November 2017 by MASuccess

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION MASUCCESS NOVEMBER 201 7

ROCK STEADY BOXING FIGHTING PARKINSON’S DISEASE ONE COUNTERPUNCH AT A TIME!

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

GUTSY TEENAGE WOMAN TAKES OVER MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL! THE MERITS OF CREATING A TOURNAMENT TEAM NEW MEDICAL/INJURY ADVICE COLUMN!

“DOCTOR’S ORDERS” Cover_OL.indd 1

• $5.99 US www.MASUCCESS.com

NOVEMBER 2017

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

MASUCCESS

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COLUMNS

DEPARTMENTS

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SHARING THANKS

• • • • •

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Clean Mats = A Full House Getting new students and keeping the ones you have is always on the mind of a martial arts school owner. And in this age of virulent super bugs like MRSA that can have potentially very serious and even fatal consequences, you must have a good hygiene protocol in place to protect your athletes as well as yourself and your school. Kenclean Plus is a hospital use disinfectant cleaner that kills the germs you need to kill while leaving behind a clean, fresh fragrance that lets your students know your school is clean, Kennedy Clean!

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IN THE KNOW

WORDS OF WISDOM BY TIFFANY ROSS

MAIA ASSOCIATE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

“

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, THE WORD ITSELF SAYS ‘I’M POSSIBLE’

”

— AUDREY HEPBURN, ACTRESS

MARTIAL ARTS TRIVIA 1

In judo you practice in a dojo. What is the place called where you practice kung fu?

What are taekwondo practitioners best known for?

What is the original style Bruce Lee learned?

What is the proper name for a “throwing star”?

ANSWERS 1) Kwoon 2) their kicings 3) Wing chun 4) Shuriken

MASUCCESS

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IN THE KNOW

YOU ASKED HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR A SCHOOL TO TAKE PART IN TOURNAMENTS? It can be good for some students and not for others. We have a small percentage that are involved.” — D A V E K O V A R , K O V A R ’ S S A T O R I A C A D E M Y, S A C R A M E N T O , C A

If run correctly, tournaments are great for the students who want to compete. We have four inner-school events per year.” — R O B B Y B E A R D , U S A K A R A T E , B A R T L E T T, T N

Tournaments are a great way to improve confidence and skill. However, schools should be careful as tournaments can also destroy confidence for some students, or students can forget why they started martial arts in the first place and train just for competition. Meaning, other aspects of martial arts that are not competition-oriented can become boring. That situation can sometimes lead to an attrition issue once the student gets tired of competing.”

STATS SPEAK

OVER

36% OF MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS USE IPHONES OR IPADS TO READ EMAIL AND

34% OF SUBSCRIBERS ONLY USE MOBILE DEVICES TO READ EMAILS SOURCE: IN F O R MZ

—MIKE METZGER, CHAMPIONSHIP MARTIAL ARTS, ORLANDO FL

It’s not as important if it’s an outside tournament (money spent elsewhere with little personal control). It’s very important for an in-house tournament (money spent inhouse and the event is a great motivator).” — R O N D Y M C K E E , W H I T E T I G E R T A E K W O N D O & M A R T I A L A R T S , C A R Y, N C

NOVEMBER 2017

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MARTIAL ARTS NEWS

MASUCCESS CORRESPONDENT WINS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Los Angeles, CA — MASuccess’ “Fighting Writer,” Perry William Kelly, battled his way through injury to win a gold medal at the 2017 World Police and Fire Games held here. Kelly, who has served as the magazine’s Canadian/ MMA correspondent for over a decade, won the gold in the karate over-50-years/under-75kilos division. Kelly, a retired Canadian criminal justice executive, was sponsored by Century Martial Arts, the parent company of MASuccess. Kelly, 59, showed that participation in martial arts can last a lifetime. Having returned to karate competition in 2016 after a 45-year hiatus, he ran up a string of gold-medal performances at various competitions such as the North American Police and Fire Games and the Montreal Open Invitationals. Those victories led up to his August 14, 2017 championship victory in karate at the World Games, which drew a reported 7,000 participants from all over the world to compete in 70 various sports. The multi-martial arts instructor uses his competitive karate success as a platform to raise awareness of the problem of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in law enforcement, military and other first responders. “Those running toward the sound of gunfire and then battling PTSD after it are the real fighters,” Kelly said. “I’m just a baby-boomer combat athlete who’s not ready to hang up my gloves just yet.” The newly crowned world champion, who got tagged with an eye-closing shiner from a punch during the closing minutes of his fight, battled fiercely to gain the victory.

Kelly, who’s the author of biographies on martial arts legend Dan Inosanto and world kickboxing champion Jean-Yves Theriault,

will turn 60 in November. At press time, he intended to fight in the 60+ division of major tournaments next year. e

ON HIS WAY TO WINNING A GOLD MEDAL AT THE 2017 WORLD POLICE AND FIRE GAMES, PERRY KELLY, OUR CANADIAN “FIGHTING WRITER,” SUSTAINED A BLACK EYE. A RETIRED CANADIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXECUTIVE, KELLY WAS SPONSORED BY CENTURY MARTIAL ARTS, THE PARENT COMPANY OF MASUCCESS.

NOVEMBER 2017

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HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

SURVEY SAYS... HOW MANY PAID DAYS OFF A YEAR DO YOU GIVE EMPLOYEES? 60.81%

None - 60.81% 1-2 - 2.82% 2-5 - 5.02%

18.18%

5-7 - 5.33% 7-10 - 7.84%

2.82%

5.02%

5.33%

7 .84%

10+ - 18.18%

None 18

1-2

2-5

5-7

7-10

10+

MASUCCESS

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HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN YOUR SCHOOL? 35%

Less than 40 - 29.82%

30%

41-60 - 15.66%

25%

61-80 - 7.23%

20%

81-100 - 8.13% 101-125 - 10.24%

15%

126-150 - 6.33%

10%

151-200 - 6.93%

201+ - 15.66% Less 41-60 than 40

61-80 81-100 101-125 126-150 151-200 201+

DO YOU OFFER A RETAIL PRODUCT PACKAGE TO NEW STUDENTS AND UPGRADE STUDENTS? 53.61%

Yes - 53.61% No - 46.39%

46.39%

NOVEMBER 2017

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

HOLIDAY GIFT ITEMS Century®

www.CenturyMartialArts.com

The year is drawing to an end — which means it’s almost time for the holidays! Century is ready with a new assortment of holiday gift items perfect for loved ones who love martial arts.

These items are great to add to your Pro Shop this time of year and can be featured in your holiday sale. From stocking-stuffers to big-ticket gifts, you’ll find everything you need to make the holidays shine at Century! For more information about our holiday gift product ideas, or to receive our Holiday Gift Guide, call a helpful Century sales representative at (800) 626-2787 or visit www.CenturyMartialArts.com. BLACK BELT LEATHER NOTEBOOK

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ULTIMATE NINJA BIGFOOT

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.

NOVEMBER 2017

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

TORRENT BAG Century®

www.CenturyMartialArts.com

Century’s new Torrent bag is one of our most advanced freestanding training bags yet. Its new, patented connection system attaches the vinyl cover of the bag to the base. The new design helps disperse the impact of strikes across the surface of the bag. The result is a bag that flexes more, and a base that shifts less!

67”

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BENEFITS: UU SHORTER, EASIER-TO-ATTACH BASE STEM UU BASE WRAP (SOLD SEPARATELY) CAN BE CUSTOMIZED WITH SCHOOL LOGO UU AVAILABLE IN TWO SIZES: 60” HEIGHT WITH 15” BAG DIAMETER, AND 67” HEIGHT (FROM BASE TO TOP) WITH 18” BAG DIAMETER

MASUCCESS

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

HEROES IN WAITING Martial Arts Industry Association

www.maiahub.com

Heroes in Waiting: Encourage the hero within and ignite your student’s powers!

This compelling and life-changing curriculum will transform your school, students and community into a realm defined by heroism. It will unveil the truth about what it really means to be Heroes in Waiting.

ASF PAYMENT SOLUTIONS LAUNCHES ROBUST GYM MEMBERSHIP SOFTWARE 1.0 ASF

www.ASFpaymentsolutions.com

Helping martial arts owners save time and increase revenue, ASF Payment Solutions launched My Club Business 1.0. This robust management software offers a streamlined scheduler and a user-friendly interface. My Club Business 1.0 will feature advanced navigation and a bold modern design. Simple and easy navigation allows clients to move quickly between applications and create a more intuitive user experience. Moreover, My Club Business 1.0 offers greater efficiency in using enormous amounts of data with greater sorting and filtering capabilities.

THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND CURRICULUM PROVIDES: UU INCREASED REVENUE THROUGH ENROLLMENT AND LEAD-GENERATION UU OPPORTUNITIES TO MARKET YOUR SCHOOL IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY-BUILDING MESSAGE

UU CHARACTER-BUILDING VALUE TO YOUR CLASSES THROUGH LESSONS ON KINDNESS, COMPASSION, EMPATHY AND COURAGE

UU ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE HEROES IN WAITING PROMOTIONAL ITEMS

“This new platform is the first of many future scheduled releases and updates of our school-management software. We are extremely excited about this new direction and the value we will bring to our clients with streamlined interface and functionality,” says Sean Kirby, VP Client Relations. Martial arts school owners will benefit from key features designed to save time, which means ease of use for staff. In addition, school owners will benefit from a robust reporting feature leading to higher revenue.

PROGRAM INCLUDES: UU SCHOOL TALKS PRESENTATION GUIDE UU CUSTOMIZABLE MARKETING MATERIALS UU 12 WEEKS OF CHARACTER-FOCUSED MAT-CHAT TOPICS UU 4-STEP MARKETING PLAN TO HOST A HEROES IN WAITING OPENHOUSE EVENT

UU FLYERS TO ADVERTISE YOUR EVENT UU ACTIVITY SHEET WITH GUEST PASS TO PROMOTE YOUR SCHOOL UU PRESS RELEASE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND RADIO UU LETTERS AND EMAIL TEMPLATES UU NEWSLETTERS FOR YOUTH, TEENS AND PARENTS

a Are you unsure of the path of your business? Visit MAIAHUB.COM and

a For more information, contact Sales and New Accounts, ASF Payment Solutions, (800) 227-3859 and email: sales@asfpaymentsolutions.com.

NOVEMBER 2017

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THE MAIA REPORT

FIVE EVERGREEN BUSINESS PRINCIPLES BY JANELLE TALIMDJIOSKI

MAIA OPERATIONS MANAGER

“ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR MISTAKES; OWN EVERY MISCUE AND EVERY BLUNDER. YOU ARE GRANTED MISTAKES. EMBRACE THE MESS-UPS.”

usiness is business, but through the years, business has been defined and conducted 101-plus ways. Some principles of business are moot and no longer reliable, but I have five principles of business that will never die. 1. Focus on the message, not the messenger. It’s easy to place greater significance on someone’s words when that person is speaking from a position of power, authority or fame. Elon Musk? Yeah, have to listen to him. Richard Branson? Of course. Mark Cuban? Absolutely. This path is obvious to a point — but only to a point. A smart person on the receiving end will strip away the framing that accompanies the source of information, both positive and negative. He or she will evaluate the information, the advice and opinion entirely on its merits alone. When billionaire Richard Branson says, “Screw it; just do it and get on with it,” it is dynamic. If the person who delivers your pizza says it, it should hold just as much power. The lesson: do not discount the message because you discount the messenger. 2. Put your effort into gathering knowledge, but put more effort into gathering knowledgeable people. Competition is a fact of the business world. In business, we compete with other businesses, other products and services, and even other people. A zero-sum game as it is, we all still want to win it. In the Big Picture, we know that smart people win often, and smarter people win even more than that.

