October 2019 by MASuccess

OCTOBER 2019

OCTOBER 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ $5.99 US

MASUCCESS

www.MASUCCESS.com

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

RETENTION DONE RIGHT!

Longtime MASuccess columnist Kathy Olevsky and her husband show you how to keep your black belts training and paying tuition!

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

PETER GROOTENHUIS: QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION! HOW TO HOLD A

RECORD BREAKING HOLIDAY SALE

YEAR AFTER YEAR

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORCE AND STRENGTH LEADERSHIP REQUIRES ONE, AND IS HURT BY THE OTHER

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

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

Introducing New C-Gear Solids! Learn more about the entire C-Gear line at centurymartialarts.com/c-gear.

CONTENTS FEATURES 28

RETENTION DONE RIGHT! BY K E I T H D . YAT E S

Rob and Kathy Olevsky (author of MASuccess’ “You Messed Up! Now What?” column) took over a struggling school in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1979. Forty years later, they have not only a thriving business, but dozens of black belts who are happy to pay full tuition. Learn what they did right — and a few things they did wrong — along the way!

HOW TO HOLD A RECORDBREAKING HOLIDAY SALE YEAR AFTER YEAR BY

M I C HA EL

A .

P E R R I

40 BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP BY

NG UYEN

“ TOM”

PETER GROOTENHUIS: QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION! BY TERRY L. WILSON

Peter Grootenhuis possess one of the most brilliant scientific minds in the world, but his body is fighting a losing battle to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Teaching from his wheelchair, Grootenhuis is an inspiration to everyone at Pacific Martial Arts in San Diego. His message, “quitting is not an option,” is one of many legacies he will leave in his wake.

44 IN THE CLASSROOM BY

DAV E

12 IN THE KNOW

KOVAR

My 12 Rules for Training, Part 2

18 HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

62 TURNING POINT BY

HERB

B ORKL AND

Mike Proctor: The First Time Putting on a Gi

64 THE CENTURION 7 Things Kids Learn From Martial Arts

66 YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT? BY

KATHY

22 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 24 THE MAIA REPORT 26 MARKETING RESOURCE

OLEV SKY

Where are my new members?

86 CONSULTANT’S CORNER B Y M A I A C O N S U LT A N T JASON FLAME

5 Reasons to Focus on Superior Service Versus Sales

68 SCHOOL SHOWCASE

88 MASTERFUL RETENTION C HRI STOPHER

RAPPOL D

5 Insights into the Human-Relations Side of Retention

90 THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING BY

B ETH

A .

B LOC K

Know Your State’s Mandated-Reporter Law

92 THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE BY

PHI L I P

G OS S

JR.,

96 INSPIRATION OVATION BY

KAREN

EDEN

MAXIM OF THE MONTH If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.

ESQ.

A New Year in July? Check Changes in the Law Twice a Year!

Being the Cheese

MASUCCESS

04 FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

G RI G G S

The Difference Between Force and Strength

DEPARTMENTS

COLUMNS

JR.

What if I told you that there was a system that you could implement in your school to generate tens of thousands of dollars in sales in only four hours on a weekend? What if I also said that some schools have used this system and made over $100,000 in those four hours? These results are not an anomaly. The Championship Martial Arts system of holiday sales has helped many schools turn a slow season into the year’s most profitable month!

OCTOBER 2019

— BRUCE LEE

ESK

28 50

74 OCTOBER 2019

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

In Martial Art Schools, We’ve Hit the Trifecta! BY FRANK SILVERMAN

MAIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“We know it’s always less expensive to keep a client than to find a new one, so hop on the phone, send emails and post to Facebook. You need to do whatever it takes to get your students back on the mat.”

t’s the most wonderful time of the year — for martial arts schools, that is. We’ve hit the trifecta: the end of the hot days of summer, the start of back-to-school time and the edge of the holiday season. Any one of these three warrants an individual column, or even a full- fledged article, but I have only 700 words. Since that’s the case, I will attempt to wrap everything into one column. I want to cover the essential details of the question, How do we handle the transition from summer’s end through back-toschool and into the holidays? First, regardless of how good or bad summer was, we need to focus on getting everyone who took a break, no matter how long or short, back to regular class attendance. We know it’s always less expensive to keep a client than to find a new one, so hop on the phone, send emails and post to Facebook. You need to do whatever it takes to get your students back on the mat. Host welcome-back events. Offer free private mini-lessons and special make-up camps or classes to those who have been absent. Whatever it takes, get them back. These students will eventually help refer new members for the back-to-school season and, of course, become buyers during the holiday season.

As for back-to-school, first and foremost you must remember that you have a current student base. This is important for two reasons. First, we often pay less attention to current students while we focus on new members. This can lead to higher-than-usual turnover of existing members during this time of year. It does no good to sign up one new member and lose two existing members for lack of attention. Your young students especially may be caught up in the thrill of school-based activities and new extracurriculars. You need to provide an experience that keeps martial arts in first place in their minds.

MASUCCESS

Second, you should understand that everyone in your school is part of the marketing machine that helps you acquire new members. At this time of year, referrals must be a top priority. If existing members aren’t happy or if they quit, your machine shrinks, leaving you with fewer people to promote your school and refer new students. Finally, to tie this into the holidays, you need as many people participating on the mat as possible if you want not only to end the year strong but also to have success in your holiday sales. Holiday sales are partially a numbers game. Whether you’re a martial arts school or big-box retailer, your success starts with getting as many people as possible through your doors. The key is getting everyone involved. Some students will spend a lot; some only a little. The key to success is having everyone spend something. Another great thing about holiday sales is that you don’t have to make this a hard sell. Everyone wants and needs items for their favorite activity/hobby (martial arts), and the holidays are the perfect time to ask for them! Remember that spending during the holiday season not only helps the bottom line but also helps your students — and it’s great for retention. Students are more engaged in activities when they have just invested in equipment and gear related to that activity. At the end of the day, simply put, this is a great time of year. Stay focused and let’s all enjoy this most wonderful season! e m Contact Frank Silverman at teamcfck@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook @franksilverman.

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

MELISSA TORRES IS THE DIVISION

Director of the Martial Arts Industry Association,

Manager of the Martial Arts Industry Association.

and the owner and operator of 11 martial arts

She is a practitioner of kung fu san soo, Cage

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

Fitness and yoga. She is passionate about helping

Business Is Business: Passion and Profit in the

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

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

school owners succeed and achieve their goals.

THE MAIA REPORT

She can be reached at mtorres@masuccess.com.

teamcfck@aol.com.

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

NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS, ED.D., IS

he operates Pro-Mac (Professional Martial Arts

a sensei in Japanese jujitsu at TNT Jujitsu under

College), dedicated to helping martial artists

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

BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP

IN THE CLASSROOM

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

hire him to develop black belt-level professionals

and Cutting-Edge Classroom Concepts. In 2010,

in the areas of Teams, Leadership and Conflict

he was the recipient of the Martial Arts Industry

Management. Feel free to email him at

Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Contact

tom@ntgriggs.com.

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

HERB BORKLAND WAS ONE OF

CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD IS THE

Jhoon Rhee’s original white belts at America’s

founder of a successful martial arts organization,

first taekwondo school and, later, a closed-door

Personal Best Karate, headquartered in Norton,

student of Chinese “soft” styles pioneer Robert

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

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

TURNING POINT

is currently the executive director of the world-

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

MASTERFUL RETENTION

Fame martial arts writer. He can be reached at

MASUCCESS

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

MIKE METZGER IS A MARTIAL ARTS

BETH BLOCK, A 4TH-DEGREE BLACK

Industry Association (MAIA) consultant and a

belt in karate, is the president of Block Insurance

successful multi-school owner with 14 schools

in Orlando, FL. Block has protected businesses

nationwide. He has consulted for various school

that serve children for the past 24 years. She is

owners around the world. He can be contacted via

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

herbork@comcast.net.

CONSULTANT’S CORNER

renowned Team Paul Mitchell, a championship

email at mmetzger@masuccess.com.

THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING!

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

STAFF MASUCCESS IS PUBLISHED BY

SARAH LOBBAN IS THE ASSOCIATE Publications Editor for the Martial Arts Industry Association. She has trained and fought in MMA and muay thai, and currently trains in jeet kune do. She

IN THE KNOW

can be reached at slobban@centurymartialarts.com.

VOL. 20, NO. 10

OCTOBER 2019 MAIA LLC, 1000 Century Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73110;

EDITOR EMERITUS

John Corcoran

(866) 626-6226.

EDITOR

Robert Young

KATHY OLEVSKY AND HER HUSBAND, Rob, own and operate Karate International in

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

North Carolina. Kathy is the managing partner

Frank Silverman

in their five-school operation. She’s an 8thdegree black belt with 32 full-time years of

YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

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

E R I C T H E T R A I N E R ( E R I C P. Fleishman) is a Hollywood-based celebrity personal trainer with over 28 years’ experience. He has worked with top actors and musicians, MMA fighters, and the military. He hosts the popular TV

HEALTH KICK!

show “Celebrity Sweat,” which you can watch on Amazon Prime. His enthusiastic message of living

Melissa Torres ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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

Jan Szijarto ART DIRECTOR

Todd Bane

a healthy life has been adopted by many groups,

GRAPHIC DESIGN

most recently the American Culinary Federation. For

Kaily Prince Bridgette Rabe

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

THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE

MAIA DIVISION MANAGER

COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTORS

David Barnett

Sarah Lobban

Beth A. Block

Mike Metzger

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

Herb Borkland

Kristin Miller

member of the Florida and several other Federal Bar

Karen Eden

Kathy Olevsky

Associations. Phil welcomes any e-mail comments

Jason Flame

Suzanne Pisano

or questions at PhilGosslaw@gmail.com and will

Eric P. Fleishman

Christopher Rappold

attempt to respond personally, time permitting.

Antonio Fournier

Frank Silverman

Philip E. Goss Jr., Esq.

Shane Tassoul

Nguyen “Tom” Griggs

Melissa Torres

IBISWorld.com Perry William Kelly

KAREN EDEN IS A 6TH-DEGREE

Kurt Klingenmeyer

master of tang soo do. She’s a broadcast journalist

Dave Kovar

who has appeared nationally on CNN, FOX and Animal Planet as well as on local affiliates

INSPIRATION OVATION

for NBC and PBS. Karen is also a published book author and magazine columnist who has written for or been featured in every major

CORRESPONDENTS

Herb Borkland (VA) Karen Eden (CO) Andrea F. Harkins (AZ) Andre Lima (CA)

Perry William Kelly (CANADA) Terry L. Wilson (CA) Keith D. Yates (TX)

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

martial arts magazine globally. Contact her at renedenherdman@gmail.com.

PUBLISHER

David Wahl

OCTOBER 2019

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

RE PA Y PO

TS EN M

SUP

S OF T WA

S OF T WAR

IN THE KNOW

BY SARAH LOBBAN

WORDS OF WISDOM

“

BEHIND EVERY CHAMPION IS A TEAM THAT PREPARED HIM TO BECOME THAT CHAMPION. — ANDERSON SILVA

MAIA ASSOCIATE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

”

MARTIAL ARTS TRIVIA 1

Name three of the seven virtues outlined in the Bushido Code.

Which martial art was Ji Han-Jae (1936 – present) responsible for popularizing?

Who was the first woman signed to fight in the UFC?

Which of these is not a sutemi-waza (sacrifice technique) in judo? A) Uki goshi B) Daki wakare C) Yoko otoshi D) Tawara gaeshi

2) Hapkido 3) Ronda Rousey 4) A MASUCCESS

ANSWERS: 1) Integrity/justice, respect, courage, honor, compassion, honesty, loyalty

YOU ASKED DO YOU HOST SUMMER CAMPS?

