May 2019 by MASuccess

MAY 2019 • $5.99 US

www.MASUCCESS.com

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

5 COMMUNICATION HACKS TO TURN YOUR LEADS INTO STUDENTS GET WITH THE FLOW 2.0! Kama Queen Mackensi Emory Shows You How

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard With Credit-Card Chargebacks!

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why you need Martial Arts SuperShow

LEARN SYSTEMS YOU CAN IMPLEMENT

MEET A COMMUNITY YOU CAN COUNT ON

LEARN FROM INSTRUCTORS YOU CAN TRUST

FIND IT ALL AT THE MARTIAL ARTS SUPERSHOW THIS SUMMER. PRESENTED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

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CONTENTS FEATURES 30

SURVIVING NAKED ON A MOUNTAIN: ONE SCHOOL OWNER SHARES HIS STORY BY

T E RRY

5 COMMUNICATION HACKS TO TURN YOUR LEADS INTO STUDENTS BY

C RI S

GET WITH THE FLOW 2.0! BY

S A RA H

LO B B AN

What’s it like to be one of the highest-level sport-karate competitors in the world? You don’t get there without a lot of blood, sweat and effort. For some of those at the top, it’s worth it for the chance to pull others up with them, or into the world of martial arts. That’s one of Mackensi Emory’s major goals. She accomplishes this by dazzling audiences with spectacular kama performances.

40 BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP BY

NG UYEN

“ TOM”

04 FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

G RI G G S

“K” Is for Knowledge

44 IN THE CLASSROOM BY

DAV E

12 IN THE KNOW

KOVAR

The Four Minds

18 HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

62 TURNING POINT BY

HERB

B ORKL AND

Troy Dorsey: The First Big Kickboxing Win

22 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

66 YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT? BY

KATHY

OLEV SKY

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard with Credit Card Chargebacks! Part 1

24 THE MAIA REPORT

RO D R I G U E Z

Imagine never having to wonder what to say to convert a lead to a trial. Imagine being able to effortlessly write your own online ads. What if you had a formula that you could use every time you communicated with a prospect that would help guide their buying decision? Cris Rodriguez shows you her 5 Communication Hacks that will turn your leads into new students.

DEPARTMENTS

COLUMNS

WI L S O N

Reality TV star, school owner and veteran ninja Hakim Isler exposed more than just his superior survival skills on the grueling reality series Naked and Afraid. As a speaker at the 2019 Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas, he will share his philosophy on how to survive in business—because it really is a jungle out there!

APRIL 2019

86 CONSULTANT’S CORNER B Y M A I A C O N S U LTA N T ROB BY B EARD

Packing Summer Classes with New Kids!

88 MASTERFUL RETENTION BY

C HRI STOPHER

RAPPOL D

How Is Toughness Taught in the Modern Martial Arts School?

90 THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING BY

B ETH

A .

B LOC K

26 MARKETING RESOURCE

68 SCHOOL SHOWCASE

MAXIM OF THE MONTH

The Top Five Summer-Camp Legal Claims

92 THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE BY

PHI L I P

G OS S,

JR.,

ESQ.

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, But Sometimes Necessary

96 INSPIRATION OVATION BY

KAREN

EDEN

I Know Why My Grandmother Clapped

“Take the attitude of a student. Never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” — OG MANDINO, AMERICAN AUTHOR

MASUCCESS

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ESK

30 50

74 MAY 2019

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FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

“Lazy Days” of Summertime? Not a Good Plan! BY FRANK SILVERMAN

MAIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“I say with 100% confidence that the summertime norm is slower in terms of new member sign-ups compared to most other times of year. That said, I’ve learned that many schools, though not the majority, understand how to make the summer not only successful with new members but financially as well.”

s we approach summer, many people expect new-member sign-ups to come to a screeching halt. I suggest that if you expect it, that is exactly what you’ll get: A big zero, nada and nil leading into the summer season. However, if you have a plan and expect better results, you can achieve them. I say with 100% confidence that the summertime norm is slower in terms of new-member sign-ups compared to most other times of year. That said, I’ve learned that many schools, though not the majority, understand how to make the summer not only successful with new members but financially as well. To accomplish this, we need to shift gears in how we market. If we recognize that the public is off on vacation and not available to us, we must turn our marketing efforts to those who are present. As the old expression goes, we need to go after the “low-hanging fruit.” So, what qualifies someone as low-hanging fruit? First, they are “present.” How do we know they are present? Because they come to class. It’s as simple and easy as that. Second, they are attached to our school in some way, which means we have help in working the sign-up. We can utilize the assistance of the families and students who already attend our school. Third, by virtue of number one and number two, the cost to market to them is very, very low. Moreover, we only pay for marketing if we see a real result. How do we lead into summer with low or no-cost marketing and drive as many new members as possible? It’s all about internal marketing. Keep an open mind. As a friend of mine, Chief Master Bill Clark, once told me, “People quit for their own reasons. It’s not personal.” The truth is that they also sign up for their own reasons. If a person has said “no” before, it doesn’t matter. Ask again, and that “no” may turn into a “yes.” In May and June, focus on moms and dads, respectively, leading up to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. As both the Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA) and Century

advise, it’s essential to offer an event of some kind to celebrate these holidays. It is best to host an event where parents “earn” a pink, camo or white belt. They receive a certificate as well and a special offer for signing up, including a new uniform. Remove all barriers to entry. Keep in mind that parents are perfect new members because they help with retention and are familiar with your sign-up procedures. In addition to this, you should offer a mini (10-minute) private lesson with each sign-up to help him/her acclimate and feel comfortable. Next, move on to siblings. No matter how many times they may have said “no” to taking lessons, this is the time to try again. Why? Because they are present, and they may have new reasons for wanting to try martial arts training. Keep this as an ongoing theme throughout the entire summer. From May through July, offer a special incentive any time a family member signs up. Next, institute an ongoing referral program that starts before summer ends and finishes a couple weeks before the back-to-school season. It’s imperative that everyone in the school knows about the program. Understanding the referral program is more important than the reward itself. Make sure you ask your current members, on an almost daily basis, for referrals. Reward them generously for their help. The referral program can last all summer and helps keep the pressure on. Invite friends to class, invite siblings to class, and hold Mom and Dad Days especially in May and June. Also, never forget that enrolling new students is the lifeblood of your business, but retention of your current students is key to long-term success. Keep the front door open for students, but close and lock that back door tight. If you have not already registered for the 2019 MASuperShow, do it today! We deliver the best business, marketing and operations information for your school, with on-themat training to keep you and your instructors at the top of their game. Register online at www.masupershow.com, or call 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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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 MASuccess_MAY2019.indd 7

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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

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

ROBBY BEARD IS A MARTIAL ARTS

BETH BLOCK, A 4TH-DEGREE BLACK

Industry Association (MAIA) international

belt in karate, is the president of Block Insurance

consultant who owns three schools in Memphis,

in Orlando, FL. Block has protected businesses

Tennessee. Mr. Beard’s school was recognized as

that serve children for the past 24 years. She is

one of the Top-10 schools in North America by

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

Black Belt Schools of America. Mr. Beard can be reached at rbeard@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.

MASUCCESS

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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. 05

MAY 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

Frank Silverman MAIA DIVISION MANAGER

Melissa Torres

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 8thdegree black belt with 32 full-time years of

YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

teaching and operating martial arts schools. She can be reached for questions or comments at kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com.

MAIA ASSOCIATE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

Sarah Lobban 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 Mike Metzger Jason Flame Adam Parman Antonio Fournier Cris Rodriguez Kurt Klingenmeyer Shane Tassoul

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Jan Szijarto ART DIRECTOR

Todd Bane GRAPHIC DESIGN

PHILIP E. GOSS, JR., ESQ. IS A member of the Florida and several other Federal Bar Associations. Phil welcomes any e-mail comments or questions at PhilGosslaw@gmail.com and will

THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE

attempt to respond personally, time permitting.

Kaily Prince Bridgette Rabe

Stacy Robertson JohnPaul Widener

COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTORS

Herb Borkland

Kristin Miller

Karen Eden

Kathy Olevsky

Jason Flame

Christopher Rappold

Antonio Fournier

Cris Rodriguez

Philip E. Goss, Jr., Esq.

Melody Shuman

Nguyen “Tom” Griggs

Frank Silverman

IBISWORLD.com

Shane Tassoul

Kurt Klingenmeyer

Melissa Torres

Dave Kovar

Terry L. Wilson

Sarah Lobban

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 written for or been featured in every major

Mike Metzger

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)

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 MAY 2019

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IN THE KNOW

BY SARAH LOBBAN

MAIA ASSOCIATE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

WORDS OF WISDOM

“

IF YOU DON’T GIVE UP, EVENTUALLY YOU WILL BREAK THE CYCLE, AND YOU WILL OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE

”

— LYOTO MACHIDA

MARTIAL ARTS TRIVIA 1

Which martial art do actress Sarah Michelle Geller and Russian President Vladimir Putin have in common?

At what age did Jackie Chan appear in his first movie?

What common karate activity is known in Japanese as tamashiwara?

How long is the longest no holds barred fight on record?

ANSWERS: 1) Taekwondo

2) Age 8, as an extra

3) Board-breaking

4) 3 hours 42 minutes, fought by Valdemar Santata and Helio Gracie

MASUCCESS

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YOU ASKED

IN THE KNOW

IF YOU CHARGE TESTING FEES AND HAVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS ABOUT THE FEE, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THOSE OBJECTIONS? STATS SPEAK

I would explain that costs go up for testing. However, I don’t want all of my members to absorb those costs, so I only offset these events by charging the ones that participate.” — M E L O D Y S H U M A N , S K I L L Z W O R L D W I D E , S T. P E T E R S B U R G , F L

Having a checklist and covering the fact that there are some additional costs the student will incur during their training is a must. We always bring up testing fees at enrollment and never have challenges. You run into these challenges when you hide cost or aren’t up front with your students.”

WAGES EARNED FROM WORK IN THE MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO INDUSTRY ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE, OVERALL, BY

6.1%

IN 2019 SOURCE:

IBISWORLD.COM

— S H A N E TA S S O U L , C H A M P I O N S M A RT I A L A RT S , A P P L E T O N , W I

I believe if you address it up front it is not an issue. When students enroll, we have a checklist that goes over everything they will need to know as well as a new student handbook.” — 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

Our testing fees are built in to our monthly fees.” — D AV E K O VA R , K O VA R ’ S M A RT I A L A RT S & F I T N E S S , S A C R A M E N T O , C A

MAY 2019

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Introducing Online Check-in Includes Member Self Check-in App Click and Drag into Scheduler Events Scan Barcodes with Member Mobile App

RE PA Y

TS EN M

SUP

S OF T WA

S OF T WAR

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeking writers MASUCCESS is looking for freelance writers to join our dynamic team of U.S. correspondents. We pay some of the best rates in the industry and all payments are upon acceptance. Writers should have some knowledge of the martial arts school business. When responding, please feel free to pitch your story ideas (4 to 5 paragraphs including the type of photos/images that you can supply to accompany your idea). We prefer email responses. Do NOT send any completed manuscripts. We do NOT have time to read completed articles and they typically do not t our standards or editorial format. Please email your reply or story pitch to John Corcoran, Managing Editor, at jcorcoran@masuccess.com

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeking story leads MASUCCESS is seeking reader tips and leads to nd successful school owners in the U.S. and Canada. If you know of a highly successful single- or multi-school owner who you believe can teach our readers the tricks of the trade, please submit his or her name, a brief description of his or her degree of success and his or her contact information. We will follow up on all legitimate leads. Please email your leads to John Corcoran, Managing Editor, at jcorcoran@masuccess.com. jc

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ANYTHING ELSE IS CHILDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLAY.

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HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

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DO YOU RUN A ROTATING CURRICULUM?

YES

DO YOU HAVE A WEAPONS PROGRAM IN YOUR SCHOOL?

YES

DO YOU HOST TOURNAMENTS AT YOUR SCHOOL?

29 MASuccess_MAY2019.indd 19

YES

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

RETENTION-BASED SPARRING Martial Arts Industry Association

www.MAIAHub.com

Are you losing students to sparring anxiety?Are you finding yourself sparring less and less? Are you having tough conversations with parents about the

benefits of sparring? We have a solution!