To grow, we must continually strive to obtain additional experience, then some more experience and more knowledge. This is the second-best way to prevail. However, no one person can know everything. Therefore, in knowing this fact, you must know enough smart people that, together, you know almost everything. 3. Offer something before accepting anything. I don’t know about you, but I love networking. The goal of networking is to connect with people who can provide something for you. Maybe they can give you a referral, assist you with a sale, deliver some important information, become a mentor, or do any number of other things. Yes, when we network, we want something. This is the essence of networking. But at first, never ask for what you want. Instead, focus on what you can offer to them. By giving, we can establish a lasting relationship and connection. When the focus is exclusively about what you can get from the connection, you‘ll never make a mutually beneficial bond. Approach networking as if it’s all about the other person and you will build a network of good contacts that approach their networking in the same way. Create contacts and friends. 4. Eat your words when you can and as often as you can. Every successful person you can think of has failed numerous times before becoming “successful.” In fact, most have failed more than you or me, and that’s why they are successful today. People who think they are always right never have the chance to grow. In looking back, being wrong may be one of the best things that has happened to any of us. Being wrong provides us a learning opportunity. So, acknowledge your mistakes; own every miscue and every blunder. You are granted mistakes. Embrace the mess-ups. Tell other people of your errors, but more importantly, tell yourself. Then, for the next time, commit to ensuring a very different outcome. 5. Drive ideas into actions. Ideas are great, but they are only bits of inspiration until turned into action. Regrets are what we call ideas without action. We all fear uncertainty and the unknown, and have hesitations that stop us from acting on our ideas. Fear of failure has stopped me more times than I care to admit. It may have stopped you a time or two as well. Looking back, have you had ideas about a business, a career path or maybe a part-time job? It’s highly probable most of those ideas would have turned out to be favorable, especially if given rightful attention and nurturing. Therefore, don’t discredit your instincts and judgment. Believe in your alacrity to power through challenges and roadblocks. It’s true: You will won’t get everything right all the time. But an idea that stays in your thought bubble you will get wrong almost 100 percent of the time.e m J anelle Talimdjioski is the Martial Arts Industry Association Operations Manager and can be reached at jtalimdjioski@masuccess.com.

MASUCCESS

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MASUCCESS

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ROCK STEADY

BOXING Founded in 2005, Rock Steady Boxing is a unique program that gives Parkinson’s patients a chance to fight back against their invisible adversary. By emphasizing gross motor movement, balance and core strength, the combination of “sweet science” and sweat gives hope to those combating the disease. BY TERRY L. WILSON

MASUCCESS

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FEATURED STORY

ock Steady Boxing is the first boxing program of its kind in the country, designed specifically to fight Parkinson’s disease — one punch at a time! Parkinson’s disease is caused by the loss of brain cells (neurons) in a part of the brain that produces the chemical messenger dopamine. As the cells die, less dopamine is produced and transported to the area of the brain that coordinates movement. Symptoms, including tremors, slowness of movement and muscle stiffness or rigidity develop when about 80 percent of dopamine has been lost. Approximately four million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s, yet the reason that Parkinson’s disease develops is not known. The Rock Steady Boxing program’s founder, Scott Newman, is intimately familiar with the disease. At age 40, Newman was at the height of his career serving as an Indiana State Prosecutor for Marion County when it hit him. His world came crashing down when he was blindsided by what many consider to be the most frightening disease that could ever befall an individual. “At first, I was protected by my own ignorance,” Newman admits. “I didn’t know how bad Parkinson’s was; I was reminded of actress Kathryn Hepburn. She had a shake, but lived to a ripe old age. So, I thought,

if you’ve got to have a disease, this is one that’s cosmetic only and I could live with that.” When the facts were laid out in front of him, however, Newman sat in stunned silence contemplating what lay before him. He was being attacked from the inside out and there was no known cure — and none on the horizon. “In 2000, my doctor said that I would be able to work for another five years, and I was told to put my affairs in order,” Newman recalls. “That was 18 years ago and, by the way, that doctor is dead and I’m still alive.” Two years after Newman was advised to put his affairs in order, the popular prosecutor began to outwardly display signs of the disease. Newman, a very high-profile political figure, did his best to hide the Parkinson’s symptoms when in public. However, it became obvious, especially to the roving eyes of the media, that something was terribly wrong. “I couldn’t hide it any longer,” says Newman. “Trying to conceal my condition from the public was adding to my stress, and that exacerbated my condition.”

NOVEMBER 2017

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“YOU CAN FEEL LIKE CRAP MOST OF THE WEEK. BUT, IF YOU HAVE ONE DAY WHERE YOU CAN TURN IT AROUND, ONE DAY THAT’S BETTER THAN THE LAST, THEN YOU’VE DEFEATED THE LOGIC THAT WAS DRAGGING YOU DOWN. AND THAT’S WHAT ROCK STEADY BOXING IS ALL ABOUT.”

A CASE HE NEVER WANTED ON HIS DOCKET Marion County (Indiana) Prosecutor Scott C. Newman squared off with his most devious and deadly adversary when, at age 40, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Without warning, the first two symptoms of Parkinson’s made their presence known in the form of an arm that stopped swinging and a sudden loss of temper control. “My left arm stopped swinging and I thought something was wrong with my rotator cup. The next thing I noticed was my temper would flair and I’d get mad and storm out of meetings. Plus, I noticed my foot was beginning to drag a little. “I had some tremors, but tremors weren’t a major symptom for me. But I knew something was very wrong when I lost it in court. “I was trying a murder case. I tend to get very emotional during closing augments, and emotions pop my symptoms to the surface. “During my closing, I threw a 10-dollar bill down in front of the defendant to make a point that this 10-dollar bill cost a boy his life during a drug deal. When I threw the bill down, my hand began to shake!” That shake wasn’t due to courthouse jitters. Newman would later learn it was a very distinctive symptom associated with Parkinson’s called a “Pill Rolling” tremor. “This is a unique symptom of Parkinson’s, where the thumb and third finger meet and appear as if they are rolling a pill between them,” Newman explains.

The prosecutor in Newman compelled him to undertake a thorough search for the facts regarding these sudden symptoms. “I went through a process of elimination; there isn’t a litmus test for Parkinson’s,” he explains. “You can’t just open a hatch in the back of your head, look inside and see what’s going on in there. “The process of diagnosing Parkinson’s is done by eliminating other causes. One test for someone demonstrating Parkinson’s-like symptoms is to take a pill called Carbidopa/Levodopa. This pill is a combination of two specific drugs. If they work to reduce symptoms, you almost certainly have Parkinson’s. That’s because these two drugs only work on Parkinson’s symptoms.” Newman went through a battery of tests, which confirmed the bad news. The prosecutor was given a “death sentence” without so much as a trial. He was faced with the cold reality. He has Parkinson’s. After the shock wore off, Newman wrestled with the mortality question: how do you fight a disease that has no cure? Newman had no idea at the time, but the dark cloud looming over his head would have a silver lining in the form of a pair of boxing gloves. His struggle for survival would eventually morph into a squared circle of hope called Rock Steady Boxing. This outlet would give Newman and thousands of others like him suffering from Parkinson’s an outlet to fight back. And with every punch thrown, a personal victory is won.

MASUCCESS

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FEATURED STORY

BOXING TO THE RESCUE! Newman’s friend, a cop-turned-lawyer-and-boxer, realized that his former co-worker needed a way to release his stress. “So, he started teaching me how to box,” says Newman. “I wasn’t a boxer, but he insisted. After six weeks of very intense workouts, I saw a big leap in my ability to write and type. I could even sign my name again. “I found that, with boxing, I could slow the disease down. That made me optimistic about my ability to continue to work. Boxing was giving me the confidence to start new ventures, like Rock Steady Boxing. No one in their right mind would do that if they thought they had no future.” Feeding on optimism instead of despair, Newman founded Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) in 2005. He invited the Young Parkinson’s of Indiana to attend a free class. “I told them to come out, give it a try and see if it can do for them what it did for me,” says Newman. “The ring was kind of high, so just getting everyone in the ring was a challenge. Then, we did a standing stretch where you cross your legs and touch your toes. If we’d been in a bowling alley, we would have had a strike because we all nearly fell down!” Being able to laugh about something that is no laughing matter is part of the “can-do” spirit that defines RSB. Newman recalls the positive energy that filled the ring when the bell rang for the first workout. Before you could say Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis, these first-time pugilists were covered in sweat as they jabbed and rope-a-doped their way through class. “The workout lit a spark into these people, just like it did to me,” says Newman. “You can feel like crap most of the week. But, if you have one day where you can turn it around, one day that’s better than the last, then you’ve defeated the logic that was dragging you down. And that’s what Rock Steady Boxing is all about.”

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FEATURED STORY

THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA RELATED TO PARKINSON’S HOW SAFE IS MARTIAL ARTS? We’ve all seen the staggering statistics of neurological problems as related to sports injuries to the head. More than one famous name has been on the receiving end of one too many blows to the head. The late iconic boxer, Muhammad Ali, is probably the most renowned example. Martial arts training and competition in rare cases can results in head trauma. It could be from a karate roundhouse kick or years of being thrown to the mat in judo and jujitsu. How great is our risk of being on the receiving end of an injury that could trigger a disorder resulting in Parkinson’s? “In my opinion, trauma from falling or engaging in martial arts training does not necessarily lead to Parkinson’s,” advises Newman. “The problems a person has from trauma are different from the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s. Trauma-related neurological damage is another condition that has its own diagnosis from many doctors. “Initial symptoms of Parkinson’s tend to be one-sided,” he explains. “It can be the left or the right side, but usually it’s not both sides. “So, if you have bilateral shaking, you are probably more likely to have something called ‘Essential Tremor.’ That type of tremor mimics Parkinson’s and hits people at an older age. But it isn’t lethal and can be more hereditary and less damaging than Parkinson’s.”

COMBINING SCIENCE AND SWEAT At Rock Steady, patients of all ages, shapes and sizes don a pair of boxing gloves to do battle, not with each other, or even an array of leather punching bags. When these pugilists glove up, they are fighting time. And time is not on their side. Newman and his team of experts created specific training programs for Parkinson’s patients that include agility, speed and endurance drills. These tailor-made workouts help improve hand-eye coordination, footwork and overall strength. The exercises vary in purpose and form, but share one common trait: they are rigorous and intended to extend the perceived capabilities of the patient. The workouts push patients to their limits and then some. But at the end of the day, through the sweat and expended energy, comes hope. Hope derived from a sense of accomplishment, and the hope that tomorrow will be a better day. “Studies from the ‘80s and ‘90s have scientifically supported the notion that rigorous exercise, emphasizing gross motor movement, balance, core strength and rhythm, could favorably impact range of motion and flexibility,” Newman expains. “Our classes are specially designed programs to enhance all these attributes for our boxers at Rock Steady Boxing.” Newman recites statistics from academic institutions, such as University of Indianapolis and Butler University, as to the program’s success. Although there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s, there is evidence that progress is made in all stages of the disease by individuals participating in the RSB program. “One of the things our program did for me was that, when I would have a bad day, I wouldn’t panic and start to write my will,” Newman says. “I now tend to focus on the good days and not the bad ones. I take out my frustrations on the heavy bag and not on myself.”

MASUCCESS

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FEATURED STORY

“IN 2000, MY DOCTOR SAID THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS, AND WAS TOLD TO PUT MY AFFAIRS IN ORDER. THAT WAS 18 YEARS AGO AND, BY THE WAY, THAT DOCTOR IS DEAD AND I’M STILL ALIVE.”

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FEATURED STORY

BUILDING HOPE ONE GYM AT A TIME Joyce Johnson is the Executive Director leading the RSB team. She has more than 30 years’ experience managing organizational change and growth for Indiana nonprofit organizations. Johnson’s mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the 1990s and lived many years with the challenges of tremors, balance and swallowing problems. Her mom was truly trapped in her own body. As the disease progressed, Parkinson’s stole her life and all the things she loved to do. Joyce was her primary caregiver during that time. That’s why she’s grateful every day that Rock Steady Boxing is here to offer hope, camaraderie and a great exercise program to those battling Parkinson’s. In 2011, she was drawn to Rock Steady because of the hope the program offered to those struggling with Parkinson’s disease. “After Scott started Rock Steady Boxing, the organization enjoyed a lot of media attention,” says Johnson. “The fact that a large number of older people with Parkinson’s were successfully being helped with their symptoms by boxing produced a flood of calls from all over the world.

