’t understand why he’s not growing. Others are just constantly complaining that they aren’t growing. They aren’t getting enough students to replace the ones that are leaving. Marketing is too hard. They are spending too much time doing things they don’t want to do. They are getting burnt out and lack the passion that got them into teaching in the first place.

All of these people worked hard. However, there is a big difference between working hard, and working smart. What about you? Are you where you want to be? Are you completely satisfied with the direction your school is heading? Are you growing each year? Or are you frustrated? Is your school the same size as it was last year, or maybe even a little smaller? Do you wish you could breathe some new life into your school and staff? Do you want to touch more lives through martial arts than you do currently? I’ve been writing this article for over 10 years. I’ve never talked to a single person who went to the SuperShow and didn’t think it was worth it. If you attend the SuperShow with an open mind and some goals, and learn from people who are successful and are where you want to be, you will take home some great ideas that will help you take your school, your staff, your students, and your business to the next level. You owe it to your school, your family, your students, and yourself to be there! And if you go for the first time in 2019, I’d love to hear about (and write about ) your experience. Contact me and tell me about it! e m Colorado Springs’ David Barnett has been studying martial arts for over 30 years. He is a 5th-degree black belt in taekwondo and a 2nd-degree in goju-ryu karate. He can be reached by email at DavidBarnettCS@ gmail.com, or, you might run into him at the 2019 MASuperShow! Interested in Sharing Your Success Story in a future MASuccess Article? If you would be interested in sharing your MASuperShow experience and subsequent success story for possible inclusion in next year’s Profiles of Success article, email David or text your email address to him at (719) 290-1508!

JULY 2019

TURNING POINT

Merrill “Bobby” Matthews: Breaking with Roy Kurban

BY HERB BORKLAND

“In this inspiring monthly column, we examine the pivotal point in a prominent black belt’s career that took him or her onto major success in martial arts business, sports or films.”

ashington insider and Texan 7th-dan Merrill “Bobby” Matthews, Ph.D., is an internationally respected public policy analyst specializing in health care, entitlements and energy issues. His pioneering martial arts roots go back to the “Blood-and-Guts” era of Grandmaster Alan Steen, the first taekwondo instructor in the Lone Star State. Matthews joined the Southwest Tae Kwon Do Association, founded in 1976 by Keith D. drove by the Texas Karate Institute. Roy Kurban was teachYates, one of Steen’s original black belts. In 1996, it being, and he greeted me like an old friend: “I sit behind you came the more inclusive American Karate and Tae Kwon in accounting class.” A year later, he started his own school, Do Organization (AKATO). and I followed him. Herb Borkland: Where did you grow up, and what did We warmed up in a sauna, before class at night, then your dad do? ran three miles. In class, we fought multiple black belts — Merrill Matthews: I was born in Longview, Texas and black belts you were not going to beat! They hit me in the moved to Dallas in 1963. My father was a banker.. stomach to keep me from falling over! (laughs) Fighting in tournaments was mandatory for a brown belt to be tested HB: How did you discover martial arts? for black belt, so I won a tournament. In January of 1976, I MM: In 1967, I was a high school sophomore. One day, made black belt. Bob Beasley came in wearing a windbreaker with the Southwest Karate Black Belt Association logo. That was HB: Turning point? Allen Steen’s outfit. Bob sat behind me in geometry and MM: In ’75, I had converted to Christianity and went to trig class, and I asked him about the logo. After football South Western Baptist University. I received a Master of season, as a 15-year-old, I signed up with Steen. Bob Divinity degree and briefly taught philosophy. But, after went on to buy the U.S. Open tournament still held in graduating from the seminary, Roy was mocking me a little, Dallas every February. so I moved to Dallas and joined the Southwest Tae Kwon Do There were super-warriors back then — the bloodiest Association. In the late ‘80s, I thought about two things: Christianity and taekwondo. I thought, this is who I am, and I of the gutsy. No protective gear, sweeps were legal, need to stay with it. everything was legal, and no mats! I liked contact. I was a first-string footballer, but not college material because I wasn’t physically big enough. Classes were two hours. First: kicks, punches, stretching and so many pushups. One night, I lost count at 200 knuckle pushups! Next: 20 minutes on kata, then 20 minutes for techniques, and, finally, 20 minutes fighting. Next, I went to the University of Texas Arlington. One day I

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HB: Future? MM: At 67 years old and after having both hips replaced, head-high kicks are hard. One of my knees is getting bad. I can teach, but am less able to interact as a fighter. How am I going to demo flying sidekicks these days? Maybe I could five or 10 years ago, but the recognition you are no longer able to demo is… a disappointment. Happily, however, classes are more diverse these days. Race? It’s the color of the belt that matters, not the color of skin. And, if they stick, the new students are typically very good people. I don’t know if it is natural in them, or if we helped develop that decency, but they are just good citizens. Cocky doesn’t last in our school. e m Herb Borkland is a veteran black belt who can be contacted at herbork@comcast.com.