WHAT IS RETENTION-BASED SPARRING? At last: a simple, well-designed, plug-and-play curriculum that teaches students step-by-step how to spar! It provides all of the following:

U Retention of Students U Retention of Techniques U Retention of Protocol U Retention of Energy U A Team Culture of Continuous Improvement U Excitement for Sparring Retention-Based Sparring was created by Master Chris Rappold, a sparring instructor who has devoted his life to cracking the code of the few essential skills in sparring. You’ll learn how to present sparring in a way that the average student can enjoy while improving, and that will push the world-class competitor to excel. “My promise to you is that sparring will quickly go from being the reason students are dropping out to the reason you are retaining your students and growing your school,” Master Rappold says.

MATERIALS INCLUDED: U Weekly presentation-ready curriculum to create easy-toteach sections of a class.

U Monthly fun, skill-based activities designed to reinforce the curriculum you present. These will continue to refine your students’ timing and distance control while keeping your classes feeling new and exciting. Our documentation and extensive video library will walk you through each exercise and workout so you’ll always feel confident conducting a class.

U Online quick-launch staff training: a simple-tounderstand structure of presenting the material. With it, your staff can easily implement the teaching curriculum from day one.

U Access to important communication materials that will educate students and parents. These ensure clear communication about the value of sparring as well as protocol and rules for everyone to follow.

U A monthly rotational curriculum plan that continues to reinforce and improve your students’ ability to perform better and enjoy sparring.

U A teaching methodology that will greatly enhance every part of your students’ classroom experience.

U Access to all these tools and resources from any device!

a To find out more about Retention-Based Sparring, visit MAIAHub.com or contact a MAIA sales representative at (866) 626-6226.

MASUCCESS

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

NEW SPARRING GEAR! Century®

www.CenturyMartialArts.com

Student Sparring Gear is consistently some of the most popular from Century. Now, we’re introducing multi-color options of P2 Headgear, Gloves and Boots for even more variety! P2 Gear is customizable with school names and logos.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS: U MADE WITH DIPPED FOAM U ELASTIC HOOK-AND-LOOP CLOSURE STRAPS ON HEADGEAR CHIN AND GLOVE WRISTS. WRAPAROUND ELASTIC HOOK-AND-LOOP STRAP ON BOOTS FOR SECURE AND ADJUSTABLE FIT

U DOUBLE-LAYERED FOAM ON HIGH-CONTACT AREAS FOR ADDED COVERAGE

a For more information on this and thousands of other conventional and innovative Century products, call a knowledgeable Century Sales Representative at (800) 626-2787 or visit www.CenturyMartialArts.com.

GOOD STRETCH Century®

www.CenturyMartialArts.com

If you need a reliable way to get a deep stretch but don’t have a lot of space, the Good Stretch was made for you! It’s ideal for home or apartment use, as well as for school owners who want to incorporate stretching machinery without devoting permanent space to it.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS: U WEIGHS A SLIM 16 POUNDS, WITH A LOW-PROFILE DESIGN THAT EASILY TUCKS OUT OF THE WAY

U ADJUSTABLE FOR MULTIPLE USERS U PADDED ANKLE SECTION ON EITHER SIDE U MINIMUM ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

a For more information on this and other great Century products, call a helpful Century Sales Representative at (800) 626-2787 or visit www.CenturyMartialArts.com. MAY 2019

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THE MAIA REPORT

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help BY MELISSA TORRES

MAIA DIVISION MANAGER

“We have a Facebook group called MAIA Hub. If you haven’t already, you should definitely go check it out! And if you’re a small school owner, Kurt Klingenmeyer runs a Facebook group called the Small School Forum.”

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed from working with martial art school owners and instructors, it’s that no one wants to admit they need help. We will get the occasional call through our MAIA phone line from school owners asking for ways they can improve their businesses; however, those are rare. Even when people reach out to us via our website and admit they want help, they won’t pick up the phone when we try to call them to find out what they need. They know they need help, but they aren’t even sure what they need help with. They know they can be more successful, but don’t see the path there. They want to make their dream a career, but don’t even know what next step to take. Most people want to show off their successes, not admit what they don’t know –especially on social media. It’s become a place where we post how we want to be perceived, not necessarily our reality. We want to help, and there are many ways out there to get help. Maybe it’s time to ask for it. Many of you don’t take advantage of the social media opportunities to get free advice. We have a Facebook group called MAIA Hub. If you haven’t already, you should definitely go check it out! And if you’re a small school owner, Kurt Klingenmeyer runs a Facebook group called the Small School Forum. I highly encourage you to go and interact in these groups. It’s your opportunity to say, “I need help,” or to ask specific questions. You can hear from our MAIA consultants as well as network with other school owners and instructors. I love seeing schools share their event photos or a tip that worked for them, or how much success they had with enrollments. The most exciting posts for me are the ones asking for help and the ones sharing their success. It proves that everyone needs help at some point. And when they just ask, they can be successful!

We live in such an amazing information age, to be able to access what we need at the click of a button. But the personal touch you get in these groups is far better than any Google search. These people have been where you are! They are willing and excited to help you grow. The Century Wholesale School Network is another one you want to be a part of. Jump in there and ask questions. Share your journey and start the conversation with other martial artists and school owners like you. This is the perfect place to recommend a product you’d like to see Century make or ask how other schools display their pro shop. If you want to get weekly tips, advice and consistent live help, set your calendar reminders for every Thursday at 2:15 Central Time. Our MAIA coaches, Mike Metzger and Shane Tassoul, are live every week in the MAIA Hub Facebook group. They cover a different topic and provide free content. And since it is live, you can ask your questions on the spot. You need to be taking advantage of these opportunities if you want to reach the next level of success. These guys have struggled and considered closing their doors, but they learned the systems that got them where they are today. And now, they coach school owners around the globe on the systems that helped them. Make it a goal this month to go and follow the Facebook groups I mentioned here and start interacting. Watch the live videos, and take advantage of an incredible free resource. You won’t regret it! e

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

MASUCCESS

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Section

GET A COACH. GET RESULTS.

REAL SCHOOL OWNERS

R E A L R E S U LT S “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 “In the past 3 years, we’ve doubled our membership base, and no longer stress to pay the expenses AND ourselves. We have more freedom in our schedules, and a well-trained team that has stepped up to handle a lot more.” — Chris & Amanda Hamm, Hamm’s Martial Arts “The people of MAIA Elite are already successful and have been doing it a while. What better way to be successful than to find successful people and model your business after them.” — Scott Mischke, Lantana Taekwondo “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 “They have really connected the dots for us and really helped take our business to the next level. — Kevin Nevels, Coppell Taekwondo

Schedule your free consultation today!

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A HELPING HAND IN YOUR STORY

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MARKETING RESOURCE

As the weather heats up, don’t let your leads grow cold! SUMMER DOESN’T HAVE TO BE YOUR SLOW SEASON. USE THIS FREE RESOURCE TO PROMOTE YOUR SCHOOL’S SUMMER CLASSES AND CAMPS.

YOUR SCHOOL INFORMATION

To get your free customizable monthly Marketing Resource, visit MAIAHUB.com or get the download link from our Facebook page: fb.com/masuccess. MASUCCESS

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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 .

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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!

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FROM THE

AND

NAKED

AFRAID

TV SERIES

SURVIVING NAKED ON A MOUNTAIN: ONE SCHOOL OWNER SHARES HIS STORY Reality TV star, school owner and veteran ninja Hakim Isler exposed more than just his superior survival skills on the grueling reality series, Naked and Afraid . As a speaker at the 2019 Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas, he’ll be sharing his philosophy on how to survive in business — because it really is a jungle out there! BY TERRY L. WILSON

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SURVIVING NAKED ON A MOUNTAIN THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE Veteran ninja Hakim Isler had very little interest in becoming a celebrity when he submitted an application to the producers of the hit reality television series Naked and Afraid. What started as a good-natured verbal sparring contest between a ninja and his Special Forces buddy evolved into one of the most exciting episodes in the history of the show. It also launched Isler onto a new career path as a TV celebrity, survival instructor, public speaker and survival-course creator. “I contacted the show as a joke because a Special Forces friend of mine dared me to do it,” explains Isler. “It was one Alpha male daring another Alpha male. So that night I went online and filled out an application form for the show.” Predictably, the producers of Naked and Afraid jumped at the chance to have a real-life ninja who was also a Psychological Operations soldier and survival specialist on their series. The show’s concept is simple but brutal. Complete strangers — usually a man and a woman — meet in a very unique way: They’re stranded in a dangerous, desolate location, without food or water, and they’re completely naked. Each episode follows the adventurers as they attempt to survive on their own with nothing but a personal item and the knowledge that the only prize is their pride and sense of accomplishment. Because there is no other choice, competitors quickly get to know one another — and their surroundings — and hope that their instincts, survival skills and intestinal fortitude serve them well. So, in 2013, Isler and his female partner found themselves isolated in one of the most inhospitable environments in the world: On top of a mountain in the Himalayans! Surviving this challenge would become a harrowing ordeal with life-threatening consequences!

The first task was to live up to the show’s title by stripping down to their birthday suits. Being naked in a survival situation was the first task for the team to overcome. “Taking off my clothes was contrary to all of my survival training,” says Isler. “When you’re in a survival scenario, the first layer of shelter is your clothing. So, being naked automatically puts you in a very dire state of affairs. “When I did survival training in the military, I always had something to work with. We were taught to improvise and overcome. For example, I could use my shoelaces or something off my rucksack, or I could use pieces of my parachute. But in the show, all that was gone. “It really puts things in perspective,” Isler says, “which goes along with the producers’ inspiration for the concept of the show — Adam and Eve from the Bible. One guy, one girl, both naked. Can they really survive in the world with nothing except their wits? For me, this was the ultimate challenge.” Isolation can be a cruel mistress. Living in a world filled with distractions has become the norm. But when all that is taken away, you only have yourself to deal with. Survival becomes a challenge that uses all of an individual’s will to overcome, and the ability to focus on what is important and what isn’t. This is where Isler’s ninja training paid off. “I saw who I was to the bare core,” says Isler. “When you strip away all the distractions, the cell phones, no clothing, no fast food, no Internet, and all you have is yourself 24 hours a day, seven days a week – when that happens you really begin to understand who you are. “This allowed me to test myself and to discover to what level I could achieve and still be able to come out okay. Being able to overcome and to survive is a very strong aspect of the nin in ninja, which means to ‘endure and preserve.’ “In that situation, I developed a deep connection with what a person really needs to make it from one day to the next, along with a clarity about what’s important in life. That becomes a driving force for survival whether you’re on a mountain top or in business. Survival is survival!”

“The producers of Naked and Afraid jumped at the chance to have a real-life ninja, who was also a Psychological Operations soldier and survival specialist, on their survival series. So, in 2013, Isler and his female partner found themselves isolated in one of the most inhospitable environments in the world: On top of a mountain in the Himalayans!” MAY 2019

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SURVIVING NAKED ON A MOUNTAIN

MODERN NINJA TRAINING UNDER NINJA MASTER STEPHEN HAYES At age 41, Isler has amassed an impressive resume in martial arts, the military, the media and business. Combining this total skill set, Isler has come full circle as a sought-after speaker, author and martial arts instructor. “I own Elevo Dynamics in Fayetteville, North Carolina,” he says. “Elevo is a hybrid word I designed, meaning ‘elevate and evolve.’ I call it the first Dojym (‘dojo’ plus ‘gym’) in America. We teach to-shin do ninjutsu, which is ninja self-defense. “To-shin do was created by Stephen K. Hayes and is a contemporary form of taijutsu, a complete system of self-protection as practiced by Japan’s legendary ninja shadow warriors. I also do kali and silat. “Our programs emphasize intelligence in motion as opposed to relying on sheer strength, superior speed and flexibility. To-shin do, or modern ninjutsu, is based on science, natural movement and responses.”

