How do I find a karate instructor for a new dojo?

[FusionX]

I'm starting a new MA dojo in Lehi, UT. I've practiced several forms of martial arts but here I'll be the business owner and hiring the instructors.

My question is: How do I find a quality karate instructor?

(Just so you know, I had intended to have a close friend of mine teach all the classes. He's a second degree black belt in Shorin-ryu. Since I started making arrangement, leasing the building, renovating, etc. he got a promotion at his day job which requires more time and negates the available time to teach.)

I haven't had any success finding a place to advertise for an instructor.

Should I just start calling around to other dojos and see if they know someone or what? PLEASE HELP. The dojo opens soon.

[Wastelander]

I'm starting a new MA dojo in Lehi, UT. I've practiced several forms of martial arts but here I'll be the business owner and hiring the instructors.

My question is: How do I find a quality karate instructor?

(Just so you know, I had intended to have a close friend of mine teach all the classes. He's a second degree black belt in Shorin-ryu. Since I started making arrangement, leasing the building, renovating, etc. he got a promotion at his day job which requires more time and negates the available time to teach.)

I haven't had any success finding a place to advertise for an instructor.

Should I just start calling around to other dojos and see if they know someone or what? PLEASE HELP. The dojo opens soon.

I would say that your only real options are to teach, yourself, or call martial arts schools around the area and see if they have any instructor-level students that would be good options. If you do hire an instructor from another dojo, though, you should probably expect them to want to get something more than just a wage for the instructor--advertising or referrals, for instance.

[bassaiguy]

I was approached by a business partner to explore a similar situation a few years ago. At that time there was a MA school chain/franchise seeking to expand in my area. I was approached to be general manager rather than instructor. In this case I explored four options for finding qualified staff: 1) The franchise had a brief instructor training program supplemented by on-line, distance and periodic in-house education. 2) The university near where I live has programs in Shotokan karate and Moo Duk Kwan TSD. I could have easily recruited part-time instructors from there. 3) I could have advertised in general and specific magazines and employment web-sites related to martial arts and those run by state and local employment agencies. 4) I could have accelerated promotion for some of my traditional students.

I think each approach has benefits and costs. 1) Easy and style-specific, but quality control is low. 2) Talented and athletic students are available, but the population is transient and I could not have recruited a stable head instructor. 3) This would have given me the broadest selection, but could have been expensive and would certainly have been time consuming since I wold have had to review resumes, interview and work-out with potential employees. 4) Since my trad program was separate from the commercial program I could have cross-graded some of my trad students, but then I'd be making a long-term student an employee and that changes the dynamic of the teacher-student relationship.

I ended up not pursuing the opportunity for personal and financial reasons, but I wonder sometimes if I could have made a go of it. In the future I might explore that option again. Feel free to send me a PM if you want details on the companies I was working with or the process I went through to vet the companies.

[FusionX]

Thank you for your responses. I’m not associated with any franchise and don’t wish to be at this time. Quality control is my first objective. To offer quality instruction is what will set me apart in my area.

As for giving more to a dojo for providing a quality instructor, I wouldn’t have any problem with providing referrals and even some advertising. I believe in cooperation. There’s plenty of business for everyone as long as you’re providing a quality service.

In response to “bassaiguy” you have systematically described what has been rambling around in my head. Thank you. A question, you mentioned employment web-sites related to martial arts, would you post those addresses? Or send them to me in e-mail versus posting on this site? I know it will be a broad approach but I have the time to vet potential candidates. Jake@FusionXMartialArts.com.

[JohnASE]

You're in a tough spot! From what I hear, it's hard enough to bring up good instructors through the ranks, but to pull someone away from another school...

One option you might consider is your local martial arts supply company, if you have one. Maybe they can recommend someone, or maybe they'll have a board where you can put up a flyer.

Maybe you can try for a college or high school student looking for a part time job. Colleges have classifieds where you can place job offers. Not sure about high schools. You might be able to find someone who can teach beginner classes while you look for someone more experienced.

Good luck with your search and your new business!

[sensei8]

You say that you've trained in some forms of the MA...so...

If at all possible, ask your instructor(s) help and/or to evaluate the prospective instructor's teaching abilities and the like.

Remember this...not all black belts can teach and that's for a great reason.

Good luck and please keep us informed.