FREE Checklist: Here’s exactly how I generate 250 new paid trials. Every month. Generating dozens of paid trials isn’t rocket science. You just need to know what actions to take, then you need to take them. Simple. I’ve put together a killer 17-point checklist of exactly what I do every month to hit 40-60 new paid trials per month per location. Across all 5 locations, that’s 200-300 new paid trials per month. I’d like to give it to you at no cost. I believe the rising tide lifts all sails. The more schools grow, the more martial arts spreads. You don’t even need to opt-in or anything to get it. It’s in our private Facebook group “Martial Arts Business Growth.” Head to the link below, join the group, and get the checklist now. Cool? - Grand Master Cheong Park, Park’s Taekwondo Federation

Get it now! No email or info required. bit.ly/more-new-trials

HEALTH KICK!

Let the Sunshine into Your Dojo! BY ERIC THE TRAINER

“Your brightened outlook will have an immediate effect upon your instructors. Leading by example will empower those who work with and for you to rise to the occasion and pass on good vibes to others. “

unning a martial arts school can be a challenge. Forking out money for marketing to attract new students, keeping the students that you do have enrolled, and staying current with billing can be time-consuming and grueling tasks.

find yourself mindlessly reaching for a candy bar, grab a protein bar instead (I recommend the Quest brand). It’s these small changes that will lead to massive shifts in your nutritional life.

But how do you spark this process, and where does the magic begin? It all starts with you! The easiest way to initiate positivity in your life is to make the conscious decision to see the proverbial glass as half full. There are other steps you can take to supercharge this process, such as:

management holds true. Leading by example will empower those who work with and for you to rise to the occasion and pass on good vibes to others.

4. Stress reduction is a must when seeking a positive shift in attitude. For some, this means delegating certain Under these conditions, it can be difficult to find time tasks to others at the dojo to keep from falling behind or to stay in shape, let alone maintain a positive outlook feeling overwhelmed. For others, it may require putting away on life. Caught up in the daily grind, too many people smartphones earlier at night to allow more time for decomlose sight of the fact that positivity is the ultimate pression prior to bed. Either way, learning to manage stress is key to success. For, like a bad case of the flu, a truly key for allowing positivity into your life as a constant. positive attitude can be wildly infectious, spreading like Your brightened outlook will have an immediate effect wildfire throughout your school and even beyond. upon your instructors, because the trickledown theory of

1. Go to bed earlier and cherishing sleep. Sleeping is how we recharge. It delivers a level of mental clarity which supports an excellent decision-making ability. 2. Begin a daily exercise regimen. My Sleek Ninja program, which you’ll be able to try at the 2019 Martial Arts SuperShow, is great for school owners! Exercise will release powerful endorphins, that can ward off depression and deliver a sense of wellbeing to your body and mind. For many, this habit alone is a game changer. As your body responds to the exercise with the fat loss and muscle gain, the reflection in the mirror will be dynamite for your self-esteem. Remember, the adage, “Look good, feel good, do good” has its roots in a timeless pattern of success! 3. Start making smarter decisions at mealtime. Choose nutrient-dense foods that fuel your body and mind, rather than gorging empty calories. Animal-based proteins, water-based carbohydrates like fresh fruit and vegetables, and plenty of hydration will nourish your body, stimulate your ability to think clearly, and keep your positive mood going strong. This will take a real commitment on your part. When you

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The other benefit of this increase in morale is an acrossthe-board rise in productivity. Happy workers are more effective at completing tasks in a timely fashion. Their rosy attitudes will enhance their person-to-person contact with their students, resulting in a more enthusiastic group of pupils. This process will propel your dojo’s overall reputation to a place where getting new business will be much easier. Remember, people are attracted to energy, especially positive energy. Having momentum behind your school will reflect favorably upon your specific form of martial arts, which in turn, enhances all martial artists. One decision to shift your attitude towards the affirmative can ignite a chain reaction that could usher in an era of success that had seemed unattainable. Don’t wait! Make your decision to embrace the power of positivity today. e

m For questions or comments, contact Eric the Trainer at Mainemonster@gmail.com.

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YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

How Can You Outshine Your Competitors?

BY KATHY OLEVSKY

“Rather than criticize other schools in your area, work on making your school the most attractive option.”

’ve been operating a martial arts school full time for 45 years. I think I may have made every mistake that can be made in this business. The reason I’m still in business, I believe, is because I asked for help. I learned quickly that others before me had already found solutions. In this reality-based column, I’ll point out key mistakes I made in my business career, which are common errors among school owners, both large and small, throughout our industry. Then I’ll share the solutions I applied to overcome them. How many times has something negative been said about you by another martial arts school owner or by the student of another school in your area? I’ve heard this complaint from various martial arts school owners. Some degree of rivalry is inevitable, but it can lead some people to aggressively criticize others. In reality, this is a form of adult bullying. I have had this happen multiple times over the years. Most often, the comments were harmless enough that it was easiest and best to just overlook them. There are times when we have to take the high road. But then there are others that require taking corrective action. On one occasion, for example, a local martial arts school put signs out in front of our school and all up and down the road. My husband decided this was a little too much, so he picked up the signs and took them to the other school. He asked them to respect some boundaries and not populate our road with signs for their school. They were actually quite apologetic and it never happened again. Social media is a source of all kinds of competitive posts for some martial arts schools. It is easy to get caught up in the defense of a principle or opinion. I heard from a great business mentor, many years ago, that I should think about how fast-food chains open up right next door to other competitors. In food courts at the mall, there are multiple fast-food vendors. The general concept is that there are enough customers to go around and, if you have a good product, you will get repeat customers.

