MASuccess Magazine

By MAIA Executive Director Frank Silverman

As we approach April, it’s hard to believe that the year is nearly 25% over! A quarter of 2019 is done and in the history books! But despite the jarring reminder that we cannot stop time, and that it does indeed fly, this is a great time of year. We are getting closer to summer and to the annual Martial Arts SuperShow, scheduled in late June and early July in Las Vegas. Now is a good time to look back and see if your business plan is on track for 2019.

Goals come in different shapes and sizes. Maybe you set a goal for your school’s student count. Maybe you identified an income level to attain.

Perhaps your goals are less about the business of martial arts and more about training. For example, did you want to train more, compete in an event or earn a specific rank?

Maybe you set goals related to your business and passion, the martial arts, but are geared towards your personal life: for instance, being able to be at work less and spend mo...

By MAIA Division Manager Melissa Torres

At the Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA), we are truly committed to helping you, the martial arts school owner. We brainstorm different ways we can help you get where you want to go, whether that’s with consultations, programs, Facebook Live content, our four-week Launch webinar class, or in-person workshops.

We want to make it convenient for you to take the leap. We understand that watching webinars or talking to someone on the phone may not be everyone’s best learning technique. Some need to talk face-to-face. No matter how you learn, we want you to be able to make a commitment to yourself, your family, and your staff that you will be successful.

Last year, we held the very first MAIA Mastermind in Orlando at the Championship Martial Arts headquarters. It was extremely successful and we got amazing feedback. The participants had the chance to see a holiday event held live, walk through the behind-the-scenes setup and see the crowds...

By MAIA Executive Director Frank Silverman

As we begin to approach the 2019 Martial Arts SuperShow, the world’s biggest martial arts business convention, this summer, I want to address the six groups of schools we market to that attend the show. They are:

• schools not yet open
• small schools
• medium schools (I call them potential “break-outs”)
• large schools
• super-large schools
• multi-school operations

Of the group, we tend to get the highest participation among the middle three: small, medium and large. That said, in any given year there can to be more of one than another, with no rhyme or reason as to why.

First, let me address the idea among some school owners about attending the event. They believe their school is too small, or that it’s too big, or that they are not a success, or that they are too successful to benefit from the Show. This last statement is not true and, in fact, is exactly the opposite.

Whether you are ready to open your doors for the first ti...

By Frank Silverman

When the calendar rolls over to the month of January, various groups of people ask me the same question every year: “What does the future look like for the martial arts industry, and what’s in store for martial art schools?”

This is a fair question any time of year, but I hear it more frequently in January. If I had a crystal ball, I’d gladly give a definitive answer. But, without that, here is my best "guestimate:"

This question really has two components. First is how I believe the schools will do relative to the economy and overall health of our industry. The second part addresses the trends and changes that we may see in the future.

Economy/Business Health

As for the economy and the business health of the industry, I have strong sense that 2019 will continue on a positive path. Overall, I expect my own personal schools to enjoy a repeat of 2018.

On occasion, some of the schools had “hiccups,” but that wasn’t based on the economy. They resulted...

The tradeshow floor has been emptied. The lights in the convention halls have shut off. And the speakers and attendees from the 2018 Martial Arts SuperShow have long returned to their homes and schools by the time you read this latest edition of MASuccess. However, MASS 2018 won’t be forgotten anytime soon. If you were one of the over 2,000 people in attendance, you know that this truly was a Show to remember!

By Sarah Lobban

The Martial Arts SuperShow is the largest event of its kind in our industry, offering a larger variety of seminars, vendors and on-the-mat training than a Las Vegas buffet. As such, its main competition is … the previous year’s show! That’s because Century Martial Arts and the Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA) try to make every Show better than the one before. 

Each year, the Show kicks off with the Opening Ceremonies. In 2018, the ceremony was held the night of Sunday, July 1st. The ceremony opened with a pre-Show to get the crowd pumped up. Mike Cha...

Last month, we informed our readers about the ™Safe Sport Act,∫ a new federal law enacted to protect minors from sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations and businesses. Pedophiles commonly target their prey in youth-based activities, including the martial arts, where children collectively represent over 50% of our industry's active student body. In this important follow-up article from a past issue of MASuccess, we turned to Dr. Anna Salter, a leading authority on the subject for advice. She teaches us how school owners can protect their young students from pedophilia.

 The numbers don’t lie: According to some of the latest U.S. statistics, 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys are victims of child sexual abuse. Headlines and news stories abound about how pedophiles have sought their victims in all aspects of modern society, especially in youth-based activities and organizations. 

The situation erupted into a national crisis with the highly publicized arrest and recent criminal convictio...

In February, a new federal law with stricter mandates was enacted to prevent sexual abuse of minors involved in amateur sports and physical activities. The sweeping legislation targets all youth-serving organizations and private businesses, which includes martial arts associations and individual schools. Over 50% of the active-student population in our industry today is composed of kids under 18. To enhance their protection, we need to comply immediately to the new law’s requirements.

New Federal Law Protects Minors

The highly publicized arrest and recent criminal conviction of Larry Nassar, a decades-long former medical doctor with USA Gymnastics, shocked the entire world, in and outside of sports. Astoundingly, some 265 female gymnasts, among them famous Olympic champions, have accused Nassar of sexually abusing them when they were minors. 

Nassar’s case was the turning point. U.S. Government lawmakers finally took stricter measures to protect minors involved in sports and phys...

by Melissa Torres

Get ready! Next month is the official time to pack your bags and make your way to Las Vegas for the 2018 Martial Arts Super Show! There are so many incredible speakers, instructors, trainers, martial artists and fellow school owners you are about to meet. And there’s so much to see and do during the Show and at the chic Bellagio Hotel venue.

If you’re already signed up for the Show, you are no doubt looking for advice for growing your school. Or increasing retention. Or learning new ways of instructing. Or, you’rechecking out the latest products and services.

In this column, I wanted to point out a few highlights of in the Martial Arts Industry Association’s (MAIA) booth.

First of all, you must stop by to meet our incredible MAIA coaches. The entire team will be there, and will be excited to talk to you and answer any and all of your questions. Our goal is to help you succeed. So, don’t miss the opportunity to get your questions answered.

Most of our coaches will...