Open 24 hours a day, Isler’s family-friendly, 7,000 square-foot gym and martial arts center combines the best of both worlds for physical workouts and martial arts training. He currently boasts an active client count of 180 martial arts students and 200 gym members. Isler is also a published author on the topic of modern hand-tohand, close-quarters combat methods. It’s a book about using the ancient armored-combat principles of the samurai, to build the foundation of a fighting methodology for the modern armored warrior (soldiers, law enforcement officials, etc.). In addition, he’s written two books: Ninja Survival: Wilderness Edition is a survival book based on ninja concepts from the past and how they relate and can be used in present day wilderness survival. The other book is The Business of Survival. It teaches lessons of modern business success based on the foundations of survival strategies – strategies, Isler says, that allowed our human ancestors to thrive in the wild, and leading to the modern lives we now enjoy. Isler also runs a summer and year-round camp program that he offers to school owners as an additional revenue stream. The program, Ninja Survival Camp, features a unique curriculum that teaches survival and self-reliance skill in an unusual way based on ninja tradition.

MASUCCESS

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THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT RUNNING A BUSINESS! Isler served four years in the army and was prepared to go the distance with aspirations of trying out for Delta Force. But military life and long deployments had taken a toll on his marriage. His wife drew a line in the sand: He could serve Uncle Sam or be with her, but not both. Isler chose to save his marriage and did an about-face on his military ambitions in order to open his gym and martial arts school. It was 2008 when Isler traded in his Class-A uniform for civilian attire. Unfortunately for Isler, the country was in the midst of a nasty recession and business loans were few and far between. “I found a loan. It wasn’t enough to sustain me finically, but it was enough to open a school,” Isler explains. “My wife and I agreed that we would live off her salary for a few months until I could get the school off the ground. But three months into the business, she left me. I had no way to pay for anything. I was completely naked. “I had no job, was three months out of the military. I had a $60,000 loan that I had to pay on because all the money went into opening the [gym] business. I had two houses and two cars in my name and no way to pay for them. So, you want to talk about being naked and afraid… that was the epitome of being nude! “In business, you must have a drive to push forward, or else you’re going to give up at the first bump in the road you come to. So, understanding your nature and how you operate is important. I call it the process of ‘finding your nature through nature,’ and that’s another topic I will cover at the SuperShow.” Making the correct split-second decision in combat is the ultimate survival mindset. This is another aspect of his military and martial arts training that Isler translates into a business ideology he coined, the “Deciding Factor.”

He gives the following example: “[On the TV show,] my partner and I had this huge debate over what we should do first,” he says. “Should it be fire or shelter? I told her that it would be very difficult to keep a fire burning overnight on the side of a Himalayan mountain, especially with the threat of heavy rainfall. But I could build a shelter to protect us from the cold and rain, allowing us to survive the night. “How this applies to business is by making a decision on what you really need at that specific time. Do you really need a hard location or is your business something you can do online? Is it something you can do at several locations that belong to someone else, so you can move around and serve multiple areas?” “To really be good at business and to be really good at survival, you need

YOU WANT TO DO WHAT??!!! Some kids want to be firemen or police officers

what I’d been looking for,” Isler says today. “I

or astronauts when they grow up. Young Hakim Isler

trained with Mr. Hayes up until just after the 9/11

had a different dream: He wanted to be a ninja!

attack happened.

Much to his mother’s chagrin, Isler never

“I wanted to put my skills to work. So, I joined the

outgrew his quest to be a shadow warrior. In

Army and, since ninjas were experts in psychological

1999, he moved to Dayton, Ohio, to train with

warfare, I became a member of Special Operations

legendary ninja master Stephen K. Hayes, the

Forces, Psychological Operations Group. And that’s

Japanese art’s most famous Caucasian teacher.

what I did until I got out of the army and opened my

“When I met Mr. Hayes, I knew this was exactly

school in North Carolina.” MAY 2019

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IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD DECISION AT THE TIME! “Knowing how to identify opportunities that are valuable, then being able to discern if it’s the right time to take advantage of that opportunity, is a big part of business,” says Hakim Isler. “Is that particular opportunity poison to my business at this stage or is it something that can be of benefit? And, if I jump on it and the time isn’t right,

equipped, which took $80,000 .” What seemed to be a good decision at the time turned into a nightmare in the form of two recordbreaking snow and ice storms that no one could have predicted. “We [North Carolina] were hit with storm after

it may not kill my business immediately, but it may

storm,” Isler says. “I had a 5,000 square-foot

kill it in the long run. This is actually one of the things

flat roof that was turned into a series of gushing

that happened to me in my business.”

waterfalls sending water into my building. It

A lyric from a popular song, You’ve Got to Know

destroyed my flooring, my drywall, my carpet. It

When to Hold ‘Em, And Know When to Fold ‘Em, is an

destroyed everything! And I was broke; I had no

apt metaphor for Isler’s “Deciding Factor” philosophy.

money left for repairs this severe.

There are times when even a ninja must know when to fold ‘em. “Over the course of my first six years of business,

“Going back to what I said about decisions: I had an opportunity and I ate the food. Meaning, I bought the building and spent all the money on

I had almost failed three times,” Isler admits. “After

interior and renovations. At first, everything seemed

each potential failure, I found an opportunity, or

okay and, as memberships came in, it looked like I

was able to pull through in just the right way at just

made the right decision.

the right time. The fortitude and knowledge that

“Then before I knew it, my choice of food proved

came with those decisions allowed me to grow to a

to be toxic, just like eating a poisonous berry on the

new level.

mountain [during Naked and Afraid]. Not fixing the

“I moved from a 3,000 square-foot facility to

roof and spending the money solely on interior up-fit

a 5,000 square-foot one. Then I added a 24-

was like the choice to eat the poisonous berry, and I

hour gym. On my sixth year of business, I bought

got sick. Dealing with the aftermath of the storm was

a 10,000 square-foot building and moved my

tough and it nearly dealt a fatal blow to my business.”

business there.” It was a great opportunity, or so Isler thought at the time. “I had an engineer check it out and he told me the roof was old and that the building would need a new one. He mentioned it could last, at most,

But Isler caught a lucky break. “Fortunately, I had very good credit and was able to find a bank that would loan me the money to fix my roof. This, again, was a miracle since I had just received a loan for the purchase of the building. “I was able to survive, but I had sued the

another two or three years, but told me I should

insurance company as they refused to pay for

consider getting a new roof sooner rather than

damages,” he says. “It took four years to settle the

later. The other reports on the building came back

case. But in the meantime, I had to put up $50,000

good and it looked like a great investment.

of my money to repair the roof and damages. That

“I decided to wait a couple of years on the roof because, after purchasing the building, I wanted

on getting the business looking good and fully

almost killed me. “Surviving that period required me to use

to use the remaining money to get my facility

some ingenuity or, as I like to call it, ninja-nuity.

open,” he explains. “So, I spent all the money I had

Subsequently, I was able to adapt and overcome.”

MASUCCESS

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SURVIVING NAKED ON A MOUNTAIN

MAY 2019

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CONTROLING THE BODY USING NINJA MEDITATION On the big screen, Hollywood’s ninjas often

“I focused on the mediation aspects that Mr.

take on the personas of revenge-seeking

[Stephen] Hayes had taught me as part of my ninja

mercenaries enveloped in a mist of mystic and

training. I was able to focus my breathing and

superhuman powers.

raise the temperature of my body to stay warm, in

There is some truth embedded in the myths that embellish a ninja’s skillset. In addition to being

addition to remaining perfectly still for several hours. “Every time I’d get an itch or feel a bug moving on

experts in weapons, hand-to-hand combat and

me, I had to deal with it,” Isler says. “I knew I couldn’t

stealth, the ninja’s ability to use his/her mental

move because the debris covering me would slide

prowess may be the shadow warrior’s best asset.

off, exposing parts of my body to the elements and

Hakim Isler drew upon this specialized training

the freezing cold would instantly attack extremities.

to survive the icy-cold breath of the wind that

“In my book, The Business of Survival, I talk about

attacked his naked body while trapped in the

small drips of water that were seeping through my

Himalayan Mountains.

shelter, hitting the shoulder of my right arm. That

“I lost 40 pounds in three weeks!” Isler explains. “My partner was sick for four nights.

was the only part of my body that was exposed. “It was very cold, but I used a meditation

She was evacuated for medical attention,

technique from my ninja training to my advantage.

leaving me alone for two days in my shelter. I

I visualized that cold drops of water were actually

was freezing! It was 30 degrees, but I wasn’t

warm water and each time it touched me it got

about to stay up all night stoking a fire because

hotter. That aspect of my ninja mindset allowed me

it would drain my energy and I would need that

to survive those few days without any assistance.”

energy to make it through the next day.”

MASUCCESS

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SURVIVING NAKED ON A MOUNTAIN to recognize opportunities and be very organized in the way you approach them. These are a couple of the things I’ll be addressing at the SuperShow.” Isler’s Naked and Afraid partner was a self-trained survivalist. She had a talent for foraging, an attribute Isler said was essential in the wilderness as well as in a business-building scenario. “My partner and I had some tough times, and that’s okay because we’re all different,” Isler points out. “Her strength was in foraging; she knew how to identify plants that we could eat. On several occasions, she found some strawberries. Even though they didn’t have much caloric value, it was a treat to eat and it did wonders for our mental state. It was a big deal. We savored those tiny strawberries. “Those strawberries were a great motivator and morale builder,” he adds. “I often think of these strawberries in terms of business as well. In business, you have to be able to widen and narrow your focus. As the world changes, you must be able to identify different opportunities, just like my partner identified that tiny and hard-tofind food source we needed to survive. “In this same vein however, not every opportunity is a good one. For example, if I’d identified a berry as something that was safe to eat, but it wasn’t, and I ate it, I could die. Or it could make me sick, degrading my potential survivability so much that I couldn’t recover.”

A LESSON PLAN FOR SURVIVING IN BUSINESS “During my time surviving in the most extreme conditions, similar to those of early man, I came to the realization that surviving the wilderness is similar to surviving the challenges of business,” says Isler. “Early humans were nothing less than the first entrepreneurs. They lived every day with a new set of challenges and struggles, with two main goals. First, survival, and, second, to thrive and to improve and protect themselves and the lives of their loved ones. “While naked on a mountain, I found a connection in the processes needed to survive, and those which my business needed to be successful. I now share this process as a means to help others look closer at their businesses, and trim the things that would hurt them and to decipher the things that will make them better. I cover this briefly in my speeches, but more in-depth with specific action plans in my book, The Business of Survival. “These strategies will help anyone discern and solve common business problems using methods that successfully brought man to where we are today. My six lessons are: • Human Nature • Shack or Friction • Smoking Flames • Streams of Purgatory • Feed the Need • True North

Each one of these points is a layer of understanding of how survival works, both for surviving in nature and surviving in business. An understanding of each will give any user a sound guide on how to survive the extreme undertaking of entrepreneurship in the modern business jungle.” e m San Diego’s Terry L. Wilson is a freelance writer and multi-Emmy Award-winning TV personality. He may be contacted at tleewilson@gmail.com. To read more about many other successful independent martial arts instructors, visit the Martial Arts Industry Association’s website at www.maiahub.com. Through this constantly enhanced website, members can access a massive amount of useful information for school owners on just about any topic from A to Z.

MAY 2019

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BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP

“K” is for Knowledge

BY DR. NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS

“Know your limits. Remember, knowing your limits and pushing past them can be worthwhile, but not if it results in significant damage and substantial disruption.”

In this column, I continue using an acronym that spells out BLACK BELT, using words that relate to teams and leadership. This month I’ll address “K,” which stands for knowledge. Let’s frame knowledge as it relates to 1) yourself; 2) your team; and 3) your environment. Knowledge of yourself: The temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece, is famous for numerous inscriptions. One of the more famous aphorisms which emanated from this temple was “Know Thyself.” This saying is very profound in its depth and simplicity. We are all familiar with our personalities and intellects, but we forget the importance of understanding our limits. When discussing limits, we also need to remember this applies to our physical abilities, too. Recently, I did not run in the Houston half-marathon, even though I had participated in it the previous year. I allowed professional and personal issues to interfere with properly training. Now, as a martial artist and fellow black belt, I know all about digging down deep and showing up as a warrior. But I have to tell you, the prospect of the injuries and recovery time that my “mature” body would have to endure because of running just wasn’t appealing. So, I made an executive decision because I know myself and, subsequently, my limits. If I had chosen to run the half-marathon, I would have completed it. That’s how we diehard martial artists are. However, would the outcomes have been worth it? No! It’s important as a leader and team member to know what your capacity is, along with what qualities you have. But more importantly, you must know your limits. Remember, knowing your limits and pushing past them can be worthwhile, but not if it results in significant damage and substantial disruption. Knowledge of your team: This point is similar to the previous one. As a leader, how well do you know your team? What is the depth of your familiarity with the personalities, skills and strengths/weaknesses of your team members? In another context, how well do your team members know you (the leader) and your limitations? Leaders aren’t going to know every aspect of their members’ personalities, cognitive abilities, etc. But there needs to be a high level of understanding and knowing between leaders and teams if the organization is going to succeed. High-functioning teams can do amazingly well and succeed, if leaders and members really work at knowing each other. A buddy from college once left a restaurant job, even though she had earned a promotion to assistant manager.