[bushido_man96]

Maybe its just that I'm a bit old-fashioned, but this sounds like a very round-about way of starting up a school. In my experience, students come up through the ranks, become black belts, get teaching experience under their instructor, and then end up expanding out on their own or under their instructor as a branch school. Its a much smoother transition, and you know what you are getting. This "free-agent" idea you are talking about here looks like it could be wrought with problems.

[FusionX]

Thanks bushido_man96 for that less than useful insight. Sorry, didn't mean to offend but I joined this forum to get connected with fellow martial arts inthusiasts.

Perhaps the way that I'm starting my school is unorthodox, however, it offers some strategic advantages. One, I don't owe loyalty to anyone and can therefore adapt as I see fit and maintain quality. In other words, if the instructor isn't up to par I can let him persue a different avenue without affending anybody. Two, the stress of running a business and teaching don't join in one business destroying headache.

If may also be worthwhile considering that most MA schools fail in their first year. It seems to me that the old-fashioned way of doing things is also wrought with problems.

[Zaine]

Maybe its just that I'm a bit old-fashioned, but this sounds like a very round-about way of starting up a school. In my experience, students come up through the ranks, become black belts, get teaching experience under their instructor, and then end up expanding out on their own or under their instructor as a branch school. Its a much smoother transition, and you know what you are getting. This "free-agent" idea you are talking about here looks like it could be wrought with problems.

I really have to agree. I think that if you're going to start your school you should teach. Otherwise you're just opening a business and I think it's easy for something to get lost in the translation when you remove yourself from a teacher role. In the end, if it's a business you want, teaching yourself will save cost and give you an opportunity for expansion when your students want to start teaching on their own. The old fashioned way may be wrought with problems but I think that this is a problem of how you run it and other factors that you too will have to worry about regardless of the way that you do it. This is the long and short of it: Martial Arts studio are hard to keep running as it is. With rent, utilities, equipment and other random costs, why would you add the extra cost of an instructor's salary?

[sensei8]

What's the name of your core style of the MA? What is going to be the main style of the MA taught at your new school? Is this prospective instructor going to teach the main core style or one of the alternate side classes?

Wal-Mart is now allowing MA schools to set up with their big box. To work for that MA company, you've got to KNOW their core style. Well, that leaves me out!

For the consistency of having a solid instructor that's going to be around for some time, and this is paramount for your student body, selection/hiring of said instructor shouldn't be taken lightly, not that you are. I've seen other dojo's hire from the outside, and while it would last for only a short time, the students were left without an instructor over and over, then the school was forced to close their doors for good because the reputation of their school was tainted over the fact that they couldn't keep an instructor for any appreciative time.

Nothing destroys the morality of the student body faster than the Chief Instructor(s) being replaced over and over.

Alan Tackett, 8th Dan of Seidokan Karate under Tomo Sensei. He was hired by the owner of a small school in Bakersfield, CA This owner wasn't a MAist at all. This owner was the father of 2nd Dan, but this Dan was a minor. Father had the skills to construct a very nice school for his son as well as the funds to assist with the start-up costs. This 2nd Dan was a credible MAist as well as a solid competitor within the region(s).

Alan's being hired as the Chief Instructor gave the school a tremendous amount of credibility across the board. Alan's core style WASN'T the same as the 2nd Dan's, however, Alan was very well versed in not only his core style but practically almost every Japanese/Okinawan Karate style. Slowly but surely the student body grew and it grew substantially because of Alan's involvement, and his involvement wasn't just in the area of teaching; no, Alan's solid marketing/business abilities also generated a great little school.

Alan's still there as the Chief Instructor. How did the father interview Alan? First with many long interviews during that month, and that was so that they could get to know each other, as well as getting to know what each were looking for; they were on the same page right from the start, and they still are. Did the father "test" Alan to evaluate his MA abilities? NO! How does someone who's not ever been in the MA "test/evaluate" someone like Alan? How would a 2nd Dan evaluate an 8th Dan? THEY DON'T!! It would've been a very limited evaluation, imho, or it would be quite one sided, with Alan dominating the process. What the father knew about Alan's MA abilities would fit into a thimble, but those many long interviews were invaluable. The father spoke with many MAists throughout Bakersfield, and everyone spoke highly about Alan's, both about his character as well as MA abilities.

I don't envy the search before you, but good luck anyhow.