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If we all decide that competition breeds success, then we will have many more productive days and fewer issues that take our time away from becoming successful. I have enjoyed a great relationship with other martial arts school owners since adopting this strategy.

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Rather than criticize other schools in your area, work on making your school the most attractive option. Are you open and ready to handle an inquiry from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily? Are you answering your phone? If someone walks in your door, will he/she be so impressed they won’t need to visit any other school? If they do visit more than one, would they pick you? Are your social media outlets and your website set up to look inviting to new students, or were they designed in 1995 and filled with your titles, awards and accolades? These are the questions we need to spend time on, rather than finding fault in others. There will always be that one individual who spends too much time discussing every competitor around them and not enough time making themselves the better choice. This is one of those times we must take the high road. They have not found enough value in themselves, so their only option is to denigrate others. It is not likely they will change their behavior, so it’s up to us to decide that their opinion carries no weight. As martial artists, we all know by now that students come in to our schools with all kinds of problems and leave feeling much better after a great workout. We must take our own advice and get a good workout and remember we’re in this business to build character and to create healthier students. e m Kathy Olevsky can be reached for questions or comments at kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com.

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lifetime achievement award guro Dan Inosanto This year, we are honored to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to two exceptional martial artists! Our first recipient is Guro Dan Inosanto, an original Bruce Lee student and one of only a few to be named an official Jeet Kune Do instructor by Bruce Lee himself. Guro Inosanto carries on the modern legacy of Jeet Kune Do, and his teaching has had a profound impact on our industry. Our second Lifetime Achievement Award goes to legendary Kali martial artist Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, Jr. He was the first to bring the Pekiti-Tersia system of Kali to the United States and begin teaching it. He has also worked to train military, law enforcement and security personnel, as well as tens of thousands of students around the globe. Congratulations and thank you to both of these world-changing martial artists.

grand tuhon Leo T. Gaje, jr.

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SPONSORED BY:

9 ÂŠ 2019 MAIA, LLC # 16777

School Showcase July2019

School Owner

Peter Sorce School Name

Sorce Martial Arts Location

South Milwaukee, Wisconsin Style/Discipline

Traditional Taekwon-Do, The Inayan System Of Eskrima, and Danzan Ryu Ju Jitsu

Why did you begin teaching martial arts? Passion. Martial arts changed my life and I wanted to positively impact others. I also love training and teaching and wanted to share that.

What is your school name and how did you choose it? Sorce Martial Arts – Sorce is my last name.

What is your school’s motto or student creed? Learn. Train. Grow.

What is your personal teaching philosophy? Bringing out the best in each individual, by mixing up approaches and methodology in our teaching.

How long have you been teaching? 30 years.

How long have you owned your school? 22 years.

Who or what inspires you? I’m inspired by my many teachers from over the years: Kevin Shoenebeck, Jason Inay, and Russ Rhodes. In the industry, Dave Kovar. Outside of the that, I am a huge Joe Rogan fan!

What is something unique that your school or your student body does well? We teach three distinct traditional styles in their entirety. Students who cross-train are able to blend them in their own way that works best for them.

What do you find most rewarding about working in the martial arts? The impact it has on peoples’ lives: children, teens, men, and women; it is incredible! It creates such a bond, so that we become family..

What is your favorite inspirational quote? “It is not in the knowing or knowledge of the art, it is the doing of the art that makes on truly a warrior.” -Mangisiruro Mike Inay

If you could give one bit of advice to fellow martial arts school owners, what would it be? Never stop learning: martial arts, business, sales, marketing. To get the most out of life, you have to constantly strive to grow..

JULY 2019

We Are Looking for Schools To Present In Our School Showcase.

If you’ve ever thought about seeing yourself and your school featured in the pages of MASuccess Magazine, now is the time to act! Simply email Sarah Lobban, slobban@centurymartialarts.com and let us know that you’d like to be considered for the School Showcase. Sarah will send you an application to complete and return. All applications will be reviewed by the Editorial Board, and we’ll notify you if you are selected.

Two of the greatest iconic fighters have had their methods combined to form the Superfoot-Joe Lewis Martial Arts Systems. This unique system merges the celebrated fighting styles of Bill Wallace and the late Joe Lewis into some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most effective martial arts techniques. This brilliant combination of fighting knowledge and skills will be introduced on a large scale at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas!

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LEARNING FROM THE LEGENDS Bill Wallace and Joe Lewis met in 1968, when both were competing at the World Professional Karate Championships in Kansas City, Missouri. Lewis noted that he and Wallace had a similar stance. It turned out that, while serving in the military in Okinawa, Wallace in the Air Force and Lewis in the Marines, both had studied shorin-ryu karate with the same sensei — Master Eizo Shimabukuro. So began a close and loyal friendship that lasted until Lewis’ death in 2012 at the age of 68. The pair would become superstars and, ultimately, living legends at both tournament point-fighting and professional full-contact kickboxing. Over the years, the two champions also became like brothers, traveling the world, competing, teaching and conducting seminars. Perhaps it’s only fitting that almost 50 years to the day since they met, the bond endures in the form of the Superfoot-Joe Lewis Martial Arts Systems, an exciting new venture that launched last year at the 2018 Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas.