IN THE KNOW

STATS SPEAK

Yes, we host a variety of summer camps from specialty camps for students to fun camps, which are open to friends and nonstudents.” — M E L O D Y J O H N S O N , S K I L L Z W O R L D W I D E , S T. P E T E R S B U R G , F L

THE MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY EMPLOYS APPROXIMATELY

86,000

INDIVIDUALS IN THE US.

Yes, we host summer camps. Some years we have done as many as eight camps, while other years we did just one week of each month.” — T E R I L E E , S U N N Y V A L E M A R T I A L A R T S A C A D E M Y, S U N N Y V A L E , C A

No, although we do offer some daytime classes to make up any missed classes during the summer.” — J A S O N F L A M E , TA N G S O O D O U N I V E R S I T Y & M O O R PA R K K R AV M A G A , M O O R PA R K , C A

We have found that summer camps are an outstanding way to increase retention by giving participating students a different experience outside of their regular class. We offer engaging sessions such as weapons, kicks and tricks, and MMA to get them excited and trying new things.” — K U R T K L I N G E N M E Y E R , B L A C K B E LT K A R A T E S T U D I O , R A C I N E , W I

OCTOBER 2019

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In 2009, Len Fridman started a local bootcamp in his neighborhood park. It was a rewarding endeavor that helped people of all ages, sizes, and fitness levels. Soon, what started as a local passion project turned into multiple locations across the country. Riding on this success, Len and his childhood friend Sasha Davids partnered with fitness businesses across North America to create the MetaBody Fitness Pass, with upwards of 60,000 active clients at its peak. But along with their success, came a list of hurdles with their business management software provider.

On top of subscription fee increases, their software provider was unable to support MetaBody’s business model. Instead, Len and Sasha were faced with convoluted workarounds and unreasonable price hikes. They decided enough was enough. They took matters into their own hands and created a simple software system to help their own instructors manage their schedules. That’s when WellnessLiving was born.

Built with customers in mind since day one, now WellnessLiving is an all-in-one user-friendly fitness management software with everything a martial arts studio owner needs to run their business. On top of essential features like online scheduling, WellnessLiving offers linked profiles for families, merchandising management, a rewards program, staff and client apps, and so much more. WellnessLiving is now trusted by thousands of business and over 7.1 million users. With an economical pricing structure and an enthusiastic team that’s growing every day, WellnessLiving is truly the software company with a heart. Book a free, no-obligation demo at wellnessliving.com

THANK YOU, SPONSORS T I TA N IU M S P O N S O R

P L AT I N U M S P O N S O R

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Without the support of our sponsors, the SuperShow would not be possible. Please remember them when considering products and services for your martial arts school. PRESENTED BY

HEAR FROM YOUR PEERS

1 2 3

W H AT S ECURI T Y SY S T EM OR SY S T EMS D O E S YOUR S CHO OL US E?

Alarm

Camera

Neither

Both

DO YOU INCORPORATE WARM-UP OR COOL-DOWN PERIODS INTO YOUR CLASS TIME?

Just Cool-Down

Neither

Both

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DO YOU EVER RUN FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY DRILLS AT YOUR SCHOOL?

YES

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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

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

MASUCCESS

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

MAIA FOUNDATIONS Martial Arts Industry Association

www.MAIAHub.com

You Own a School. Now What? It’s time you had a blueprint for success.

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ONLINE PRESENCE?

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U How to Advertise to Parents on social media. U How to Enrich Your Facebook Business page so more traffic and engagement fills up your online home.

U And so much more

Learn about the brand-new MAIA Foundations 6-month course today and impact your school faster. Spots are limited. Reserve your seat today at MAIAFoundations.com or call 866.626.6226.

a Visit MAIAFoundations.com or call 866.626.6226. OCTOBER 2019

THE MAIA REPORT

Staying On Top of Social Media Doesn’t Have to be a Struggle! Facebook is dying. Social media is officially coming to an end. And now that I have your attention — no, it absolutely is

BY MELISSA TORRES

MAIA DIVISION MANAGER

whatever your goals are for your school: MAIA Edge. Many of you have heard of it; it’s been around for

not. Hopefully, none of you got your hopes up. The fact is,

years. MAIA Edge is a massive resource library that

social media is growing in prevalence and in importance to

brings you business tools, marketing content, how-to

our industry. We can’t escape Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

videos and so much more! It would be impossible to list

— you name it. The great news is, when used correctly,

everything Edge does in one column.

social media can help you tremendously. I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t know how to run

“Facebook and other social media platforms are always inventing new and exciting ways to connect us to our audience on a daily (or hourly) basis. It can be easy to fall behind. That’s why MAIA provides numerous tools to help you navigate the world of social media and hit all your goals!”

will increase your retention and student count or meet

But back in June, the Edge team developed a new gamechanger: our Social Media Calendar. This tool

paid ads.” “I don’t even have a Facebook page for my

is now included with membership. The Calendar is a

school.” Or maybe, “I have Facebook and Instagram pag-

detailed monthly plan that includes exactly what to

es, but they don’t get me new students and they’re not

post, when to post and even the images and copy that

worth the headache to keep up with!”

you need.

Hopefully, some of you are already ahead of the curve

The Calendar will tell you when to market an event,

and know a thing or two about what and when to post.

when to share an article highlighting the benefits of

You may even have an idea of how to drive new students

martial arts to your students and parents, what images

to your doors. But most school owners are simply so busy

to use, how to write the copy and so much more. They

answering phones, training instructors, teaching classes

have gone into such detail to make it a foolproof way

and cleaning bathrooms that they don’t have time to

of having a done-for-you marketing plan for your social

focus on social media.

media pages.

Last month, I talked about the new MAIA Foundations

The Calendar also includes access to a closed Face-

program that allows you to get group consulting on the

book group so you can get tips, ask questions, download

business and digital-marketing side of your school. We

the next monthly calendar, connect directly with the

are currently in the middle of our first session, and I’ve

MAIA Edge team and more.

already seen dozens of positive reviews from school owners and instructors just like you who have had their eyes opened to what goes into social media. Social media changes constantly. Facebook and other

The best part is that the price of MAIA Edge didn’t increase. It’s just another benefit of being a member. So if you don’t know what to post on your school’s social media pages, or if you feel shy about how to write your

platforms are always inventing new and exciting ways to

copy, this is something that will greatly benefit you. I

connect us to our audience on a daily (or hourly) basis.

encourage everyone to check it out.

On one hand, this is great news! It means that we will

You can learn more about the MAIA Edge Social Media

never have to go far to find and interact with current and

Calendar by visiting MAIAEdge.com and filling out the

potential new students, especially those belonging to

online form. Or just check out the MAIA Edge Facebook

younger generations. On the other hand, the ongoing up-

page and leave a message or comment.

grades and changes to social media platforms mean that it can be easy to fall behind. That’s why MAIA provides numerous tools to help you navigate the world of social media and hit all your goals!

I promise that you will be impressed when you see this calendar. It will take all the guesswork out of your daily life so you can get back to doing everything else on your list!

I mentioned MAIA Foundations last month (if you missed that issue, make sure to find the September edition of MASuccess or look it up on our website). So this month, I want to tell you about another option that

MASUCCESS

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

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RETENTION DONE RIGHT! BYKEITH YATES

Rob and Kathy Olevsky (author of MASuccess’ “You Messed Up! Now What?” column) took over a struggling school in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1979. Forty years later, they have not only a thriving business but also dozens of black belts who are happy to pay full tuition. Learn what they did right — and a few things they did wrong — along the way!

MASUCCESS

DESIGNED BYKAILY PRINCE

It was the late 1970s, and Kathy Kilmartin was a 21-year-old taking karate lessons at the only martial arts school in Raleigh, North Carolina. She caught the eye of one of the instructors, a man named Rob Olevsky, but the dojo had a strict policy against teachers dating students. However, after repeated requests, the school’s owner said Rob could ask her out on a date — but only if Rob bought out Kathy’s contract in case she quit. Rob agreed immediately, but Kathy wasn’t as eager when it came to dating. Rob had to ask her four times before she finally said yes! It was the start of a lifelong martial arts journey for the two of them. Rob and Kathy hadn’t been married long when they decided to purchase the dojo. Kathy wasn’t a black belt yet, but she had developed such a passion for karate that she was confident this was the path for them. One of the first decisions they made was to ask the previous owner to stay on and run the school for 10 days so they could embark on a cross-country road trip. They drove almost 3,500 miles from North Carolina to California and then back to North Carolina in Rob’s trusty Datsun truck. “That turned out to be our first smart decision because we didn’t get to have another vacation for 15 years,” Kathy says. She remembers that the school, now called Karate International of Raleigh, had only 15 students at the time and was making $1,000 a month — barely enough to cover the rent and utilities, let alone recreation.

The original building was 1,200 square feet, but the Olevskys soon expanded to 3,000 square feet. Five years later they expanded again, doubling its size. “Then we moved the school, but it turned out to be a bad location,” Kathy recalls. “About five years later we found our current 8,000-square-foot location.” Moving so frequently and opening other branches in those early years taught the couple much about running a business. “I think we did everything possible wrong in those days,” Kathy says, laughing. “We had five locations at one point, and we hired a bunch of people to work with us with mixed results. One embezzled money from us, and there were other hardships. “We were young and had little kids, and it seemed like we were spending hours driving all over — we basically had no life. After five or so years, we decided it was better for our family to have just one location.” But 10 years later in 1994, one of their students, a black belt who lived nearby, expressed a desire to open his own school. Rob and Kathy agreed to license their dojo name to him.

”

RETENTIONDONE RIGHT! “We’ve gone through several phases with that,” Kathy says. “At one point, we had five schools, but now there are two licensees plus our main location for a total of three.”

The Olevskys’ son Josh started sweeping floors at the school as a 14-year-old. Today, at 34, he runs the main dojo. “Josh has taught with us for 20 years and has helped us simplify and refine our business practices,” Kathy says. Although Josh is the de facto manager, his parents still come into the school every day: Kathy in the morning, and Rob later in the afternoon. The couple’s black-belt daughter Casey — who doesn’t work at the school because she’s vice president for a marketing firm in Washington, D.C. — serves as the social media guru for Karate International of Raleigh. She handles that task so well that several other martial arts school owners have become clients. “Family business can be tough,” Josh says. “My mom and I butted heads about a lot of things as I was growing into this position. I had the advantage of learning from their mistakes, and those were often lessons that took me a while. We had arguments, but I now run the school in my vision with the guidance of their experience.”

One change Josh convinced his parents to make was the adoption of a simple tuition setup. Students no longer needed a color-coded chart to figure out how much they would have to pay for lessons. “Everyone over six years of age starts the same: $29.50 for three lessons and a uniform,” Kathy says. After those introductory lessons, Josh and the front-office staff enroll students into a one-year program that costs $179 a month. When the first year is over, they move up to the Black Belt Club for an extra $30. Therefore, all students are either in their first year or in the Black Belt Club. “We don’t have to worry about parents sitting in the front lobby, comparing what they are paying for lessons,” Kathy says. In the Black Belt Club, students may attend an unlimited number of classes, and they can cross-train in any of the arts offered (although they’re encouraged to wait until they reach brown belt before doing so). Students ages 3 to 6 have their own classes that use simplified lesson plans, but once they move into the regular curriculum, their requirements are the same as everyone else’s. OCTOBER 2019

WHEN YOUMESS UP

Kathy Olevsky regularly advises other martial arts school owners on how to avoid common mistakes in the business. You have probably read her column in this magazine! As a supplement to this cover story, she was asked to name five mistakes school owners often make so you can avoid them, along with five practices you might want to adopt to jumpstart your business.