Sadly, she and her boss never knew each other well enough and, consequently, didn’t understand each other’s values. My friend enjoyed being part of her church and going to services while balancing work and school. Worship and church-related activities were very important to my friend. Conversely, her manager was quite irreverent about everything from politics to religion to you-name-it. So, when she (the manager) continuously scheduled my friend to work weekend shifts that interfered with church time, you can see how that became problematic. When my friend quit, she said her manager was shocked and surprised. The manager claimed not to know how important her schedule was. Imagine if both my friend and her manager would have better understood each other and worked with each other accordingly. My friend stated that she told her manager she should have known. While I’m sure there was more to that story, the value of knowledge and insight cannot be emphasized enough. Knowledge of your environment: Successful organizations are keen and adept at reading, knowing and predicting what happens in their environment. If you act without analyzing how your surroundings work, you risk getting blindsided. I’m sure many of us can recall the pains related to economic recessions and downturns. Likewise, leaders and teams that don’t stay on top of all aspects of their business environment (clients, location, services offered, facilities, etc.) are prone to being painfully surprised. In the early 2000s, I worked in I.T. for Enron. The very short version of this story is I knew quite a few colleagues and friends who never saw Enron’s infamous fall coming and consequently suffered terribly. I often discuss the Enron debacle for business-ethics presentations, and people are amazed at the number of companies and lives that were affected by Enron’s downfall. Again, had people been aware of the environment and the signs that were in front of them, quite a few could have saved themselves the impending pain. So it’s important that leaders and teams are very aware of everything in their environments, that could either help or hinder them. Stay knowledgeable. Keep earning those rank stripes and I’d love to see you at the 2019 Martial Arts SuperShow! 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.

MASUCCESS

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CORRECT KICKING

MADE FUN!

kicKing training products help teach kids correct kicking forms at home or in class with kid-friendly shields that guide kicks to the correct position.

Learn more about kicKingÂŠ and a variety of other youth training products by visiting our website at CenturyMartialArts.com

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IN THE CLASSROOM

The Four Minds

BY DAVE KOVAR

“The second mind is fudoshin. Roughly translated, it means ‘immovable mind.’ This refers to the ability to be calm under pressure, whether that is during a fight, rescuing someone from a burning building or sitting under a cold waterfall meditating.”

have the extreme pleasure of working with martial arts instructors and school owners from all over the world. On any given week, I might speak over the phone to as many as 25 different school owners about their successes and their challenges. During these calls, I believe that I’m usually able to help them out a bit. Typically, it will have something to do with their business procedures, staff-training strategies or classroom formats. I know beyond a doubt that I learn equally as much from them as they ever will from me. Most of the time, I learn from the good ideas they have implemented in their schools and, occasionally, I learn from the things they are doing wrong. This month, I’d like to discuss with you what I am calling “The Four Minds,” and how I see them being effectively utilized (or not) by the school owners that I work with. To my understanding, the Four Minds were practiced widely by the samurai. Although they used them in their training and lifestyle, I think they apply directly to running a business as well. One of the commonalities that I see in successful school owners is the application of all four of these minds. The first mind is shoshin. It means “beginner’s mind.” It has been my experience that people who constantly work on maintaining a beginner’s mind don’t stagnate but continuously improve. I believe the reason why many of the school operators in the country stay on top is because they have beginners’ minds. They never think they have all the answers. They’re always trying to learn and grow. They understand at the core that once you stop trying to become better, you quit being good. My father is a great example of having a beginner’s mind. Even at 96, he is still trying to get better at things. His balance isn’t very good anymore, so our training sessions have changed in the last few years. Instead of doing light sparring or bag work, now we sit facing each other and practice gun disarms and trapping-range skills. He still wants to improve. The second mind is fudoshin. Roughly translated, it means ‘immovable mind.’ This refers to the ability to

be calm under pressure, whether that is during a fight, rescuing someone from a burning building or sitting under a cold waterfall meditating. In our business, it might mean being able to maintain your composure while dealing with a bunch of unruly kids. In our training, it could be demonstrated by our ability to appear to be unfazed by pain or fatigue. I think it’s important to remember that physical pain and mental toughness are linked. As we get comfortable with being uncomfortable, we can really start to develop fudoshin. It shouldn’t just be a concept; it should be something that we experience and cultivate on a regular basis. The third mind is mushin. Mushin translates to “no mind.” In Western sports, this would be similar to “being in the zone.” If you look back at the best classes that you have ever taught, or the best staff meetings that you have ever led, chances are you were experiencing mushin. We can maximize our mushin by consciously ridding ourselves of distractions and giving our full attention to the present moment. This will become easier with practice and will allow us be more effective in all that we do. The final mind is zanshin. This final concept means “remaining mind.” It refers to the ability to maintain awareness, and the ability to follow through and see things to their completion. As a martial artist, you might practice zanshin when you are pumping gas at a gas station and you notice someone suspicious checking you out. At home, you practice zanshin when you sense a family member that is emotionally low. As an instructor, you practice zanshin when you know not to pair off a couple of people for sparring, or when you use your peripheral vision while teaching a large class. I challenge you to do a self-analysis of how you rate on applying “The Four Minds” to your business. Once you’ve identified where you are weak, make a conscious effort to become stronger while, at the same time, not letting up on your strengths. Good luck! e m You can contact Master Dave Kovar at dave.kovar@kovars.com.

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schedule-at-a-glance 2019 MARTIAL ARTS SUPERSHOW SUNDAY, JUNE 30 Pre-Conference Events

MONDAY, JULY 1 7:00am - 6:00pm

Registration Desk Open

8:30am - 9:00am

New Attendee Orientation

9:00am - 1:30pm

Martial Arts Business Forum

2:00pm - 6:30pm

Tradeshow Floor Open

3:00pm - 4:00pm

Workshop with Guro Dan Inosanto and Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, Jr.

5:00pm - 6:30pm

Welcome Reception

7:00pm - 8:30pm

General Session

TUESDAY, JULY 2 7:00am - 6:00pm

Registration Desk Open

7:00am - 8:00am

Early Morning Workouts

8:00am - 6:00pm

Tradeshow Hours

9:00am - 4:30pm

Seminars Scheduled

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 7:00am - 6:00pm

Registration Desk Open

7:00am - 8:00am

Early Morning Workouts

8:00am - 5:00pm

Tradeshow Hours

9:00am - 4:30pm

Seminars Scheduled

PRESENTED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

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Pre-Conference Events MAIA University Advanced Instructor College For Black Belts - A Master Class In Combat Tactics and Fighting Philosophy

Martial Arts Business Forum

FPO

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

Harinder Singh

Cost: $199

Date & Time: Monday, July 1, 9:00am-1:30pm

Martial Fusion 6-Hour Power Workshop

Cost: 2 people for $99

The Legends of Kali II

Guillermo Gomez

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 11am-6pm

Frank Silverman

Cost: $99

(Break from 2pm-3pm)

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

WAITING ON CONTENT SUPERSHOW SPEAKER 5PGs

Bo Staff & Kama Instructor Training Workshop

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

Melody Shuman

Mackensi Emory, Robby Beard, & jackson Rudolph

Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-6pm

Cost: $99

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

Cost: $99

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

BJJ Workshop Presented by Gameness

MAIA University Instructor College

Rafael “Formiga” Barbosa & Joao Gabriel Rocha Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-5pm

Cost: $99

Dave Kovar Date & Time: Sunday, June 30, 2pm-5pm

Cost: $129

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SPEAKERS

FPO

CRIS RODRIGUEZ

MIKE DILLARD

ERIC THE TRAINER

SHANE TASSOUL

BILL WALLACE

DAMON GILBERT

KURT KLINGENMEYER

BENNY URQUIDEZ

DUANE SPIRES

LAUREN SPIRES

ERNIE KIRK

FARID DORDAR

ADAM PARMAN

JOHN HACKLEMAN

ROBYN SILVERMAN

HAKIM ISLER

WAITING ON CONTENT SUPERSHOW SPEAKER 5PGs

*Subject to change

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SPEAKERS

HARINDER SINGH

DAVE KOVAR

JACKSON RUDOLPH

BILLY BLANKS

BARRY VAN OVER

MACKENSI EMORY

MIKE METZGER

BILL CLARK

TOM PATIRE

STEPHEN REINSTEIN

MICHAEL SIROTA

DON GULLA

ROBBY BEARD

KELLY MURRAY GRYS

CHRIS RAPPOLD

TOM GRIGGS

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SPEAKERS

CARLOS MACHADO

BILL STORM

MIKE CHAT

MELODY SHUMAN

KINNICK MCDONALD

RICK RANDO

RAFAEL “FORMIGA” BARBOSA

JOAO GABRIEL ROCHA

DAN INOSANTO

LEO T. GAJE, JR.

APOLO LADRA

PRESENTED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

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*Subject to change

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CRIS RODRIGUEZ D E S I G N E D

B Y

B R I D G E T T E

R A B E

Imagine never having to wonder what to say to convert a lead to a trial. Imagine being able to effortlessly write your own online ads. What if you had a formula that you could use every time you communicated with a prospect that would help guide their buying decision? Let me show you my 5 Communication Hacks that will turn your leads into new students.

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5 HACKS

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THE 6 KEY STAGES If you’re struggling to get more students, if you’re confused with all of this social media mumbo-jumbo, if you’re frustrated by not being able to communicate to your leads why they should join your school – then this article was made for you. Sound like it’s too good to be true? Well, it’s not. Let me give you some context before we jump in. Every decision we make in our academy is based around the framework of our “Customer’s Journey.” There are 6 Key Stages that every martial arts student will go through on his/her customer journey in our schools: Key Stage 1 - Awareness: How do we make this person aware of our academy? Key Stage 2 - Consideration: What are we going to do to maintain their attention so they choose our academy and not our competitor’s? Key Stage 3 - Purchase: How are we going to get them to become a new student? Key Stage 4 - On-Boarding: How do we transition them into being a long-term member?

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Key Stage 5 - Retention: How do we keep their business so they don’t quit? Key Stage 6 - Ambassador: How do we get our students to become our “brand ambassadors?” Answering these questions will allow us to improve our customer’s experience.

HOW DO WE GET MORE STUDENTS? So, how do you get more students? It’s pretty simple: Identify the gaps in the customer experience and fill them. While we won’t dive into each key stage in this particular article, we will focus on how we can turn our leads into members at the “Awareness Stage.” All prospective students start at the Awareness Stage. It’s our job as school owners to implement as many moments of impact (“touch points”) as we can throughout their journey to move them from Awareness to Consideration. If we don’t do this, our competitors will.

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In order to take our precious leads from the Awareness to the Consideration Stage (so that we can turn them into members), we have to become black belts in communication. In the digital marketing world, the term that we use to define this is “copywriting.” Copywriting is simply communicative persuasion. It’s the act of writing text for the purpose of advertising and marketing. Whether it’s written or spoken, if you are communicating to persuade, that’s copy. The words that you choose for your Facebook ads, websites, blogs, email campaigns, Google ad words, and social media posts will make or break whether you will turn a lead into a student.

DIGITAL-WORLD APPLICATION If you’ve ever tried to run Facebook ads, then you’ve probably looked inside your FB Ads Manager. Figuring this out might have seemed like a daunting task. But if you look at the Ads Manager from a bird’s-eye view, you can see that it’s broken down into three levels: Level 1 - Campaign Objective Level 2 - Ad Set Level 3 - Ad

LEVEL 1: CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVE Facebook offers many advertising objectives to help you reach your goals. Your Campaign Objective is basically what you want people to do when they see your ads. If you want someone to go to your website, you can create ads that encourage people to do just that with the “Traffic Objective.” If you want someone to watch one of your videos, you can create ads that will push the “Video Views Objective.” If you want to acquire someone’s name, email address and phone number, you can use the “Lead Generation Objective.” Currently, there are 11 total objectives in the Facebook ads manager. For martial arts schools’ Facebook campaigns, we suggest utilizing the following 5 Consideration Campaign Objectives: • Traffic • Engagement • Video Views • Lead Generation • Messages (We are also huge fans of “Conversion Ads,” but that’s a topic for another article.)