“The majority of callers wanted to know where a Rock Steady Gym was in their state. And for the first five years, we had to tell them that there was only one such gym and it was in Indianapolis. “So, in response to this demand, we built a training camp in 2012 to teach gym owners how to do what we do at Rock Steady Boxing.” More than a decade’s worth of experience was packaged into a two-and-a-half day training program. After copleting the program the participants could open a Rock Steady “affiliate” program in their community. “We started slowly, but as of July 2017, we have 405 affiliates in 47 states and seven countries,” Johnson explains. “Rock Steady doesn’t require a large gym. It can be taught in nearly any kind of a facility. We have Rock Steady Boxing in boxing gyms, of course. We also have them in YMCAs, senior centers and even in church fellowship halls. “The courage and determination of the people in our gyms who are ‘fighting back’ provides daily inspiration and motivation for others to do the same. And we are so happy to be able to make this program available to people around the world.” The Rock Steady Boxing training seminars cost $699 for the twoand-a-half day session. Johnson says trainees also get a swag bag filled with boxing equipment and five meals while training.

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“WE STARTED SLOWLY, BUT AS OF JULY 2017, WE HAVE 405 AFFILIATES IN 47 STATES AND SEVEN COUNTRIES,” EXPLAINS JOYCE JOHNSON, RSB’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. “ROCK STEADY DOESN’T REQUIRE A LARGE GYM. IT CAN BE TAUGHT IN NEARLY ANY KIND OF A FACILITY. WE HAVE ROCK STEADY BOXING IN BOXING GYMS, OF COURSE. WE ALSO HAVE THEM IN YMCA’S, SENIOR CENTERS AND EVEN IN CHURCH-FELLOWSHIP HALLS.”

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STUDY CONCLUSION, RSB IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE “What we do here is help people with quality of life,” says Kristy Rose Follmar, Program Director and Head Coach for RSB. “Most of the big companies working with Parkinson’s allocate their money to research. “Of course, we’re big advocates on finding a cure, but all of the millions of dollars that are going into finding a cure doesn’t help our members walk into a house carrying a bag of groceries or to pick up a grandchild or even to button their own shirt.” Stephanie Combs-Miller, PT, PhD, NCS, Associate Professor and Director of Research of the University of Indianapolis has been involved in researching the effect of Rock Steady Boxing on patients (for over seven years). “The first question I had about the program was, ‘Is it safe?’” says Combs-Miller. “We followed several people that were new to the program for a nine-month period and tracked their safety through the program. Not only was the program safe, but also the patients were getting better. “We really felt like there was something positive happening though the research we received. Next, we compared Rock Steady Boxing to a more traditional exercise regiment that we might do as a physical therapist. “The outcome was very positive, as we saw a more positive trend with the boxers. Their gate function and their endurance was better than the individuals who were doing a traditional workout program.” Next, a long-term study was conducted following people with Parkinson’s disease over a two-year span. They were tested every six months. “We tested 88 people from all over Indiana. Half of those tested attended Rock Steady Boxing; the rest exercised elsewhere,” explains Combs-Miller.

10 FACTS ABOUT PARKINSON’S 1.

Parkinson’s disease is named after Dr. James Parkinson (1755-1824), the doctor that first identified the condition. It’s caused by the loss of brain cells (neurons) in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which produces the chemical messenger dopamine. As the cells die, less dopamine is produced and transported to the area of the brain that coordinates movement. Symptoms develop when about 80 percent of dopamine has been lost.

The reason that Parkinson’s disease develops is not known.

Approximately Four million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s.

The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are tremor, slowness of movement (bradykinesia) and muscle stiffness or rigidity. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance on the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in June 2006. There is no cure for Parkinson’s, but treatments can help control the symptoms and maintain quality of life. Parkinson’s can be treated with a combination of drug treatments and other therapies: for example, speech therapy, physiotherapy.

The risk of developing Parkinson’s disease increases with age. Symptoms usually occur after the age of 50.

10.

Around one in 20 parkinson’s patients are diagnosed under the age of 40.

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“We discovered that the boxers were able to maintain a higher level of function that includes a faster walking speed. So, the Rock Steady boxers were able to walk faster at the end of the study than individuals participating in other forms of exercise.” The ability to reach forward is an especially difficult task for someone with Parkinson’s. This aspect of the disease was of special interest for the researchers. “We found this of great interest because the patients had to move forward to box and to hit the various bags,” explains Combs-Miller. “The study proved that boxers could reach farther and could maintain that distance longer than individuals doing other types of exercises. “What may be the most important outcome of the long-term study focused on quality of life. The statistics verified that those Parkinson’s patients that were participating in the Rock Steady Boxing program had a higher perception of their quality of life. And, they maintained it longer than patients participating in other forms of exercise.” e m For more information about Rock Steady Boxing, visit www. rocksteadyboxing.org. Terry Wilson is a multiple Emmy Award-winning TV personality/producer and freelance writer based in San Diego. 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.

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AFTER A SEVEN-YEAR STUDY, STEPHANIE COMBS-MILLER, PT, PHD, NCS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS, DREW THIS CONCLUSION. “THE STATISTICS VERIFIED THAT THOSE PARKINSON’S PATIENTS THAT WERE PARTICIPATING IN THE ROCK STEADY BOXING PROGRAM HAD A HIGHER PERCEPTION OF THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. AND, THEY MAINTAINED IT LONGER THAN PATIENTS PARTICIPATING IN OTHER FORMS OF EXERCISE.” NOVEMBER 2017

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THE DIGITAL DOJO

Make the Most of Black Friday with Internet Marketing

here’s no reason Black Friday 2017 can’t be your best Black Friday ever. The holiday season is approaching. If you want to ensure that your results meet your high expectations, the best time to prepare is now. The challenge of Black Friday marketing is BY STEPHEN that everybody’s doing it. You might have a REINSTEIN great deal on a trial membership. But, if you don’t capture the attention of your target “THE audience before the big day, they might not CHALLENGE OF see your offer. BLACK FRIDAY Here are some pointers to help you create MARKETING anticipation for your Black Friday specials. IS THAT Apply them so that when the big day arrives, EVERYBODY’S your audience is ready to take advantage of DOING IT. IF your offers. YOU DON’T Tip #1: Decide on Your Offers Now CAPTURE THE First, you must decide what deals you’re goATTENTION OF ing to offer on Black Friday. Try to make what YOUR TARGET you offer unique in some way. For example, AUDIENCE don’t just offer a great price for a trial memBEFORE THE bership. Instead, including a free uniform or a BIG DAY, THEY bonus class for a family member can help set MIGHT NOT SEE YOUR OFFER.” your deal apart from what your competitors are offering. The sooner you decide what your offers are, the easier it will be to figure out the best way to promote them ahead of Black Friday. Tip #2: Use Social Media to Build Anticipation Social media posting is a cornerstone of online marketing, and it’s a must for your Black Friday strategy. It’s important not to wait too long to start preparing for Black Friday. You might not want to reveal every detail now, but you should find ways to let your followers know what’s coming. For example: • Analyze your social media engagement from last year and time your build-up to Black Friday accordingly. You don’t want to start too early, but leaving it until it’s too late may cost you. • Create a social media schedule and highlight some of the benefits of studying martial arts. • When you post content, make sure that it’s engaging and interesting on its own. For example, posting a video demonstration of a self-defense move is an effective way to promote a Black Friday deal on self-defense classes.

• Encourage people to share your content. You may want to run a contest that coincides with your Black Friday build-up, to get people to share content with their friends. • Finally — and this is important — create a Facebook event to promote your Black Friday special. When you create an event, you can invite your followers to attend. Facebook will remind them of the event in the days leading up to it, making it easy for potential students to make Black Friday purchases from you. Your best bet is to focus your social media marketing efforts where they’re most likely to attract customers. If you have a bigger following on Instagram than you do on Facebook, you should allocate your advertising budget accordingly. #3: Put Your Email List to Work Promoting your Black Friday deals on social media is a must, but it’s not the only online marketing method you can use to boost your Black Friday sales. If you have an email list, then you can use it to build anticipation for Black Friday and — when the big day arrives — to entice people to buy a trial membership. For example, you might create an email series touting the benefits of studying martial arts. A countdown of the top-10 benefits can provide value to your subscribers and prepare them to take advantage of your deal on Black Friday. Keep in mind that marketing emails need: • An irresistible headline that hints at the content inside. • A personalized greeting using the subscriber’s first name. • Content that’s engaging and provides undeniable value to the reader. • A strong call to action that asks readers to take advantage of your offer. When you’re building anticipation, you might want to try adding a P.S. at the end of each email. For example: PS: Tomorrow’s email includes a demo of our favorite self-defense technique. Keep an eye out for it! Conclusion Black Friday should be a big day for your martial arts school. The key to success is to put together a great deal, time your promotions for maximum impact, and create compelling content that will make your deal irresistible to your target audience. e

mS tephen Reinstein can be reached at stephen@marketmuscles.com or (866) 259-0776.

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THESE 8 SIMPLE WORDS GET NEW STUDENTS IN JUST HOURS... Want the 8 word email Tom used to enroll 15 new students into his martial arts school in less than 7 hrs, WITHOUT using flyers, door hangers, ad cards and all those other ineffective things that take up lots of time Stop wasting your time and money on “old fashioned” marketing. The simple 8 word email script will get you a flood of responses within hours, virtually guaranteed …

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didn’t work, I discovered a simple email (that is only 8 words long) you can send to your prospective students and get a flood of responses. Get this proven email now so you can copy and paste it and get at least 3 new trials by the end of the day. Start getting more trials now! Go here → https://FreeMagicEmail.com

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IN THE CLASSROOM

Lessons from Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai, Part 2

BY DAVE KOVAR

“INTENT IS ABOUT GIVING YOUR BEST TO ANY SITUATION OR CHALLENGE. IT’S ABOUT BEING PRESENTFOCUSED IN ALL THAT WE DO.”

ast month, I started our discussion on how to live the warrior lifestyle in the modern world. The idea came from the book, Hagakure, The Book of the Samurai, by Yamamoto Tsunetomo. In this book, he talks about living the warrior (samurai) lifestyle and the importance of applying these principles in everyday life, not just on the battlefield. The book got me thinking about things that I can do daily that are in line with living a warrior lifestyle in the modern world. After lots of thought and experimentation, I came up with six words or concepts that I try my best to apply in my life every day. Last month, I discussed the first three concepts. They were posture, breathing and stride. This month, I’ll continue the discussion by addressing three more concepts. Here they are: Balance. There is an excellent quote that says, “Concentrate on your balance, lose your upset. Concentrate on your upset, lose your balance.” It’s important to remember that physical balance and emotional upset is like oil and water. They don’t mix. When you’re upset or angry, your balance suffers. So, the key is, the next time you find yourself angry, irritated or upset, try standing on one foot. One of two things is going to happen. The first is that your balance is going to be terrible and you’re going to have to put your foot back down quickly. The desired outcome, however, is that you focus on your balance and you become less upset.

I practice this while waiting in line at the grocery store, before I do a presentation, or when I find myself irritated with a person or a situation. The results are remarkable. Agility. I haven’t yet quite come up with the exact word to describe what I’m referring to, but agility is close. Think about the grace and suppleness of a cat or an eagle, or a parkour master, for that matter. Everything they do seems smooth, relaxed and effortless. I try to apply this concept when going upstairs, doing the dishes or getting groceries out of my trunk. I continuously think about how I can practice agility, grace and economy of motion during my daily routines. Intent. What I’m referring to here is the mental energy we bring to any situation. This concept is about being present-focused in all that we do. It is about bringing a spirit of friendship and contribution to every interaction we have. Intent is about giving your best to any situation or challenge. Whenever I find myself distracted or not paying attention, I try to remember the quote, “Wherever you are … be there.” That often helps to bring me back into the moment. After 45 years of martial arts training, my body is different than it was when I was 12 years old. In some ways, it is a lot better, but in others not so much. Age and injuries have put a bit of a damper on my training. I can still practice pretty much every art I’ve learned and I can still do most everything I ever could. I just can’t do it for as long or as hard as I once did, if I want to continue training. With that said, one of the things I like about practicing these six concepts is that it allows me to train in martial arts virtually all day every day. I challenge you to apply these concepts in your life as well. Or come up with your own list, if you don’t like this one. I believe the key is to live and train “on purpose” and these six concepts will help you do just that. e m You can contact Master Dave Kovar at dave.kovar@kovars.com.