DO’S

1. “Customer service” your clients to death. Look for ways to keep them happy and motivated. 2. Keep a “quit list” with details of age, rank and reasons for leaving that each person gives. This will help you recognize trends rather than force you to guess why your numbers are down. 3. Reduce expenses in other areas so you can spend more money to keep your staff happy. 4. Invest in education for your teachers and staff. They are on the front lines in your school’s battle for success. 5. All people need to be told they are doing a good job. Tell your students; tell your staff; tell your children; tell your spouse. Don’t assume they know what you are thinking.

DON’TS

1. Don’t nickel and dime your students. Spell out all the fees involved when they enroll. One sure way to lose students is for unexplained costs to crop up repeatedly. 2. Don’t think you can teach old-school methods and charge current prices. This will help you recognize trends rather than force you to guess why your numbers are down. 3. Recognize that your opinions are better off kept in your head. You can teach all kinds of students if you present yourself in a neutral manner. There is a time and place to speak out, and the dojo usually isn’t it. 4. Anyone who teaches a martial arts class needs to be actively training. Your students will not grow if you don’t grow. 5. If an employee does not share your vision for the school, let them go.

Accounting for potential difficulties in their students’ personal lives is a priority at Karate International of Raleigh. When finances are tight, families take comfort in knowing they are eligible for a significant discount. “After three members of one family enroll, the fourth one is free,” Rob says. In addition, the school offers scholarships for up to six months. “We’ve had instances where a dad lost his job, and we make provisions for those special situations — although that isn’t publicized to the general student body,” Kathy adds.

When Rob started teaching, there was just one karate school in the city. Today, Kathy estimates there are 40 to 50 schools in the area.

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“But we really don’t see them as competition,” she points out. “It’s baseball and soccer and even lacrosse [that are the competition]. And for the adults, it’s things like CrossFit.” Because those sports are vying for their clients, the Olevskys strive to make their school stand out. One of their numerous initiatives involves competition. They’ve promoted large tournaments over the years but have retreated from the intense involvement that many schools maintain. “At one point, Rob had over 1,000 trophies and I probably had 400,” Kathy says. “But when it became, ‘You bring your students to mine and I’ll bring my students to yours,’ and when anyone with a black belt is shoved out there to judge, we decided to take a step back because it almost seemed like we were damaging our students — although we still have a small inner-school event that makes for a fun day.”

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wrong in those days. We had five locations at one point, and we hired a bunch of people to work with us with mixed results. One embezzled money from us, and there were other hardships.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We intentionally have a curriculum that adults like and benefit from while still being fun for the kids. Many schools do the opposite: they have a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curriculum that they force-fit to the adults.â&#x20AC;?

Their 8,000-square-foot school is large enough for the Olevskys to run four classes simultaneously. “We partition off one-third of the floor space when we have the preschoolers, because they can’t concentrate if they see something else going on,” Kathy says.

Although Karate International of Raleigh is primarily a karate dojo, students can train and earn rank in other arts, such as judo, jujitsu and kendo. Kathy believes that all stems from Rob’s passion for the arts, and he concurs.

They also have a separate grappling mat that’s approximately 2,000 square feet, where they teach judo and jujitsu classes.

“I am a martial arts junkie,” he says. “Although I started in Okinawan/ Japanese karate, I’ve always had a great desire to learn more.”

“We have an entire lineup of weights and workout equipment in the back,” she adds. This includes four treadmills and several elliptical bikes.

After he attained his third dan, he decided to join a judo club at a nearby community center. When the student body outgrew the facility, he asked the judo instructor to teach at his karate school. Now, Rob has a fourth dan in judo and is a certified coach under the U.S. Judo Association.

“That is one thing that keeps parents coming back — they are getting access to a free health club while their kids do karate,” she says. “They will even guilt each other into working out!” Still, some parents prefer to use the free wi-fi, cellphone chargers and coffee bar to work on their laptops while their kids practice.

MASUCCESS

“Rob’s judo teacher was very much into Japanese history and swordsmanship, so they both decided to start taking kendo,” Kathy recalls. “Now, 20 years later, he is also fourth dan in that art.”

Rob’s desire to never stop learning has become a primary influence in the dojo. He insists that all his black belts continue to expand their knowledge base. “Putting on that white belt all over again gives [students] a tremendous feeling of motivation,” Kathy says. That motivation becomes apparent when one notes that the Olevskys have 56 practicing black belts who continue not only to train but also to pay full tuition! “In many schools, once you make black belt, you get reduced tuition in exchange for helping to teach,” Kathy says. “Our philosophy is that black belts are still students who are learning new things. We have several who have black belts in all four arts because we have encouraged that mentality of constant learning.” Lest someone think it is easy to earn a black belt at Raleigh Karate, know that every student in every art must go through the entire curriculum of the new style and progress through the ranks from the very beginning. And that is not the end. Everyone who tests for fourth degree or higher must showcase skills in areas other than their primary art. Just last year, four students earned their eighth dan after spending years studying the other styles. “It was pretty interesting when we sat down to come up with their training plan for that high of a degree,” Kathy says. “They all went a different direction. One concentrated on self-defense, one on sparring, one on weapons and one on kata.” Peter Moss, who tested for his eighth degree in November 2018, decided that he wanted to be able to perform an extraordinary number of kata. “My goal was (to learn) 100 kata, and I’ve actually hit 103,” he says. “It has given me the chance to do different motions and different styles. It was sometimes confusing, but that is the reason I did it — because I wanted the mental workout. I’ve got Alzheimer’s on both sides of my family, and I’ve always been told that mental exercise is one of the best ways to push back illnesses of the brain. Confusion caused by trying to mix all these kata and styles is the best workout you can get.” At Karate International of Raleigh’s annual November exams, a majority of black belts borrow a page from Moss’s never-stop-learning book and put on demonstrations — whether they are being promoted or not. They typically practice for the entire year to execute their choreographed musical routines. Their efforts motivate all who see them working so hard. It’s common for young students to get so enthusiastic about the event that they opt to demonstrate team kata, sparring, self-defense, judo, weapons and any other skill sets in which they are proficient. Kathy pointed out that November is a great time for an all-school event such as this because it keeps students focused on the martial arts just when they are most likely to be distracted with holiday preparations. Her suggestion for her peers?

FASTFACTS

SCHOOLS •

Karate International of Raleigh: Raleigh, NC (primary)

•

Karate International of West Raleigh: Raleigh, NC

•

Karate International of Apex: Apex, NC

YEARS IN BUSINESS 45

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

2 full-time, 5 who work 20-25 hours per week, 6 other part-timers (primary location)

NUMBER OF ACTIVE STUDENTS 269

BILLING COMPANY EFC

SOURCE FOR PRO-SHOP SUPPLIES Century Martial Arts

ANNUAL TUITION

$1,608 for the basic program, $2,508 for the three-year Black Belt Club

TOTAL ANNUAL TUITION COLLECTED $400,000

MONTHLY GROSS $41,000

MONTHLY PRO-SHOP GROSS $2,000

TESTING FEES

$20 per promotion for students in the basic program, free after the first year in the program.

“Try to do a holiday contest with fitness goals or a prize for referrals,” she says. “It keeps students from the normal tendency to break the habit of training over this time of year.”

At any time of the year, spreading the message that martial arts training can be a key component of success and happiness is crucial at Karate International of Raleigh. “We’ve tried all kinds of marketing over the years with varying degrees of success,” Kathy says. “We still do things like health fairs and community or PTA events, although we have found that referrals are by far our biggest source of new students.” On the video front, the Olevskys use an Emmy-award winning videographer who has produced advertising that the school regularly posts on Instagram and Facebook. “We intentionally have a curriculum that adults like and benefit from while still being fun for the kids,” Kathy says. “Many schools do the opposite: They have a children’s curriculum that they force-fit to the adults.” Perhaps their solution is why their school has an atypical 51 percent adults and 49 percent children. “Years ago, we were 70 percent kids, like most other schools,” she says. “That’s when we decided to turn the numbers around by building a facility that appealed to adults.” Kathy noted that the facility’s teen program is thriving, too. “That’s the age when a lot of students get distracted and drop out,” she says. “But we have some great adult mentors that help with the teens and the other adults, too.” It turns out that the availability of those other aforementioned martial arts is also key to reaching the adults in the community. “We are not a BJJ school or a krav maga school,” Kathy says. “We have a non-competitive atmosphere. Our culture is one of partnership and not opposition.” “Our approach is [to focus on] very traditional martial arts,” Rob says. He believes that formula is what appeals to adults and keeps them training by fostering respect and appreciation for everyone. As evidence, he points to the fact that the school boasts five eighth-degree black belts who actively train and teach. The oldest black belt who teaches at Karate International of Raleigh is — amazingly — about to turn 80. With the Olevskys’ proven formula for success, no doubt more students will reach that milestone in the future. e

m Keith D. Yates is a magazine writer and author who has taught martial arts for 50 years. For more information, visit akato.org.

RETENTIONDONE RIGHT!

BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP

The Difference Between Force and Strength

ello, friends! I want to thank everyone who provided valuable feedback regarding my B.L.A.C.K. B.E.L.T. series. I promise to continue delivering valuable insights and information.

BY DR. NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS

“Effective leadership requires you to be strong all the time, but rarely forceful. I’ve known several leaders who firmly believed that if you had to raise your voice in anger or frustration, then you shouldn’t lead.”

During the next five articles, we’re going to discuss how the concepts from Japanese jujitsu can be applied to your teams. I know that all our arts share similar principles, so feel free to apply them accordingly. My instructor Torey Overstreet constantly reminds us that if you must use force to make a technique work, then you are doing it incorrectly. Now, some functional strength is necessary when applying a technique, but force implies a rough and harsh application of strength. Effective leadership requires you to be strong all the time, but rarely forceful. I’ve known several leaders who firmly believed that if you had to raise your voice in anger or frustration, then you shouldn’t lead. Here’s a story to illustrates the difference: My friend Ned is a former police officer whom I credit with getting me into martial arts. When Ned was a rookie, he and his training officer were patrolling the perimeter of a high school late at night. They caught two young, large, strong football players (probably linemen) fighting between two school buses. They were slamming the life out of each other in what could be described as the world’s angriest sumo match between two non-sumo players. Now, Ned was much smaller than the two youngsters. Still, he told me that he was prepared to run in, break it up and arrest the two would-be gladiators. But before he could make a move, his training partner stopped him. He told Ned to wait and intervene only if things got truly ugly. Eventually, the combatants stopped. Both were so exhausted that neither could stand upright. The training officer asked if they were injured and if either wanted to press charges. The response to both questions, from both parties, was a solid, “No.” It turns out they had been fighting over a young lady — a scenario that needn’t have escalated as it did, but youth and temper got the best of them. The training officer then informed them that, if they were quite done fighting, they were getting arrested. Both young men pleaded with the senior officer for understanding and leniency. He repeated his statement and pulled out his handcuffs. The two young men didn’t know what to do and, at this point, they were so tired that they simply agreed to be placed under arrest. The officer told them that he would let them go if they promised to never fight over silly things again. He also said

MASUCCESS

that two young men blessed with strength and size should be using their natural attributes for something good, rather than something petty and destructive. Force vs strength I feel the same way about leadership. If you’re fortunate enough to lead, then treat the position and your followers as gifts. The way the two young men were throwing each other around is analogous to how leaders appear when they try to force their will on others. People push back, and then the leader is forced to push back again, harder. The whole situation becomes a fight. Imagine that an instructor and a young student have a terse interaction during class. You observe the end of it and decide to talk to the instructor about it afterward. Given the preceding scenario, there are three ways to distinguish force and strength: 1) Force is hard to control. Suppose the instructor contradicts some of your points and you become visibly angrier and more adamant. The instructor may relent and just agree with you. The instructor now shrinks rather than grows from the experience. Your forcefulness demonstrates a lack of control. The strength of patience would have afforded you a chance to connect and help the instructor grow. 2) Force begets force. Imagine that the instructor doesn’t agree with you about how he or she handled the situation with the student. Instead, the instructor decides to counter your anger with similar intensity and emotion. Now it becomes a war of wills in which volume, emotions and egos become the weapons and ammo. Over time, this can devolve into a series of ugly encounters with no winner. The strength of forgiveness would have helped you bring peace to the exchange. 3) Force is contagious. You observe the same instructor becoming verbally forceful with another student. You intervene and once again find yourself arguing with the instructor. Where did he or she learn this behavior? As the leader, you utilize force as a tool and set the precedent for others do the same. The strength of kindness is a great remedy to anger. Using force pushes others away — and not in the right direction. Strong leaders help others by using patience and being role models. Thank you for reading, and keep earning your stripes! e m Nguyen “Tom” Griggs is a professional consultant/speaker in the areas of Teams, Leadership and Conflict and can be reached at tom@ntgriggs.com.

