A new idea

GojuTommy

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Last week I got inspired.

Iā€™ve been teaching in some capacity since I was 14, my dojo however isnā€™t the same as it used to be so Iā€™ve decided to strike out on my own in a way after 3 years of unsuccessfully trying to steer things back on to the track I thought they should be on.

Anyway my goal is to promote striking arts for full contact competition and practical real world self defense.

My idea is more of a mix up of martial arts marketing agency and a club that will provide several other services.

Are you a point sparring karate or TKD school? Want to learn how to adapt what you already teach for the real world or higher intensity and heavier contact leagues/tournaments? We can do that.

Do you also work with kids but you just arenā€™t good at it? Seminars on how to work with and teach younger kids can be set up.

Would you like to use a larger space than what you currently have? The clubhouse can be reserved.

Also looking into trying to do a BBB type set up to help people find the best schools for what they want as well as a school/instructor accreditation system.

Schools can sign up as member school or as an individual martial artist.

What other services would you as instructors and owners like to see as to make it worth getting involved?

Also I feel pretentious about accreditation but I think about it as a way for the local martial arts community to police itself, as member school head instructors would vote on accreditation.
 

Monkey Turned Wolf

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So essentially your idea is create a school designed to teach schools how to adapt/expand on what they do?

Would you be doing all this teaching yourself, or would it be more of a "Person from school A is really good with kids, so he can teach a class on working with kids, person from school B has done MMA competition and can help others learn to pressure test, person from school C actually has an MBA and a successful business model, so he can teach people how to run a business"?

Not going into the accreditation part, but regarding the others, for the first option (you teaching), that would require a lot of experience and skills on your part, for the second option, that would be a really cool idea if you can get instructors along with it, but I'm not sure there's a large enough market (depending where you live) to actually make money off of it. If you can find a way to, or if you don't care about the money, it has the potential to be really cool.
 
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GojuTommy

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So essentially your idea is create a school designed to teach schools how to adapt/expand on what they do?

Would you be doing all this teaching yourself, or would it be more of a "Person from school A is really good with kids, so he can teach a class on working with kids, person from school B has done MMA competition and can help others learn to pressure test, person from school C actually has an MBA and a successful business model, so he can teach people how to run a business"?

Not going into the accreditation part, but regarding the others, for the first option (you teaching), that would require a lot of experience and skills on your part, for the second option, that would be a really cool idea if you can get instructors along with it, but I'm not sure there's a large enough market (depending where you live) to actually make money off of it. If you can find a way to, or if you don't care about the money, it has the potential to be really cool.
Ideally it would be both options.

I have been praised for my ability with children for example and also spent 2 years before I enlisted coaching an MMA team after karate.

Iā€™d also provide marketing and promotion of the schools, so the club house would be set up like a school in its own right with mats bags, strength training equipment etc. members can reserve the clubhouse or specific areas/ equipment if they donā€™t have that equipment or just need a bigger area.
The club would also set up events with all the schools invited to participate and the public invited to observe.

An area one stop shop for martial arts basically.

In my area Iā€™ve recorded a page and a half of local schools that I think would be interested which leaves out schools that appear to only target a younger demographic (5-16) but maybe theyā€™ll want to branch out as well.
 

Headhunter

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Meh...not something I'd be interested in. Everyone has their own ways of doing things and that's not right or wrong but why would instructors stop what they're doing and change to follow your ideas.

Honestly to me this just sounds like a nice little money maker for you. Not saying that's a bad thing but honestly it wouldn't interest me at all.

Also you say you've been doing karate since you were 14 but also you've coached an mma team...do you see the issue you can't run an mma school just knowing karate
 
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GojuTommy

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Meh...not something I'd be interested in. Everyone has their own ways of doing things and that's not right or wrong but why would instructors stop what they're doing and change to follow your ideas.

Honestly to me this just sounds like a nice little money maker for you. Not saying that's a bad thing but honestly it wouldn't interest me at all.

Also you say you've been doing karate since you were 14 but also you've coached an mma team...do you see the issue you can't run an mma school just knowing karate
Considering traditional Okinawan karate is already a mixture of several martial arts, and goju karate includes take downs and some ground fighting.

But luckily the head of our organization was also an Olympian judoka, and has judo, and traditional jiu jistu at the hombu dojo so Iā€™ve had plenty of opportunities to supplement karate take down and ground fighting techniques with those over the years.
 
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GojuTommy

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It seems rather than drawing issue with the idea itself most here seem to have a problem with someone being confident in themselves.
Oh well created the account for some general market research, time to move on to region specific market research.

Enjoy gentlemen.

But yes as head hunter said it is intended to be a nice little money maker since no amount of passion alone will pay my mortgage and bills, and Iā€™m not fortunate enough to be a trust fund baby to be able to chase things with no interest of profit. Iā€™ve already taught without getting paid as a hobby, it was fine since the head instructor was already putting his own money into things to ensure struggling families had a chance to participate, but rather than follow his path of 70+ hours at work a week followed by a dozen or so hours in the dojo Iā€™d rather just spend the time doing something I enjoy while making money to support myself.
 