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THE

MERITS

OF CREATING A

TOURNAMENT TEAM Many school owners struggle with the idea of tournaments and competition. Exposing students to tournaments comes with risks, but also many benefits. If done well, a tournament team can provide financial gain, improve student growth and develop a retention-based esprit de corps around your brand. By Laura L. Betti with Master Robert P. Leclerc

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e lp h c an s e a m c te r ; t t n a l me h ar a c p ul n d n r ca to u goo u , f f or l o l o t y a e s r l e g th e nt o ut n nd d l â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ov e a u a r t ; i t s e s pe c ed ch pet s e n r m a e b co ab ge s fer o f t a e o l d g ; vi f al k in af f he t o o t s pro o s l t n r fo nt i nt s rtis e a m a v d o l â&#x20AC;? e u fr it y. re l r t ia t st l n a n u u i m ad ma op mm e l o r e c v n s a de ar t oc l h a w rti ma

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Are you scared to bring your students to a tournament because you worry they’ll quit if they have a bad experience? Do you believe all of the rhetoric that you shouldn’t take students to tournaments because you’ll lose them to another school or style? Or, are you a school owner who wants to create a tournament team, but doesn’t know where to start? (See sidebar story, “Start a Successful Tournament Team in 10 Steps.”) It is possible to be a professional martial arts school and still maintain a beneficial presence in the martial arts tournament community. Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too. Striving for growth and excellence in your school goes hand-and-hand with challenging yourself and your students. Tournaments provide a great opportunity for this. Do not be concerned with the negative rhetoric. There are opportunities for all levels of martial artists to compete. You just have to weigh the pros and cons for you and your school. A well-run tournament team can be a tool for success in your school. But, there are pros and cons to consider in the areas of finances, student growth and retention, professional development, working with parents, and staying true to your art when developing a tournament team that will work for your school. Just remember that there is not one size that fits all. And although managing a tournament team does come with problems and headaches from time to time, forethought and strong management strategies will help you overcome all of the potential cons you may face.

As students prepare for tournaments, they are encouraged to work harder. This raises the technical aptitude of your school overall, as students push one another to improve. This dynamic leads to more excitement about training for all of your students — whether or not they choose to participate on your tournament team. That, in turn, helps to keep students in your program. Some students also need a goal beyond a belt level, or the opportunity to test their skills in a competition. Others are looking for leadership opportunities as they get older. A tournament team environment can fulfill both of these needs, so you don’t lose students to another sport or activity. Overall, tournament teams can help breed students of good character, provide a bench strength you can pull from for staff, offer a

or Black Belt Club. Plus, co-branded equipment, specialized uniforms and weaponry can be marketed to your tournament team members. In fact, you can require your tournament team to purchase a package in order to participate. This can amount to thousands of dollars. (See sidebar story, “Give Your School’s Brand a Boost!”) TOURNAMENT TEAMS AS A TOOL FOR STUDENT GROWTH & RETENTION Healthy competition is an essential growth component of every athlete’s career. Martial arts tournaments are no exception. Regardless of an athlete’s age, competition can breed: • good character • a broader world view of both the arts and of life outside of the arts • improved skill under pressure • team camaraderie • motivation to work harder to achieve individual and team goals Tournament teams also create tremendous opportunities to improve student retention. Students who participate on tournament teams are able to see their progress from year to year in a concrete way through their performance in competition. This makes them want to continue training so they can get better and better.

special outlet for adult students looking to compete, and develop martial artists of all ages who can remain relevant in the martial arts community. Of course, a poorly run tournament team can create a faction in your school, if you’re not careful. Be prepared; establish rules so that everyone operates as one team and answers to you, and you alone. (Continues on page 56)

TOURNAMENT TEAMS AS A TOOL FOR FINANCIAL GAIN Many schools choose to create a tournament team, yet receive no financial benefit from doing so. If you want to create a team solely for increased camaraderie, training and competition experience, that’s fine. However, realize there is an opportunity to gain financially from this endeavor. Of course, you’ll have to invest money in travel expenses for yourself in order to be a part of competitions. But if you develop your team correctly, the profit will outweigh these expenditures in the end. Tournament teams offer support for upgrading programs such as a Leadership Team NOVEMBER 2017

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Start a Successful Tournament Team in 10 Steps

There are many different avenues you can choose to travel in creating your team. Initially, you don’t have to worry about which tournaments you will attend or what uniforms and gear you have. Start small and attend some local events with just your staff. Through your experiences, you and your staff can then develop a plan for your tournament team, without risking your students’ exposure to a bad event or experience. Here are 10 steps you can take in starting a successful tournament team in your school: 1. Develop your vision. Decide how you want to run your team and what type of rules each of your team members will have to abide by. Ask yourself: • What size will your team be and who will you invite to participate? • What is your mission and vision for your team? How far do you want to go? Are your goals to compete locally, nationally or globally? • Why are you creating a team? Is it for financial reasons, your students’ technical growth, or personal opportunities for competition? • Are you going to charge for involvement on the team? If so, how much? What, if any, kind of financial gain are you looking for?

• What will your equipment package look like? Will team members be required to buy it? • Where are you going to place a dedicated team practice into your schedule? 2. Choose a handful of staff members and senior-level students to participate on your tournament team. Be very selective in your choices so there isn’t a feeling of favoritism. Choose individuals who are working for you or who are already contributing to your school in some way. 3. Do your research about tournaments. Decide if the organization or group you are in has events you can participate in with your team. If not, talk to colleagues you have connected with to see if they have events you can attend. Look for local events that don’t require extensive travel expenses. 4. Start small with events. Instead of heading right out to a NASKA World Tour tournament, participate in smaller events that will help build your team’s confidence and competitive spirit. Begin creating connections and learning the rules. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. 5. Develop a timeline. Plan for the short-term and the long-term. This will help you determine a reasonable timeline for yourself and your staff with regards to the development of your team.

6. Coordinate in-house events for preparation. Inter- and intra-school tournaments can be a great way to give your general students a feel for competition and to prepare them for later local, national and international tournaments. Requiring all students to participate in these tournaments can give them important competitive experience. It will help build interest in your tournament team and serve as an additional revenue source for you. 7. Create rules for the team. Successful tournament teams are well-planned and have rules laid out for all participants regarding areas such as: • attending practices • participating in tournaments • behavior and decorum • attendance in regular class • parent involvement All team members, and their parents, must understand and abide by your expectations. Those who don’t should not be allowed to be members of your team. You want to surround yourself with people of the same vision, with like attitudes and similar minds. This is how your tournament team will flourish. 8. Determine fees (if any). Some schools charge for participation on a tournament team, and some do not. If you do decide to charge, keep in mind the required expens-

es for travel, registration fees and gear before determining additional fees for participation. You want to make sure tournament-team participation is accessible to all students. 9. Build a tournament-team brand within your school’s brand. School first, tournament-team second. Always. However, a team brand will elevate the perceived value of your program and create tremendous pride. People will then want to invest the money it takes to participate in your school. 10. Grow as things go well. Once you have a handle on how you’d like your team to operate, and you’ve scoped out the types of tournaments you’d like to attend, expand to a comfortable size and travel more. Broaden your tournament network to some of the bigger events. There’s no doubt that tournaments can build a competitor’s character — the true cornerstone of the martial arts. Attending events that are run well can increase your students’ confidence, teach resilience, provide opportunities to build good sportsmanship, show that competing can be fun and encourage the achievement of goals. Most importantly, remind your competitors that the importance of competition lies not in winning or losing; it lies in learning. That is the true warrior spirit that all students should possess.

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Understand that you’ll always have some students who are better than others because of athleticism, genetics or consistency in training. Don’t make them superstars. Remind everybody that when one person wins, the entire school wins — whether they participate on the tournament team or not. Make it an expectation that the students who are better than others help those who need help so they improve too, and then allow this to happen. This will help raise the technical level and camaraderie of your school overall, as you develop better competitors, better teachers and better students.

TOURNAMENT TEAMS AS A TOOL FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The development and management of a tournament team provides ample opportunity for professional development. Attending tournaments gives you and your staff countless opportunities to make professional connections with other school owners and competitors. It also offers the chance for new motivation, allows you to stay on the cutting edge of what’s relevant in martial arts today, and forces you to continue to grow and avoid stagnation.

Some school owners fear that participation in tournaments will cause them to lose staff members to other schools or to other teams. Prior to getting involved in tournaments, do a self-audit. Are you paying your staff well? Are you doing everything you can to inspire them and help them grow? Or are you utilizing the competition team to mask all of the things you are not doing for them? Ensure that your logistics are in place so your staff members are loyal — and dedicated — to you. If you have your ducks in a row and are compensating your staff properly for the jobs they’re doing, there will be no necessity for them to leave you for another school or team. It can be very detrimental to you, and to your staff, to decide not to do tournaments out of fear that your staff will leave you. This could eventually cause them to resent you and to leave you anyway. Your integrity as a martial artist must be in check. TOURNAMENT TEAMS AS A TOOL FOR PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS Your students’ parents can be your greatest advocates — or your greatest antagonists. Developing a tournament team can improve your relationships with team members’ parents, because these parents are typically in full support of your teaching and your school. This can lead to more referrals and a larger pull within the community. These parents will express (Continues on page 59)

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GI V E YOUR SCHOOL’S BR A ND A BOOST ! If you plan your tournament team and competitive events carefully, you’ll develop an elevated sense of loyalty in your school. Along with that bond of esprit de corps, you’ll find that your tournament-team clients and their parents will actually want to spend money on your program. Buying an extra uniform or hand, foot and head gear becomes part of the norm. People generally accept that pursuing hobbies involve extra costs. By comparison to the costs involved in some other sports — like golf and motocross, for example — martial arts is relatively inexpensive. Furthermore, people don’t bat an eye at having to replace equipment if they’re using it regularly. Having an inventory of equipment on hand adds to the level of professionalism in your school and to the value of your overall program. People will invest in what they believe has value. That’s where branding your tournament-team equipment enters the picture. Develop specially-branded tournament-team products for your school. Branded apparel and equipment increases excitement, pride and loyalty. It also provides public-relations visibility for your school, meaning

free advertising. It’s also an additional revenue source for you. Clearly, it would be in your best interests to brand all of your products used by all of your students. Your tournament-team members, however, should have specialized branding apart from your other students. For them, you can brand: • customized uniforms • t-shirts • bags • sparring equipment • weaponry Customized gear is a great way to make your school stand out. Strong brands all have a good logo and there’s no reason why your martial arts school should be any different. Century Martial Arts in Oklahoma City provides custom products that can not only brand your school and team, but also provide an additional revenue source for you. Contact your Century Customer Service Representative to find out how to proceed. Call (800) 626-2787.