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THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF FULL-CONTACT MARTIAL ARTS Though Joe Lewis was 30 pounds heavier, both he and Wallace were equal in professional stature. Each man was a legend, and each was respected for their accomplishments in a sport mastered by a select few. As a heavyweight champion, Joe Lewis’s strength was, in fact, his strength. His muscular physique and upper-body power were renowned, along with his relentlessly competitive nature. In the late 1960s, Lewis was becoming increasingly frustrated with the scoring in point karate, where the blows were supposed to be pulled short of contact, and the damage merely hypothetical. He wanted to push the boundaries and grow the sport from the traditional, hand-me-down methods to techniques that could be developed and refined. He wanted to prove that martial artists could use

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“So began a close and loyal friendship that lasted until Lewis’ death in 2012 at the age of 68. The pair would become superstars and, ultimately, living legends at both tournament point-fighting and professional full-contact kickboxing.”

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PHOTO BY JOANN WINTER ALLEN

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these techniques to fight to a knockout in the ring, just like in boxing. Since 1968, he had been trying to organize a full-contact karate bout, and finally did so on January 17, 1970, as the main event at the first U.S. Pro Team Championship in Los Angeles. He knocked out opponent Greg Baines in the second round. From that point on, the sport grew slowly, leading to the first World Professional Full Contact Championships on September 14, 1974. (See sidebar story, “Highlights About the Birth of Full-Contact Karate/American Kickboxing.”) Lewis won the heavyweight division and Wallace took the middleweight crown. Together, they became the founding fathers of the new American full-contact sport.

“In addition to the physical training, the system incorporates leadership and mentoring, creating an ongoing learning environment designed to produce the next generation of champions.”

KICKS CLOCKED AT 60 M.P.H.! In contrast to Lewis’ punching prowess, Wallace is known for his devastating kicks and blinding speed. “I’m sneaky,” Wallace says with a grin. Unable to kick with his right leg due to an early judo-training injury, he developed otherworldly skills with his left leg. He even perfected it as a jab, popping an opponent’s face with it two or more times without replacing it on the ground. Furthermore, his lightning-fast left-leg round kick was once measured at an incredible 60 miles per hour delivery speed! That was when he became known as “Superfoot.” From his first championship in 1974 to his retirement in 1980, Bill Wallace remains the only undefeated full-contact karate fighter in the sport’s history.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL DISCIPLINE Physical skills are one thing, but then there’s the mental discipline. How do you approach each match when you’re undefeated? Did you ever go in thinking you might lose to an opponent, or wondering how much longer the streak could continue? If you’re Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, the answer is definitely no. “Every one of them had the ability to knock me out, so JULY 2019

HIGHLIGHTS THE BIRTH OF FULL-CONTACT

AMERICAN KARATE / KICKBOXING BY MASUCCESS MANAGING EDITOR JOHN CORCORAN. EXCERPTED FROM THE BOOK-IN-PROGRESS, 10,000 FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE MARTIAL ARTS

By 1972, the sport of American kickboxing had died out and, in ‘73, its founder, U.S. Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion Joe Lewis, began an effort to resurrect it. He and his Hollywood-powerhouse black belt student, Tom Tannenbaum, a Universal Television executive vice-president, co-created the concept for the World Professional Karate Championships. Lewis agreed to fight for the heavyweight championship. Tannenbaum agreed to arrange for television coverage of the event and the appearance at ringside of dozens of prominent TV stars then on-contract with Universal TV. The live event, entitled the 1st World Professional Karate Championships, took place on September 14, 1974. Held during the height of the Bruce Lee movie boom sweeping the U.S., it drew over 10,000 spectators to the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The winners of the inaugural world-championship titles were Lewis (heavyweight), Jeff Smith (light heavyweight), Bill “Superfoot” Wallace (middleweight), and Mexico’s Isiais Duenas (lightweight). Wallace’s superb kicking skills made him the outstanding star of the event. Each champion won a purse of $3,000. The 1st World Professional Karate Championships aired twice,

as a 90-minute national broadcast on ABC-TV’s Wide World of Entertainment, first on December 27, 1974, at 11:30 p.m. It also attracted media coverage from major network-TV sports news, Sports Illustrated and the Los Angeles Times. From this event, the sport of professional full-contact karate (a.k.a., “American kickboxing” took off and eventually spread throughout the world. John Corcoran was the official timekeeper (using a Chinese gong) at the 1st World Professional Karate Championships in 1974. As a pro-writer/author, he has written millions of words about the martial arts in a 46-year collection of magazines, books and movies.

I still had to train, still had to be ready and able to go the distance,” he says. “I approached each match like it was my toughest. My attitude was always, ‘To beat me, you’re going to have to kill me.’” Still, the competition was, he says, “An absolute blast. You can see in pictures and video that I’m smiling. I’m a competitor, and I enjoyed the competition.”

ROAD WARRIORS That combination of focus, commitment and attitude made Wallace highly sought after as a teacher and mentor following his retirement in 1980. Lewis was equally in demand. In fact, they were on the road for decades conducting seminars and symposiums, passing on their knowledge, skills and mental toughness to new generations of athletes who were daring enough to want to learn from the best.

“Perhaps it’s only fitting that almost 50 years to the day since they met, the bond endures in the form of the Superfoot-Joe Lewis Martial Arts Systems.”

