Hey any of you guys have any tips on opeing a martial arts school? Finding start up money, advertising tips, ways to keep costs low (like finding cheap mats, inexspensive ways to paint ect.). I know some of you out there are, or have run some good schools (Tim, Will).

Thanx
-Chris

Teach in a garage. Teach at the local CC. Teach at the local Park.

If you can rent space in an already established school or gym of some sort (to avoid having to sign a lease and be responsible for rent) you will avoid alot of financial pressure to start.

Once you build up an adequate student base, you can open your own location and have enough to pay the rent from the first month.

If you need mats, go to a local judo and/or bjj tournament. You will save lots of money on shipping, and the distributor will usually give you a discount on the tatame. Both Swain and Zebra take brand new mats to tournaments that never get used. I prefer Zebra, b/c Tom will give you a bigger discount than Swain will, and Zebra mats are just as good.

Check out http://www.zebramats.com/ to see if Tom is sponsoring any tournaments near you.

How about getting some students first? What are you teaching?

If you dont mind using your house(backyard or garage) that is a great idea... just check into the legallities.

Also check into renting a storage bay, some are big and relatively cheap.

A storage bay is an intersting idea for sure, but I think that the owners of said property wouldn't be to happy with me. I don't have a garage or a backyard... I found an a great place here for only 69 cents a sqft, and it's about 2000 sqft. So rent isn't really frighting me right now. I don't really want to use the park because I don't really know how I would advertise for it, I'm looking into the city college thing right now, but I'm at a weid place with semesters. I'm going to teach martial arts in this school of mine leroy.

renting a storage bay is an increadily stupid idea. who's going to operate the fork lifts??
what if a couple of student's get a palet full of summer shoes droped on them- talk about legallities...sheesh.

Bob#2... you are an incredibly stupid individual that never offers any ideas or contributions to any thread..

A storage bay is a big garage like place that is empty... not a place of business~ did your parents have any children worth mentioning?

Sleepydragon, I disagree with you. I think Bob#2's stupidity is very credible. His off beat witticism keeps us from taking things too seriously. You have to admit he is pretty funny sometimes.

Bob#2 has a large Hogan that will scare most children. It is also said that he knows Kung-fu and has actually applyed it to non-co-operative people. Very interesting wouldn't you say.

I have applied my large Hogan to non-co-operative people on occasion. (and while that is a dandy goal, I couldn't scare most children with it... there are just too many of them).

Sleepydra,
My older brother, Ramon Numero Dos, was worth mentioning until he was supervising a lens factory, fell into one of the machines and made a spectacle of himself.

Ehh... I got to admit it Bob#2, you are pretty witty and care about small animals such mice... so you cant be that bad.

Just dont apply anything to me.