What Martial Arts Business Gurus Teach Isn’t Right For Everyone…

I’m a little disappointed in them.

I’m talking about some of old-timers in the industry who are well-known business authors and consultants.

All of them are smart, successful, and I’ve learned a heck of a lot from studying their methods.

But, lately it seems (to me anyway) that they think they’re the only ones with anything useful to share when it comes to the business of running a school.

Every time I read an email, direct marketing piece, newsletter, blog post, magazine article, or whatever from these folks, it’s always something to the effect of:

“My school-fu can beat your school-fu!”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for those folks. I want them to do well. I don’t ever waste my time resenting anyone else’s God-given success.

But just because the people with the megaphone are sharing their version of the “truth” with the industry, it doesn’t make it so.

Here’s what’s wrong with their thinking that they have all the answers:

• For a long, long time, less than 1/2 of one percent of the school owners in the country were dictating what 98 percent of the industry should do…

• That 1/2 of one percent all went to the same conventions –

• They all used the same billing companies –

• They all engaged in friendly competition to out-do the others –

• They all spoke the same line when it came to how to run a school –

• But while they were living in a fish bowl, they forgot something…

And that’s the fact that, despite creating their own definition of martial arts school success, there were a bunch of school owners out there who were quietly doing well without ever being part of that crowd.

Meanwhile, the well-known old-timers soon forgot that there are a lot of ways to get to the top of the mountain.

As we all know, there is no “ultimate style” of martial arts. Some people are better strikers, some are better wrestlers, some may be deadly with a stick or blade.

And the best styles, given the right conditions and the right practitioner, can ALL get the job done.

The same goes for martial arts business practices.

So, what’s this mean to you?

Simply this…

Your job is not to find the ultimate business system, only to find the ultimate business system for your goals and abilities.

Some things in business are universal truths – but you are unique, and there ARE differences between your goals and abilities and everyone else’s.

So, for goodness sakes, don’t just blindly follow what the “gurus” tell you…

Instead, run your business tooth and nail, flesh and bone by doing what’s right for YOU and YOUR SCHOOL.

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