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

THEFLOWSYSTEM.TV

IN THE CLASSROOM

Are You Taking Great Care of Yourself?

BY DAVE KOVAR

“We owe it to ourselves, our businesses and our students to stack the odds for health in our favor. This begins with a specific mindset: “I take great care of myself because the world needs me at my best.”

do not know if other martial arts instructors have experienced this, but in my world there seems to be an assumption that, because I teach martial arts for a living, I must have all the time in the world to train. It has been my experience the reverse is often true. We are so busy working to grow our businesses that we hardly have time for ourselves, let alone the extra time that we might need to keep ourselves as healthy and fit as we would like. With that said, if we’re not careful we can use this as an excuse to let ourselves go. I’m often amazed at the disconnect many smart and talented school owners have as to how their personal health affects their level of success. It might be possible to achieve or maintain a high level of success temporarily without taking care of yourself. However, in the long run that abuse will catch up to you. There is an ancient proverb that says, “Those who have their health have 1,000 goals. Those that don’t have but one.” Please don’t get me wrong: I know that you can do everything right and still become stricken with an unexpected illness or injury. But we owe it to ourselves, our businesses and our students to stack the odds for health in our favor. This begins with a specific mindset: “I take great care of myself because the world needs me at my best.” What I like about this mindset is that it reminds us that if we want to be the best for our families, our students and our communities, then we need to be fit and healthy enough to face challenges. It gives us permission to take the necessary time to eat right, exercise, rest, recharge and all the other things that we know we should do to be at our best.

The next thing I would challenge you to do is to identify the bad habits that you currently have in place and then figure out how you can replace them with better ones. Don’t try to replace too many bad habits at once. Research shows that making incremental changes brings the best chance for long term success. Assuming that you have identified a few bad habits and believe that there is room for improvement, where should you begin? The most valuable thing that you can do is to establish a strong and specific morning ritual. When you start the day this way, you are starting “on purpose,” and when you do that, great things happen. For me, starting “on purpose” consists of an early morning wake-up, followed by an intense workout, inspirational reading, some quiet contemplation and then a healthy breakfast. I resist the temptation to look at my phone until after breakfast. Once your morning routine is in place, you can add or replace other habits throughout the day. I still have a lot of bad habits that need replacing, but I will tell you that I’m better now than I was five years ago. Hopefully, I will be better in five years than I am now. I challenge you to adopt the mindset: “I take great care of myself because the world needs me at my best.” Only good things can happen if you do. Don’t you think? e

m You can contact Master Dave Kovar at dave.kovar@kovars.com.

It is important to remember that the quality of our health has a direct relationship to the quality of healthy habits that we have in place. I challenge you all to review your average day, looking for the good habits that you currently have in place. Once you have identified them, guard them so that they don’t slip away.

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There is a common belief among martial arts school owners that there are two times during the year when your school has to brace for a struggle. The first is during the middle of the summer. The second is during the holiday season in December. For the latter, the winter’s cold and holiday parties, coupled with the excitement of boys and girls unwrapping their gifts, all play a part in creating a challenging — albeit festive — month for school owners. School owners have found it hard to stand out amongst all the season had to offer. Through trial and error, as well as by learning from the successes of others, the team at Championship Martial Arts has managed to hone in on a system that follows the old adage: If you can’t beat them, join them. Mike Metzger and Frank Silverman, founders and co-owners of Championship Martial Arts, own eight martial arts schools and have another 52 licensees in the United States and Canada. These schools decided to be part of the Championship Martial Arts family so they could be part of a group of like-minded martial artists looking to make a positive impact in their communi-ties. They had a goal to refine the practices that allowed them to turn their passion into profit. Through the interaction of their licensees and the hundreds of other martial arts schools that they’ve consulted for during the past 18 years, Metzger and Silverman helped create the ultimate system to make your holiday season a massive success. The holiday sale system was one they knew needed to be tweaked. Instead of trying to compete with every other retailer, they created a system that turned the concept of a holiday sale on its heels. The first thing they did was stop referring to it as a “sale.” This change in thinking meant the end of a holiday sale and the beginning of a holiday event. The problem with referring to it as a sale is that it limits the interest to individuals who are looking to get a deal or who need last-minute gift ideas. In contrast, a holiday event gives every student and family member a reason to come to the school and celebrate the season. This simple shift in mindset turned a decently attended holiday sale into the can’t-miss event of the year! More people meant more sales.

MASUCCESS

If I ended this article right here, you could go back to your school and see some improvement in how you present your holiday sale (now your holiday event). What you may not realize, though, is that the process of having amazing holiday event results doesn’t start in the last quarter of the year. To have game-changing results from your holiday event, you have to play the long game. Preparation for the biggest event of the year — in terms of retention and revenue — begins all the way back in January. Keep reading to see all the steps you need to take to have an amazingly successful holiday event and to hear the tips and takeaways from the CMA family.

Retail is Just the Tip of the Iceberg

Although retail is an important component of a successful holiday event, you need to realize that it is only one element. In order to maximize your returns, you must incorporate all five profit centers: new member sales, upgrade program sales, special events, retention and then retail. New member and upgrade sales will include any tuition, down payments and paid-in-fulls. Special event sales can include single events such as parent’s night outs, testing and private lessons. Ideally, these events should be packaged so students can pay for several at the same time. You should also package your retail to create a winwin for you and your members. You win because you’re getting larger sales, and they win because they’re getting to save big on the things they want and need. “You can’t stop there, though,” Metzger says. “There are three components to generating more revenue: more customers in attendance, more transactions per customer and more money per transaction.” Once you realize that your event’s success relies on multiple streams of revenue, you can begin focusing your efforts on attracting as many people as possible. Before you begin preparing for the holiday event itself, however, you start laying the groundwork 12 months ahead of time.

Preparation and Culture When you hear of holiday event successes like that of Dan Cartan, owner of DMW Martial Arts in Snoqualmie, Washington (one of Championship Martial Arts’ longest-tenured licensees), or that of Phillip and Kristine Blackman, owners of Blackman’s Championship Martial Arts in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it may seem improbable that their schools make more than $100,000 in sales in just four hours. We are not just talking about accounts receivable, either. That’s money in the bank. A hefty portion of this six-figure profit comes from families paying their tuition in advance — aka “paid-in-fulls.” This is an idea that may draw skepticism from some because of its potential to lower a school’s monthly billing. With the right planning, though, the idea is not so risky. You have to understand that the preparation starts with two main components: new student signups at key times of the year and the development of a dojo culture that highlights the benefits of your holiday event.

“We’ve developed such a culture in our school around our holiday event that people are excited about it and look forward to the savings they get year after year,” Cartan says. “They get so excited that they even share with their friends who currently are not training in our school.” This effect allows people to take advantage of huge savings year after year. It has developed into a win-win situation for everyone involved. The students win in that they will save money over the course of their training by paying up front. The school wins not only on a financial level but, more importantly, be-cause it creates a family that is more committed to helping everyone at the school make a positive change in their lives through the martial arts instruction. To combat the fear of losing out on your billing check, you have to make sure you have set new student campaigns to take place throughout the year. The CMA schools implement a system that allows their billing to stay the same and, in some cases, even rise after a successful holiday event. This starts with a holiday trial offer and a holiday enrollment special campaign designed to help get new tuition revenue in the month of January. These two ideas form a core principle of staying on financial track after the holiday event. The new members are your next crop of students who will enjoy the savings next year. If you pair these holiday trials with your New Year’s specials, summer specials and back-to-school specials, you will be setting up your next holiday event to be a major triumph.

“Mike Metzger and Frank Silverman, founders and co-owners of Championship Martial Arts, own eight martial arts schools and have another 52 licensees in the United States and Canada. They had a goal to refine the practices that allowed them to turn their passion into profit.” OCTOBER 2019

Make it a Can’t-Miss Event Let’s start with this statement: Stop calling it a “sale.” This event needs to be more than that. It has to be the can’t-miss event of the year. Food, fun activities, prizes and giveaways will help generate the excitement needed to make this a wellattended event. Don’t forget that great attendance is inte-gral to your holiday event success. Here is a list of features your event can in-clude to help get more people there: •

•

Have food and drinks for everyone in attendance: bagels, donuts, pastries, coffee, orange juice, hot apple cider and hot cocoa are favorites. You can get creative here and make it a potluck event, as well. Providing your attendees with a nice spread also helps keeps them around a little longer for the event. Let’s face it: Who doesn’t love free food?

•

Create a sense of urgency by giving every student a holiday event envelope that has a special coupon inside that is redeemable only at the holiday event when an instructor opens it. Hand these envelopes out to your students at the end of class in the weeks leading up to the holiday event. Your students and families will be itching to see what they get in their envelope! (If you are a member, you can find this tool at www.maiaedge.com.)

•

Set up a festive picture station in your school and have someone dress up like Santa Claus. Take pictures of your students with Santa and post them on your social media pages. You can even go as far as having both Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Another big hit is to have holiday photo ops with the instructors and students.

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Make sure the aesthetics of your school feel festive. When your students walk in, they should feel like they’re entering a whole different world than they’re used to seeing. Lights, garlands and tinsel are a great start, but even your tables can be decorated in a festive manner. Play holiday music throughout the day. There are many playlists on Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music that will set a festive mood. You want people to feel good about being at your event, and music can play a big role with that.

•

To help with the decorating and to ensure more people are engaged, hold a table-decorating contest. Split students into teams of two and assign them to a themed table (for example, a sparring gear table, a uniform table, a weapons table, a special-events table and an upgrade programs table). You can provide them with materials to use for decoration or they can bring in their own. Order pizza for everyone who helps to show your appreciation. The day of the event, have the attendees vote on which table looks best. The team that gains the most votes wins a $50 prize. It can be a gift card to the store of their choice or $25 cash to each person on the team.

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An out-of-the-box idea that one of our schools did entailed making their event an “ugly sweater party.” The instructors dressed up in their ugliest holiday sweaters and invited their students and their families to join in the fun. It’s an easy way for people to feel like they are part of the team and part of the holiday fun. Most important, it attracts them to your holiday event!

“Stop calling it a “sale.” This event needs to be more than that. It has to be the can’t-miss event of the year. Food, fun activities, prizes and giveaways will help generate the excitement needed to make this a well-attended event.”

Appointments You Set Will Equal Revenue You Get

Now that you’ve generated the excitement you need to make people eager to attend your holiday event, it’s time to set revenue-generating appointments. These meetings are your opportunity to have your students save big on their tuition. Each appointment is also important in helping you reach your goal of making the event financially successful. Let students know that this event will offer the best savings of the year and that you would love to set a time during the event to explain how they can save money. Don’t tell them the exact deals in advance. Let each appointment know that you will decide the night before the event how much savings you will be able to offer for the holidays. The appointment should not be a high-pressure sale; it should simply be an offer to take advantage of the best savings of the year. If they decide not to partake, it’s OK. For this reason, it is imperative that you to try to schedule a minimum of 16 appointments. That’s one appointment every 15 minutes for the duration of the four hours. If you have multiple people on hand to help present the holiday event special, you can double or even triple the amount of appointments you get. Experience has shown that the schools that have the most attended appointments end up with the greatest results.

