Unreliable Schools?

[b3n]

I've heard alot of people say that MA schools are among the most unreliable places of all - they always seem to be opening up then closing down soon after. I've also read alot of people who have had to continuosly keep moving around because of it, having to take up new styles and all.

I have been training in the same dojo, and under the same shihan (and most of the senseis) that where there 9 years ago when I started (It's been running for over 20 years now though). I was just wondering whether this business of MA schools opening and closing in quick succession was effecting anyone? Or is it just a minority?

[AndrewGreen]

No, it's the way it is.

Overhead on a commercial school is high, and students tend to be cheap. Around here even some of the more established ones have been dropping.

[Gen_Tora]

Been that way here to the only bif commerical school here is a tournament focused karate dojo. really suck to, because they never win anything. Too Politically correct & really training hard would cost allot of students.

[DragonMike]

There are a lot of closings here as well. I think that some people who make great instructors do not have the business acuman to run a school.

[pineapple]

Same here! I wouldn't even try to count the number of schools that I've seen come and go!

[b3n]

It's a shame, guess i've been lucky.

[glockmeister]

I have seen that alotin my area as well. I have been lucky that I haven't had to deal with it personally, but I have seen quite a few dojos open up and the next time you look you are seeing a "for rent" sign in their front window and everything gone. I often wondered about this too. I would imagine that it isn't easy runnung a MA business. As was noted before, you don't want a McDojo, yet sometimes whne you pay alot of attention to conditioning and hardcore training, you tend to lose a lot of students who really can't seem to get their minds out of the Myagi mentality and they think their training should be easy.

[Aodhan]

It's not just martial arts schools. The majority of small businesses fail in the first year, and many more fail in the first five years. We notice the MA ones because we are interested in them.

So many owners are great instructors, and terrible businessmen. They don't know how to attract students, they don't do demographic studies, negotiate leases for advantage, choose bad locations, etc.

That's another reason that I love being in the ATA, is they have an incredible business support system, and require you to take their business intro before you can get a school license.

Aodhan

[karatekid1975]

I agree, glockmeister. Some just can't handle it, I guess.

There was a school here that openned up right down the road from my dojang. It was some made up style (I can't even remember the name, but I remember that it was so funny just hearing it). They were exteremely expensive, and the so-called cheif instructor was a 28 year old "grandmaster." They lasted only six months. We had a few of their students come to us.

I guess I have been lucky, also. This dojang and my TSD dojang have been successful, even with tough training.

[niel0092]

See it all the time. Our school has been around for almost 30 years though.