Starting and Running Your Own Martial Arts School. Karen Levitz Vactor

      

      STARTING

       AND

       RUNNING

       YOUR OWN

       MARTIAL ARTS

       SCHOOL

      DEDICATION

      To our husbands,

      Drew Vactor and Gary Peterson.

      Their support, patience, and good humor

       made this book possible.

      STARTING

       AND

       RUNNING

       YOUR OWN

       MARTIAL ARTS

       SCHOOL

      by

      Karen Levitz Vactor

      and

      Susan Lynn Peterson, Ph.D.

      TUTTLE PUBLISHING

       Tokyo • Rutland,Vermont • Singapore

      Disclaimer: The success or failure of any business depends on numerous factors. Some of those factors are beyond the scope of this book. Others are beyond the control of even the most capable business owner. Though the authors have built the principles in this book on solid, well-established business practices, they cannot guarantee the success of your martial arts school.

      Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offices at 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 U.S.A.

      Copyright © 2002 Karen Levitz Vactor and Susan Lynn Peterson

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

      Information of Maslow’s hierararchy of needs is based on Paul Massen and Mark R. Rosenweig, et al, Psychology: An Introduction. © 1977 by D.C. Heath and Company. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company.

      Cover Illustration: Bill McGuire / Illustration Works, Inc. / Getty Images

       Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Vactor, Karen Levitz

      Starting and running your own martial arts school / Karen Levitz Vactor and

      Susan Lynn Peterson.—1st ed.

       p. cm.

       Includes index.

       1. Martial arts schools. I. Peterson, Susan Lynn, 1957-II. Title.

      GV1102.V22.2002

       796.8—dc21

      2002024285

      ISBN 978-1-4629-0255-2

      Distributed by:

North America, Latin America & Europe Tuttle Publishing 364 Innovation Drive North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436 U.S.A. Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] [email protected] www.tuttlepublishing.com

Asia Pacific Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd. 61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12 Singapore 534167 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] [email protected] www.periplus.com

Japan Tuttle Publishing Yaekari Building, 3rd Floor 5-4-12 Osaki Shinagawa-ku Tokyo 141 0032 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] [email protected]

      11 10 09 10 9 8 7 6 5

      Printed in Singapore

       Design by Sheila Selden Design

      Tuttle Publishing^® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

      HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

      Who Is This Book For?

      How Do You Use This Book?

SECTION ONE:
STARTING A SUCCESSFUL MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL	1
CHAPTER ONE:
BUILD A SUCCESSFUL MARKETING IDENTITY	2
Focus on Your Image	2
Your School’s Image	2
Your Own Personal Image	5
The Image You Project	5
Examine Your Features—What Do You Have?	7
Determine Your Benefits—What’s in It for Them?	7
Develop Your Marketing Identity	9
Choose a Name That Reflects Your Image	10
CHAPTER TWO:
FINANCE YOUR NEW SCHOOL	13
Start with Estimates	13
Start-Up Capital	14
Break-Even Point	15
Your First Two Years	18
Discover Sources of Money Available to You	19
Commercial Loans	20
Government Loans	20
Private Family Loans	22
Apply for a Loan	22
CHAPTER THREE:
LAY THE BUSINESS GROUNDWORK