Hosting your holiday event the first Saturday in December has proved to be the most successful. Three weeks prior, have a weeklong holiday pre-sale. Set the deadline to order for the end of that week. This will enable people to get early access to the holiday event savings and guarantee that they will receive their items in time for the holidays. Take pre-orders on all retail items and require your members to make a 50-percent deposit. The balance of that purchase will be paid at the event when they pick up their order. The balance will be based on the discounted price for those items at the holiday event. If they wait to pick up the items after the event, they can just pay the balance but will not get the holiday event discount. (For those cases, you should offer a nominal discount that is not as good as the one at the holiday event.)

OCTOBER 2019

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although retail is an important component of a successful holiday event, you need to realize that it is only one element...

...In order to maximize your returns, you must incorporate all five profit centers: new member sales, upgrade program sales, special events, retention and then retail.â&#x20AC;? OCTOBER 2019

Championship Martial Arts — Avalon Park, FL Active student count: 236 Holiday event gross: $60,071 December total gross: $80,072

Blackman’s Championship Martial Arts — Albuquerque, NM Active student count: 367 Holiday event gross: $114,669 December total gross: $138,944

Championship Martial Arts — Lake Nona, FL Active student count: 250 Holiday event gross: $64,079 (split between Nov. 30 & Dec. 1) November & December total gross: Nov. — $61,643, Dec. — $58,813

Championship Martial Arts — Lantana, TX Active student count: 140 Holiday event gross: $32,324 December total gross: $42,065

Championship Martial Arts — Omaha, NE Active student count: 280 Holiday event gross: $53,061 December total gross: $81,713

Championship Martial Arts 716 — Tonawanda, NY (Formerly Jindo Martial Arts) Active student count: 140 Holiday event gross: $32,324 December total gross: $42,065

Championship Martial Arts — Cary, NC Active student count: 217 Holiday event gross: $52,317 December total gross: $82,988

Championship Martial Arts — Kaysville, UT Active student count: 298 Holiday event gross: $58,107 December total gross: $85,104

The Win-Win Solution: They Save and You Earn The reason this event is such a success year after year for CMA schools stems from how everyone is a winner at the end of the day. The students, the families and the schools all come out on top. We know that the biggest monetary investment a student can make in our studios is their tuition, and so, during the event, we want to give them the opportunity to save significantly on their training. The holiday event special that we offer is an additional 5 percent off the ir prepaid tuition plus a credit for them to use on nontuition-related items at the event. This works particularly well when upgrading students into your higher-level training programs such as the Black Belt Club or Masters Club. At most CMA-licensed facilities, those programs are three years long. They help provide a large boost in cash flow at the event. Just think what you could do if you were able to get just 10 families to take advantage of the deal. For demonstration purposes, let’s say each family pays $2,500 in full. That will equate to $25,000 just in paid-in-full tuitions — and that

doesn’t include anything else you bring in from the event. Also keep in mind that the average paid-in-full price is likely to be much more than that. This same approach can be taken for members you want to renew in their current programs. The only stipulation is that they need to pay for 18, 24 or 36 months up front. When thinking renewals, it need not be only members who are expiring in December, January or February. Anyone who wants to take advantage of the savings can do so regardless of expiration date. If you don’t have an upgrade program, you can still benefit from this system. Give your customers the opportunity to save money on their program, as well. To do this, present them with the option to pay in full for 12, 24 or 36 months. That will save them money and lock them into their current program without any tuition increases. So, whether you have only one training program or multiple programs, you can use this system to generate revenue from tuition.

Packaging Your Other Profit Centers A large portion of your holiday event revenue will come from new students, upgrades and renewals, but you don’t want to rely solely on those streams for your holiday event success. You must recognize that your other profit centers — such as retail and special events — are just as important as new students and upgrades. To get maximum benefit for your students and yourself, packaging these profit centers is the way to go. Your retail numbers and your special-event sales will increase, thus helping you in both revenue and retention. Even though I’ve hammered home the idea that this holiday event is more than just a retail blowout, you still need to maximize your retail sales. Aside from providing a set discount on merchandise, the best way to generate higher retail sales is by giving a greater markdown when customers purchase a package. This can be in the form of sparring-gear packages, program-based training packages, weapons-training packages,

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home-training kits and so on. Your students and their families will be looking for things to put under the tree, so you should have these items on display so shoppers can see and feel them as desired. You also want to package those things that fall into the special-event category of the five profit centers. Testing fees, camps, “parents’ night out” events, private lessons and birthday parties all fall into this category. You can generate a great deal of revenue by offering packages for these events. Give a 10-percent discount to prepay your testing fees through black-belt level. Sell a special-event punch card that gives 12 parents-night-out or seminar events for the price of nine. If you already sell private lesson packages, sell them for a slight discount the day of your holiday event. The goal is not only to sell the benefits of these packages but also to show the value.

Time to Take Action You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be a part of the Championship Martial Arts family to get the kind of results we do, but you do need to have the same mindset, beliefs and execution. This article provides a basic blueprint that will help you lay the groundwork for a successful holiday event. Take action today, not tomorrow! See what you can do now to implement these ideas in your own school. Get your team involved and excited about the possibilities that can come with a new view on what a holiday sale can and should be. Success at your holiday event can give you the momentum you need to start the new year with a fresh energy, enthusiasm and hope for continuing growth. e

m Michael A. Perri Jr. is the COO of Championship Martial Arts Ltd. and MAIA Edge. He has practiced martial arts since 1987 and has black belts in American kenpo and chito-ryu. Most recently, he earned a fifth-degree black belt in the CMA system. He can be reached at mperri@championshipmartialarts.com or at (407) 249-2004 ext. 414.

OCTOBER 2019

TURNING POINT

Mike Proctor: The First Time Putting on a Gi

BY HERB BORKLAND

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

orn into a military family, Mike Proctor began martial arts training overseas in 1962. He received his black belt in the mid-’70s at Allen Steen’s famed Texas Karate Institute, where he trained with legends like Skipper Mullins, Fred Wren and Demetrius Havanas. A founding member of the Texas Black Belt Commission, Proctor is also a board member of the Fellowship of Christian Martial Artists and the American Karate and Tae Kwon Do Organization. He served for 14 years as a Certified Juvenile Probation Officer in the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission and currently teaches martial arts at the world-renowned Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. In 2010, Allen Steen promoted Proctor to 10th dan. Herb Borkland: Where did you grow up, and what did your dad do? Mike Proctor: My father served in the military all over the world for 33 years, but my mom was a Texan, so he transferred there so I could be born one, too. HB: How did you first hear about martial arts? MP: I started shaving at 11, and at 12, I was as tall as I am now. I looked 17 and got treated that way. One day, I saw some guys coming out of the base gym wearing judo gis. I told Dad I wanted to do that. Dad worked for the commanding officer, so I got to.

I kept studying arts as I moved from school to school, state to state, country to country: fencing, judo, daito-ryu aikijujutsu, shotokan karate, gokando karate, American kenpo and American taekwondo. I wanted to learn how to fight better because I intended to be in the service when I got out of school. HB: Turning point? MP: First time I put on a gi. My whole life was meant to be in service; it just didn’t end up being in the military. A gi was a way to serve others. You take responsibility for what you know and how you teach. If a new person joins the class, you teach. The more rank, the more responsibility. HB: You trained during the notorious Texas “Blood & Guts Era” under instructors who were considered the toughest in the country. MP: No one else in class at the Texas Karate Institute was being trained how to kill. My military classes were about how to kill. And my training with the military police helped when I ended up in law enforcement. With Steen, I was teaching as a brown belt, but all the black belts said, “Time for you to test.” I did it, but the black belt was just not important to me. The longer you do martial arts, the more responsibility you take, and they keep giving you rank as time goes by. You get higher so you can promote your students. Studying with me today, it takes 10 years to black belt. Cooper Institute is not commercial; it is a research center. I don’t pay by the square foot to lease space. And I have a private dojo where, for a year before testing for black belt, my students learn knife fighting, full-contact (sparring) and grappling. HB: What does the future hold for you? MP: A knee replacement or two. (laughs) My life is a life of service. It is not about you but about serving others — and serving God by serving others. The way you treat people involves humility and concern and caring. Now I teach tai chi five days a week, karate three days, and three nights here at my home dojo my students and I do body work. We put on boxing gloves and hit each other as hard as we can to the body. Better this way than having a bully teach you about full contact. (laughs). e m Herb Borkland is a veteran black belt who can be contacted at herbork@comcast.com.

MASUCCESS

THE CENTURION

7 Things Kids Learn From Martial Arts

hildren’s martial arts classes not only tend to be profitable for schools but also are an amazing way to improve the lives of the kids, their families and the communities. This is because of the values the martial arts impart to children. Those values include the following:

“When students work toward their goals and see themselves succeed, they begin to feel empowered with self-confidence.”

Courage The kind of courage that young people learn in martial arts is one that encompasses a certain spirit of bravery. It is not simply acting without fear; it is channeling an internal energy to act in spite of fear. Courage is a transferrable skill that allows students to set goals, overcome challenges and attain success both in the dojo and in life.

Martial arts also teach children the correct way to fail. Their coach will warn them that they may not always win when they participate in tournaments or matches, and, on a smaller scale, they may have days when they struggle in class or find it difficult to learn a new move. Instead of getting discouraged, kids in martial arts learn to view failure as a learning experience. These kids will have the confidence to try more new things when they don’t see failure as something to fear.

Respect One tenet of martial arts is respect. Children are taught to respect the masters who came before them, as well as their instructors, their peers and themselves. Quality martial arts instructors focus on this value consistently, encouraging students to carry it with them beyond the studio. Self-respect and respect those who are above and below them in status are essential character qualities that stick with kids throughout their lives.

Focus The mental and physical challenges of martial arts training require attentive focus from students. This is important for correctly learning a technique and for properly channeling one’s energy and strength. Like other martial arts values, focus is needed for success beyond the dojo, as well. When kids learn this skill in their martial arts class, they can begin to apply it to homework, chores and personal goal-setting as they move into adulthood.

Leadership Some young people have inherent leadership qualities, while others develop them with proper mentorship and growth opportunities. The martial arts are a sport that encourages and stimulates young leaders with chances to help lower-level students reach their goals. With these skills, children can be empowered to make positive decisions and act as role models within their school, family and community.

Physical Fitness Like other sports, the martial arts keep students physically fit. They also learn to value the quality of being fit, as it becomes necessary for reaching their goals and maintaining the other moral values imparted within the dojo. Martial arts classes often include cardio workouts, strength training, relaxation drills and flexibility. Having a healthy body also tends to have a positive impact on other aspects of the child’s life such as increased energy levels throughout the day, the ability to concentrate and the production of the endorphins needed for good moods and healthy social interactions.

Discipline Discipline is one of the most important martial arts values because it transfers to other aspects of a child’s life. It goes beyond respect for authority and for those who dispense corrections and punishments. Rather, it focuses on self-discipline practices. In martial arts, discipline includes the ability to control one’s emotions and short-term desires while working toward more meaningful long-term goals. Confidence When students work toward their goals and see themselves succeed, they begin to feel empowered with self-confidence. In this way, the martial arts teach children that hard work and focus can help them

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accomplish what they set out to do. Kids learn how to work with their own strengths and weaknesses and how to believe in their own abilities. They enjoy increased self-assurance, a quality that makes them more confident in other aspects of life.

These benefits of training will stay with a child far beyond their time in the dojo. While self-defense skills are one of the more tangible outcomes of martial arts practice, positive morals contribute to lifelong character-building and the development of the soft skills needed for all-around success. If you’re a martial arts instructor and teach classes to children, make sure that you bring up these values when you are talking with parents of new or potential students. Actively promote them in your school, and both you and your students will reap the benefits. e

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YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?