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Flying Crane

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It seems rather than drawing issue with the idea itself most here seem to have a problem with someone being confident in themselves.
Oh well created the account for some general market research, time to move on to region specific market research.

Enjoy gentlemen.

But yes as head hunter said it is intended to be a nice little money maker since no amount of passion alone will pay my mortgage and bills, and Iā€™m not fortunate enough to be a trust fund baby to be able to chase things with no interest of profit. Iā€™ve already taught without getting paid as a hobby, it was fine since the head instructor was already putting his own money into things to ensure struggling families had a chance to participate, but rather than follow his path of 70+ hours at work a week followed by a dozen or so hours in the dojo Iā€™d rather just spend the time doing something I enjoy while making money to support myself.
I think lots of people get an idea kind of like this. Perhaps some of them are successful, after a fashion. If you can make it work and provide a quality service while making some money, then good job.

Personally, I would not be interested.
 

hoshin1600

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It seems rather than drawing issue with the idea itself most here seem to have a problem with someone being confident in themselves.
Oh well created the account for some general market research, time to move on to region specific market research.

Enjoy gentlemen.

But yes as head hunter said it is intended to be a nice little money maker since no amount of passion alone will pay my mortgage and bills, and Iā€™m not fortunate enough to be a trust fund baby to be able to chase things with no interest of profit. Iā€™ve already taught without getting paid as a hobby, it was fine since the head instructor was already putting his own money into things to ensure struggling families had a chance to participate, but rather than follow his path of 70+ hours at work a week followed by a dozen or so hours in the dojo Iā€™d rather just spend the time doing something I enjoy while making money to support myself.
You got inspired, that's great. Don't let people damped that flame. But here is the problem, many if not most martial arts instructors out there have more experience and are more successful at it than you. Why would they pay you? What credentialed expertise do you bring to the table? People might be willing to pay for some Professional advise but " I've been told I'm good at teaching kids " just is not going to be in high demand. You said yourself you went out on your own when you couldn't turn the failing dojo around. Why would I entrust my life savings and my 2nd mortgage to you?
I'm not trying to be negative but you haven't proven your self to be successful yet and if you want clients and or convince people on your idea your going to have to have some proof. That's just the way the world works.
 

Monkey Turned Wolf

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It seems rather than drawing issue with the idea itself most here seem to have a problem with someone being confident in themselves.
Oh well created the account for some general market research, time to move on to region specific market research.

Enjoy gentlemen.

But yes as head hunter said it is intended to be a nice little money maker since no amount of passion alone will pay my mortgage and bills, and Iā€™m not fortunate enough to be a trust fund baby to be able to chase things with no interest of profit. Iā€™ve already taught without getting paid as a hobby, it was fine since the head instructor was already putting his own money into things to ensure struggling families had a chance to participate, but rather than follow his path of 70+ hours at work a week followed by a dozen or so hours in the dojo Iā€™d rather just spend the time doing something I enjoy while making money to support myself.
At that point, you had 4 responses, one about the thread title (which honestly is not very clear), one saying dunning-kruger effect, one saying but he wouldn't be interested (in the idea, not in you), and one asking for more information on the idea. That's 2 people who are up for a discussion (and hoshin is too, as shown by his later posts), and only 1 person saying something 'negative' about your confidence in yourself. And even then, barely.

If that's what it takes for you to give up on a forum, that's an issue on it's own. When you propose this idea to people around you, you're going to get a lot more rejection that you have to handle, especially if you go into it without a business plan.
 
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GojuTommy

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You got inspired, that's great. Don't let people damped that flame. But here is the problem, many if not most martial arts instructors out there have more experience and are more successful at it than you. Why would they pay you? What credentialed expertise do you bring to the table? People might be willing to pay for some Professional advise but " I've been told I'm good at teaching kids " just is not going to be in high demand. You said yourself you went out on your own when you couldn't turn the failing dojo around. Why would I entrust my life savings and my 2nd mortgage to you?
I'm not trying to be negative but you haven't proven your self to be successful yet and if you want clients and or convince people on your idea your going to have to have some proof. That's just the way the world works.
1. Was only looking to see if the idea was something that would be generally of interest.
2. Over the years Iā€™ve learned that a lot of schools have head instructors who are 1st and 2nd degree black belts, so those are the schools Iā€™d primarily be targeting.(I wonā€™t say a specific market share that fall into that category because Iā€™m really not that far into the market research.) You are right it would be pretty silly to approach a school owner who has been running the school successfully for 20+ years at this point.
3. I gave advice to a business owner who refused to take my advice, that school is still open and likely will be for years to come.

I also did the marketing for the family motorcycle shop which had a successful 16 year run including a major up sizing until I joined the navy Iā€™d say I do have experience. The shop only closed because the 70yr olds who ran decided they didnā€™t want to work any more.