“People — black belts and school owners — would call us,” says Wallace. “They’d say, ‘We’d like for you and Joe to do a seminar for us.’ And we’d pack our bags and go.” Their competitive teasing of each other, entertaining banter and complementary skill sets made them very appealing as a seminar teaching team. “Joe was very strong, very intelligent,” Wallace says. “He was the puncher, and I was the kicker. I don’t try to be strong, I try to be fast.”

A DYNAMIC BLEND OF STYLES These skills serve as the foundation of the Superfoot-Joe Lewis Martial Arts Systems (S/JLMAS) program. The unique plan has merged the Superfoot and Joe Lewis styles and mixes in the best of the world’s martial arts techniques. It includes kicking from karate and taekwondo, punching forms from boxing, exercises to improve strength and flexibility, and workouts to develop greater speed, endurance and mobility. In addition to the physical training, the system incorporates leadership and mentoring, creating an ongoing learning environment designed to produce the next generation of champions. Memberships will be available to both martial arts schools and JULY 2019

BILL WALLACE'S BACKSTORY:

STILL TRYING TO GET HIS KICKS FASTER!

Bill Wallace’s dad was a high-school gym teacher in Indiana who wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. After serving in the military, the young Wallace earned his undergraduate degree in physical education from Ball State University, followed by a master’s degree in kinesiology from Memphis State. During this time, he famously trained Elvis Presley, a veteran karate black belt and avid enthusiast. Though he never became a public school teacher, Wallace was and still is a world-class instructor. Over the decades — and across the world — he has trained and inspired hundreds of thousands of young warriors, endowing them with a sense of joy and respect for the sport. Wallace’s education in kinesiology — the study of human anatomy with respect to movement — has deepened his insight into what the body does and why. He knows, at 72 years old, he’s not going to get any faster, but that doesn’t stop him from trying. “I’m still trying to get the kicking down, a little higher, a little faster,” says the legendary world champion. “Practice doesn’t make perfect; it makes permanent.”

individuals, including school owners, instructors and program directors. Individual memberships will include training at an authorized S/JLMAS school and the opportunity to attend an annual national conference with Bill Wallace, where members will enjoy an exchange of ideas, training methods, sparring and self-defense, plus the camaraderie and kinship that only those who have trained together and faced one another on the mat can appreciate. But wait, there’s more! There are members-only videos and content, online training, and the honor of being registered as an authentic S/JL fighter with a certificate signed by the legendary “Superfoot” himself.

KEEP MOVING FORWARD Of all the fighters that Wallace has watched or faced, who has impressed him the most? At the top of the list is, of course, Joe Lewis, he admits. “He was an excellent boxer; 210 pounds, but so light on his feet,” Wallace says with admiration. “He believed that mobility was a key factor in sparring that had gotten lost along the way, and he wanted to bring it back.” Fifty years after the two first met, Wallace says, “It’s easy to make friends in this business. It’s hard to keep them.” Competition, egos and rivalries take their toll. But the lifelong friendship between Bill Wallace and the late, great Joe Lewis lives on in the memories the two shared. And now, too, in the blending of styles and forms that comprise the Superfoot/Joe Lewis Martial Arts Systems. e

m For more information and to join as an individual or school, visit superfoot-joelewis.com. To learn more about how many other independent martial arts organizations operate, check out the Martial Arts Industry Association’s website at www.maiahub.com. Through this constantly enhanced website, members can access an enormous amount of useful information for school owners on just about any topic from A to Z.

“There are members-only videos and content, online training, and the honor of being registered as an authentic S/JL fighter with a certificate signed by the legendary ‘Superfoot’ himself.”

JULY 2019

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CONSULTANT’S CORNER

6 Steps to Winning Workshops: Programming Product for Profit

BY SHANE TASSOULMAIA CONSULTANT

“Hosting these workshops will not only increase retail sales and profitability, but will also increase retention as well. Students who spend money in your school today are less likely to quit tomorrow.”

rogramming product for profit is when you pick a retail item and create a workshop to go around that item. Examples could include, but are not limited to, a square hand target, focus paddle, body shield, Wavemaster or even a stretch rack. Hosting these workshops will not only increase retail sales and profitability, but will also increase retention. Students who spend money in your school today are less likely to quit tomorrow. Let’s dive in. Step 1: Schedule a Day and Time for the Workshop In this example, we will often host square hand target workshops, as this is a simple-to-use item that anyone can benefit with from at-home training. We like to do these workshops on a Saturday from 11:00-noon. You can pick any day and time that will work for your schedule. Step 2: Set a Limited Number of Spaces Limit the participants to a number you know will sell out, and when the event fills up do not let any additional participants register. Let them know that the event is sold out, and that they can register for the next workshop, if they want to insure their spot. This will start to create a culture of “action-takers” in your school who want to make sure they get spots before events sell out. In this example, we will have only 10 spots available. Now, we have to order our square hand targets. Although there are only 10 spots, I want you to order 15 targets. I’ll explain why in just a moment. Step 3: Make Announcements/Display Product Be sure to make announcements at the end of every class. The key in all communication is the presentation. Make sure that you have the parents’ attention and are talking to them and at them. Tell the parents and students you are so excited for the upcoming square hand target seminar! Let them know that you’re going to be working on 10 ways to increase speed during the workshop, and that they are going to love it. Also, let them know that the workshop is free and all they need to do is purchase the square hand target. Direct them to the table where you have the display of 10 hand targets and let them know that there are only 10 available and when they’re gone, they’re gone. When someone purchases one, you can remove it from the table and even make a quick announcement as to how many spots are left.