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appreciation to others about how you handle successes and failures with their children. Some parents, those we commonly refer to as “helicopter parents,” who just want their students to win, can cause damage to the good work you’re doing. So, you have to be careful about ensuring you have open lines of communication with them. Your team members’ parents need to hear the messages you give to your team members. Like things about how learning is most important; that everyone has “off” days; and that when one person wins, the entire school wins. Being proactive with your team members and their parents can also help you preemptively address any potential problems that may arise. As you well know, even the best-run tournaments can include a bad experience. Not all tournament promoters are equal. Accidents can happen and aspects of the day may not go as planned. Prepare your team for any potential downside occurrences or organizational errors with the right mental cues and quotes. That way, you don’t feed into the negativity of an event, even if you believe it was negative. Find a way to explain to your staff, your team and your team parents that there will be moments they don’t like, but that it’s all part of the game. Be prepared to overcome any dissatisfaction so you don’t lose your students because of a bad tournament experience. Use opportunities to pre-frame your team members and team parents on lessons about life skills. Tie these lessons into the character-devel-

opment aspect of your school. This way, the entire event focus is not about winning or losing or even the event itself. Participation in the martial arts is about learning how to deal with the ups and downs of life. Tournaments are the perfect venue for working on these skills. TOURNAMENT TEAMS AS A TOOL FOR STAYING TRUE TO YOUR TRADITIONAL ART Losing site of your traditionalism or confusing the culture of your school because of competition can be a real concern for some school owners. But, just because you decide to participate in tournaments does not mean you can’t stay true to your traditional art’s values and standards. Letting this worry drive your anxiety will produce blinders that will prevent you from viewing opportunities with an open mind. If you’re concerned about a loss of traditionalism, don’t be. Remind yourself that you control the direction of your school. If you are completely focused on maintaining traditionalism in your school, you’ll be able to stay the path. The truth is, there are more than enough traditional-based tournaments all over the country. Participation is usually limited to certain arts or styles like, say, Japanese and Okinawan disciplines. The competition rules are closely aligned to these styles and distinctly different from those of ‘open’ tournaments. Attending them will allow you to align yourself with other traditional martial artists who will help you focus on your specific art

or style. You’ll also be able to educate your students about the difference between a traditional martial arts school and a competitive martial arts school. You can explain why it is important that you maintain the traditionalism in your school. This offers a great opportunity for lessons on your art or style. Don’t be afraid to share your goals and traditional philosophy with your team. Explain that you want the level of their prowess to increase, but that you never want to lose sight of your art’s roots and where you came from. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE VALUES It can be easy to get overwhelmed by what you witness out there at tournaments, especially if you’re new to the scene. You may be blown away by the technical level of what you see. It could be a lot better or a lot worse than that of your students. Don’t allow that to deter you from participating. Focus on the reasons that you’re bringing your staff and your students to the events. The positive values and benefits of the experience. You will come across good tournaments and bad tournaments, high-level and sloppy technique, but stay the course. Focus on your strengths and what you can provide to your students. You don’t have to accomplish everything, just because you saw it. Perfect what you do best. It’s no secret that many martial artists complain about any negative aspects of tournament participation, so they avoid competition. Others sing high praises about it. One of NOVEMBER 2017

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FEATURED STORY the greatest benefits of martial arts is that it truly offers something for everyone. If done correctly, the competition pros will outweigh the cons in your school. Tournaments are not all about fighting or doing forms. Seasoned tournament-team professionals and competitors will tell you that exposure to tournaments is critical to the development of well-rounded martial artists. They will also tell you that, although it comes with headaches, running a tournament team can reap significant rewards for your students, your staff, your school, and you, as a professional instructor - perhaps even as a competitor yourself! e

m Master Robert P. Leclerc is a 7th-degree black belt in tang soo do and owns three karate schools in New York State’s Hudson Valley. He’s a 5-time NASKA World Champion. He also runs a tournament team of 40 students and has been competing for over 30 years, and can be reached at sbnleclerc@aol.com. To read many more insider tips about becoming a better instructor and successful school owner, 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 on just about any topic from A to Z.

m Master Laura L. Betti studies tang soo do and is a 4th-degree black belt and instructor at Leclerc’s Martial Arts in Hyde Park, NY. She was a 3-time NASKA World Champion in 2016 in Traditional Forms, Women’s Lightweight Fighting and Musical Weapons. She also competes in tang soo do events both nationally and internationally, and can be reached at tangsooLMA@gmail.com.

WE’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 (no more than 4 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 fit our standards or edito-

rial format. Please email your reply or story pitch to John Corcoran, Managing Editor, at jcorcoran@masuccess.com

WE’RE SEEKING STORY LEADS MASUCCESS is seeking reader tips and leads to find 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.

MASUCCESS

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COLUMN

TURNING POINT

Don Rodrigues: Getting Beat Up Every Day for Three Years Oki-ryu kenpo 10th-dan Don Rodrigues of Providence, RI, specializes in doing everything from teaching to promoting events to officiating. The president and co-owner of Don Rodrigues Karate Academy is also the president of Kenpo International’s Board of Directors; promoter and director of Ocean State Grand Nationals for 36 years; and co-owns KRANE Ratings Inc., New England’s premier sport-karate ratings service Rodrigues is perhaps best known as the head coach of Team Paul Mitchell Karate since 1988. From 1991 to 2015, he was also director of the World Association of Karate/Kickboxing Organization (WAKO-USA). He has coached and trained over 150 competitors to more than 200 world titles and some 36 teams to world titles.

BY HERB BORKLAND

IN THIS INSPIRING MONTHLY COLUMN, WE EXAMINE THE PIVOTAL

Herb Borkland: Where did you grow up, and and what did your father do? Don Rodrigues: I’ve lived in Providence,

Rhode Island, my whole life. Dad was a fisherman and I grew up learning how to fish. BLACK BELT’S CAREER I was a fisherman for 24 years during the day THAT TOOK HIM OR HER and taught karate at night, until I no longer ON TO MAJOR SUCCESS needed to fish. IN MARTIAL ARTS At 10 and 11 years old, I was a big kid for my BUSINESS, SPORTS age, but didn’t know how to fight back. So, OR FILMS. bullies picked on me because they liked picking on a bigger kid. At 12, in 1967, my father took me to a karate school where Nick Cerio and his student, George Pesare, taught. They had a ritual at the end of every class. George stood in a horse stance in front of every student and punched him in the stomach. I was newest so last in line. I thought he wouldn’t hit me, but the rule was everybody gets hit and the last person also gets kicked [laughter]. At 12, I was the youngest student and, until I turned 15, I got beat up every day. That was my turning point. I always had swollen lips and black eyes. Once, the school principal called me into his office to ask if my father was beating me up [laughter]. But, by 15, I got bigger and stronger, and I got back at everybody who ever gave me a beating. I stuck with Nick when he broke from George. Nick searched out Ed Parker, who became his mentor, and I received my 5th-dan from Grandmaster Parker. Parker engineered a reunion between Nick and George, and so, under George for 15 years, I earned my 8th, 9th and 10th degree. I went full circle. They will never die; they’ll always be with me. POINT IN A PROMINENT

HB: How did you manage to become so prominent in everything?

DR: One thing led to another that led into another! I had good mentors. Ed Parker said, “Surround yourself with good people and good things will happen.” My father told me, “Don’t do anything to people you wouldn’t want done to you. Climbing the ladder of success, don’t step on other people’s fingers.” And John Paul DeJoria [sponsor of Team Paul Mitchell] says, “Successful people do what unsuccessful people refuse to do.”

HB: Future? DR: Ed Parker once asked me: “What is most important in life?” I said, “Family and health.” “No,” he answered, “time is most important.” Every second, minute, hour, day, I wish I had more time to do what I do. It’s not always about the money. At an Educational Funding Company convention once, Nick Cokinos told me I could be the most successful martial artist in America by dropping everything else and concentrating only on my school. “No Paul Mitchel? No KRANE? No WAKO? Mr. Cokinos,” I replied, “what you’re asking me is to not be Don Rodrigues anymore!” If your idea of success is how much money people make, so be it. But, if you’re talking about martial arts success, I can talk a lot about that. Editor’s Note: In Gary Forbach’s “Turning Point” (Sept. 2017 edition), his teacher, Aleju Reyes, was mistakenly referred to as a co-founder of kajukenbo. e

mH erb Borkland can be reached at herbork@comcast.net.

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COLUMN

DOCTOR’S ORDERS

No Pain, No Gain?

BY JASON HAN

“REGARDLESS OF LEVEL OR POTENTIAL, IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER NONE OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE SAME BASELINE FOR FLEXIBILITY, STRENGTH OR COORDINATION. EVERYONE’S INJURY HISTORY IS UNIQUE, TOO.”

any of us were raised on the adage: “No Pain, No Gain.” It’s an old-school mentality and it has its merits, for sure. But this approach also has its drawbacks. There are ways to train just as hard but smarter, so your students can maximize their gains. When it comes to injuries, Band-Aid® fixes are typical. But the medical and fitness world is missing an opportunity to prioritize prevention. As a competitive taekwondo athlete, I’ve had my share of injuries. So, when I entered the world of sports medicine, my goal was to learn how to help others so they wouldn’t make the same mistakes as I did. My mission was to understand biomechanics and the cause and effect behind why martial artists get hurt. I’m excited to share what I’ve learned with you! Within any cross-section of your students, you’ll always have some with an inherent advantage over their peers. Others will need a lot of remedial work. But regardless of level or potential, it’s important to remember none of our students have the same baseline for flexibility, strength or coordination. Everyone’s injury history is unique, too. Therefore, it’s key to structure our class curriculum to give each individual his or her best chance for success. That’s where the three important principles of any training program come into play: Warm-Up, Strength Integration and Recovery. Whether you’re running a martial arts school or a professional football team, the approach is the same. I apply these principles to all of my patients, whether they’re a high-school student recovering from ACL surgery or a pro athlete aiming to improve explosiveness. Warm-Up. The goal of any warm-up to is to get the body ready for the main activity in a particular class. A warm-up for a class focusing on face kicks is going to look quite different from that of a grappling session.

For the former, exercises include full-body dynamic movements that help improve blood circulation and muscle elasticity. And, we’d be remiss if we didn’t address specific areas that tend to stiffen up for martial arts practitioners. For example, since we rely on rotation to create power, the primary areas to mobilize are the thoracic spine, hips and ankles. A great warm-up consists of a series of flexibility, muscle-activation and dynamic sequences to prepare the body to perform for the day. Strength Integration. Martial arts are amazing at improving overall fitness, but there is no such thing as a perfect system. With the current trend of sports specialization at a young age, we are seeing more overuse injuries in kids. That’s why I like to encourage participation in a wide range of activities. This will organically promote different types of movement patterns and target various muscle groups, creating a more balanced athlete. For single-sport athletes, I make sure they integrate fitness activities that not only enhance their performance in the sport, but strategically fill in the gaps. Most martial arts curricula include traditional methods of strength training such as push-ups and sit-ups. To maximize the benefits, we can integrate single-leg balance, trunk stability, hinging, and pushing and pulling movements. The result is an enhancement of overall performance and a reduction in injuries. Recovery. Recovery is often overlooked when it comes to young athletes. With the competitive nature of some martial artists, overtraining can result in burnout, both physically and emotionally. The amount of recovery should be proportionate to the volume and intensity of your curriculum. So, if a student is working that much harder, the recovery effort should increase as well. Foam-rolling and stretching after practice is great for decreasing muscle soreness. Getting a proper amount of sleep can improve the body’s ability to heal. Drinking plenty of water helps hydrate your student’s muscles and cells. And, taking a day off of training and just being a kid is great for a mental break. Recovery takes many forms and is essential to your students’ health and overall well-being. As a medical practitioner, my number-one goal is to do no harm. The most successful martial arts instructors I’ve met have had this same mindset. Integrating the three principles above into your martial arts curriculum will contribute to the success and longevity of your program, with strong retention rates to match. e

m Dr. Jason Han can be reached directly at JasonHanDPT@gmail.com.

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COLUMN

YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

Teaching Martial Arts Is My American Dream

BY KATHY OLEVSKY

“AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE, I’VE COME TO REALIZE THAT SUCCESS IS ALL ABOUT PLANNING AND MAKING SURE NOTHING FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS.”

‘ve been operating a martial arts school full time for 38 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. Life is better with balance. I had heard this statement many times as a young businessperson, but I had no idea how to achieve balance. I was so busy looking for the American Dream that I was working myself to death, trying to be a mother and a wife as well. How was I supposed to find balance? On top of that, I apparently didn’t know that I was already living the dream that all of my other martial artist-friends were hoping to achieve. They were working hard in their daytime jobs and teaching at a community center. They spent their time wondering what they could do to turn their passion into their employment. Now that I know all of this, I can help provide the answer to the dream. In reality, you have to be a little crazy, very entrepreneurial and willing to leap, blindly, toward that goal. You have to learn to seek advice, plan steps, act on those steps and move toward success.