Where Are My New Members?

BY KATHY OLEVSKY

“It is easy tell ourselves that the economy is simply experiencing a downturn and that things will get better in a few months. But waiting for the good times of the year will only put us further behind in growth.”

’ve been operating a martial arts school full time for 45 years. I think I may have made every mistake that can be made in this business. The reason I’m still in business, I believe, is because I asked for help. I learned quickly that others before me had already found solutions. In this reality-based column, I’ll point out key mistakes I made in my business career, which are common errors among school owners, both large and small, throughout our industry. Then I’ll share the solutions I applied to overcome them. I believe most martial arts school owners and managers spend a great deal of time wondering what they should do to bring in new members. This is a dilemma I am well acquainted with. One of the most important lessons I learned in this business came at a time when our numbers were dwindling. I couldn’t figure out how to get more leads. I had already reviewed all my notes from previous martial arts events and tried to double down on referrals — but to no avail. Then a thought occurred to me: “I can’t be the only one dealing with this!” So, I went through the phone book and gathered the numbers of 10 other school owners. I called them one by one and asked each of them to give me three tips about things they did that garnered new leads. That was a great lesson in networking, as well as an excellent source of inspiration. The other owners were all very forthcoming, and we had a nice exchange of ideas, including what tactics were working and how we could help each other. Today, it is even easier to repeat this process. This year, I did the same thing, except that I used a method that is much more convenient: I posted in the Century Martial Arts School Network Facebook group. Again, I asked everyone to share three tips. I knew it would be great networking for all of us. And, sure enough, within the first hour, I had nearly 50 ideas! Some members even asked for additional details on other people’s ideas. The opportunity to help others and get help is ever-present and instant, and in the age of Facebook groups, we can reach more people within our martial arts community than ever before.

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The most important lesson I learned, however, is the importance of taking action when times are tough. It is easy tell ourselves that the economy is simply experiencing a downturn and that things will get better in a few months. But waiting for the good times of the year will only put us further behind in growth. Many of us have done that over and over throughout the years. We don’t actually grow because we lose members and then wait until the fall or even until January to get new ones. Now that we have so many options available online, there is no reason that we can’t take control of a downward trend and reverse it. Additionally, I have learned that those great months following the back-to-school rush and New Year’s resolutions — when things are already easy — are when we should work our hardest. These are the times people look for us. Instead of just riding the wave, we now work more efficiently to expand enrollment during those seasons. These are the best times of the year to run BOGO ads to help one lead turn into two. These are the best times of the year to work referral programs with current students. The bottom line is this: In the dry times, we need to network and find new incentives, and in advance of the fruitful months, we need to plan marketing campaigns to capture even more new leads. That is much better than just waiting for them to come to us. e

Pr is

Markel Sp Incorpora

m Kathy Olevsky can be reached for questions or comments at kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com.

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Protecting your business is our business Markel Specialty insurance for martial arts schools Are you protected? Get a quote online today! martialartsinsurance.com 800-866-7403 /markelsportsfitness Markel Specialty Commercialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s insurance products and services are offered through Markel Specialty, a business division of Markel Service Incorporated. Policies are written by one or more Markel insurance companies. Terms and conditions for rate and coverage may vary.

If you like reading MASUCCESS, consider writing for us! MASUMASUCCESS is looking for freelance writers to join our team of U.S. correspondents. Applicants should be knowledgeable in the martial arts and martial arts school business. Please keep your story pitches between 4-5 paragraphs long, describing your story idea. Do not send completed manuscripts.

Not a writer, but know a story? We also welcome leads from readers! To apply as a freelancer or share a lead, email Sarah Lobban, Associate Editor, at slobban@centurymartialarts.com

School Showcase October2019

School Owner

Michael Tippett School Name

Arrowhead Martial Arts Academy Location

Glendale, Arizona Style/Discipline

ITF Tae Kwon Do and Kickboxing

Why did you begin teaching martial arts? For self-defense. I was attacked by a guy with a knife. What is your school name and how did you choose it? Arrowhead Martial Arts Academy. I live in an area that is called Arrowhead, and I started my school at the local country club is called Arrowhead. I used “martial arts” in the name, instead of a particular style, because I thought it would be more recognized.

What is your school’s motto or student creed? Giving today’s youth the tools to become tomorrow’s leaders.

What is your personal teaching philosophy? To be able to pull out the individual’s strength, in order to make them more confident and to protect themselves.

How long have you been teaching? 35 years.

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

How long have you owned your school?

To be able to stay young by working with younger students, and to keep

15 years.

active and stay healthy even when injured.

Who or what inspires you?

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

Seeing the students improve, the smiles on their faces and the

From (Star Wars character) Yoda, “Do or do not; there is no try.”

love that they share when you teach them.

What is something unique that your school or your student body does well? We’re able to work with the challenged child. We use the “six-task

If you could give one bit of advice to fellow martial arts school owners, what would it be? Find a mentor that has succeeded in the martial arts business and listen to them closely! Find one that you trust, and use just one mentor.

system” to get the student to improve at home and at school.

OCTOBER 2019

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

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

INSURANCE

With over 65 years of sports and leisure insurance expertise, K&K protects martial arts schools with coverage designed for your unique needs. And when claims occur, our colleagues are here to respond quickly and effectively. Affordable coverage is easy online; visit our website to apply and buy coverage or ask your insurance agent for a quote from K&K.

K&K Insurance Group, Inc. is a licensed insurance producer in all states (TX license #13924); operating in CA, NY and MI as K&K Insurance Agency (CA license #0334819)

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Pe ter Grootenhuis possesses one of the most brilliant scientific minds in the world, but his body is fighting a losing battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Teaching from his wheelchair, Grootenhuis is an inspiration to e ver yone at Pacific Mar tial Ar ts in San Diego. His message — “Quitting is not an option!” — is one of many legacies he will leave in his wake.

BY T ERRY L . W IL SON

PETER GROOTENHUIS

“MY WORLD IS THE DOJO” Before moving to America, Grootenhuis began his lifelong journey in the martial arts in his native Netherlands, training in shotokan karate. The intricacies woven into those kata proved to be a perfect fit for a man who excels in unraveling the secrets of the universe. “Strange as it may sound, martial arts gives me complete relaxation,” Grootenhuis says. “When I’m in the dojo, I think of nothing else. My world is the dojo. I am totally focused on what I have to do, and nothing else exists.” Grootenhuis is more than a teacher of martial arts. He motivates by example in areas of life that extend far beyond the dojo. “Mr. Grootenhuis has always been a master motivator,” says student Alison Pivonka Smith. “He was my first teacher. I was a terrified

MASUCCESS

45-year-old white belt in a class full of teenagers. Somehow, he found a way to make me want to hang in there. When I was diagnosed with cancer, he told me that when I was training, I wasn’t just a cancer patient. He showed me how to just let it go, and I am forever grateful.” Coming from Grootenhuis, advice about the value of letting go and embracing fate with a warrior’s mindset is especially poignant. To him, they are not just words. Grootenhuis suffers from ALS, an incurable neurodegenerative disorder. This is the same disease that afflicted the great Stephen Hawking and that legendary sport karate competitor Kevin Thompson is fighting. (See sidebar Breaking Through ALS.) But even as the disease continues to progress, Grootenhuis refuses to give in. His body may be failing, but his mind still possesses the brilliance of a scientist and the stoicism of a warrior. “When I joined Pacific Martial Arts, I realized there was much more

than just technical skills to master,” Grootenhuis says. “There are virtues that a warrior must have. A warrior’s attitude is that he must not be fearful, as that is a waste of time. A warrior must be alert, and when needed, his training must take over. And that warrior attitude is what I must have every day fighting ALS.”

IT STARTED WITH ONE FOOT One of the things that make ALS so pernicious is how sneaky the disease is. It often starts with small, almost-unnoticeable symptoms that vary widely from person to person. For Grootenhuis, the first sign seemed like an innocuous foot injury. “About three years ago, I noticed that my right foot was very weak,” Grootenhuis says. “Coincidentally, I had just been in a karate tournament. I had tried to kick my opponent, and he had a very good block

on that same foot. So I thought it was just a little injury and that it would go away.” Careful to avoid further damage to the foot, Grootenhuis kept training. However, it weakened further. In 2016 Grootenhuis was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “Of course, ALS is not a good disease to be diagnosed with,” he says. “The prognosis with most patients is very short. Ninety percent of patients die in two to five years after the onset. “It’s a disease that’s progressive. It starts with small things, then spreads out over your body and you lose the ability to control your muscles. “In my case it, started in my right foot and went up to my right leg. At that point, I could still use my right. I could still do karate. I could still walk. My instructor, master Jerry Devine, was extremely accomOCTOBER 2019

modating. He told me not to do what I could no longer do but to do what I could do and focus on that. And that has become the mantra of my life. I no longer worry about what I can’t do because there are still so many things that I can do. “One thing I’ve discovered is that this disease is slowly destroying my body, but my mind is good. I’m not mentally handicapped — I’m just physically handicapped. It’s truly mind over matter, and that’s how I’m trying to live.”

THE POWER OF OBSERVATION

Members of the Grootenhuis family draw strength from each other when confronting Peter’s daily struggle with ALS. His two grown daughters and son live at home or nearby, and they embrace the precious time they have together. They support his never-ending quest for perfection in martial arts. The kids may not be training in karate with their dad anymore, but they are always by his side, cheering him on. “I think Peter is a very powerful martial artist because he observes very well,” his wife Marjolein says. “Because karate is an art filled with a variety of different techniques, Peter is able to step back and use his powers of observation to quickly analyze each move. That is even more so now that Peter is unable to move himself. He focuses on others and their techniques, and breaks down [moves] to the last detail.” Pacific Martial Arts student Mark Adams also attributes GrootenhuMASUCCESS

is’ academic mind to his efficacy in explaining martial arts techniques. “Mr. Grootenhuis has a background in science, and he brings that same kind of rigor to the study of martial arts,” Adams explains “He is very strategic in his thinking about how students can make their moves better by making incremental changes based on scientific principles.” “I used to think that my own way of learning was based on [how I personally] did it, but now I believe you can learn as much, or even more, by observing people,” Grootenhuis says. “My own emphasis has changed from doing the moves to focusing on the techniques to understanding what the best body mechanics are to support what you want to accomplish.” Marjolein adds, “Peter has a lot of power and strength, and that’s also why he is a good example for all of us in the family. He is gifted with a wonderful brain that he uses in his work and also in the martial arts. I am very proud of Peter. He is a real warrior.”