LEVEL 2: AD SET An Ad Set tells your ad how to run. Inside of the Ad Set level, you will get to choose your audience. You get to define your audience by choosing things like location, gender, age and more. Here, you’ll also choose your budget, schedule and placement of the ad.

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You are basically creating your perfect customer avatar. Imagine being able to show your Kid’s Martial Arts Program ad to only parents in this pinpointed way. More than that, only to parents who are between the ages of 24 and 55, who live within a seven-mile radius of your academy and whose total household income is over $80,000. You can get even more specific by choosing Parents of Pre-Schoolers or Parents of Elementary-School Children! It’s pretty amazing how nuanced you can get. In the Ad Set level, you’ll get to choose who will see your ad. You can have the best ad in the world, but if you’re showing it to the wrong people, it won’t matter!

LEVEL 3: THE AD The final level, Ad, is what your audience will see. This is where you’ll choose your images or video, the copy (words you are going to write to try to get your customer to take action), headline, newsfeed description, and your call to action (CTA). It’s at this third level (Ad) that your “5 Communication Hacks” will really shine. Here’s why: We are in a digital world of algorithms. Those algorithms watch the activities that happen on the posts that we do inside of social media — whether the posts are organic or paid. These algorithms are watching for engagement. If you can actually, with your words, move people to engage, then your messages will be seen more. The more your messages are seen, the better your chances are to move a potential prospect from the Awareness Stage to the Consideration Stage. In addition, if you can move them to act in the way that you want (such as giving you their contact information or purchasing a trial), you’ll become the hero of your school with leads pouring in.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COPYRIGHTING If you had to ask me what type of copywriting I want to use, the answer would be the kind of copywriting that gets results. Copywriting can be extremely frustrating. The right words sell. The wrong words won’t even be read! A lot of people don’t even know where to start. When choosing what copy to use, it’s important to remember to not just focus on the positive outcomes that occur when training in the martial arts. We as school owners and practitioners know first-hand the amazing, life-changing benefits that training in the martial arts offers. However, we as humans are hardwired to respond more quickly to pain than we are to pleasure. Both are important, but in copywriting, pain often gets neglected. If your prospects don’t understand that they have a problem, they are not going to be interested in purchasing your trial to fix their problem. Emotion is the real reason most people are going to join. Sales guru Russel Brunson said it best: “People don’t buy logically, they buy based on emotion. After they purchase, they will then use logic to justify the

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5 HACKS

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THE FACEBOOK PIXEL IF YOU’RE NOT TRACKING, YOU’RE NOT WINNING! Imagine being able to effortlessly track every single

Have you ever been on Amazon.com looking for an

person who has ever visited your website. Imagine being

item? Let’s say you were checking out the different

able to show them all an ad for your school, after

prices and reviews on a Roomba vacuum cleaner.

they’ve left your page. What if you had a code that you could put on your

Then, when you’re done, you hop onto Facebook and start scrolling the news feed. All of a sudden, right in

website that would track all of the actions that your

front of you is one of the Roomba vacuums that you

prospective customers are taking? Does that sound like

were looking at on Amazon! This is “retargeting.”

it’s too good to be true? Well, it’s not! Let me introduce you to my little friend, the Facebook Pixel. The Facebook Pixel is an analytics tool that allows

You can do this with your own martial arts school — and it’s a lot easier than you might think! This is a must-have tool. With the Facebook Pixel you can:

you to measure the effectiveness of your advertising

• Reach the right people

by understanding the actions people take on your

• Drive more sales

website. It’s nothing to be scared of. And it’s actually

• Measure the results of your ads

quite simple to integrate on your website.

• Build your ideal client audience

When someone goes to your website, the pixel fires

Love it or hate it, Facebook is here to stay. You

to track your visitor. That visitor is now “cookied,”

must learn how to optimize one of the largest

which will allow you to retarget them with Facebook

advertising platforms so you can drive traffic to your

ads in the future.

website, build your “tribe” and, consequently, thrive!

purchase decision.” Many of us focus on our USP (Unique Selling Point) when we should be focusing on our ESP (Emotional Selling Point). Our ESP is not only how our customers feel when they experience our classes, but how they will feel if they do not. If you can describe your customers’ pain better than they can, they will automatically assume you have the solution. Then, we can describe the glory of training in the martial arts in vivid detail. This will get them excited and willing to pay to join your school and make that vision a reality.

THE 5 COMMUNICATION HACKS Here are the 5 Communication Hacks that you can use. These are small but mighty phrases, leading you to powerful copywriting that will accomplish your goal of getting your prospects to say yes and become new students. You can plug and play these communication patterns for

each one of the programs. My favorite way to use these copywriting hacks is with a partner. Use the prompts to get the conversation flowing and feed off of each other to create powerful copy. Hack #1. If/Then: If you have the following pain or problem, then here’s the solution to your problem. Using the If/Then Communication hack is going to present the big challenge that our prospects are experiencing. It’s going to trigger their emotions, then show them how our martial arts school has the answers to their problem. Let’s go through an example of how you can use the If/Then Communication Hack to create copy for your Adult Martial arts Program: If you are bored with the same old gym routine. . . If you are struggling to find the motivation to get to the gym. . . If you are confused on how to live a healthier lifestyle. . . MAY 2019

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5 HACKS Then our Adult Martial Arts Program was made just for you! Hack #2. If You Don’t Do Anything, It’s Just Going to Get Worse: This communication hack deals with a common problem that we, as people, share about all of our troubles: We like to think that if we ignore a problem, it will go away. Many parents will ignore their child’s inability to do things the first time they are asked. Even worse, they will ignore claims of their child getting bullied at school, thinking it’s just teasing. We have to ask them, what is the cost of them not doing what they need to do? Let’s go through an example of how you can use the statement, “If you don’t do anything, it’s just going to get worse,” as a Communication Hack to create copy for your Kid’s Martial Arts Program: “We never want our kids to have to use their martial arts skills in real life, but every good parent still wants their child to be safe. “If your child is shy and lacks the confidence and self-esteem to stand up for him/herself against bullies, ignoring the problem is not the solution. If you don’t do anything, it’s just going to get worse!” Hack #3. Imagination: This example is the closest thing to a “magic word” in the copywriting world. In my opinion, out of all 5 Communication Hacks, this one is the most powerful. Why? Because the word imagine puts an idea in their heads (ever see the movie Inception with Leonardo DiCaprio?). When you ask someone to imagine something, such as a purple zebra wearing a pink tutu with a cowboy hat, what are they going to be imagining? A purple zebra wearing a pink tutu with a cowboy hat. When you evoke the word “imagine,” you have the power to put an idea in someone’s head. We want our customers to picture themselves having the successful outcome that training in the martial arts will give them. You, as the copywriter, get to paint that picture of your prospect achieving his/her ideal life through training in the martial arts. Let’s use the “Imagine” communication hack for our Adult Martial Arts Program. “Imagine having a personal trainer, an accountability coach, and a group of likeminded individuals who want to see you win and succeed. “Imagine waking up every morning and seeing a different person in the mirror. Someone with the energy to crush it at work. The energy to spend more time with loved ones. The energy to do more of what you love. Imagine being able to protect yourself and everyone you love. Does that sound like too much of a fantasy? Well, it’s not!” Hack #4. What If: The “What If” communication pattern also evokes feelings and will ultimately help to change the prospect’s emotional state. This is great for positive-possibility thinking. One of the best aspects of these plug-and-play-communication patterns is that you can stack them. This particular hack I recommend stacking one on top of the other.

Let’s use the “What If” communication hack for our Fitness Kickboxing Program: What if this time it was different? What if this time you were different? What if this time you didn’t give up? What if you surrounded yourself with people who have done it and have won? Hack #5. What Most People Do: What most people do is usually the wrong thing. There’s a quote that says, “If you’re confused about what to do, just look at what everyone else is doing, and do the opposite.” Kind of funny, but frightening, too. We want our prospective customer to not be like most people. For example: What most people do is get really excited and motivated in the beginning. They buy a gym membership, purchase fancy new shoes and take their pre-workout. They then go the gym, lift some weights and expect to see drastic results. After a few days, life gets in the way, and they quit. But this time, you’re not going to be like most people. This time, you are going to follow through! Much of copywriting is reiterating the same point over and over again in different ways. Just as we disguise repetition while we are teaching martial arts on the mat, we must disguise repetition in our copywriting!

3 BONUS COMMUNICATION HACKS! Hack #6: If the only thing you got… Hack #7: Don’t let this happen to you… Hack #8: You’re standing at the crossroads... Now that you have these communication patterns, how can you apply them to your online marketing? At the end of the day, everything is copy. Every single time you’re communicating with someone, there’s an opportunity to express your message. You now have a toolbox of eight communication hacks to use to get your message out. It’s a small box, but it’s very powerful. Here are some ways to utilize these communication patterns: • Facebook Ads • Email Subject Lines • Instagram Stories • Facebook Posts • Blog Headlines • Videos

HOW TO “STACK” THE 8 COMMUNICATION HACKS There is a common quote in the copywriting world: “Tiny hinges swing big doors.” Making small tweaks to your copy can really create

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M tha exp

What if the only thing you got out of taking classes was fitting inside of those size 32 pants? What if the only thing you got was the ability to defend yourself? Would it be worth taking the chance? Don’t continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Some people call that insanity. Don’t keep putting off what you know needs to be done. What if this time it was different? What if this time you were different? What if you surrounded yourself with people who have done it and have won? You’re standing at a crossroads right now. We’ve all been there. It’s time to take the leap. It’s time to change your life.

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big improvements in response to your Facebook ads. It’s the same in our martial arts training as well, right? It’s the small details that truly make an impact. My favorite aspect of these eight communication hacks is the fact that you can stack them on top of each other for a really powerful experience. Feel free to hack these and use them in your own ads: If you are bored with the same old gym routine. . . If you are struggling with motivation to get to the gym. . . If you are confused about how to live a healthier lifestyle. . . Then our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program was carefully crafted for someone just like you! Our programs are so much fun that you’ll forget that you’re even exercising! Imagine having a personal trainer, an accountability coach, and a group of likeminded individuals, who want to see you win and succeed. Imagine waking up every morning and seeing a different person in the mirror. Someone with the energy to crush it at work. The energy to spend more time with loved ones. The energy to more of what you love. Imagine being able to protect yourself and everyone you love. Does that sound like too much of a fantasy? Well, it’s not! The bottom line is, if you don’t take action to live a healthier life, you’re going to continue to wake up every day feeling the same. Choosing to do nothing about your health is actually a choice – and it’s one that has consequences. Ignoring the problem will not fix anything. You have absolutely nothing to lose.

Use these Communication Patterns to drum up your creativity and speak to your audience in a way that will get them to engage with your content. Compel them to act on your request to purchase a trial or book an appointment and, ultimately, help them to become a new student. A well-written emotional ad causes the listener to imagine him/herself taking precisely the action you would like them to take. Now, go earn your first stripe in copywriting! e

m With over 25 years of martial arts experience and 18 years of teaching experience, Professor Cris Rodriguez of Tampa, Florida, is a BJJ black belt, the co-owner of Gracie Pac MMA, and the MAIA Digital Marketing Specialist. She has studied Internet Marketing for the past eight years and is the co-founder of Jitz University, an Online Business Training Portal for BJJ and MMA school owners that has helped over 400 academies across the world. To read hundreds of articles and columns vital to your school business, visit the Martial Arts Industry Association’s website at www.maiahub. com. Through this constantly-enhanced website, members can access an enormous quantity of useful information on just about any topic from A to Z.