I have many friends in this industry who are still struggling to get beyond 50 students. The difficulty in moving beyond 50 students is that there are so many steps that you’d have to take. Then, there is the blind faith that you need to succeed. I have been guilty of just getting through my daily life of working and being a wife and mother. I just taught classes, handled some business and hoped that the rest of the business I needed would come walking through the door. I had little time or desire to go get my new business. That’s why I was stagnant for 20 years before discovering the path to the American Dream. I know so many people stuck in this same rut. At this point in my life, I’ve come to realize that success is all about planning and making sure nothing falls through the cracks. That means the act of planning can begin the process of becoming successful. If there’s an instructor out there with 35, 50 or 100 students and he or she spent two hours creating a plan, they’d be well on their way to reaching a reasonable goal by the middle of 2018. Since we are approaching a new year, now is the time to get this underway. My method was to work backwards from the goal I wanted, to where I was currently. It’s reasonable to go from 35 students to 75 students in one year. Conversely, it is unrealistic to set a goal of getting from 35 to 200 students in one year. There are many marketers out there that will tell you it can be done. They would suggest that you can go from enrolling one to two members every few months to 14 members per month. While I don’t think that’s a reasonable plan, I do think just about any school can increase their enrollments by four members per month. If a school owner seeks the advice of four different martial arts school owners, he or she will come up with at least four new methods of finding new members. That’s only one new member per week. The important thing to remember is that what you do in December will reflect who you will enroll in January. If you have 35 members and you enroll four new members per month in 2018, you’ll have over 75 by the end of the year. The question is, how many of you will follow through? How many of you will apply this formula, set a goal, make a chart, ask for help, write a plan and decide what methods you will use to get there? e m K athy Olevsky can be reached for questions or comments at kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com.

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SCHOOL SHOWCASE

November 2017

Brandon Keeton SCHOOL OWNERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NAME

Tiger Rock Martial Arts of Central Pennsylvania SCHOOL NAME

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania LOCATION

Taekwondo STYLE / DISCIPLINE

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SCHOOL SHOWCASE

Why did you begin teaching martial arts? In 2011, I started thinking about what I wanted to do after retirement from the Marine Corps. Starting my own school was the next chapter for me. What is your personal teaching philosophy? Teach good martial arts with heart and energy and make it fun and engaging for everyone. What is your school’s motto or student creed? “Choose, Commit, Grow, Achieve, Distinguish, Influence, Transform.” Who or what inspires you? My students. Seeing the positive changes occurring in real time is an absolutely amazing thing. What is something unique that your school or your student body does well? Martial arts is very much an individual endeavor. But at our academy, we really work well as a team to help each other get better. How long have you been teaching? Since 2011. How long have you owned your school? Since 2012. What is your favorite inspirational quote? “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi What do you find most rewarding about working in the martial arts? Seeing the positive changes in character development and skill progression happening in real time. If you could give one bit of advice to fellow martial arts school owners, what would it be? Open your mind to business opportunities that enable you to continue to teach the arts that you love.

NOVEMBER 2017

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SCHOOL SHOWCASE

November 2017

Lex Zlokich SCHOOL OWNERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NAME

Rising Phoenix Martial Arts SCHOOL NAME

Phoenix, Arizona LOCATION

Tang Soo Do Hybrid STYLE / DISCIPLINE

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SCHOOL SHOWCASE

What is your school name and how did you choose it? Rising Phoenix Martial Arts. I came up with the name because the program I was teaching for closed down and, from nonexistence, we rose much like the phoenix bird. Who or what inspires you? Grandmaster Danny Lane, Grandmaster Chuck Norris and Master Chris Guffey are individuals that have inspired me a great deal. Not only for their ability as martial artists, but also their ability to teach with passion and such certainty. It’s something that inspires me daily. What do you find most rewarding about working in the martial arts? Watching students grow in attitude and spirit as well as physical abilities is an amazing experience. It’s very rewarding knowing that I played a part in that development.

If you could give one bit of advice to fellow martial arts school owners, what would it be? No matter what numbers look like or what finances look like, keep pushing. Ups and downs are normal in our industry. What is your favorite inspirational quote? “We learn to fight so that we do not have to.” —Master Chris Guffey

Why did you begin teaching martial arts? At 16 years old, I was inspired to share all of the positive benefits I experienced for myself training in martial arts. What is your school’s motto or student creed? Our school motto is, “We do not train to be fighters, we train to defend ourselves against them!” How long have you been teaching? Since 2013. How long have you owned your school? I opened my program in January 2015. What is your personal teaching philosophy? Every student can achieve anything. My goal is to help them achieve the greatest and highest level that they are capable of. What is something unique that your school or your student body does well? I think our school does an excellent job executing a great deal of morals such as respect and honor. We also hold self-defense and the protection of our students to a very high standard and execute it well.

NOVEMBER 2017

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FEATURED STORY

GUTSY TEENAGE

WOMAN TAKES OVER MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL! 74

MASUCCESS

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FEATURED STORY

Picture this. Your instructor’s selling his school for $50,000 and has cash-ready buyers. You’re his black belt student and manager and you want to buy it

But you’re 19-year-old

women, you have no money and eight banks turned you down for a loan.

None of that stopped Aurora, Colorado’s courageous Victoria Wagner, the proud new owner of Kicks Martial Arts.

This inspiring story is a must-read for all school owners, and anyone who aspires to become one! By Andrea F. Harkins NOVEMBER 2017

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FEATURED STORY

At first glance, Kicks Martial Arts in Colorado appears to be like many other martial arts schools. It provides classes for little ninjas, youth, teens and adults, as well as cross-training and kickboxing. The school is situated in Aurora, a large suburb in the Denver area. The city's population hovers around 325,078 residents, which makes it one of the highest-populated cities in the entire state. It is known for its diversity and blend of people and cultures. What stands out is its owner. Victoria Wagner, a young woman still in her late teens who brazenly found a way to buy the martial arts school where she had been training for the past several years. Wagner had moved to Aurora from Phoenix, Arizona, when she was six, and began training in martial arts one year later. An instructor offered a free after-school martial arts program and her parents readily signed her up. After the free membership ended, her parents gave her the choice of swimming or martial arts as her extracurricular activity. She chose martial arts, completely unaware that she would actually own and operate a school professionally in the not-too-distent future. Victoria Wagner still calls Aurora home. She carries a pride and dedication to martial arts that caters to the city’s diverse culture. At her school, she teaches what she categorizes as nontraditional, Korean-based martial arts, which includes traditional training in forms, but also integrates boxing basics (jabs, crosses and hooks), some ground-fighting, and a self-defense program based on anti-bullying and escapes. While her youthful age of 19 is a source of contention for some, she has had no problem accepting the challenge of being a young school owner and the responsibility it carries. Here’s the behind-the-scenes story on how it came about.

Underdog for an Unlikely Takeover

Wagner trained at one martial art school that eventually merged with another. She then taught for that school for four years after the merger. Surprisingly, the owner of the school decided to make a lifestyle change that required him to move to another state and sell the school. It was a thriving established business. Wagner saw her opportunity. At the time, she had been in the industry for “going on 13 years, had work experience and martial arts management experience for five of those years,” she says. However, there were the usual business start-up barriers to overcome and, furthermore, additional challenges for someone her age. The first was that the owner already had several potential buyers lined up, and Wagner wasn’t among them. Initially, her instructor didn’t think the young lady was genuinely serious when she expressed an interest in purchasing the school. Last summer, she finally made her voice heard in no uncertain terms. He realized that she was, indeed, serious about making the purchase. Buying a successful martial art school at a young age is difficult on many levels. A business requires funding, expertise and dedication. Even though the school owner knew she was serious, he wanted a buyer who had the ability to secure immediate financing or pay cash. While Wagner was frantically trying to find financing, all the other potential buyers were ready, willing and able to make the sale. She diligently applied for numerous small-business loans through eight different lending sources, but was denied each time. At first, she requested larger loan amounts, but later, out of desperation, she applied for any small amount and hoped for the best. MASUCCESS

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buying a successful martial art school at a young age is difficult on many levels. He wanted a buyer who had the ability to secure immediate financing or pay cash. While Wagner was frantically trying to find financing, all the other potential buyers were ready, willing and able to [purchase the business].â&#x20AC;? NOVEMBER 2017

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FEATURED STORY

Enthusiasm and Entrepreneurial Enterprise

Over and over, she was told that she couldn’t qualify for any loan because she was “too young,” even though she had a high credit score. She realized that if she wanted to take over the school, she’d need to use a black belt kind of perseverance and focus. After the fifth bank rejection, Wagner started to worry. Her biggest concern was that she felt the school would fail under anyone else’s leadership. “No matter what,” she shares, “I was going to find a way to buy it. I knew that if anyone else took over the school, it wouldn’t survive.” Wagner had to convince the school owner that she was worthy of the takeover. While others could easily make an offer, she had no funding at all. So, she ignored the lack of funding. Instead, she approached the buyout by presenting a thorough case for why she was absolutely the best and only candidate to own the school. In her favor, another buyer “would not be as driven,” she insisted. She also felt that several employees would leave if an unknown owner took over the helm. She told the owner that she “would do right by the school and the students.” Her argument was apparently convincing. The seller agreed to a deal with a strict stipulation. Wagner needed to provide an immediate $5,000 down payment and another $5,000 within one month. Without the ability to obtain bank financing, she turned to a relative who lent her $4,000. That, combined with her own $1,000 in savings, got her foot in the door. To raise the next $5,000, due within one month, took some entrepreneurial enterprise on her part. She held a giant sale at the school! This type of sale, she explains, is only held once a year and only for one hour. Everything is on sale at varying discounts, from punching bags and equipment to ornaments, mugs, t-shirts and even discounted membership-program options. The sale exceeded Wagner’s expectations. It raised a whopping $12,000! She used $5,000 of the proceeds to secure the second half (and final portion) of the down payment. The seller then offered her what she refers to as “a goodwill gesture showing that he wanted me to succeed.” He agreed to finance the balance of $40,000 with no interest. She sends him a check every month for payment. In October 2016, Victoria Wagner, just 19 but rich in enthusiasm and motivation, became a professional martial arts school owner. Subsequently, she took no salary, but used some of the school’s profit to pay for her full-time enrollment in college. Wagner toggled her martial art business with a full-time college class schedule. She took eight classes, some of which were on campus and the rest online, and was working toward an accounting degree. Her expected graduation date was in May 2017. Each week, she had spent six days at the studio, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and used that time to work on her studies while also being available for the school.

Full-time college classes and school ownership were a hefty load, but that didn’t seem to faze her. Two to three days per week, she was also preparing business and personal taxes on the side. Her plan is to completely pay off the business loan to the former school owner in two years. She also plans to pay off all student loans and any other debt in this same two-year period. After that, she will pursue additional business expansion.

