My dream has come true! Well, half of it!

[chiliphil1]

As a CRP/First Aid instructor, I strongly advise taking Red Cross's Responding to Emergencies over the standard first aid. Standard first aid is a waste of time IMO. All they'll teach you is to bandage some cuts and tie people's feet together if the break an ankle. Then they'll tell you not to do it if you're going to call an ambulance. It's for if you're out in the middle of the woods and need to drag someone out IMO.

Responding to Emergencies covers realistic stuff - broken necks and the like. Significantly longer and more involved course, but you'll be far better prepared for the worst. Re-certifying isn't nearly as long as the initial certification process.

Just my 2 cents.

Ok, awesome. I will look into that program, thank you.

[tallgeese]

Great news!

I will echo some thoughts that have already come up. Yes, start in a rec center. I've done both this and a church before and found far more low-cost advertising came with very little effort at a rec center. There is a built in client base there that will literally be walking by your class every single day. This will let you get ahead of the numbers you need to operate a stand alone facility. DON"T RUSH TO THIS STAGE. Trust me, it's awesome, and it's far more work.

Get personal insurance. As much reputable coverage as you can afford. Yes, having coverage from someone else is nice. Keep your own as well.

Sort out your tax stuff early. Form an LLC or S-Corp or other entity depending on your federal/ local laws. At the very least, here in the States, you'll need a DBA set up. Once you start incorporating, this process will get more pricy than you expect. Make sure you understand the ins and outs of it. Do some research to find the best fit.

Now, start business modeling NOW. That includes a marketing plan and budget for such. This will get you so much further ahead and keep you on track. There's programs and examples all around the internet. Depending on the size of your operation this might be more or less complex. You still have to do it, even at a minimal level for small operations.

As part of that, get on board with an auto-withdrawl system right out of the gate. It's so much easier than pestering people for money. You can do this thru the bank you're business is banking with or an on-line system that includes student check in, tracking, and automated emails. These can cost very little per month and are so worth it.

First Aid can't hurt. Usually this is a box you'll need to check for working out of rec center. I'll stay off my soap box here as I have very little good to say about most canned programs. Set thru the class and get the card, it's probably a non-starter not to.

Lastly, gert ready for a ride! It will be great, it will be a headache, it will be horrible. But you'll love every minute of it!

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Luther unleashed]

If you open in a rec center or a church or something of that nature, it's unlikely you will lose money but that all depends on what you set your profit to be, if I spend money on tons of equipment and things like that I'd lose money too.

My first month in business, I only made $260.00. It takes time and don't be discouraged, but you should not lose money.

[Spartacus Maximus]

The general idea that ought to be used as a guideline for every decision is to avoid unnecessary expenses and minimize any other spending. The first step to that is of course, starting the dojo out of a public space such as what has been suggested before. Community gyms, recreation centres etc...As for equipment, get only the barest mimimum but borrow it, get it on sale or buy used.