Boutique/small class schools/dojos

[LionsDen]

I agree with you here. I think its unfortunate that there doesn't seem to be as much adult interest in this kind of training like there used to be, but being a parent myself, I know parents tend to stay busy and don't get a lot of free time, and the time they do get probably doesn't fall at the same time the class schedule does.

and a lot of the adults who want to learn martial arts are typically leaning more towards KB, BJJ, or MMA, if they don't already have a history of some sort in TMAs.

I have a father/son combo i'll be working with hopefully before the end of the month.

[bushido_man96]

Good stuff! Hopefully they are lifers!

[Wastelander]

I have been teaching private lessons out of my home for the past two years, although my training area is my carport, rather than indoors. I haven't been running group classes, because COVID is still not doing all that well, here, and my wife is immunocompromised, but I'm hoping to start that up this fall, and plan to limit it to 6 people at a time. It requires a bit of rotation, depending on what is being trained at the time, because a little over half the space is open, matted training area, and the rest has my bag/makiwara stand, but it's definitely doable. I always recommend DVR-connected security cameras for teaching, but ESPECIALLY for teaching out of your home.

As for pricing, I use a tiered system. My late Sensei used a tiered pricing structure for group classes, and it worked quite well for him, so I carried it over into private lessons. The more lessons you pay for up front, the less they cost per lesson--$35 for a 30 minute lesson, by itself, but buying packages of 4, 8, or 12 gets you discounts. When I start the group classes, I'll be doing the same thing based on the number of classes they want to attend that month.

[smuraix1]

What type of martial arts classes are you teaching out of curiosity?

[smuraix1]

I totally understand that, but I’m tired of doing jobs I hate.

I express my sentiments. It would be a dream to be able and live of teaching your passion as opposed to going to your typical 9-5

The truth is (and this is from my previous sensei who also owned his space) running a dojo and depending on it financially is very risk, all the instructors I knew had other jobs.