If the only thing you got out of taking BJJ classes was the confidence you needed to overcome challenges in your life, would it be worth it? MAY 2019

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TURNING POINT

Troy Dorsey: The First Big Kickboxing Win

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.”

ive-foot-six, seveth-dan Troy “The Destroyer” Dorsey was the first American

black belt to become a world champion in both kickboxing and pro boxing. He earned two world boxing crowns, four world kickboxing titles and a world karate championship. In full-contact kickboxing, he was a three-time WAKO Amateur World Champion, as well as a gold medalist in 1985 London and 1987 Munich events. Turning to boxing in 1989, Dorsey’s all-out high-energy fighting style captured the IBF World Featherweight and IBO World Super Featherweight Championships. He retired from the ring in 1998. Herb Borkland: Where did you grow up, and what did your dad do? Troy Dorsey: Mansfield, Texas, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area. My father, Warren, was a “man of men,” and he owned a Texaco gas station. HB: How did you first hear about martial arts? TD: I remember the movie Enter the Dragon. Our family liked sports. I played football starting at age eight and ended up helping teach full-time. But, the big thing was, in 1974, Jim Choate opened a karate school eight doors and a hundred feet away from our gas station. My brothers and I joined up. My middle brother Brian is one year and one day younger than me, and Rodney is three-and-a half years youngest. They were the fighters who kept winning, especially Rodney. I wasn’t a natural. My younger brothers were winning; I wasn’t, but I never wanted to quit. I’d cry when I lost. I was not mad that they won. I was crying because I lost.

HB: What was your turning point? TD: My first kickboxing win in September 1979 inspired a lot of fire in me. I wanted to be good. Master Choate and I bought a former Allen Steen location. I was 18, and he loaned me the money. I paid back every dime. I can’t believe all these things have happened. I lived my dreams. My parents got me started. My beautiful wife, Leslie, supported me in every way, even bought the [current] Mansfield school building for me. I met Leslie in 1982 at a karate tournament. Beautiful, so pretty. She was fighting, and I was reffing the match. A great fighter, and not just a good-times woman. Through sad, hard, bad and good times, she has always been with me. In 1983, I began focusing on boxing. I was working with trainer Casey Malone. A couple of the guys I trained with were world champions. My favorite boxing match was a title fight in 1991 against Jorge Paez. It opened all the doors for me because it proved I was a real fighter. My favorite kickboxing fight? My 1992 bout with Alexi Nachaev. He knocked me down in the first round. It was only the second time I was knocked down in kickboxing. Five times I put him down, and he got back up. So, I [finally] knocked him out. My style was to show the endurance, to be the aggressor pretty much all the time. Casey used to tell me, “If they don’t get tired of you punching them, don’t get tired of punching them.” You know what the biggest room in the house is? The biggest room in the house is room for improvement. HB: Future? TD: God perceives the greatness in every one of us. Get out in the grind and the work and do all we can to do all we can by making people’s lives better by building their confidence. Battle against drugs and alcohol. Steer young and old away from those things which ruin so many families. Give the arts all you have. But whatever you are — lawyer, ditch digger, President — do your best and don’t give up! e m Herb Borkland is a veteran black belt who can be contacted at herbork@comcast.com.

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l a a

This y Achie artists origin to be Bruce mode has h

Our s legen Gaje, syste teach law e as ten Congr world

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.

PRESENTED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

9 ÂŠ 2019 MAIA, LLC # 16313

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YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard with Credit Card Chargebacks! Part 1

BY KATHY OLEVSKY

“I thought our whole industry might be in trouble if a student who took classes for two years could go back and ask [his/ her credit-card company] for a refund of $5,000 worth of membership payments.”

’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.

(blacked out numbers, except for the last four digits). The student had signed this form accepting that we were authorized to collect the funds from this card. We also had proof of attendance in both digital and paper form. We had copies of all correspondence with the student. Even though the students did attend classes and we had proof of it, we lost all of these cases through the second appeal process. In addition, we had one student who filed a dispute for two months of fees, a total of $378. And when he was given his money back, he filed for another two months In our school, as in most martial arts programs, we further back. He was also given that money back! charge our clients monthly for their memberships. In our This, of course, brings up the question: Just how far back case, we try very hard to draft from bank accounts, rather can someone dispute? Can they go back and ask for an than credit cards. However, most of our clients actually entire year of martial arts membership fees? prefer to have us charge their credit cards. When questioned about this, my bank officer told me We currently have 86% of our accounts charged to credit that MasterCard and Visa generally side on behalf of the cards. When we have approached the 25- to 40-year-olds, client, particularly if it is a recurring transaction like ours. most of them admit to not even having a check for their My bank could not give me a clear answer as to how far checking account. Their age group distributes money back claims typically go, however. Now, I thought our whole primarily through online methods. industry might be in trouble if a student who took classes In 2018, we experienced a growing problem in our industry. for two years could go back and ask for a refund of $5,000 We were notified by a credit card processor that they had worth of membership payments. taken money out of our account because of a chargeback. Even worse, can you imagine the panic a school owner Basically, a student disputed our charges. would have if a family of four, who even attended regularly, As it turned out, over the past year we have had multiple could go ask their credit card company for $10,000 or students file disputes with their credit card company. The $20,000 back? policy of these companies is to automatically take the At this point, I decided I had to learn more to protect our money back and give it to their client. In our case, if we income. In my research, I learned something that is already wanted the money back, we were required to prove why we well-known in the banking industry: There are people who were entitled to it. make these claims and do get their money back, even We filed a response with the proper paperwork, which when they have received the goods or services. They do had to be done in a very timely manner. In one case, we this knowingly, with the intention of exploiting the service were found to be correct and the money was returned to provider. us. In other cases, we were found to be at fault and the These types of claims are known as “Friendly Fraud.” money was left with our client. However, even in the case Check back next month to find out what more I learned where we were found to be correct, the student then filed and how we are fighting to keep a level of security in our an appeal and inevitably won their case. income. e At this point in the process, we were told that we would have to enter the arbitration process — and that it would m Kathy Olevsky can be reached for questions or involve a fee of as much as $500 to get started! comments at kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com. We had a contract membership for the students we billed. We had a form with a copy of their credit card

MASUCCESS

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May 2019 Jerome Robinson, Jr. SCHOOL OWNERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NAME

Team Robinson MMA & Fitness, LLC SCHOOL NAME

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MMA STYLE / DISCIPLINE

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What is your school name, and how did you choose it? Team Robinson MMA & Fitness. We teach boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, kickboxing and defensive tactics, and we also have fitness classes.

What is your school’s motto or student creed? “I’m eager to learn, I respect others, I will do my best, I’m proud of my talents, I will make a difference in the world, I will earn my Black Belt!”

What is your personal teaching philosophy? I believe that everyone has a right to improve their physical fitness, and learn valuable skills to defend themselves. I am big on making sure my students stand up against bullies, and anyone else that tries to do them harm. We should always be humble and only use violence as a last resort.

How long have you been teaching? 17 years.

Who or what inspires you? I’m inspired by Michael Jai White! He is an amazing martial artist! I also draw inspiration from my own desire to get better each and every day.

What is something unique that your school or your student body does well? We have the only USA Boxing-certified gym in Sumter, South Carolina. We also work with special-needs athletes, and offer private training sessions for disabled veterans.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

What do you find most rewarding about working in the martial arts?

If you could give one bit of advice to fellow martial arts school owners, what would it be?

I love watching the progress as my students start out as white belts, and work up to becoming black belts. I also love seeing my clients get in great shape – one of my clients lost 200 pounds!

Work hard, be honest, and always maintain the safety of your students.

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“If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

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We Are Soliciting 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 saying, "I would 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 will notify you if you are selected.

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BY SARAH LOBBAN

What’s it like to be one of the highest-level sport karate competitors in the world? You don’t get there without a lot of blood, sweat and effort. For some of those at the top, it’s worth it for the chance to pull others up with them, or into the world of martial arts at all. That’s one of Mackensi Emory’s major goals. She accomplishes this by dazzling audiences with spectacular kama performances.

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GET WITH THE FLOW 2.0!

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THE NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS July 7, 2018, just after 6 pm. Mackensi Emory was tired — and justifiably. She had just come from a day of competing, having just won the NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) Double Overall Grand Championships for Women’s Forms and Weapons. However, the biggest performance of the night — of the entire season, in fact — was still ahead of her: the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) Night of Champions. The Night of Champions is the premier sport karate event in the world. It’s held at the close of the U.S. Open tournament, which draws thousands of competitors from around the world and nearly 10,000 spectators. The Night of Champions itself is a sport karate showcase featuring the best of the best, and it is broadcast to the world on ESPN-TV, the distinguished all-sport’s network. Emory had been invited to compete for the Night’s Forms and Weapons title. The previous year, she had dropped in the weapons division at the same event. Although she had still ended up taking the forms world title, she was eager to show the judges and audience alike how hard she’d worked in the year since to improve. Her fingers shifted around the handles of her kamas. She felt ready. The checkered grip-tape wound around the center had started to feel sweaty, and she took a moment to set the weapons down and brush her palms over the pants of her uniform. She glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes left until she took the stage. She shuffled through her bag, and popped on her headphones to zone in. As she listened to her favorite songs, she closed her eyes and pictured every detail of her forms, down to the smallest motion. She imagined the timing of the moves flowing along to the beat of the music. I know this, she told herself. I can do this. When she stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted. Among the excited clapping, cheers and whoops, she could make out her name: “Let’s go, Kensi!” The energy from the crowd was simultaneously energizing and calming. It snapped her mind back to the performance at hand, throwing images of moves and forms into crystal-clear focus. At the same time, it yanked the nervousness away. To get to be here, now, on this stage — it was truly amazing and humbling, Emory felt. The crowd and their cheers faded from her mind. She saw only the lights, and heard only her music: Not spitting, tinny, from earbuds this time, but reverberating through the building’s sound system. She flowed with the beat through her forms, the golden-handled kamas glinting as she spun them up, up, up. As she completed the final piece of her form and the music ended, she stepped back into reality. The crowd came back into view, along with her fellow Team Paul Mitchell members and coaches, all grinning and giving her enthusiastic applause, standing on their feet. Emory was smiling, too. She’d hit every move perfectly, and had just shown a year’s worth of work. In her mind, she’d already redeemed last year’s loss, but the success of this performance, as well as her other

wins that weekend, didn’t make her want to rest and celebrate. Her hard work paid off. She ended up taking the ISKA Weapons win, and followed it up by also winning the Women’s Forms ISKA title as well. It spurred Emory to a new love of sport karate, and she became even more determined to pursue her passion. But she didn’t just want to win for herself. Like many high-level martial artists, Emory had become determined to share her art with anyone who wanted to learn, and inspire as many people as possible.

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A N AT U R A L LY INCLINED INSTRUC TOR Emory is no stranger to teaching martial arts. “I think I was about 15 when I taught my first seminar, so I started pretty young,” remembers Emory, who started training at age six at Kovar’s Satori Academy in Granite Bay, California. “I did just a few that first year, just to kind of get my toes wet. It took off from there and, since then, teaching and inspiring others through martial arts has been one of the best things in my life. “I was asked out to go to Russia at the end of 2013. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to many places with different groups to teach and perform. That jump-started it for me, and that’s when I fell in love with teaching. It came naturally to me because I simply love sharing my passion with others. And I love knowing that my teaching, or even a performance, could inspire someone to want to become a better version of themselves. “For me,” she explains, “having that next goal was how I always motivated myself. Now I can give that to someone else.” This selfless love of the sport must have been evident in not just Emory’s enthusiasm but in the quality of her teaching. As of the publication of this article, Emory has taught multiple seminars in the U.S. and abroad, including in Ireland, Spain, Guatemala, the Netherlands, Hungary and Australia.

THE NE X T STEP It might have seemed like Emory had advanced as far in instructing as she had in competing. But any martial arts competitor who wants to stay at the top of the circuit will tell you that it’s not enough to be good — you have to constantly look for ways to get better. As a dedicated teacher and proponent of martial arts, Emory was similarly always looking for ways to spread the arts to more people. That opportunity arrived, by surprise, at the 2018 Martial Arts SuperShow, where members of Team Paul Mitchell, including Emory, were performing and giving demos. “I was called in for a meeting with MAIA [Martial Arts Industry Association],” Emory remembers. “They approached me with the idea of me creating my own kama curriculum in The Flow System.”

“Emory’s hard work paid off. She ended up taking the ISKA Weapons win, and followed it up by also winning the Women’s Forms ISKA title as well. It spurred Emory to a new love of sport karate, and she became even more determined to pursue her passion.”

