Posted by Mike Massie on December 31, 2009
Expect bigger and better things for your school in 2010...
Let’s be honest… 2009 was a difficult year for many martial art school owners and instructors.
For many school owners, it was a year when you saw less interest in your programs than in any previous year in the last decade.
And, for many part-time instructors, it was a year when many of you began looking at teaching as a possible means of income to fall back on should you lose your job.
I certainly hope none of you reading this had to go through that, but the from the emails I’ve been getting I know many of you have. And, quite frankly, I believe that many of you were ill prepared to face an economy that is as bleak as ours has been over the last year… and I want to ensure that never happens to you again.
So, I’m working hard to make the new MASAI website vastly better than anything I’ve provided for you previously. I’m working to get you more content each month, and also to provide you with more articles and lessons that are relevant to your situation.
Of course, with more content and improved services, our prices will be going up for our new members in January 2010.
But as a reader of my blog, I’d like to allow you the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of MASAI membership at our current 2009 prices. Click here to visit the site and take our $1.00 test drive to lock in your membership at our extremely low 2009 rates.
Working hard so you can expect better thing in 2010 -
Mike Massie, still your Martial Arts Business anti-Guru
Posted by Mike Massie on November 19, 2009
My Pet Peeve – When Platitudes Are Passed Off As Solid Martial Arts Business Advice
I see it all the time in our industry. Some “guru” writes an article that at first gives the impression of providing solid business advice…
But as soon as you read past the opening paragraph, you know you’ve been had, because the article is nothing more than a bunch of platitudes masquerading as real-life business know-how.
- “Keep your eyes on the goal…”
- “Keep going…”
- “Stay focused…”
- “Believe it and it will happen…”
The list goes on and on.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with providing a pep talk every once in a while for other business owners, and Lord knows we need it on occasion. And certainly, cultivating a resilient spirit is a necessity for long-term business success.
Here’s What Gets My Goat About Martial Arts Consulting…
However, what gets my goat is when we see “experts” passing this stuff off – over and over again – under the guise of providing us with valuable and useful business advice.
A book I recently read on running a martial arts school is a perfect example of the vacuousness of some martial arts consulting gurus. The front cover claimed this book would show you how to build your fantasy school, or some such nonsense.
I ordered the book. I read it. It wasn’t nonsense, but the entire book was filled with chapter after chapter of platitudes and vague advice…
And the sad thing is I found it to contain little, if any, solid and actionable advice on the real nuts and bolts of starting and running a martial arts school. It’s no wonder so many martial arts instructors are so confused when it comes to knowing exactly what it takes to start and run a successful martial arts school.
What It Typically Means When You’re Fed A Bunch Of Platitudes By “Experts”
Let me tell you something… and let this be your litmus test from here on out for what passes as useful business advice that you can bank your school’s financial future on:
Massie’s B.S. Advice Litmus Test
If it isn’t actionable, it’s probably B.S.
When I wrote Small Dojo Big Profits, I started with the goal that the book would provide actionable steps an instructor could follow to start and run a successful martial arts school. And that’s exactly what the book provides – an action plan.
The same goes for my monthly membership site at Starting-A-Martial-Arts-School.com… each month I provide actionable, easy-to-follow advice on what you need to do that month to build your school.
Then again, I suppose I could start providing a bunch of meaningless platitudes in my materials and manuals…
But then I’d have to charge you extra for it. 
Until next time,
Michael D. Massie
Coaching Program: http://www.starting-a-martial-arts-school.com/
Adult Curriculum: http://selfdefenseblackbelt.com/
Social Network for Martial Arts Instructors: http://www.masainetwork.com/
Business Manual: http://www.small-dojo-big-profits.com/
Summer Camp Manual: http://startingasummerdaycamp.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MartialArtsBusinessDaily
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mabizdaily
Posted by Mike Massie on January 28, 2008
Martial arts business author, Mike Massie
We’re happy to announce that Martial Edge did an interview with Mike Massie a few weeks back…
The interview itself was quite detailed, and touched upon a variety of subjects that modern martial arts school owners and instructors are facing, such as:
- Management
- Marketing
- Retention
- And the state of the industry as a whole…
Here’s a brief excerpt from the interview:
Martial Edge: Some commentators in the martial arts state that the ‘martial arts school in America is becoming the McDojo.’ Would you agree/disagree with this?
Mike Massie: This goes back to the previous question, however, it deserves elaboration. When people start talking about “McDojo this, McDojo that,” my first question is “what’s your definition of a McDojo?”
If your definition has to do with how much money they charge, you’re lumping in a lot of good instructors with the bad. Also, you’re falling into the trap of suggesting that someone with specialized skills and knowledge does not deserve to be paid well for sharing those skills and that knowledge with the rest of society. I would say that most every free society values our most knowledgeable and skilled professionals, from scientists and doctors, to judges and (God help us) attorneys, to plumbers and carpenters…
If you’re interested in reading the full interview, you can find it here:
Martial Edge interviews Martial Arts anti-guru Mike Massie
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Mike Massie is the author of Small Dojo Big Profits and runs a martial arts business coaching website for new instructors and small school owners, StartingAMartialArtSchool.com.
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