For a living

[Menjo]

I dont actually want to do this and iam way to young and I have other plans, but I wonder how often when someone starts a new dojo that it actually makes enough money and becomes sucessful or if its non-profit, gets alot of members?

[Sam]

i know quite a few people that do this.... but a the majority of instructors i know dont.

[MasterH]

I dont actually want to do this and iam way to young and I have other plans, but I wonder how often when someone starts a new dojo that it actually makes enough money and becomes sucessful or if its non-profit, gets alot of members?

How old are you? Now's the time to start planning if you want. Study buisness as well as you MA and start small and work you're way up. Look into NAPMA and MAIA, two buisness MA orgs. Sit with your instructor and talk about it. Start a network of succsess full MA instructors and see how they run things. Pattern your ideal buisness plan after what you learn for the owner/instructor you most trust. Just be aware of the McDojo traps, and you'll do fine. Good luck.

[Enviroman]

Running a martial arts school as a for-profit business is just like any other small business. It's the undeniable truth that most small businesses fail withint their first two years, so you need to be smart about what you are doing. I always recommend taking a few classes in marketing, finance, and accounting for anyone that plans on owning a small business one day. Even if you don't plan on majoring in business, these classes can be invaluable.

[MasterH]

Running a martial arts school as a for-profit business is just like any other small business. It's the undeniable truth that most small businesses fail withint their first two years, so you need to be smart about what you are doing. I always recommend taking a few classes in marketing, finance, and accounting for anyone that plans on owning a small business one day. Even if you don't plan on majoring in business, these classes can be invaluable.

Yup, listen to the man! I encourage all of my younger instructors to go to college first then open up. Just because you have a Black Belt does not mean you're ready to run a school.

[Tiger1962]

I dont actually want to do this and iam way to young and I have other plans, but I wonder how often when someone starts a new dojo that it actually makes enough money and becomes sucessful or if its non-profit, gets alot of members?

Like any business when you first open up, you should be there to watch over it and get it off the ground. A lot depends on whether or not it will be successful. Location, tuition cost, can you afford the rent, the number of students you are able to recruit, skill level of the instructor, what customer base is it geared toward: adults, children or both? Would this be your primary job or secondary (meaning the school is only open in the evenings). You'll need equipment too - that's another expense. Unless you can afford to hire people, remember that in your own school, you'll be the teacher, do the administrative work, clean up, order supplies, etc. Can you trust someone else to handle some of that for you in a voluntary mode? If so, great.

It's to be expected that the beginning of most businesses struggle. I know a couple people that started their own school and have mentioned the struggle it is. When you start, I believe that you have to be there full time unless you have a 100% totally reliable and trustworthy partner to work with you and dedicate and commit to the times there that you are not. You might even have to start off by sharing your space with another renter (example: dance studio, yoga school) just to share the rent and make ends meet. Opening up a brand new school and then going on vacation for a couple months isn't going to help the business. So you should be prepared to be "married to it" until it's running successfully.

It all depends on a lot - I believe - but if you want it to succeed, you have to know in advance, how much time and effort you are physically able to put into it. I would say until you are prepared to put a lot of your personal time into it and have the money to start it, I'd hold off until you're ready. In the meantime, you could always talk to other school owners, pick their brains about the in's and out's of operating a small business, get some advice and mentoring from those who have done it for several years. At least this way, you're more "in the know" about what to expect when you DO decide to do it. And it's best to be going into it knowing what to expect.

[joesteph]

It's the undeniable truth that most small businesses fail withint their first two years, so you need to be smart about what you are doing.

I remember reading that the majority of new businesses lose money during their first year or two. Breaking even is actually a business success when you're starting something from scratch.

In the past, I was friends with the owner of a gun shop who was certainly knowledgeable and understood costs, but said that he had to save before opening his shop, so that he not take any money from the business which he needed to put right back into it. When he was able to take home a "salary" from his new business is when he felt he was established.

[tallgeese]

I've also seen people use models to get started up. Rendting space from someone elses floor is a good place ot get a core amount of students up and running who could go a long way to contribuing to your early cash flow when you open your own doors. This could be other clubs, dance places, even churches or the like.

Y's also occassiaonly rent out space, or sometimes even need insturctors on their payroll. Again, a good way to build a student base prior to financing everything yourself.

[onthink]

I seriously doubt about it.

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[Traymond]

It depends on where you are trying to teach at. If your in a small town, then its not going to work. If you are doing it in a big city, it may work, then it depends on your teaching skills, and your price. But I would not consider it as a occupation if your still young....like me...haha. I just teach if for free at the moment, when I move to california I might end up teaching it on the side for a few dollars here and there.