MASUCCESS

Step 4: Create a Drills Handout Before the workshop, take some time and create 10 drills that you can do with the square hand target. Type them out or, better yet, shoot a quick video with all the drills and post it to YouTube and make a private link. In addition, create five more drills that you can do with two square hand targets, as this will be a bonus for the end of the workshop. Give out the private YouTube link at your workshop as a value-add. Step 5: Host the Workshop During the workshop, make sure to have a lot of fun teaching the drills that you created. Have parents get on the floor, too, and help by holding the pad. This will promote home practice later. And who knows? You may even be able to find a few parents to get involved in your adult class. For the last 15 minutes of the workshop, grab the additional five square hand targets that you ordered and hand them out. Start working on your bonus content that involves two square hand targets. As you wrap up your event, let everyone know that, since you added some bonus drills and brought out five more square hand targets, they are now used. And you will sell them at 20% off to the first five people that want them. Step 6: Rinse & Repeat Now that you have hosted a successful workshop, you should schedule one per quarter or two per year and make this a regular system in your school. As a matter of fact, you could do the same workshops every year. Because a year from now, you’ll have an entire batch of students who have never seen your workshops. Additionally, when you create a system and have dates and times scheduled, you can offer the people who took your square hand target workshop the first opportunity to sign up for the next one. This you do by having the sign-up sheet available at the end of the workshop. I look forward to hearing about your successes with these workshops. e m Shane Tassoul can be reached at (920) 450-5425 or stassoul@masuccess.com.

KICKING! INTRODUCING

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MASTERFUL RETENTION

Allowing Revenue to Help Prioritize Your Time Management

BY CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD

“If your school has passed its initial opening stages, I would be willing to bet that 60-90% of the revenue on a monthly basis comes via students who are on at least their second membership (renewals and upgrades).”

MASUCCESS

here’s an old business adage that reads, “It costs seven times more to acquire a new customer than it does to sell to an existing customer.” And when it comes to operating a martial arts school, it has never been more true. Think about it – what does it cost you in actual dollars to get a new student? Even if your school has great systems in place, and you only spend time, effort and energy doing low- or no-cost activities, you have to admit that it is still labor intensive. Now, contrast that with taking steps to ensure that your students are making progress and moving towards their goals – something you should be doing anyway. When you compare actual time and money spent keeping students on track to their goals versus the efforts and money it takes to add a student, it may make you take a second look at how you prioritize your time. Try some quick math. Review all the memberships you have in your school. How many students are on their first program and what is the total monthly revenue in dollars this represents? Now, add up how many students are on a renewal or upgrade program. How many students does this account for and what’s the total monthly dollar amount this represents? If your school has passed its initial opening stages, I would be willing to bet that 60-90% of the revenue on a monthly basis comes via students who are on at least their second membership (renewals and upgrades). Based on this number, I would suggest that the number one most important responsibility for instructors, program directors, assistants and counter help is to retain students. I can hear some of my marketing friends grumbling, maybe saying, “If you can’t get a student, you won’t have a student to keep.” To this point, I think they are correct. I absolutely concede that every school, depending on its size, needs an adequate flow of new students to realize its goal. But though this is true, it has been my observation that most schools are forever focusing on the lack of new students as the problem, when they should be working to repair a broken retention system. Let’s focus on your renewal system and offer a way for you to assess where you are. To take this from concept to calculation, I ask you to evaluate the health and predictability of your current renewal or upgrade system this month.

Here’s how you do it: Let’s imagine 10 white belts started your program this month and their first membership was for six months. If all of your systems are working properly, determine how many students will renew into a longerterm program or second membership by the end of month one, then month two, and all the way up to month six. While some people think in terms of months, I know many school owners think in terms of belt promotions. The point is, however, you choose to do it, you want to create a norm that you can measure against and immerse all your team members around. And while I strongly believe that criteria of attitude, performance and attendance are what allows a student the privilege to upgrade, it’s nice to benchmark the percentage and see where you are. I know some high-performing schools that look to have 90+% of their students upgraded by the second month, while others are looking for that percentage by month four. Regardless, both types of schools would agree and caution against waiting for the membership to expire prior to establishing a new goal and upgrading. As an easy starting point, lay out your attendance cards and count by belt how many from each color are already upgraded onto a second membership. What percentage from each belt does this represent? This becomes your starting point. With this in place, you can go to work to improve the percentages. Remember the old saying, “What gets measured gets managed.” If everyone on the team knows what the percentages are, then with a little thinking and strategy each player on your team is asking themselves, “Who are my target students to get ready? What do I need to do to help them get ready? What kind of interactions will be positive and cause them to want to create a long-term relationship with our school?” The largest revenue comes via student retention or, said another way, “keeping the promises we make at the beginning of our relationship.” Make sure you’re spending the correct proportion of time regularly nurturing these relationships, so they can become part of the lifeblood of what makes your school a success. e m Chris Rappold can be reached for questions or comments at founder@personalbestkarate.com.