My goal is not to approach well established schools that have been operating for over a decade, but there are several places locally that appear to be operating out of the basement or garage of the instructorā€™s personal residence.
For a monthly, semi-annual, or annual membership fee they could have someone helping them with marketing and promotion as well as a more professional facility they can use to help to bring and keep students. (Letā€™s face it people with no martial arts knowledge are more likely to end up with a poor teacher with a professional looking facility, than a great teacher using their garage, a punching bag and a fold up mat)
 

Flying Crane

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Looking back at the OP, I see a huge problem with the whole credentialling issue. A group of fellows getting together to decide who in their neighborhood deserves proper credentials just sounds like a problem ripe for abuse, never mind the question of who even has the authority to make these decisions. When you decide to step into the middle of cross-system credentialling, it begins to smell of BS in an awful hurry.
 
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GojuTommy

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Looking back at the OP, I see a huge problem with the whole credentialling issue. A group of fellows getting together to decide who in their neighborhood deserves proper credentials just sounds like a problem ripe for abuse, never mind the question of who even has the authority to make these decisions. When you decide to step into the middle of cross-system credentialling, it begins to smell of BS in an awful hurry.
I get that, but who gave the BBB their authority hand out certificates that basically say ā€˜these are good people to do business withā€™?

Like I said it feels pretentious to call it an accreditation board but something like a martial arts specific version of the BBB, if that makes sense.

Not credentialing a TKD instructor in TKD, but more like saying ā€œthis instructor has shown that they will teach their style in a way conducive to realistic self denfense and/or full contact sport sparring.

Hope that make sense
 

Xue Sheng

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Last week I got inspired.

Iā€™ve been teaching in some capacity since I was 14, my dojo however isnā€™t the same as it used to be so Iā€™ve decided to strike out on my own in a way after 3 years of unsuccessfully trying to steer things back on to the track I thought they should be on.

Anyway my goal is to promote striking arts for full contact competition and practical real world self defense.

My idea is more of a mix up of martial arts marketing agency and a club that will provide several other services.

Are you a point sparring karate or TKD school? Want to learn how to adapt what you already teach for the real world or higher intensity and heavier contact leagues/tournaments? We can do that.

Do you also work with kids but you just arenā€™t good at it? Seminars on how to work with and teach younger kids can be set up.

Would you like to use a larger space than what you currently have? The clubhouse can be reserved.

Also looking into trying to do a BBB type set up to help people find the best schools for what they want as well as a school/instructor accreditation system.

Schools can sign up as member school or as an individual martial artist.

What other services would you as instructors and owners like to see as to make it worth getting involved?

It is not new....it is back to the way it was in the 60s and 70s combined with the marketing they use today.


Also I feel pretentious about accreditation but I think about it as a way for the local martial arts community to police itself, as member school head instructors would vote on accreditation.

Also

pretentious

1.characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved:
a pretentious, self-important waiter.
2.making an exaggerated outward show; ostentatious.
3.full of pretense or pretension; having no factual basis; false.
 

Flying Crane

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I get that, but who gave the BBB their authority hand out certificates that basically say ā€˜these are good people to do business withā€™?

Like I said it feels pretentious to call it an accreditation board but something like a martial arts specific version of the BBB, if that makes sense.

Not credentialing a TKD instructor in TKD, but more like saying ā€œthis instructor has shown that they will teach their style in a way conducive to realistic self denfense and/or full contact sport sparring.

Hope that make sense
I donā€™t know how the BBB works, other than as a place to register complaints about unethical business practices.

But who gets to sit on the ā€œboardā€ of your group and hand out determinations about which schools are good? That could become a Good Old Boys club in a hurry. Better hope one of them doesnā€™t hold a grudge against you for some perceived slight from ten years ago. See what I mean about ripe for abuse?

In the end, nobody has authority to govern martial arts schools, for better or for worse. Itā€™s a mixed bag, but I would not have it any other way.
 
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GojuTommy

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I donā€™t know how the BBB works, other than as a place to register complaints about unethical business practices.

But who gets to sit on the ā€œboardā€ of your group and hand out determinations about which schools are good? That could become a Good Old Boys club in a hurry. Better hope one of them doesnā€™t hold a grudge against you for some perceived slight from ten years ago. See what I mean about ripe for abuse?

In the end, nobody has authority to govern martial arts schools, for better or for worse. Itā€™s a mixed bag, but I would not have it any other way.
Which is why I posted a link describing how it works.
Itā€™s literally just a place people trust that hands out a piece of paper to businesses and if you break their rules they donā€™t give you another piece of paper the next year.
 
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GojuTommy

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It is not new....it is back to the way it was in the 60s and 70s combined with the marketing they use today.




Also

pretentious

1.characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved:
a pretentious, self-important waiter.
2.making an exaggerated outward show; ostentatious.
3.full of pretense or pretension; having no factual basis; false.
Yes I said feels pretentious, didnā€™t say it was.

Iā€™d be more worried about someone who felt they had the responsibility or right to accredit others no questions asked.

But is this how things happened back in the day? Cool, I always did prefer old school
 

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