Post-Takeover Pitfalls

Although in many ways Wagner felt prepared to be a school owner, there were still many obstacles after the takeover. She understood how inventory systems and enrollments work, and how to market. But what she didn’t realize when she jumped in headfirst was the level of commitment that was necessary. In the beginning, she says, “It was very hard trying to make sure the school was run correctly.” Today, she has a better grasp on timing, marketing, enrollment and hiring, and she follows a schedule that allows her effective management of the school. Another difficulty she faced since becoming a school owner is acquiring new students. She never learned this aspect of the business previously. Although her student retention is high, bringing new students in is a big challenge. To overcome this obstacle, she has tried many different marketing strategies, including visiting local elementary schools, using social media to advertise and performing at school demonstrations. She’s still experimenting with the best options to draw new students. Still, since taking over the school, she has increased enrollment from 142 to 162 active students. The biggest pitfall that Wagner faced is discrimination based on her age. She deals with this barrier in the day-to-day operations of the business, and considers it a hindrance more than a negative factor. Some parents or potential students ask her how old she is. A few are surprised when they learn that she’s the school owner. But, to date, she says only one parent has removed his child as a student because of it. Wagner has combated the age discrimination by hiring several staff who are older than she is and/or have more experience in the industry. She’s willing to hire students as young as 14 because, chances are, they will stay for a long time and, eventually, become seasoned instructors by the time they graduate high school. Parents will already know them, and that creates a confidence factor in the instructors and the school. Three of her instructors have the same level of black belt degree that she has, and staff age ranges from 17 to 70. She has hired a total of three staff members since the takeover. Two are older, and one is younger than she is. She says, “I am blessed that they are gracious and treat me as

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Five Martial Arts School Success Tips Victoria Wagner may be a young martial arts school owner, but she knows some tried-and-true tips for making your school more successful. Here’s what has worked for her: 1. Get involved in the community! Wagner’s involvement in the community has helped her retain students. She participates in charity events for the local schools, and has helped to raise money for K9 police dogs to get bulletproof vests. She has a great connection with the Parent Teacher Child Organization (PTCO)y. When you do fundraisers for academic schools, you gain exposure for your martial arts school, while doing something awesome for the community. 2. Cultivate good relationships with students and parents. Be friendly and inviting, and don’t just answer questions, but ask them. The key to positive relationships with students and parents is to know something about each student, and ask genuine questions that show you care. Keep communication on a friendly and professional level but not too personal. 3. Understand the value of a referral. Many referrals come from students who enjoy Wagner’s program. The student and the referral often become lifelong friends through martial arts. She offers a monetary incentive for students to bring friends to train with them. With every referral, the student receives $25 off his or her tuition bill for the next three months. Twenty-five percent of her new students are referrals. 4. Use social media to market. Social media marketing is where it’s at these days. Wagner uses social media like Instagram and YouTube. She offers contests and promotions, and is starting a demo YouTube channel to bring more views to her school and demo team. 5. Offer flexible contracts and payments. When Wagner took over, the school only offered a contract system. Instead of losing potential students opposed to signing long-term contracts, she made the contract optional. Students can pay flat monthly fees month to month, or three-, six- or ninemonth-contract options. The contract rates have lower payments than month to month, which is the incentive she offers for signing a contract.

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FEATURED STORY respectfully as they treated the prior grandmaster.” She also has some father/son duos who work at the studio. One son is a head manager on the floor and handles a lot of the staffing. He trained under the same instructor that she did. Along with the age issues, she encounters sexism on occasion, although more outside the martial arts school than within. In her college classes, some college classmates refused to believe that she’s a martial art school owner, or “that she can kick butt,” she shares. They’d ask, “Do you think you can beat me up?” She knows these questions are posed because she’s a woman, and that they have no idea that she had 14 years of martial arts experience at the time. It’s very difficult to fight this mindset.

“This is my life’s work and it’s not taken seriously,” she says. Inside her martial art school, she experiences a bit of sexism as well. Especially, she points out, from the male parents of students who tend to ask her who the school owner is and act very surprised when they find out. Wagner acknowledges that there are not many female school owners out there compared to males, which makes her sometimes feel like the “odd woman out” because of her gender.

Benefits of Young Martial Art School Owners

While Wagner has had her share of ups and downs in her new profession, she knows that there are benefits to being a young martial art school owner. Her perseverance in becoming a school owner at a young age shows others that anything is possible, and reminds students that they can and should reach for their dreams. “Age is no reason to quit,” she insists. Wagner also participates in Spartan races, and trains in front of the students to keep them inspired. She is “not a sedentary owner,” she states, and “wants to show the kids she is trained, in shape and can compete.” As a young school owner, Wagner has a good grasp on social media and understands what “this generation of parents want for their children.” The demographic has changed and this affects how parents want to pay for their children’s’ martial arts classes. She has implemented a pricing program that bucks the “contract-only” system. It caters to parents who can’t sign lengthy contracts, or commit to their children’s martial arts training for extensive periods of time. “Not all parents can commit to a ninemonth contract, and if that’s the only factor preventing it, I will work around it. Contracts are messy and not necessary,” she believes.

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“To overcome this [new client enrollment] obstacle, she has tried many different marketing strategies, including visiting local elementary schools, using social media to advertise and performing at school demonstrations. She’s still experimenting with the best options to draw new students. Still, since taking over the school, she has increased enrollment from 142 to 162 active students.” NOVEMBER 2017

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the best pieces of advice she was given was to read MASuccess magazine from cover to cover every month, and to network with some of the professionals highlighted in the magazine. She often uses the business techniques and information provided in the magazine at her martial arts school.â&#x20AC;?

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FEATURED STORY Wagner is out on the floor and teaches every day. She knows that the children want her to teach them and she has the energy necessary to keep all the moving parts of school ownership in motion.

Increasing Revenue

Owning a school is about making profits, like any other business. Along with fees for martial arts classes, Wagner also uses product sales as a source of revenue generation. The school sells its own equipment, t-shirts, hoodies, pajamas, sparring gear and weapons. In summer, she offers summer camps from 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. that cost a flat fee for the entire week. Students can test up one belt rank if they become proficient in that week. Recently, she has partnered with an employee who is setting up a website where students can pay a monthly fee to watch instructional videos by their own instructors. It covers forms, practice combinations, and provides other step-by-step instruction. Once she’s more established in the community, Wagner plans to host demonstrations and tournaments, which will bring not just revenue but more recognition to the school. At the time of the interview, she had hosted two in-house tournaments for her students only, and was beginning to create a competition team. She personally has experience competing.

Wagner has an efficient grasp on the management of her students’ training. She offers testing once every three months for most levels. She has a curriculum-rotation schedule, where students go through the rotation once or twice before being promoted. She says “it is a very effective and efficient system” that has been in place at the school.

Her Advice is to Seek Advice

Wagner heeds the great advice of her former teachers and the original school owner. One of the best pieces of advice she was given was to read MASuccess magazine from cover to cover every month, and to network with some of the professionals highlighted in the magazine. She often uses the business techniques and information provided in the magazine at her martial arts school. She brings some of the information to the studio and presents it in staff meetings, or tries to apply it to the business. As a resource, the magazine also “answers a lot of questions” that she has, she says.

Takeover Complete

Wagner has proven that the disadvantages of age can be overcome and lead to school-owner success. It is, she believes, mindset, perseverance and a willingness to follow your own passion that matters the most — not just age. Having been a martial artist since a young child, she knew instantly what she needed to do when the opportunity presented itself. Although she had a few ups and downs in the initial phases of ownership, she pushed through. She still must combat age and gender discrimination on occasion, but that doesn’t deter her at this stage. You can clearly see the pride she has in owning the studio. And that, dear readers, is the story of how 19-year-old Victoria Wagner successfully negotiated a teenage martial arts school takeover. e m Andrea F. Harkins is an internationally-recognized writer, public speaker, martial artist of 28 years and life coach. Her book, The Martial Arts Woman, is now available at themartialartswoman.storenvy.com. She can be reached for questions or comments at www.themartialartswoman. com or www.andreaharkins.com. To learn more about how hundreds of other successful school owners, both large and small, operate, 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 on just about any topic from A to Z. NOVEMBER 2017

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COLUMN

CONSULTANT’S CORNER

4 Tips to Make a Referral Program Work in Your School

BY SHANE TASSOUL MAIA CONSULTANT

“WHEN A STUDENT REFERS SOMEONE TO YOUR SCHOOL WHO ENROLLS IN YOUR PROGRAM, GIVE THE STUDENT A $50 GIFT CARD TO THE RESTAURANT OR RETAILER OF HIS/HER CHOICE, OR A $75 GIFT CARD TO YOUR PRO SHOP.”

hen speaking with school owners from around the country, I often hear the number-one way they get a new student is through word-of-mouth marketing (a.k.a., “referrals”). So, I’m constantly amazed at how many schools don’t have a solid referral-rewards system in place. As you know, there is no higher compliment you can receive as a business owner than when someone refers someone else to your business. Having a referral-reward system in your school will help keep those referrals coming and make it fun for your students, too. Announcing Your Referral-Rewards Program If you currently don’t have a referral-reward program, or if it’s been a while since you’ve promoted it, here’s what to do. Tell the parents that you really appreciate how many of them have been referring students to your school. Thank them for having the confidence in you and your school and elaborate to let them know how thankful you are. Inform them that you want to make it fun for the kids — and that’s why you have a referral-reward program. Here are four tips to making this program work in your school. Tip #1: People Must Know That You Have a Referral-Reward Program I know that may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many people don’t know you even have a referral program. Thus, the number one challenge in having a great referral program is making sure people know about it. Put up banners and posters informing your students and parents about your referral-rewards program. When a new student enrolls, make sure you go over your referral-reward program and explain how it works. Also, give them some passes for a free week or two that they can give to their friends. These passes are a simple tool to make it easy for them to refer you.

Tip #2: Recommended Rewards When a student refers someone to your school who enrolls in your program, give the student a reward as your way of saying thank you. One option is to give a $50 gift card to the restaurant or retailer of his or her choice, or a $75 gift card to your pro shop. Having these choices allows the students to pick the reward they want. Another option is to have a prize wheel. This is a lot of fun for the kids! Display the prize wheel with different dollar-amount values for prizes. I recommend a couple $25 spots, a few $50 and $75 spots and one $100 spot. Tip #3: Publicly Present the Reward in Front of Class When a student refers someone to your school and earns a referral reward, it’s important to reward that student publicly. When students see this person getting rewarded, they also get excited about bringing a friend and having the opportunity to spin the wheel as well. In the case of the $50 gift card to the restaurant or retailer of their choice or the $75 pro-shop credit, simply announce it in front of class. Let the class know what option the student chose. Then present the reward in front of all the students. This will keep your rewards program exciting and provide top-of-mind awareness for your students. In this case, let’s assume the child picked a $50 gift card to Toys R Us. Congratulate him and ask him what he plans on buying? By painting this mental picture, you get other students excited about what they might buy when they refer someone. In the case of the prize wheel, you can get the class to participate by chanting “One hundred, one hundred!” while the student spins the wheel. When it lands on the dollar amount, simply give the child the cash. Then paint the picture again by asking him or her what they’re going to spend their money on. Tip #4: Double the Rewards By having the reward be a relatively small denomination, we can offer double rewards a couple times of year, especially during membership drives, to make it double the fun for kids. Pick a few slower times of year for recruitment and offer double the reward as an incentive to help boost sagging enrollments. Let’s finish out the year by getting referrals on purpose and have some fun in the process! e m Shane Tassoul can be reached at (920) 450-5425 or stassoul@masuccess.com.

MASUCCESS

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COLUMN

MASTERFUL RETENTION

Referrals: The Hidden Asset in Retention

BY CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD

“I SEE A COMMON MISTAKE IN PURSUING A TACTIC TO GENERATE REFERRALS. THAT IS, ASKING FOR A REFERRAL BEFORE YOU FIRST CHECK TO ENSURE YOUR EXISTING MEMBERS ARE RECEIVING THE BENEFITS THEY EXPECT.”

veryone likes to get referrals. There’s nothing like the feeling of someone already being predisposed to training at your school. They come in already knowing from a trusted source that your school is the place to be. They have already determined affordability and that the value they will receive is well worth the price being charged. What could be easier! You gain a new student with little or no extra effort. It’s so easy it kind of makes you wonder why more effort isn’t spent generating referral opportunities. Most instructors think in terms of adding one new student with each referral. I believe a strong case can be made that you just took a very positive step in the retention of your existing referring member, too. Dean Jackson, one of the top 50 marketers in the world, often reminds his listening audience of this. It is the referring member who gets the great feeling for doing both his friend and his instructor the opportunity to share mutual benefit from a newly created relationship. And as the referring member, the likelihood of he or she discontinuing their lessons just moved from a slim chance to no chance at all. With the recognition and appreciation gained from the instructor, the relationship grows. Now, the friendship to the member who was referred is stronger as well, since they now share another common interest.