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THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING

Security Double-Take

BY BETH A. BLOCK

“The tape was recorded over by new video every seven days. Because the studio didn’t make everyone aware video was re-recorded every seven days, the mom’s attorney claimed the studio had spoiled evidence.”

MASUCCESS

’ve talked to many studio owners about security cameras. When we begin, the owner sees all the positives. I see the positives, too. I also see the negatives. One of the first positives is the security. One of my clients was robbed. The robber wasn’t the brightest criminal. He looked straight into the camera before shooting it. The local police caught him within hours. In another case, the studio owner found the cameras were a great training tool. She could not understand why new students were leaving so her school quickly. A review of 30 days of film showed she had an instructor using oldschool discipline on her students. She spent a couple of weeks working closely with this instructor to improve his methods. Now, he gets more positive feedback on social media than any of her other team members. Her time training staff is now spent effectively. In a third situation, the studio owner had installed cameras at the same time he published the school’s Code of Conduct. When one potential new hire saw the “Zero Tolerance for Abuse” rule and the cameras, he faded away. We don’t know what that person might have done. We do know it didn’t happen in my client’s studio. Clearly, cameras can be helpful. But let’s address how they might hurt you. Let’s also think about how you can effectively use cameras and avoid the pitfalls. The first ugly claim I saw came from the blind spots. Cameras have blind spots, just like the mirrors in your car. In this case, the studio owner installed the cameras himself. He wasn’t worried about anything except the front of his mat. Because of the blind spots, however, he didn’t address a problem with a volunteer. The volunteer grabbed a student by the hair during class. All the parents saw it! That volunteer continued to teach there. Collectively, all the witnesses testified against the studio. This might have been avoided if the cameras had been professionally installed. The second ugly claim came up because of an accusation. A mom came into the studio one afternoon claiming her daughter had been touched inappropriately by a junior instructor. Mom wanted to go back and see the tape.

The studio couldn’t review the tape because the time this supposedly happened was four months previously. The tape was recorded over by new video every seven days. Because the studio didn’t make everyone aware video was re-recorded every seven days, the mom’s attorney claimed the studio had spoiled evidence. Across the country, spoliation of evidence is addressed by Civil Law. The penalties are severe. Generally, spoiled evidence is seen as a “cover up.” This leaves you in the position of losing just about every time you’d be sued. One way to prevent this in your studio is to post a sign advising, “Security cameras are in use. Video is recorded over every _____ days.” It’s also a good idea to put that information in your Student Handbook. This shapes everyone’s expectations. The third ugly claim came in a studio that was trying to make a parent happy. A dad came into the studio asking to see the video of his daughter in class the day before. Dad was his normal friendly self. The enrollment director was busy talking to a prospective new family. So, Dad was left alone to review the video. It turns out the reason he wanted to watch the video is because his daughter claimed she was pushed by another student in the drill line. Dad pulled out his smart phone and made a video of the video. The girl was absolutely pushed by another student. It also turns out that the other student pushed her by placing hands on her chest and shoving. The video also showed her reporting it to an instructor. That instructor told her to get back in line! The lesson to be learned here is twofold. Always review video yourself in private first, before letting a parent see. Secondly, don’t ever let parents record your video footage on any device. You also need to be sure you don’t give a copy of the video to the parent. Once a situation has become escalated to the point parents are requesting copies of video, you need to be attorney-represented. Your insurance company should provide the attorney. You will need to give a copy of the video to your insurance company. e m Beth Block can be reached at (800) 225-0863 or beth@blockins.net.

THE LEGAL LANDSCAAPE

Unicorns, Bigfoot and the Standard Contract: Three Things That Don’t Exist in the Real World! BY PHILIP E. GOSS, JR., ESQ.

“Utterly ridiculous and unfair terms and conditions can become part of a written agreement, absent fraud, or a violation of law or public policy.”

h, the standard contract! How many of you reading this column have used that term many times in the past, or believe that such a document exists? Frequently, clients call

While I cannot verify the story, the facts, if true, would support that result. The sole constant in dealing with anything that you sign, is that you must read and understand everything about the

me seeking my review of a vendor contract or other written

document before you sign your name on the dotted line. Never

obligations, which is described by the client as a “standard

sign anything that you are not willing to comply with. There are

contract.” Urban legend holds that there exists a document

no “do-overs” in the world of contract law.

known as the “standard contract” that abides by with some form of legal standard consistent worldwide. We can all agree that 12 inches equals one U.S. foot and

Utterly ridiculous and unfair terms and conditions can become part of a written agreement, absent fraud, or a violation of law or public policy. Agreement to such terms, even

that 2.2 pounds equals one international kilogram. But there

if the product of poor or impetuous decision-making, can be

is no document with terms and conditions that coalesce into

valid and legally binding on you – like that shiny new car with

a “standard contract.” While many contracts set forth similar

a promissory note payable over many years and at an interest

language, none are ever the same.

rate far above what your FICO score should necessitate. Like

Neither contracts nor written obligations need be complicated. But, to be enforceable, each must set forth the “parties” to the agreement, the “subject matter” of the

the new smart phone payable in monthly installments that will ultimately cost three times the cash price! Like a service agreement obligating you to use a pest

agreement and what is the “consideration” to be paid or the

control, landscaping or home security service exclusively and

quid pro quo between the parties.