A WORLD-RENOWNED SCIENTIST With more than 70 patents to his name, Grootenhuis has been recognized worldwide for his contributions to medical science. In 1995 he received the Royal Dutch Chemical Society Gold Medal, an award given to the most promising chemist in Netherlands. His most recent accolade was the prestigious 2018 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and Gedeon Richter Prize for

BREAKING

TH R O U G H A L S As mentioned earlier in the article, Peter Grootenhuis is not the first member of the martial arts community to meet the challenge of ALS head-on. Kevin Thompson is a multi-championship winner in sport karate and member of the elite Team Paul Mitchell Karate. Thompson was diagnosed with ALS in 2012. Like Grootenhuis, Thompson refused to back down and quietly give in to ALS. He joined the ALS Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York chapter and became an advocate. Thompson, along with other members of Team Paul Mitchell members, also created the Kevin Thompson ALS Board Breaking Challenge. This is the martial arts answer to the Ice Bucket Challenge. Instead of dousing themselves in icy water, participants break a board (or cinderblock, baseball bat, or even piece of paper, depending on their preference and ability). The Board Breaking Challenge launched at the 2015 Ocean State Nationals tournament in Rhode Island. Since then, dozens of martial arts school around the country, and hundreds of individuals, have participated in the challenge, raising awareness and research funds for ALS. ABOVE: Kevin Thompson

PETER GROOTENHUIS the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. “I am a chemist, and I work in the pharmaceutical industry for Vertex Pharmaceuticals,” Grootenhuis explains. “I’ve been working for the same company for the past 16 years. I have been leading a project team to discover new medications for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.” Cystic fibrosis is a progressive genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. This leads to extensive lung damage and, eventually, respiratory failure. “Cystic fibrosis is a very bad genetic disease, and we have been working on this since 2000,” Grootenhuis says. “The team I led was very successful. We discovered the first drug that is able to treat the cause of cystic fibrosis. “It was tested in the clinic and turned out to have an enormously positive impact on the cystic fibrosis patients who were qualified for this particular medication. That was an immense breakthrough. And since then, we’ve had three drugs that have been approved by the FDA. At this point, we are able to effectively treat about 50 percent of our cystic fibrosis patients. This is a fairly rare disease, and there are only 70,000 patients worldwide, with 30,000 in the United States. “These drugs have changed people’s lives, there is no doubt about that. And the best things are yet to come because we are now testing two other drug combinations that are working very well in our laboratories. I think that if this works as well in patients, up to 90 percent of them will be able to get very effective treatment for their disease. “This accomplishment has been the most rewarding achievement of my professional career.”

A SOURCE OF UNDAUNTED INSPIRATION It might seem painfully ironic that, after a career spent making breakthroughs in the fight against one genetic disease, another is slowly tightening its grip on Grootenhuis. His students and classmates can see that he is suffering, but the third-degree black belt refuses to accept defeat. He continues to teach and train to the best of his ability. “He is accepting his situation with grace and dignity,” student Jeff Platt says. “Mr. Grootenhuis inspires all of us: No matter what the situation, attack it head on. He is not just a black belt in class but is also a black belt in his personal and professional life. Those are the qualities he brings to class.” “Mr. Grootenhuis is an inspiration to all of us,” student Rohan Shinkre adds. “We are all very motivated by him. If he can continue to teach in his current state, then anyone can do anything.”

MASUCCESS

Do you know the 4 stages of child development?

PETER GROOTENHUIS Pacific Martial Arts shot a video documenting Grootenhuis’ tenure as a student and teacher at Pacific Martial Arts. It is a heartfelt tribute to his courage, tenacity and resolve to be the best that he can be one day at a time. Clip after clip shows Grootenhuis as a powerful traditional karateka. His kata are performed to perfection. His gi snaps crisply, and the audio is overflowing with echoes that reveal the strength of his kicks and punches. We see him training with his young daughters, letting them chase him around the living room in their karate uniforms, happy and smiling, a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. Later clips, taken after his diagnosis, reveal how his legs have weakened. He continues to teach and train on crutches. Instead of viewing the crutches as a means of transportation or a handicap, Grootenhuis treats them as a weapon for self-defense. Footage from a few months later reveals that the crutches have been replaced by a wheelchair. But Grootenhuis continues to teach and train from his chair. (See the sidebar Fighting from a Wheelchair.) Eventually, ALS took the use of his arms, rendering them too weak to punch or block. But no disease, no force on Earth, could take away Grootenhuis’ passion for martial arts. His brilliant analytical mind took over, and he began writing a book. “Adapting to his terminal illness carried a lot of pathways to deal with,” Pacific Martial Arts master instructor Jerry Devine says. “In Peter’s case, he decided to use his remaining time in a positive way by increasing his footprint in our dojo by writing a book on the history of PMA that includes a scientific breakdown of our weapons and kata. This is akin to the original days of karate when Japanese-speaking instructors in the USA could show a technique but not explain it because of the language barrier. Peter’s case is the reverse: He can explain but not show it.”

THE KOBUDO BOOK Compiling the history of Pacific Martials arts was a daunting task, but Grootenhuis accepted the challenge with the same zeal he exhibits when teaching. “This was the perfect project for me at the time because my physical ability was declining and I could contribute more intellectually,” Grootenhuis states. “I started by writing down the vocabulary that we used in kobudo, and as I went through my notes, the project became larger and larger. “I expanded the book to included how each movement of our kata should be done, and it grew from there. When I began the project, it was just going to be a pamphlet of sorts. Then I showed it to master Devine, and he said, ‘You should write a book.’ That’s how the project got started.” An endless stream of discussions between Devine and Grootenhuis flowed like a river of knowledge regarding the original philosophy and how the system has evolved over the school’s 40 years.

MASUCCESS

FIGHTING FROM A WHEELCHAIR

“I thought that my days of self-defense were pretty much over (when I started using a wheelchair),” says Grootenhuis. “Then I was taught a few techniques that I could use effectively from the chair. I dove into the unique jujitsu techniques designed for individuals with injuries and other physical limitations. So with that knowledge my world became bigger. “I took that knowledge and ran with it. Now I’m teaching those skills to others in class and at the training camps we do.” The applicability of this training extends to everyone, not just wheelchair users. “People tend to forget that, most of the time, we are sitting— in cars, restaurants, cinemas and at work,” Grootenhuis explains. “So being able to protect yourself from a sitting position is very important.” His wife says that students have responded well to the teaching, “I was very impressed when Peter taught the class on how to fight from a wheelchair,” says Marjolein. “He did a couple of jujitsu moves where he could redirect an attack then counter it. He also demonstrated how to use a jo (short staff), and a bo (long staff). I enjoyed watching the students respond to him. I can see the respect they have for Peter as a teacher.” Grootenhuis takes inspiration for his continued teaching from the late Professor Stephen Hawking, the famous astrophysicist who also had ALS: “One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away,” recites Grootenhuis. “It’s my favorite quote.”

Do you know the 7 steps of teaching a drill?

PETER GROOTENHUIS

MASUCCESS

“For me, this was a great opportunity to learn the history of the school and to write it down, and it became a wonderful collaboration between the two of us,” Grootenhuis says. The finished product was a 142-page book that documents every kata, every weapon, every grip and every move, as well as the terminology and step-by-step photos. “We recorded all the history of our dojo, and at the same time, we did a technical write-up of our weapons program,” Grootenhuis says. “We began adding pictures, then at some point it began to take the shape of a book and feel like a book. Because this was the 40th year of the dojo, we printed copies and distributed them to our members. “I am now writing a second book with master Devine that we actually want to publish. This book is much more technical, and we think it will appeal to a much broader audience.” audience.”

A LEGACY THAT WILL LIVE ON Since the interviews referenced in this article, Grootenhuis’ ALS has progressed. As of May 13, 2019, the disease had invaded nearly every muscle in his body, leaving him unable to feed himself and barely able to speak. Grootenhuis knows his time is limited. But then, none of us is here forever. The important thing is that we use whatever time and opportunities we have to make the world a better place. Grootenhuis’ legacy will live on. It will be carried by thousands of cystic fibrosis patients as their suffering eases thanks to his work. It will be remembered by his family. And it will live forever at Pacific Martial Arts each time a student decides, no matter what the challenge, that quitting is not an option. e

m Terry Wilson is an Emmy award winning TV personality and freelance writer. He may be reached at: tleewilson@gmail.com.

Do you know the 8 tips for teaching young children?

CONSULTANT’S CORNER

5 Reasons to Focus on Superior Service Versus Sales

BY JASON FLAMEMAIA CONSULTANT

“If our focus is based on the superior service we provide to our students, it is natural that they will remain training with us longer. Each of the other four categories [addressed in this column] also contributes to our overall retention.”

aking a sale and providing excellent service go hand-in-hand. This has been on my mind a lot lately, and I’ve had many staff meetings focused around building this mindset. If we place just a little more focus on providing first-class service, we will not only generate sales now but also promote future sales through repeat business and referrals. This is a challenge in any business. It’s easy to get caught up in the sales numbers alone. But if you take good care of your students, they will take care of you. Here are five simple reasons this mindset is essential: 1. You’ll Attract New Students This one is obvious! If you teach awesome classes, recognize and treat every student as an individual, pay attention to small details and genuinely take interest in your students, they will be happy to refer new business to you. When your students experience results, they will tell people. When they learn something of value, they will show people. When they enjoy being there, they will invite others to come visit. In general, when your customers are happy and satisfied with the results, they will sing high praises about you and your business to just about everyone they know. Their contagious enthusiasm will lead new prospects to your door. 2. You Can Offer Extra Value With Upgrade Programs The upgrade programs we have created for our students offer different levels of experience at our school. We purposely have different levels so we can guide them on their journeys toward their black belt. Each level of your upgrade programs must offer a higher level of experience and added value, rather than just being a “club.” This way, you can create opportunities for students to move at their own pace within the level of involvement they want to commit to in your school. 3. Curriculum Should Automatically Drive Retail Sales Every program has a set curriculum and a required set of gear, weapons, uniforms, etc. These are not just random items we tacked onto the program — they will be used throughout the program. The last thing a parent wants to do is buy a bunch of “stuff” that their kids will barely touch. The last thing kids want is to get something “cool” like nunchaku or sparring gear

MASUCCESS

and never get to use it. In our curriculum, if an item is required, you’d better believe you’re getting your money’s worth using it! During the summer months, it gets hot in our school. So we allow students to wear school T-shirts and MMA shorts bearing our school logo all through summer to the end of August. We don’t have to push those apparel sales down anybody’s throat, either. In fact, we often sell out and have to order more because of the demand. 4. Special Events Benefit Everybody! When you look at some of our events from a different point of view, it will remind you of some of the added value attached to the events that many owners host at our martial arts schools. Parents’ Night Outs are amoung our most wellattended events. Not only are they fun for the kids but they also provide parents with a dual benefit. They can be some of the most inexpensive entertainment parents can find, while giving them some kid-free time to go out together. And they’re profitable for you. Talk about a win-win-win situation! In my school, parents thank us — often and sincerely — because we host day camps so frequently when the academic schools are closed. Here, once again, we’re offering an inexpensive opportunity to entertain their child while keeping them active and learning something beneficial.

5. Service Equals Retention If our focus is based on the superior service we provide to our students, it is natural that they will remain training with us longer. Each of the above categories also contributes to our overall retention.

It is truly our mindset that will affect our results. If we focus solely on bringing in more money, we will do so, but that approach is shortsighted. Focus instead on your ability to serve, and you will reap the benefits both financially and in continued repeat business.

Some unknown but obviously savvy person once said, “Sales go up and down. Service stays forever.” He or she was right! e m Jason Flame can be reached at (805) 657-1775 or TSDUKarate@gmail.com.

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MASTERFUL RETENTION

5 Insights into the Human-Relations Side of Retention

BY CHRISTOPHER RAPPOLD

“Everyone needs someone to believe in them more than they do in themselves. It is often this belief that propels the student to push beyond previously held limited thinking.”

inding out that a student is going to be leaving your school is never fun. If you care about making an impact on someone’s life and sincerely enjoy teaching, news of a departure can create some sleepless nights. While there is no magic answer to ensure this never happens, your time will always be well-spent insuring that the highest percentage of your students remain dedicated to their training at your facility. As I look back over 25 years of teaching, I do so with pride on what our team has produced. But, like you, I’ve been stung with the unexpected news of a student discontinuing his/her training more than once. Since we preach, “You can either get bitter or get better,” here are preventative measures that need to be in place to keep surprises at a minimum. 1. Know Your Students Beyond the Mat It’s easy to forget that our students have lives outside the few hours they spend training with us each week. They have school classes, careers, families, friends and other interests. By taking the time to show sincere interest in what’s going on in the students’ lives outside the school, you are better able to serve them when they are in the school. I had a student who I knew was going to be coming from a track meet prior to entering class. Instead of having him participate in the typical fitness activities the rest of the class was doing, I assigned an instructor to do some partner stretching. This would serve his body better than more endurance training at that moment. 2. Know Your Students’ Physical Limitations and Preferences The blended program we teach is designed to be safe and functional. That being said, not all movements and techniques are perfect for all body types. I have a student who has degeneration in both of his knees. Knowing this, if there’s going to be any intense impact, I’ve selected an alternative activity to keep his learning and progress on par with the other classmates. 3. Know What “Repetition Club” Your Students Are In I have a few students who can see a skill one time and their body naturally picks it up. I have others who need to see it five to 10 times and then they get it. I have others who need to see it more than 20 times before I can recognize within them a look of confidence. By knowing who picks things up quicker and who requires more until they have it, you ensure everyone is getting what they need.