Creating the condition for a steady stream of referrals is grounded in solid retention strategies. You can’t have referrals before you have students who love what you do. With this in mind, I see a common mistake in pursuing a tactic to generate referrals. This mistake not only delivers lackluster results, but can even hurt retention. That is, asking for a referral before you first check to ensure your existing members are receiving the benefits they expect. This mistake is very common and is seen in many businesses. It’s the multi-level marketing company that wants all of your friends and family members’ names prior to you first enjoying and benefiting from the product. It’s the referral contests that attempt to bribe the good word from someone for a chance to win a shiny object. While these ideas may be successful and have their place in the mix of marketing, they all need to come after ensuring your students are loving their experience. Put yourself in the place of a student who is continually asked, either directly or indirectly through some kind of incentive, to provide a referral. But what if that student doesn’t feel like the classes are delivering on the promise to help him reach his goals? The referral requests can potentially cause a feeling of resentment. The student thinks, “You’re asking me for a referral, but you haven’t even checked in with me first to make certain I am benefitting.” The asking can actually do more harm to the relationship and speed up a student’s decision to drop out. You’ve probably heard the old saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This scenario I describe above is one real-world application of that popular maxim. You should regularly check in with your students with questions like, “How’s your training going?” “What area do you feel you have made the most progress in?” “What area of your training would you like to improve?” These are all great questions that demonstrate your caring. Questions asked — and answers carefully listened to — will absolutely retain your students. They will lay the necessary groundwork for installing a referral system that both adds members and solidifies your existing students’ commitment to training with you. Yes, it’s true! Approached correctly, referral systems will absolutely help you keep students and will ensure their commitment to longterm training. e mC hris Rappold can be reached for questions or comments at founder@personalbestkarate.com.

MASUCCESS

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COLUMN

THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING

My Five Martial Arts Gratitudes

BY BETH A. BLOCK

“I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEND FIVE MINUTES CONSIDERING YOUR MARTIAL ARTS GRATITUDES. STAYING IN TOUCH WITH GRATITUDE HELPS US REMEMBER THAT LIFE IS WORTHWHILE.”

017 has been the year of “five-example” topics for me. Since this column appears in the November issue of MASuccess, when Thanksgiving is celebrated, I’m filled with a great sense of gratitude. So, this month I’d like to share five martial gratitudes. Gratitude #5 I have had the honor of training as a martial arts student for 16 years now. Over that time, I have always trained in the same studio, but I’ve had the privilege of having no fewer than eight instructors. Each instructor provides different knowledge and insight. I believe I’ve become a better martial artist, and human, as a result of this terrific range of teachers. Gratitude #4 2017 has been a year of health challenges for me. I’ve been diagnosed with a bone-onbone right hip and with epilepsy. The excellent news is both are completely treatable. I’ve begun the anti-seizure medication required for the epilepsy. And I expect to have the hip replacement before the end of 2017. sixteen years of martial arts training has provided me with the physical and mental discipline to overcome these challenges. Gratitude #3 The martial arts community is a family. My studio is literally family. So many of my fellow students are encouraging and supportive, both within and outside the studio. My best friend came from the studio. So have my mentors. Yes, as with all families, we occasionally squabble and we always have one another’s backs. My time writing this MASuccess column, going to the Martial Arts SuperShow and interacting with the Martial Arts Industry Association’s team has all taught me that the sense of family is not limited to my studio. I have made many terrific friends, for which I am eternally grateful.

Gratitude #2 The physical skills I’ve learned from martial arts help me in so many ways other than defending myself. As I’m adjusting to the anti-seizure medication, I am frequently dizzy. All of the quick reaction and balance drills I’ve done over the past 16 years have been invaluable. Thus far, I’ve kept my feet through every bout of dizziness. I’m also confident that, if one day I do not keep my feet, my training for proper, safe falling will keep me from hurting myself during the fall. Gratitude #1 I’m grateful for each and every one of you, too. Every martial arts instructor, enrollment director and studio owner impacts hundreds of lives. Over the years, you have so many people cycle through your doors. Often, then, you don’t even know how you’ve impacted an individual. I’ve personally spoken with many people that attest to the difference martial arts has played in their life. My mother, who had watched our classes for years, is one example. She was in her late 70s, tripped over our dog and executed a correct forward fall, avoiding serious injury! A middle-aged woman I spoke to had been in an abusive marriage for decades. She finally gathered enough self-esteem to leave the abusive marriage after achieving her black belt. A middle-school boy had been bullied at school for years. His training in martial arts taught him he is a valuable individual, and he found the confidence to verbally repel the bullying without feeling the need to fight. A young adult had never finished anything — not school, not a job, not even a hobby. He was so excited and committed to martial arts that he stayed through achieving his black belt. Ten years later, he had been on the same job and advanced beyond an entry-level position. He shared with me that achieving his black belt taught him he can commit and accomplish positive results in life. In each of these cases, and hundreds more, you all make a huge positive impact in lives. I encourage you to spend five minutes considering your martial arts gratitudes. Staying in touch with gratitude helps us remember that life is worthwhile and allows us to shake off the minor annoyances that we all face. As you come together with your family for Thanksgiving, it is great to approach that day with an attitude of gratitude already in place. e

m Beth Block can be reached at (800) 225-0863 or beth@blockins.net.

MASUCCESS

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COLUMN

THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE

One Lesson and Three Pet Peeves

BY PHILIP E. GOSS, JR., ESQ.

“SENDING A UNILATERAL EMAIL DOES NOT CREATE A CONTRACT. BUT IT SHOWS SOME LOGICAL ELECTRONIC PAPER TRAIL THAT YOU ADVISED THE INSURANCE CARRIER OF THE NEW RISK.”

realize that I offer suggestions many times that, without an example of context, don’t necessarily resonate. So, when I get a chance to associate an event with a real-life scenario, I want to do so. This week presented such an opportunity. You have likely read that I believe that anything negotiated is worth memorializing in writing. This most certainly does not mean that, when an issue is agreed upon, you must take the time to execute a multi-page contract. However, some things are worth the several minutes it takes to write a verifying email. It can detail your version of the events with the disclaimer that, should the other side disagree, they should immediately voice (or email) their concerns to the contrary. Now, my story. I’m an attorney with civil experience in parts of four decades, but limited experience in criminal courts. Occasionally, however, I will dip my toes into the criminal pool under the right set of circumstances. Some time ago, a friend’s child found himself in a spot of trouble in another county. I was asked to assist and was able to negotiate a favorable pretrial diversion that was agreeable to all parties. As is my habit, immediately after the state attorney and I reached our agreement, I sent him an email detailing the negotiated plea. Most importantly, I asked him to immediately get back with me should his recollection of the terms we agreed to differ from what I stated in the email. He never replied. Fast forward to last week. While in open court for what should have been a 30-second plea agreement before the judge, our anticipated perfunctory hearing went sideways! The state attorney handling the hearing was different from the one with whom I had negotiated our previous deal. This one stated that my client was required to provide a certain number of hours of community service. My recollection of that number was different.

We were clearly at an impasse. Fortunately, I produced the email I had sent previously. The state attorney read the terms I memorialized and recognized that no email was sent back to me disputing the terms I remembered. The failure of a busy state attorneys’ office to respond to my email was not legally binding on the state. Nevertheless, he did the right thing and agreed to my terms. What does this mean for you? Let’s use an everyday example. I always preach that if you need to make any changes to your liability insurance, you should contact your insurance agent and advise him or her of the change. This includes adding a driver or providing additional services (i.e., birthday parties, Parent’s Night Out or MMA classes). Likely, this will not trigger a change in your payment or require the execution of a new policy. However, it’s imperative that you have something showing that you did the correct thing in self-reporting the change. This way, if something occurs where you need coverage, it shouldn’t be denied. As before, sending a unilateral email doesn’t create a contract, but it shows some logical electronic paper trail that you advised the insurance carrier of the new risk. Again, and most importantly, be sure to specifically state that if they disagree with what you say were the facts of the conversation as set forth in the email, they contact you immediately. This five-minute task could save your day and a great deal of heartache. It certainly saved our day, since another trip to this court would have required several hours in travel time. Three Pet Peeves Finally, please allow me to vent to all school owners my three pet peeves of the service industry. Do with my suggestions as you wish. First, don’t let your employees take the parking spaces closest to your front door. They’ll be there for a while and the customers should be shown the respect. Plus, it just looks bad when your able-bodied employees occupy the front spaces. Second, teach your employees to count back the customer’s money after a cash transaction. I realize that this is a lost art, but simply handing a customer a handful of money along with a receipt is frustrating. My third pet peeve needs no explanation. Ban the employees’ use of cell phones while on the clock. Parents need to know that their children are your first and only priority. Even an employee’s quick peek to check their cell phone is maddening. e ttorney Phil Goss, Jr. welcomes any email comments or questions mA at PhilGosslaw@gmail.com and will attempt to respond personally, time permitting.

MASUCCESS

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NOVEMBER 2017

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INSPIRATION OVATION

Warriors That Feel Fear

BY KAREN EDEN

“EVERYBODY FEELS FEAR. IT’S JUST THAT A WARRIOR WILL KEEP GOING ANYWAY. WHY? BECAUSE IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. JUST ASK ANY SOLDIER OR LAWENFORCEMENT OFFICER.”

eventeen years ago, I started a martial arts program in the inner city area of Denver. The program was picked up by The Salvation Army, and soon became one of their most successful community-based programs. I was then asked if I would help them build up other community-based programs. I agreed to help and soon found myself spending a lot of time in what was considered a very bad part of town. It wasn’t long before I was feeling a lot of resistance from the predominantly ethnic community. I couldn’t understand why since I was only there to help! I started making changes that I felt would best benefit the kids who were in school for most of the day. Employees revolted, mothers were cussing me out. Even the students were coming in saying they wanted me to leave. Well, you have to know me at my very core to understand that that would only make me more determined to do what I

thought was best. But then, the big guns came out. Someone left me a gang flag tagged with a message that basically communicated I was going to go down if I didn’t stop what I was doing. The police department got their gang unit involved, and things only got worse. Some of the coaches brought in were getting arrested for selling drugs. Employees were getting fired for fixing programs and stealing money. Finally, one day law enforcement walked in the center and told me that some concerning intel came back. Evidently, they discovered that a shooting was going to go down inside the center as part of gang retaliation. It was like a cold wave rushed over me. I was officially in a state of fear. From friends to the advisory board, everyone was telling me to quit. But in my heart, I could not. I saw these little kids come in every day to learn martial arts or participate in other activities. I knew they had nothing else. They had no one at home half the time, and no one to guide and protect them!

For some reason, heaven must have had it set that I would be the person to cause change to take place. Three gang-related shootings went down that summer. All three of those young men who died were members of the center where I was teaching. I had to put the center on lockdown more than once! That was the summer I discovered what Karen Eden was truly made of. When the good people were vacating left and right, I stood my ground — and I practically did so alone. The change needed eventually came, to hopefully protect kids in the neighborhood for many years to come. The management changed over, the staff was let go, and I sent a loud message that this center was not going to tolerate gang activity. I proudly walked out one day — with a police escort! For those who think that “warriors” don’t feel fear, you are sadly mistaken. Everybody feels fear. It’s just that a warrior will keep going anyway. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. Just ask any soldier or law-enforcement officer. Show me a warrior that fears, and I’ll show you a committed individual, someone wired to move forward when everyone else is moving back. It’s so easy to quit, cower or hide when fear walks through the door. I have discovered that most people out there will do just that. But someone who will not stop in the face of fear is someone who deserves the right to be called “warrior.” Today, the program spans several countries in the most desolate and crime-ridden cities of the world. What that really tells me is that I’m not the only crazy person who can’t quit when Master Karen Eden’s Inner-City Martial Arts, Denver. faced with fear. I’m actually humbled by what some of these other martial arts instructors are doing. The danger they face is way greater than anything I’ve ever faced! Somebody’s got to make a difference in the world. That difference always starts with a warrior who feels fear, and keeps moving forward anyway. e

mY ou can contact Master Karen Eden at renedenherdman@gmail.com.

MASUCCESS

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