for multiple years. Like a copy machine lease that requires you

Contracts can be oral, but if not reduced to written form are

to use the companies’ consumables, no matter that the ink

far more difficult to prove and, typically, have shorter statutes

toner and paper available at the local office store is one-half

of limitation to seek enforcement. Oral and written contracts,

the price! Like the garbage service that can’t be terminated for

if the essential terms are proven to the satisfaction of a

multiple years.

tribunal, are equally enforceable. Certain contracts must be in written form or they are considered void. A non-exhaustive list of such agreements that must be in written form to be valid include: agreements to pay

All of the previous list are examples of goods and services my clients have obligated themselves to by signing “standard contracts” before seeking my advice. As I have stated more than once over the 17-plus years I

the debts of another, any contract that cannot be completed

have had the privilege of penning this column, no one ever asks

in less than one year, a transaction for the sale of goods

you to execute a written agreement, or, for that fact, to sign

exceeding the value of $500 under the Uniform Commercial

your name on any piece of paper, unless it is to their benefit and

Code, or an agreement for the purchase of real estate.

in their best interests.

Leases and service agreements are contracts. The credit

Therefore, never autograph any piece of commercial

card slip you sign to pay for lunch is a contract. Even when

paper, or anything, really, without completely understanding

you purchase an item on the internet, you are entering an

everything it reads.

enforceable contract. Written contracts have been found to be enforceable, even if just a handwritten agreement between two people. There’s a popular story about a famous member of

Finally, every contract is negotiable, even if the final negotiation results that you walk away from the deal or agreement. Excepting the most limited of circumstances, no deal is preferable to a poor deal.

Baseball’s Hall of Fame who was required to sell his house at far below market value. It was based upon an agreement written on a cocktail napkin that contained sufficient terms to constitute a written contract.

MASUCCESS

m Attorney Phil Goss, Jr. welcomes any email comments or questions at PhilGosslaw@gmail.com and will attempt to respond personally, time permitting.

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INSPIRATION OVATION

Box of Rocks

BY KAREN EDEN

“I was once told by a parent that his bullied child wouldn’t sign up for karate lessons because they could do it cheaper by buying instructional DVDs online. A few months later, that same parent came back, asking to sign up his now-even-morebullied son.”

’ll never forget this story that my former brother-in-law Gary shared with me. He was on his first voyage overseas in the Navy, and couldn’t wait to debark with his friends onto the shores of a Caribbean island. It seems the island was all set up to receive the sailors, too. It had everything a lonely boy far from home would find intriguing, including rock-bottom prices on otherwise rather expensive merchandise. One in particular caught his eye.

“Go ahead,” I said. Then, I thought to myself, smiling, “Buy your expensive box of rocks.”

Posted right outside the door was a sign that read: “Stereo system on sale for $100.” Knowing that the same stereo system back in the States would cost four times that amount, he went in to check out the deal.

A few months later, that same parent came back, asking to sign up his now-even-more-bullied son.

Evidently, it was a state-of-the-art system complete with everything he wanted in his personal sound system. He quickly grabbed it and gave the merchant $100.

“Oh, don’t even ask. Just tell me how much it’s going to cost,” he replied impatiently.

Soon, the store clerk came out with the stereo system all taped up and secure so the boat ride home would not damage it. “It might be a pain to carry back to the boat, but it will be worth it,” he thought to himself. A few weeks later, the battleship was back safely in harbor, Gary carried the very heavy box back to the base in anticipation of setting up his brand-new stereo system. This would certainly bring him and his shipmates a lot of joy while stationed ashore!

“I opened the box and couldn’t believe it!” he declared, with a look of sheer disgust on his face. It’s a story that still makes me laugh today as I write this. It’s also a story with a valuable lesson. For us, it might not be a literal box of rocks, but we have all experienced our share of being “had.” It’s usually the deals that are too good to be true that get us — just like our mothers warned us. MASUCCESS

I was once told by a parent that his bullied child wouldn’t sign up with me for karate lessons because they could do it cheaper by buying instructional DVDs online.

“I couldn’t believe the deal I was getting,” my brotherin-law told us.

Well, it did bring everyone else joy – but not in the way he had intended! As he tells it, his purchase brought the house down laughing. Evidently, my dear brother-in-law had purchased and carried a full box of rocks back to the States!

I once bought a “designer purse” that fell apart during a job interview. I had to resort to borrowing the receptionist’s stapler and stapling the darn thing back together just to make it home with the contents intact. That purse wasn’t cheap, just cheaper. But that purse, too, was a costly lesson that will always remind me that ignorance can be more expensive in the long run.

As I pulled out the paperwork, I had to ask, “What happened?”

He didn’t have to tell me; I already knew. And I’m sure that box of rocks was heavier than the one my brother-inlaw had to carry back to the ship. It was probably more embarrassing for him to come back in here than it was for me to see my purse spill out its contents onto the floor while I was at that job interview. The young man who was being bullied went on to become one of my best black belts. His dad never again tried to negotiate a “better deal” with me, either. And just for the record, I was never mad. I know that sometimes we all have to learn these things the hard way, knowing that money doesn’t grow on trees. It’s true: Good education is expensive, but being ignorant is even more expensive. e m You can contact Master Karen Eden at renedenherdman@gmail.com.

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