MASUCCESS

4. Stay in Tune with Your Students’ Progress and Expectations Our organization formally checks each student’s material every month to ensure he/she is making the kind of progress we expect. It’s also important that each student is communicated with to ensure that he/she is making the kind of progress they want. There have been occasions where students were making great progress through our eyes, but the lessons weren’t meeting their changing goals and expectations. In hindsight, this could have been avoided just by regularly asking each student, “Are you making the kind of progress with your training that you hoped to?” Or, “Is there an area of your martial arts and fitness training that you would like to focus on and improve?” 5. Keep the Relationship Strong The quality of your school comes from the quality of the relationships you have with your students. We are in the service and relationship business. It’s a strong relationship based on trust, respect and rapport. This helps our students push through their comfort zones to overcome the physical and mental challenges of training. When they feel you believe in them and care about their progress and well-being, magic happens with their potential. Everyone needs someone to believe in them more than they do in themselves. It is often this belief that propels the student to push beyond previously-held, limited thinking. Keep the coaching, mentoring and instructing relationship very strong. Most challenges that lead to a student quitting their training come from a lack of communication and anticipation of needs. By fully honoring the relationship at the highest level, you tap into the power of having a crystal ball. You see upsets and obstacles coming before your students even know there is an issue. Always staying one step ahead will enable you to retain your students longer and have more fun developing their potential. e m Chris Rappold can be reached for questions or comments at founder@personalbestkarate.com.

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THE KICK YOU NEVER SAW COMING

Know Your State’s Mandated-Reporter Law

one of us ever wants to face the situation a fellow school owner was forced to confront a few years ago. It came out of nowhere and left the owner absolutely shocked.

BY BETH A. BLOCK

“A mandated reporter is one who is legally obligated to report suspected child abuse to the authorities. Each state has laws designating who is a mandated reporter. Some states require that all individuals who work with children be mandated reporters.”

This particular school employed a part-time instructor who had worked there for years. He was super with children. He was patient and caring and inspired even the youngest and most reluctant kids. Then one day, the studio owner received a phone call from a mom. She said her son would not be returning to camp or class. When the owner asked why, Mom said her son told her that the part-time instructor punched all the new kids in the privates. When her son complained that it hurt, the instructor took him into the bathroom and looked at his genitals and touched him. This is everyone’s nightmare! The school owner called me shortly after she spoke to the mom. Over the next several days, the owner and I spoke several times. I want to break down the most important parts of our conversation so you are aware of what can happen in this situation. The first thing I asked was, “Do you have video cameras in your studio?” The answer was yes, but they did not record all areas of the studio. My recommendation to each of you is that if you’re going to use cameras, make sure they record every part of the studio except the restrooms. Make sure you know how long the recordings are kept prior to being overwritten. If an accusation is made, immediately preserve the relevant video. Failure to do so can work against you in a lawsuit or a criminal investigation. My second question was, “Is the instructor ever in oneon-one situations with children?” Your standard operating procedures become very important when an accusation like child molestation is made. Make sure you have your policies written in your employee handbook and reviewed periodically in meetings. My third question was, “Do you believe that the family might be attempting to get out of their contract and that the child is telling the truth?”

MASUCCESS

Knowing about changes in the family’s home life is important. If the parents have, for example, lost an income source, they may attempt to get out of the contract by using a (truly awful) lie. The second part of the question was not intended to cast doubt on the child. Any accusation of abuse should be taken very seriously. However, children who are being hurt by a close family member will often balk at accusing them. They might fear getting their abuser “in trouble” or may have been threatened into silence. However, they know that they need help and will accuse someone else. The most important thing here is that the true abuser, whoever it may be, is stopped. My fourth question, and one I want to emphasize here, was, “Do you know if you are a mandated reporter in your state?” A mandated reporter is one who is legally obligated to report suspected child abuse to the authorities. Each state has laws designating who is a mandated reporter. Some states require that all individuals who work with children be mandated reporters. Other states confine mandated reporters to professionals such as physicians, teachers and child-care workers. In many jurisdictions, mandated reporters who fail to report are guilty of a felony. I have seen martial arts instructors serve jail terms for failing to report. The best thing you can do is take steps to prevent this from happening in the first place: Maintain working security cameras, enforce and educate your staff on rules for interacting with students, and remove the opportunity for one-on-one student-instructor interaction that takes place out of your eyeshot. If you’re ever in the position of having to make a report or perhaps face an accusation, have a plan to deal with the potential media attention. I suggest you work with your insurance agent to have this plan in place sooner rather than later. e m Beth Block can be reached at (800) 225-0863 or beth@blockins.net.

THE LEGAL LANDSCAAPE

A New Year in July? Check Changes in the Law Twice a Year!

ach year as we change to a new calendar,

harassment, even if such harassment involves someone

we look toward a new beginning and new

who is not under your control — or even if you are not

goals. In most United States jurisdictions, the

aware that the harassment is taking place?

law typically has two “new years”: one that

begins January 1 and another that commonly starts between

BY PHILIP E. GOSS JR., ESQ.

July and November of the same calendar year. These are the timeframes in which newly enacted laws become effective. You have probably seen newspaper columns or internet

“To protect your legal interests, you must ‘get into the weeds’ and know how the new laws may require you to make changes in your operations.”

posts outlining the recent law changes in your jurisdiction. These notices are not usually exhaustive. They just highlight the changes that are most interesting to casual consumers. Issues that could adversely affect your day-to-day business operations may not be covered or may be buried deep within the news release. It’s interesting to learn how tips must be divided among restaurant servers, and it’s good to know that driving while using a cellphone is unlawful. However, these things have limited value to your martial arts school.

• What are your responsibilities if a student or other person enters your premises with a service animal? • How can you handle individuals who wish to use electronic smoking devices? • Do you know what steps you must follow if a third party seeks to garnish an employee’s wages? • If your computer is hacked and a data breach occurs, what steps must you take? • If an employee is called to jury duty, what are your options in the event that this causes your business economic or logistical harm? • At least one state now requires that you hang a

To protect your legal interests, you must “get into the weeds”

“domestic violence” placard in your break room where

and know how the new laws may require you to make changes in

you now have the other state and federally mandated

your operations.

posters. Does this affect your school?

Listed below are issues that could affect martial arts school owners. Some of them are potential landmines. They will take effect in various jurisdictions soon. • Medical and recreational marijuana use is allowed in many states. Will this affect your ability to test employees and perhaps discipline them for its use? • Do you operate in a jurisdiction where equal pay is mandated or a jurisdiction that has amended its definitions of employees and independent contractors? • Is your school located in a jurisdiction where you cannot initially ask a prospective employee about his or her criminal history? • Must you treat pregnant workers differently than before, and are you required to permit on-the-clock “lactation breaks” for mothers? Does your state mandate a minimum time for these breaks? What type of space must be provided? • Can you request a salary history from a prospective employee? Can you require arbitration in employmentrelated disputes? • Are you allowed to require a non-compete agreement and, if so, under what circumstances? • Must you have policies and procedures that protect

These are all examples of newly enacted laws or amended laws that will take effect in the coming months. Unfortunately, I am limited to 800 words per column, which means that an exhaustive survey of all jurisdictions is impossible. I suggest the following: Find business-related websites or publications that home in on your state’s laws and rules. Many local trade journals will outline the changes. When you specifically identify a new law or a change that may affect your operations, contact your attorney for assistance. Doing the legwork before you contact the attorney will save you a great deal of money. Final note: After I submitted last month’s column, I was informed of the passing of John Corcoran, my MASuccess editor since the inception of this publication in 2002. In life, everyone meets many people, but only a few stand out as special. John was special, and I can state unequivocally that I learned a great deal from him. He forgot more about writing than I will ever know. God rest your soul, my friend, and when I meet you at the Pearly Gates, our first stop will be to get that burger and shake we spoke of frequently.

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

independent contractors from all forms of workplace

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INSPIRATION OVATION

Being the Cheese

BY KAREN EDEN

“It’s pretty amazing how a dairy product could have such a huge impact on one’s life, but ‘being the cheese’ is a huge message of self-discovery, and many people go through their entire life without ever experiencing this discovery.”

hose who know me have learned to accept me with all my eccentricities. So I know that, as many years have gone by, surely they must be true friends. But for those who desire to know me better, I always air a disclaimer. I’m a different breed of person. It used to bother me early in life, but now I am comfortable with that fact, and it doesn’t bother me one bit. I often think about how much time it would save if I could just hand out a resume to everyone who wants to know me better. That way, if I wasn’t their “cup of tea,” they could just never call me. I wouldn’t be offended! I am a deeply religious person. I’m also a diehard traditional martial arts woman with a master’s rank in a Korean, military-based, hand-to-hand combat art. If that isn’t scary enough to the average person, I’m also an extremely picky eater. I don’t “do” preservatives and artificial ingredients. I also don’t particularly care for parties. I don’t like hugging people I don’t know, and I’m a nightmare when it comes to talking about nothing, aka “small talk.” Some of the labels my closest acquaintances have given me are “party pooper” and “the hermit.” My feelings aren’t hurt because it’s all true. Initially, you don’t want anybody to know that you’re not like everybody else because it can get pretty lonely out there. But it was a children’s song called The Farmer in the Dell that made me seriously ponder the act of trying to be like everybody else. In this song, “the cheese stands alone.” In my opinion, it wasn’t fair that the cheese had to stand alone, but he did, period. The song ends there. I must admit that I myself have felt like the cheese many times. It’s pretty amazing how a dairy product could have such a huge impact on one’s life, but “being the cheese” is a huge message of self-discovery, and many people go through their entire life without ever experiencing this discovery.

MASUCCESS

Being the cheese can be a very lonely journey. Most likely, you will not win any popularity contests, and many times when you stand, you won’t just stand alone; you will stand totally alone.

Being the cheese can also feel like mental bondage. More often than not, you’re constantly asking yourself, “Did I do the right thing?” But I have discovered that if I can listen through all the noise, there’s always that whisper deep down inside that answers back, “Yes, you did!” Being the cheese isn’t fun, and it isn’t the least stressful path to travel. So why would anybody choose to be the cheese? Looking back, I can see that everything I’ve ever achieved wasn’t because I was like everybody else; it was because I wasn’t like everybody else. As much as I’ve always admired those whose journeys were uncomplicated and smooth, I’ve come to accept that “Easy Street” has never been my journey — and probably never will be. Bottom line: The biggest accomplishments of my life were always because I was willing to take the chance of standing alone, and I had no fear of what others might think or say about it. Have I been victorious in every undertaking? Absolutely not! But I will be able to go to my grave someday knowing that I stood for what I felt was right, and I at least always attempted to do what I felt I had to do. If I could write a follow-up to The Farmer in the Dell, it would be about how the cheese that once stood alone became a real success — independent of the farmer, his wife, his child, the nurse, the cow, the dog, the cat and the rat. It would be about how the cheese’s strength and fearlessness enabled it to become the “Big Cheese.” Hats off to the cheese for being true to itself. e m You can contact Karen Eden at renedenherdman@gmail.com. This column originally ran in the November 2015 issue of MASuccess and is being reprinted here because of its popularity.

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