MAY 2019

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MARTIAL ARTS WASN’T HER FIRST HOBBY. As a young child, Mackensi Emory did dance and gymnastics. She chose to stop both competitive sports in order to be able to spend more time training in martial arts. However, she credits her early experience in gymnastics with allowing her to pick up on tricking moves more easily.

ALTHOUGH SHE’S BEST KNOWN FOR USING KAMAS, SHE COMPETES WITH THE SWORD, TOO! In 2009, Emory learned her first traditional sword form from another Team Paul Mitchell member, Caitlin Dechelle, who has been a stuntwoman in multiple hit TV shows and movies (including the 2017 blockbuster

Wonder Woman). Since then, Mackensi has been

IT WAS A SCHOOL CLASSMATE WHO GOT HER STARTED.

inspired by many other sword athletes, such as fellow Team Paul Mitchell member Kalman Csoka, to find her own style using the sword. In addition to kamas, she now teaches sword to others around the world.

One of her friends attended Kovar’s Satori Academy and was given a “Gold Card” buddy pass to bring a friend for free. He invited Emory to a class, and she fell in love with martial arts the first moment she stepped onto the mat!

HER ADVICE FOR MARTIAL ARTISTS TO KEEP THEMSELVES MOTIVATED? Write down your goals so you have a tangible

SHE’S NOT JUST A SPORT KARATE ATHLETE. Emory holds a 3rd-degree black belt in traditional karate under Hanshi Dave Kovar, this magazine’s “In the Classroom” columnist. She started training at age six, and it wasn’t until years later that she branched into tricking and sport karate. Recently, she’s started to learn Brazilian jiu-jitsu as well!

reminder of what you want to accomplish!“I have a goal journal, actually!” Emory explains. “One of my coaches, Matt Emig, told me to have a goal journal that I can write things that I would like to accomplish down. I have everything written down from my weekly plans, to my monthly goals, all the way up to my five- and ten-year plan. I have it all mapped out and update them when needed. “Knowing what my goals are, where I want to get to in my life — that really helps motivate me to get up and go.”

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W H AT M A K E S T H E F L O W ? For those unfamiliar with the term, The Flow System is a weaponstraining curriculum launched by MAIA in 2018 featuring the bo staff. The curriculum structure was created by Jackson Rudolph, another Team Paul Mitchell Karate superstar. One of the defining features of The Flow System that sets it apart from other curricula is that it is designed not just to teach students, but instructors as well! Each curriculum features a section for instructors, giving them the ins and outs of how to teach, what common pain points for students will be, and how to break down explanations in ways that can be understood by all students. Even if you’ve never taught a weapon’s class before, The Flow will allow you to start one! For students, The Flow features every tool needed to master the kamas: complete forms, at-home practice routines, various drills and more. Emory also incorporates special tips that she’s picked up over her years of competition. School owners who sign up for the Flow Program will also have access to a private Facebook-based support group, made just for them! In this group, they’ll be able to contact Emory directly with questions, and receive tips and advice from her and other Flow members. Want to get first-hand experience in The Flow curriculum? Both Mackensi Emory and Jackson Rudolph will be at the 2019 Martial Arts SuperShow, this June 30th through July 3rd, at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. They’ll be teaching a preconference event, as well as holding a workshop during one of the Show days. Attendees will have the chance to train with them while learning more about how to bring a popular weapon’s program to their own schools! This isn’t an event to miss out on, so go online to MASuperShow.com and book your tickets now.

Although Mackensi Emory hopes to inspire all martial arts athletes, there’s one demographic she’s especially keen to target: girls and young women. “I want girls to know that, ‘You can do this, too; you can do anything you set your mind to,’” she explains. “I understand that sometimes it gets a bit intimidating to get out there, but at the end of the day, if it’s one of your goals, nothing should hold you back from accomplishing it.” Emory points out that there is no divide between girls and boys in martial arts. In fact, it’s just the opposite. “In class, with the guys, I never felt like there was a separation,” she emphasizes. “I would get up and I would spar against the guys. If I had [questions about tricking or forms training], I could ask them for help. We were all treated as equals. “In addition, all of my coaches in sport karate were in the adult men’s division. I have been trained by Rudy Reynon and Matt Emig, two of the top sport karate athletes in the world. They have both helped coach me to be the best I can be and to believe in myself no matter what.” Emory hopes that her curriculum, as well as the growing number of prominent female sport karate athletes, will inspire more girls and women to join martial arts. “I think for women and girls, besides the selfdefense aspect that martial arts can teach you, the most important thing it can teach them is selfconfidence,” she says. “Coming into the sport, I felt empowered. It made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to and there weren’t any barriers or things holding me back. I think that would also apply to a lot of females as well.” MAY 2019

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GET WITH THE FLOW 2.0! R E A D Y, S E T, F L O W ! This wasn’t Emory’s first time to collaborate with MAIA and its equipment/supply arm, Century Martial Arts. In early 2018, she had released her line of Signature Series Kamas with Century. These kamas, made to her specifications, are the same kind she has long used in competition (including the Night of Champions) since she started kamas in 2009. It was the first time she’d had the chance to create a weapon’s curriculum on such a large scale, and introduce it to an audience. Naturally, she leapt at the chance. “I’m so excited for others to go on the same journey that I did through my kama experience!” Emory effuses. “That’s what I get to teach through The Flow System. Even if you don’t have any previous knowledge of kamas, as an instructor or a student, you can easily use this curriculum.” She also points out that the program isn’t just for beginners. “My Flow kama curriculum goes from very basic, beginner kama techniques, all the way up to the advanced moves that I do in my forms today, and some of my signature moves at the very end as

well,” she explains. “I think all of those little things I’ve included in the program will take all of your skills to another level, no matter what level you’re starting at.” How many other sports can you find where the highest-level active competitors are willing to not only share their signature moves, but readily offer in-depth training on how to do them? Emory is clear: For her, martial arts is about more than winning competitions. “I want to inspire more people to pick up kamas and really give it a shot,” she says. “I want to see more kama athletes out there and to see everyone take their skills to the next level.” Mackensi Emory’s Flow System kama curriculum was just released in March, 2019, and it’s already picking up steam. Of the schools who have tried it, chances are, most of their students are still new to kamas to have been seen on the tournament circuit. But one day, they’ll be able to show their skills in a competition or even help teach others in their own martial arts schools. e

m Sarah Lobban is the Associate Publications Editor for the Martial Arts Industry Association. She can be reached at slobban@ centurymartialarts.com. Through the newly enhanced MAIA website, you can access nearly any piece of information, from A to Z, about what you want to help grow your school. Visit www.maiahub.com to also find other great features available only online.

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For many in the sport karate world, being invited onto Team Paul Mitchell Karate is seen as a pinnacle achievement. It’s one of the most successful competition teams, and boasts the longest-running sponsorship of any martial arts team. Team members are chosen not just for their competitive prowess, but their outstanding character and moral fiber as well. To a young Mackensi Emory, Team Paul Mitchell was everything she dreamed of being. All of her coaches growing up were on Team Paul Mitchell Karate and it was her goal from day one to become a member of this astounding team. “I would see Team Paul Mitchell competitors on stage at every tournament, stacked in all of the divisions,” she remembers. “I wanted to be on the team from the moment I joined the NASKA [North American Sport Karate Association] circuit.” Their coaches would walk around my ring sometimes, and I would talk to them. I talked to Coach [Don] Rodrigues, Coach [Steve] Babcock, Coach [Chris] Rappold and Coach Damon [Gilbert] many times. They’d say hi to me, and they’d say, ‘You’re really good; keep training hard and maybe you’ll be on the team some day!’ That was motivation for me to train even harder!” At the end of 2013, her dream came true. She and teammate Tyler Weaver were approached and invited onto the team. “It’s a great experience!” Emory exclaims. “It’s really cool that a lot of my friends, other top competitors, are on the team with me. It makes it a really friendly environment. I love that we get to travel and compete together and see each other all the time. “Through Team Paul Mitchell, I am humbled to have been provided a bigger platform to compete and teach more around the world,” she adds. “And also help unite against bullying and inspire young girls and boys at various Children’s Hospitals.” Life moves in circles. So, who knows? Maybe someone who watches and learns from Mackensi Emory’s Flow curriculum will one day find their way onto Team Paul Mitchell as well! MAY 2019

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CONSULTANT’S CORNER

Packing Summer Classes with New Kids!

BY ROBBY BEARDMAIA CONSULTANT

“Be sure that you have a summer special to offer. I like to do a six-week program. The goal is for the trial membership to run out before academic school starts back, not when it starts.”

ummer is quickly approaching, and we need a plan! As most of us know, summer can be a challenging time to acquire new members. You’ll be competing with all kinds of activities, such as swimming, vacations, camping, and countless other outdoor pursuits. The key is to start planning now! Parents are looking for something for their children to get into during the summer, so be sure that you have a summer special to offer. I like to do a six-week program. The goal is for the trial membership to run out before academic school starts back, not when it starts. You don’t want to hear the objection: “We want to wait and find out their school schedule before we sign up.” Now that you have a program to sell, let’s get busy! First, get some flyers and ad cards made. Set a goal to get out 200 flyers per week leading up to the summer. Hit shopping centers and parks, and make door hanger for neighborhoods. Place the ad cards in 100 businesses around your school. Don’t forget about lead boxes. Set a goal to distribute 25 or more with your summer special offer on them. Next, have a banner made. I like a yellow banner with black text because it stands out. It should read: “Now enrolling for summer! Call now about our special.” Add your website address and phone number. If your community allows you to put up snipe signs, or bandit signs (small signs you put on every corner), I recommend using those. They work well. You may want to check with your local government or codeenforcement office first. The next couple of things I do is send an email blast to all my prospects, telling them about my summer special, and call everyone who has come into the school over the last six months and didn’t enroll. The week before school lets out, we host a “School’s Out Party.” We give each student 25 passes and tell him/ her to invite their friends.

A word of caution here: Be prepared for hundreds of kids to show up. Last year, we had over 300 kids at this one event! All the above marketing should be done before academic school ends for summer vacation. Once school is out, let’s keep the momentum rolling. I have what’s called the “Ten Weeks of Summer.” This is where I pack each week with super-fun activities that the students can bring friends to. Keep in mind that your school must be an exciting place to be before anyone will be excited to be there! We host events like Karate in the Park, Water Fight Night, Ice Cream Day, Dunk Tank, Flying Kicks, Nerf Wars, and so much more. Other marketing events that should be done to insure a successful summer are Mother’s Day and Father’s Day classes. Also, be sure to pass out flyers at your local fireworks shows and even at the fireworks stands themselves before the Fourth of July. The most important thing to remember is that most martial arts school owners take a break in summer, because they believe that the business slows down. I would agree that you might have a challenging month along the way. But this is even more reason to implement a strong marketing plan, so that when it’s time to hit the back-to-school rush, you’ll have a huge advantage. As we all know, failing to plan is planning to fail. So, grab a calendar this month and map out your summer strategy. Include your marketing plans and your summer-retention plans and make this the best summer you’ve ever had. I look forward to seeing you at the Martial Arts SuperShow in Vegas this June and July! e m Jason Flame can be reached at (805) 657-1775 or TSDUKarate@gmail.com.

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As school owners, we know that poor retention costs you thousands of dollars each and every year. The most common reason students quit, whether expressed or not, is that students are afraid of sparring. Having a clear sparring curriculum and methodology that empowers students will allow your school to solve this costly problem.

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MASTERFUL RETENTION

How Is Toughness Taught In the Modern Martial Arts School?

