Chapter 32 – A Successful School
When we say a successful school, we must first define the criteria for success ? Some people’s definition of success is purely motivated by finances, other people’s definition of success is having a school of kick ass fighters that does well on the sport circuit. Be it jiu-jitsu, mma, boxing, kickboxing, etc… (This type of success tends to satiate one’s ego in lieu of one’s wallet).
My definition of success for school owners, is that a school provides a balance for them. The balance by which we are referring is between finances and your own personal training. In many cases, in our quest to have a successful school, there is too much emphasis on teaching and not enough emphasis on one’s personal training.
As Inosanto has told me repeatedly for over 30 years, our school should be our job and our sand box to play in at the same time.
A successful martial arts school is a combination of brick and mortar and flesh and blood. What do I mean by this? Back in the 60’s and 70’s we saw schools popping up under the auspices of a franchise. What I mean by this is if someone had a big name, they would parlay their name into a chain of schools. Chuck Norris had a chain of schools, the Tracy brother’s had their chain of schools, Ed Parker had his chain of schools, etc, etc… (This is the flesh and blood paradigm). This business paradigm of the times did not require that the schools look good, did not require that they were equipped well, hell it did not even require that they were hygienic. However, people came, that business paradigm was a success for a while, but like building a house on a foundation of sand, it eventually crumbled.
As we got into the 80’s the business model shifted, and school owners no longer had to be stars, or champions, the only requirement in the 80’s was that the schools were decked out. When you came into a school in those days it looked like a 24 hour fitness. Equipped with wooden dummies, matts, bags, etc… This particular paradigm of the 80s, what I like to call the brick and mortar paradigm, was also successful for a while, and it also eventually failed miserably. Students would go to the same classes, being taught the same stuff by a litany of mediocre student/instructors. These instructors of the times did not need talent, fighting ability or even personality. All they needed was their very large decked out / expensive facility.
As we fast forward to 2010 and review this subject again, it is quite obvious, that the contemporary paradigm has way more to do with brick and mortar and way less to do with flesh and blood. And this is the epicenter of our topic this Sunday.
95 out of 100 school owners now a days, are absolutely anonymous. By this I mean they have no reputation as fighters, no reputation as teachers, and have put far too many of their eggs into their school, and far too few of their eggs into themselves. (At this point I shall attempt to address the 5 greatest ways that one can one can put their eggs into “themselves”).
#1 Become an author, and write articles for magazines.
The nano-second anything is put into writing, the writer is automatically assumed an expert. And “you” the writer also becomes a star. And finally you the writer gets one more thing… each article is a minimum of 6 pages long. Each full page costs roughly 2 grand in advertising. You the writer gets to advertise yourself and your school, through black belt magazine or Inside Kung-Fu, whatever, with what would equate to a $12,000 ; once this process gets up running, one can advertise in 5 magazines each month, which is $60,000 in adds, and literally do this in perpetuity.
#2. Make your own instructional video tape.
Just like one who writes their own articles, one who stars in their own video tapes, is also projecting authenticity and recognition. When I made my first video tape in 1985, I remember spending back then, $10,000. Now that same process can be done for under $1000. Each video tape, back in 1985, cost $7 a piece ! Now a days, an entire 8 DVD set can be done for under 6 bucks. In simple numbers, if one sells a 6 dvd set for $100, and simply just sells one package per day, they would be making $36,000 a year, for free advertising.
#3. Travel the World Teaching Seminars.
As long as you have something cutting edge to offer. And as long as you have some sort of name / some sort of reputation it is guaranteed that their will be school owners world wide that will want to bring you in to do a seminar. If you do, 1 seminar per month, and your fee for the seminar is $2000, and you sell 10 of your tapes while you are there, you are now promoting your school, and yourself for free, while making another $36,000 a year.
#4. Further Your Authenticity as An Author, and Write your Own Book !
It is one thing to own a martial art school, and it is something all together different to be an author who owns a martial art school. I can speak for myself when I say, my career, took off more, when I wrote my first book, than anything else I’ve done. When one is an author, they are not looked at, as the Rocky esq type guy, who is simply a fighter/thug. When one writes their own book, there is a genuine respect, inherent, with someone not only physical but cerebral. Now lets talk money, I will not reveal any of my personal figures to you, however this I will say, I make more money with my books, than all of my videos put together !
#5. Now I have saved the best for last. (Intensive Personal Training Programs)
There are 1/10 of 1% of martial artists on this planet, that have acquired sufficient clout, respect, and reputation to pull off the most lucrative and personally fulfilling aspect of martial arts today, Intensive Personal Training Programs… We have invented, formulated, and perfected the art of flying in anyone from all over the world, training them for 2 days, and completely metamorphoses these folks into fighters. And in tandem with this persons new abilities, we certify them as an apprentice instructor in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do.
From this point on whoever receives this certification can count on doubling their income for the rest of their days. It is our experience that people literally trip over themselves to be certified in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. And that is why, it is so important to us to create instructors, with appropriate scruples to not take advantage of this fact. In conclusion, please allow me to sum up the theme of our topic. It is my opinion that school owners now a days, put too much emphasis on their schools, and too little emphasis on themselves. Over the past 30 years, and literally thousands of trials and tribulations, we have concluded that the aforementioned 5 ways, are the most expedient route to financial success. In summing up… Attempt to become an author and write for major magazines. (When the average person attempts this feet they will find that their articles are put on a waiting list for up to 3 years). For all of our members, I circumvent this process, help edit your article, and get it on the editors desk within a month ! #2 attempt to make your own instructional video tape. When the average person tries to make their own video tape, it literally looks like something Clark Griswald put together in his spare time. It has taken me 20 years, and thousands of permeations in order to find the write formula for a successful videotape. For all of our members, you fly out to California, and I literally produce, direct, and star in your own instructional video tape for you. When you leave my home in one weekend, you will have a product, that you can sell and be proud of for the rest of your life. #3 When the average person attempts to advertise themselves, for seminars, they will find few people are interested in flying them in. For all of our members I give you our professional official certificates, with Bruce Lee embossed on the background! I sign one signature as Head Instructor, and my members sign the other signature as Instructors. Once again the recipient of this certificate is now certified in our Company Progressive Fighting Systems, as an apprentice instructor in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. #4 When the average person attempts to write a book, they will find that they have spent several months, lots of hard work, and at the end of the day, they will have nothing but a hand full of papers. This is due to the fact, that it is very difficult to get a book published. Without the right publishers, that book doesn’t mean much. For all of our members, we have our own publishing company. Additionally, we work in tandem with several other publishing companies, included but not limited to Black Belt, Inside Kung-Fu and Century. #5 When the average person advertises for Intensive Personal Training Courses, ie, individuals flying across the country for training, they will find that they have done nothing but waist, advertising dollars. There is not substantial motivation to justify such a trip in most peoples eyes. Does anyone know the next 5 words that I am about to say ? … You got it…
- For all of my members, they can advertise certifying someone in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do.
Good Luck, God bless, Happy New Year, Love Vu !
Please check the Table of Contents for links to other chapters of this Online Book.
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