BY CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD

“The second part of mental toughness is how a student handles frustration. He/ she can learn how to correctly deal with frustration by going through training that is very challenging for their experience level, but still safe.”

n ability to be tough is needed to pursue any high-level training. And while different coaches, teachers and instructors may have different definitions for what it is, for the purpose of this discussion, I will break down being, “tough” into two different categories. They are mental toughness and physical toughness, both of which have great value in sport and in life. Elements of Mental Toughness As I think of mental toughness, three things come to mind: 1. The ability to problem-solve. 2. The ability to handle frustration. 3. A high degree of confidence in battle. Within the confines of a martial arts class, how can you teach these important skills? A simple solution may be to set up a scenario that requires a student to come up with a solution to a problem in a limited amount of time. At times, we as instructors are in a rush maintain a schedule, and do not allow students to explore different options. We forget that this process, though not as structured as some drills, contains amazing opportunities to grow. The second part of mental toughness is how a student handles frustration. He/she can learn how to correctly deal with frustration by going through training that is very challenging for their experience level, but still safe. When selecting the task, choose something that is just slightly above what they have experienced in the past. Watch carefully how they either succeed or fail. In either case, at the end have a debriefing with them, so they can become familiar with the feeling. Share with them your observations, so they can learn from your coaching how to be in the very best mental state to figure their way out. The third part of mental toughness is having the confidence that it takes to succeed at a high level. Though it may come as a surprise, I think most of this will come from simple preparation. For example, how confident are you at tying your sneakers? Could you do it without thinking? At the drop of a hat? With your eyes closed? I’m certain most of you can. In this same way, a student needs to train, not

just so he/she gets it right, but rather, so it is virtually impossible for them to get it wrong. Correct, precise repetitions against progressive resistance makes the difference. Physical Toughness Physical toughness, on the other hand, comes from the body’s ability to handle the physical stress of an activity. Depending on the art, this can require a high level of balance, and a progressive approach to conditioning the body for the physical impact or pressure that is inherit in the style. The key word here is “progressive.” This is achieved by meeting the student where —meaning, at the level — he/ she is, then slowly, over time, adding resistance. Think in terms of taking a nonrunner and training her to run a marathon. Though we all know you could force the physical demand, in the end you’re going to cause injury, discouragement and, in some cases, prevent people that truly had the capability from ever reaching the goal. As teachers, we see our prized students. But we don’t see the hundreds or thousands we lost by not matching the correct experience to the person. A final thought on physical toughness. Knuckles, shins, forearms and even your body can be conditioned to absorb impact or adapt to pressure. But a student’s brain cannot. The days of teaching people how to take punches and kicks to the head by kicking and punching them there are long gone. You can still teach timing and structure without your students needing to incur the damage caused by hard, repetitive impacts. Old school teaching taught a child how to swim by throwing him/her in the deep end. Today, however, we know that through the proper drills, coaching and conditioning, we can get to the same end result. In the old school, you ended up with one or two students who were able to make the grade. Today, however, you can literally have a school full of high-level students. What changed? We did! 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

Top Five Summer-Camp Legal Claims

BY BETH A. BLOCK

“The studio’s team and the pool lifeguards missed seeing a student-camper struggling at the bottom of the pool. The good news is that the camper was seen and brought up before he could drown. The bad news is that that wasn’t enough to stop the family from suing.”

ummertime is just around the corner. Many of you are planning your programs, lining up your staff and promoting your camps. As you’re thinking about how you can turn summer into a profit, take a moment to consider the top five summer camp insurance claims we’ve seen. The worst involved a swimming pool. Many studio owners take their campers to the pool. Usually, these public pool sites have many other groups of people at the pool simultaneously. This was the case for one of your fellow owners. On a steaming hot day, they arrived at the pool. The studio’s team and the pool lifeguards missed seeing a student-camper struggling at the bottom of the pool. The good news is that the camper was seen and brought up before he could drown. The bad news is that that wasn’t enough to stop the family from suing. The second claim that makes this list involves a van. After a field trip to the park, the van was being unloaded at the studio. The studio was a bit short-staffed that day. It’s hard to keep your staffing at capacity level all day throughout the extended summer season. Because the staffing was short, there was no one to walk through the vehicle. This resulted in a child being left in the van. She had fallen asleep. When she woke up, she opened the back door and walked down the plaza to another store. The store owner asked her for her mom’s phone number. She was a smart girl and gave the number. Her mom showed up before the studio even knew she was gone. A lawsuit emerged two months later. The third summer camp claim involved a case of amorous tweens. These two had been flirting with each other for several months. They went to school together and trained at the studio together. In the dark of a movie theater, the couple explored each other physically. When one mom talked with her child that evening, she realized the two had escalated their infatuation and was outraged. She wasn’t satisfied with the studio’s answers about supervision at the movies. She went to a lawyer. If you guessed a lawyer’s letter followed, you’re right.

The fourth summer camp claim involves the bathroom. This studio didn’t have supervisors of both genders throughout the day. Their opening shift only included males aged 17 to 25. At 8:00 a.m., a six-year-old girl had an attack of diarrhea. She needed to be cleaned up and change her clothes. Unfortunately, she was such a mess that she could not clean herself up. The team member that cleaned her was the 17-year-old male. He did not behave inappropriately. But he did end up in a room alone with a six-year-old girl with the door closed. Given the circumstances, there was no way to avoid touching her below the belt. The father couldn’t handle the wild ideas that ran through his mind. He sued the studio and made accusations against the team member. It was a misery for everyone involved. The fifth summer camp claim involved a child with diabetes. The studio owner didn’t work with the parents to write out an individual plan of care. This left the school wide open to liability regarding the camper’s physical condition. One afternoon, the program brought in pizza for lunch. The camper’s parents had sent a sack lunch for the child. But the pizza was just too much to resist. The camper’s blood sugar spiked. The studio team didn’t know what symptoms showed up in the event of a spike in blood sugar. They had no idea that the high thirst level and the frequent trips to the bathroom were physical symptoms of her condition. When the camper was picked up for the day, the parent immediately noticed the child’s problematic sugar level. There was no lasting damage done from the one day’s spike in the sugar. But that didn’t stop the family from suing the studio. Any of these problem situations, and many others, could happen in the case of your own summer camps. As always, I suggest you plan carefully to limit your liability. e m Beth Block can be reached at (800) 225-0863 or beth@blockins.net.

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The Bigges t E vent in the Indus try is scheduled at the Bell agio Hotel.

Hotel Alert: You may be contacted by hotel discounters claiming to be association with the Martial Arts SuperShow, using high pressure tactics in offering accommodations. Many of these companies are known to engage in fraudulent behavior. To book accommodations at the Bellagio, we recommend using the reservation link on the MASuperShow website or call in your reservation at the number listed above using the Group Code: SMAR0619

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THE LEGAL LANDSCAAPE

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, But Sometimes Necessary

BY PHILIP E. GOSS, JR., ESQ.

“The absolutely wrong way for your attorney to find out that you have decided to make a change is to have a new attorney contact her with the news.”

hile you won’t be reading this column until winter is in everyone’s rearview mirror, I’m penning this work on Valentine’s Day. This is an appropriate day to discuss your professional relationships, both how to make them prosper and, perhaps, how to end them. As a business owner, your professional relationships with attorneys and accountants are vital. In many ways, these professionals are your unofficial, but de-facto, business partners. I know of few successful businesses, even small martial arts schools, that do not have both a trusted accountant and attorney on speed dial. Personally speaking, new clients come to me strictly on referrals from satisfied clients. I’m fortunate to initially have the built-in bona-fides of a positive and trusted referral. My clients are happy with the services I provide. It is seldom that I voluntarily terminate a client, or vice-versa, but it does happen. Like any important relationship, an attorney-client relationship is based upon trust and communication. The main reason why your relationship with your attorney would sour is communication, or, more aptly stated, a lack of communication. Communication is more than being available on short notice for a conversation. Communication is you expressing what your expectations are and, more importantly, how your attorney manages your expectations. As in any human interaction and relationship, there are times where you are not in sync with the other. If this happens too frequently, a change may be in order. I’m a proponent or “ripping off the band-aid” when a change is considered. The mere fact that you’re considering a change or termination of a professional relationship should tell you that you are 95% of the way there. Thus, any delay is stressful and unproductive. Once such idea crosses your mind, it is typically a fait accompli. When you come to the point where you decide to part ways with your attorney, the easy thing is to just become incommunicado and hope things just quickly and quietly slide away. Sorry, but the nature of the relationship, unless nothing is presently pending, makes just silently going off into the night impossible. The absolutely wrong way for your attorney to find out that you have decided to make a change is to have a new attorney contact her with the news.

My suggestions are as follows: • Schedule a meeting and be honest with your attorney as to why you have decided to make a change. Do not schedule this meeting unless you absolutely cannot be talked out of your decision. A telephone call, text or email is not an acceptable way to accomplish this most unpleasant task. • Ask for an accounting of financial issues. Address any concerns at that time. It’s important that you make arrangements for retiring any fees that may be due. • Go over all pending and potential legal issues. Bring a fresh legal pad and a newly inked pen. Ask that your files be copied and delivered to you or your successor attorney. The copying and delivery charges are properly your responsibility. • Have a substitute attorney ready to take over your matters. If you are on the eve of trial, you may be required to temporarily ride with your current attorney. That’s because most times a judge will not continue a trial simply because you decide to change attorneys. • I suggest that you leave on good terms. You never know when you may need her assistance or to draw upon her institutional knowledge in the future. Finally, it’s important that you are introspective regarding this experience. Ask yourself tough questions: What is your level of fault in the demise of this relationship? What can you do better with the next attorney? What type of attorney is best for your personality? Some attorneys will do whatever their clients want. These are mercenaries who see clients as ATM machines. People that typically hire such representation can never “lose” or appear “weak,” even when it is clear that an accommodation is the best course. Other more evolved attorneys will tailor their advice based upon the circumstances and in the best interests of their clients. An attorney has a very important place in your business. There are attorneys who have the personality to mesh with whatever your personality, level of aggression and business goals may be. It’s often said that “opposites attract.” I have found this to be untrue in attorney–client relationships. e

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

I Know Why My Grandmother Clapped

BY KAREN EDEN

“I know what it’s like to win and to lose, and I know that losing never feels very good. Yet, as instructors, we see things that our competing students may not be able to see. We can judge, from our experiences as teachers, what a particular student is made of, even when that student doesn’t see it for his or herself.”

hen I walked out onstage as an 18-year-old contestant in a “Miss Virginia” preliminary pageant, I already knew things weren’t going to swing in my favor. I had watched the way the judges seemed to light up every time a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl strode out. Bottom line, I was an ethnic girl competing in a beauty pageant at a time when it wasn’t popular to be ethnic. That was also the time that my grandmother from Japan was staying with us. I so appreciated her altering my gown and being so excited to see me compete in the pageant. There I was, standing out like a sore thumb. I was a dark-haired girl in a sea of white skin and yellow hair. I felt out of place and awkward, and I wanted to walk off the stage as soon as I got on. Within minutes, I would have that chance, as my name wasn’t called to be one of the final competitors. The stage directions called for all non-finalists to exit downstage and into the audience. As I did that, I ended up walking right by my grandmother, who was sitting in the last seat of the middle row. For some reason, she grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. She literally stopped the “procession of losers,” while looking at me with the biggest smile on her face. I assumed that she must not have understood that I lost. “Obachan [grandmother], I lost,” I whispered. My mother repeated my admission for her in Japanese. But for some reason, it didn’t seem to matter to her. She then grabbed my entire arm and smiled even bigger. Looking into her eyes was one of those moments when time stands still. Finally, letting go, she began clapping as I continued the procession to exit the auditorium. She was so proud of me and, for years, I could never figure out why. Flash forward to me as a martial arts instructor taking my students to compete in a karate tournament. As their instructor, I’m just as happy for the ones that win as I am for the ones who go home empty-handed. As a competitor myself, I know what it’s like to win and to lose, and I know that losing never feels very good. Yet, as instructors, we see things that our competing students may not be able to see. We can judge, from

our experiences as teachers, what a particular student is made of, even when that student doesn’t see it for his or herself. I want to tell them, “Just because you’re losing now doesn’t mean you’re going to keep on losing. And just because you didn’t place in a karate tournament doesn’t mean you’re not going to do well in life.”

I think my Obachan [grandmother] (left) saw something in me that the beauty pageant panel couldn’t see — something that I couldn’t see in myself at the time! I think she knew that I was destined for great things in spite of me feeling like the world’s biggest loser.”

Looking back, I honestly think that that’s what my grandmother must have meant when she grabbed my hand after I was ushered off stage. I think she saw something in me that the beauty pageant panel couldn’t see — something that I couldn’t see in myself at the time! I think she knew that I was destined for great things in spite of me feeling like the world’s biggest loser. My grandmother knew what would take me years to understand. Rest in peace, Obachan. I now know why you clapped. Sometimes, you lose battles, but that doesn’t mean you’re not going to win the war. e m You can contact Master Karen Eden at renedenherdman@gmail.com.

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2019 Distinguished guest

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